Today, we'll dive deep into the core products and services you'll be selling. You'll learn how to identify key features and translate them into compelling benefits for your customers, ultimately helping them understand why they should choose your products.
Understanding the difference between a feature and a benefit is fundamental. A feature is a specific characteristic of a product or service (what it is). A benefit is what the customer gets from that feature – the value or positive outcome for them. Think of it this way: Features are facts, benefits are what those facts mean to the customer.
Every product or service has a set of features. To start, list them. These could be technical specifications, design elements, functionalities, or even aspects of customer service. For a software, it could be 'user-friendly interface'. For a physical product, it could be 'lightweight material'.
Now, the most crucial step: turning those features into benefits! Think about how each feature makes your customer's life easier, better, or more enjoyable. Consider these helpful starting points:
**What are the tangible results for the customer?
Example:
The value proposition is a concise statement that summarizes the benefits of your product or service. It should be clear, concise, and highlight what makes your offering unique and valuable to the customer. It often states 'what' your product/service is and 'why' a customer should choose it.
Explore advanced insights, examples, and bonus exercises to deepen understanding.
Building on your understanding of features and benefits, we'll explore how to tailor your knowledge to different customer types and situations.
Understanding features and benefits is crucial, but it's only half the battle. The real power of product knowledge lies in answering the unspoken question in every customer's mind: "So what?" Customers don't just care about the features; they care about how those features impact *them*. This is where the benefit transforms into a *value proposition* - the specific, tangible outcome the customer receives.
Think about it: A feature is "dual-core processor." A benefit is "faster performance." But the "So what?" is "With a faster processor, you can edit videos on the go without lag, saving you time and frustration, and letting you share your creativity easily." Focus on the *result* the customer experiences. This is the core of a compelling sales pitch. We also need to think about the customer's needs and their buying motivators - what is important to them? Speed? Security? Ease of use? Or a combination of all of these?
Choose 3 products or services you sell. List 3 features of each. Then, for each feature, write 2-3 corresponding benefits that directly address customer needs and desires. Finally, answer the "So what?" question for each benefit by writing down a specific value the customer would get.
Example: Product - New Smartphone
Feature: Long battery life
Benefit 1: You can stay connected all day without needing to charge.
Benefit 2: You don't have to worry about your phone dying during important calls or events.
So What? You can stay productive and connected without interruption, or you can capture every moment of your vacation.
Imagine you're selling a specific product (e.g., a cloud storage service, a coffee machine, a pair of running shoes). Now, role-play a sales pitch to two different customer personas: A busy professional, and a budget-conscious student. Tailor your feature-benefit-So what? explanations to each persona's priorities (time vs. money, convenience vs. value, etc.).
Product knowledge mastery directly translates to increased sales and customer satisfaction. Here's how:
Create a short sales script (30-60 seconds) for a product or service you sell. The script should focus on:
Match the following features with their corresponding benefits. You’ll be provided a list of features and a list of benefits, and you must create the pairings by drawing lines or dragging and dropping.
Choose a product or service (e.g., a specific phone model, a software application, a restaurant's menu item). List 3-4 key features. Then, for each feature, write down at least two benefits that the customer would experience.
Write a brief value proposition for the product or service you chose in the previous exercise. Focus on making it concise, compelling, and customer-centric.
Imagine a customer is in the store, looking at two different models of headphones. Using what you've learned today, prepare a short sales pitch for each model. Highlight the key features of each model and explain the benefits to the customer, tailoring your approach to their potential needs (e.g., noise cancellation for travel, premium sound quality for audiophiles). You can role-play with a colleague.
Prepare to discuss different customer types and how their needs may differ. Think about the diverse range of customers you will encounter and how you might adapt your product presentations to better connect with them. Review the features and benefits of several different products or services available at your workplace.
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