How to be Compelling When You Communicate the Benefits of Your Product or Service

It’s difficult in the marketing world to define marketing principles that are truly more than mere theories…

But the Eureka! Ranch has managed to do it.  Over the last decade, it has compiled and analyzed thousands of client cases related to the introduction of new product/service concepts and new marketing messaging for existing products/services.

This research has produced and quantitatively validated a number of well-proven and very practical conclusions for marketers of all types.

One of the key principles that emerged from this research dispels a dangerous marketing myth and therefore needs never-ending reinforcement. And it applies consistently across industries and consumer/business segments.

I’m referring to the critical importance of communicating what the Eureka! Ranch folks call your “overt benefit.”

The value of communicating benefits rather than mere features is hardly a breakthrough discovery.  The NEW news is just how overt that communication of benefits needs to be in order to produce a consumer response.

As consumers, we utilize only 2% of the information to which we’re exposed.  In the clutter of the marketplace, we need to “get it” quickly – in a matter of seconds.  In order for this to occur, marketers must be direct and focused on their most compelling one or two benefits.

Contrary to popular belief, there is a negative correlation between number of benefits presented by marketers and success in the market place.  Benefits more numerous than two actually tend to produce diminished results.  Therefore, marketers need to discipline themselves to capture the essence of their offerings in one or two easily observed benefits.

The communication philosophy that we must have the courage to embrace is to set a prospect say “no” because what you offer does not apply to her – NOT because she does not understand what you offer.

How do you build “overtness” into your marketing copy?

Add directness, bluntness, and specifics to your generic promises. (i.e. It’s not a “fast car wash,” it is a “6 minute car wash.”) Straight talk wins. Direct, to the point language out performs fancy word play in the minds of consumers.

8 More secrets from the Eureka! Ranch:

1. There is no difference in effectiveness between rational and emotional benefits.  HOWEVER, when rational and emotional benefits are combined, effectiveness suffers. You must make a clear decision to appeal to your consumer’s heart or mind – not both.
2. Benefits are relative to a specific target audience. When you focus clearly on a specific audience, you create expert credibility. And guess what… consumers expect to pay more for specialized expertise than generalist offerings.
3. When a customer buys your product or service, she’s often buying a moment that she has visualized in her mind.  To the extent that you can provide visualization of the moment of overt benefit (the defining moment of success for your product or service), your communications will be significantly enhanced.
4. Confusing people is NEVER a good strategy for winning their interest or patronage. Clever and obscure communication does not create consumer interest or curiosity.  It leads to rejection.
5. Benefits should be reduced to not more than 10 clear and focused words for maximum impact.
6. Beware of solving a problem that is not a real problem.  For a benefit to have motivational power with consumers, it must be relevant to their true needs – yet unexpected in that it offers a new insight or approach to addressing their needs.  The greater the anxiety that your prospects feel relative to a particular problem, the greater the chance that they will rush to the solution.
7. Beware of selling the absence of a problem instead of a positive benefit. There is far greater power in selling the positive than the absence of a negative.  Selling the absence of a negative requires that customers know that negative exists elsewhere in the marketplace. When prospects have to do more work, you generate less sales.
8. Beware of assuming knowledge. Do not assume consumers are aware of anything or anyone.