In the midst of quarantine, many of us have been spending A LOT more time at home…
Which for me, has meant a growing awareness of the products that fill up my cupboards and closets. Over the last couple of months, they’ve seen to take on new meanings. Suddenly, my morning cup of coffee feels like a ritual of peace...rather than just a jolt of caffeine I’m grabbing before I rush out the door.
I don’t care if my clothing is the most trend-forward, I want to wear my simple stretchy leggings that feel comfortable and cozy. While our products have stayed the same, the benefits they offer us at different seasons of our lives make ALL the difference.
So, let’s get down to the point here….FEATURES VERSUS BENEFITS!
Using the clothing example above, what is the important feature of the leggings that makes them the comfy choice? …It’s that they are made from thread with spandex.
And what is the important benefit of the leggings? …Their benefit is ease and comfort. No constricting pencil skirts. No pain. A happier me!
That said, it’s not like I spend my day thinking much about the features of my products here at home. But I’m definitely thinking about the benefits. The soothing feeling of a cup of coffee. The ease of leggings. The joy of being surrounded by framed pictures of my loved ones...
That’s the thing about benefits — they’re powerful. They’re usually what we care about most. They speak to our needs, desires and wants.
And, they’re one of the golden keys to copywriting!
SO, WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FEATURE AND A BENEFIT?
A feature is a factual statement about a product or service. It’s what you would you see in the product details section of a website. It’s how you would physically describe a product or service.
Features sound like…
“The coffee cup is organic.”
“The leggings are black.”
“The frame has a silver rim.”
A benefit, on the other hand, is the value a feature brings to a consumer.
Benefits (following features) sound like…
“The coffee is organic [feature], meaning it makes me feel healthy [benefit].”
“The leggings are black [feature], meaning they give me more mobility [benefit].”
“The frame has a silver rim [feature], meaning it’s cute [benefit]!”
Let’s look at a few more examples…
MORE EXAMPLES OF A FEATURES VS BENEFITS:
The computer is black [feature], so it looks modern and professional [benefit].
The couch is made in Italy [feature], meaning it makes me feel chic [benefit].
The lawyer has 20 years of experience [feature], meaning she will probably file my LLC correctly [benefit].
The store has 15 locations [feature], meaning I won’t have to travel far to visit one [benefit].
The book has 500 pages [feature], meaning it will keep me entertained for longer [benefit].
WHY ARE BENEFITS IMPORTANT TO COPYWRITING?
Distinguishing features from benefits is important when marketing your product or service because, while features are important for appeasing our logical side, benefits really are what sell us. Benefits connect with our wants, desires and needs. Benefits solve problems. They tell a story. Storytelling gets to the root of why we’re actually buying a product or service.
Let’s go back to our leggings example and imagine two versions of an ad copy…
Version 1 (features only): “Need leggings? The ABC Leggings have arrived. Made with spandex. Available in black.”
Version 2 (benefits included): “Need comfy clothes for working from home? The ABC Leggings have arrived. Stylish and cozy, they are made with spandex and cotton for extra breathability and stretch. Available in black to instantly match anything in your wardrobe.”
As a copywriter, when I focused on benefits, the ad became more compelling, interesting and richer. Benefits help us imagine how the product will fit into our day and bring us joy/happiness/ease/etc.
So, the next time you’re writing copy, make sure you tease out those benefits!