Effective Messaging 101

Effective Messaging 101 using Features = Benefits = Results

Features 

A product feature is an element of a product that fulfills a customer need. Features influence the pricing of a product, and companies modify features throughout the development process to enhance the user experience. This is the same as growing your skill set to provide an enhanced experience for your client – you as the service provider are expanding your “personal features”.

Examples of features include ambidextrous handles on scissors, the battery life of a phone, or a spending tracker in a personal finance app. Features categories can include: Function, Design, Quality, Experience. By defining the features we get to the better selling content which are the benefits of the features…

Benefits

Features speak to a product’s physical attributes (what the product consists of), while product benefits highlight its effects (how you feel while or after using it). For example, an umbrella’s features may include a plastic handle, pink cloth, and a four-foot wingspan; its benefits is that it will keep you dry on rainy days and under shade on sunny ones. Or your coaching is 60 min, 1:1, and over Zoom: its benefits are that the client has ample time to share and learn, in a private, convenient coaching session.

Both features and benefits are useful and give customers important information they’ll need during their buyer’s journey, such as design, price, and real-world relevance. Ultimately, the benefits of having a product or service are what make consumers purchase, which means it is often best to highlight benefits over features when writing marketing copy. This paints a picture of what life will look like after the customer purchases the product or service. If you do decide to highlight features, you’ll want to make sure consumers understand how they’ll benefit from those features.

Results/transformations

Similar to benefits here you are targeting the customer or clients mindset, but we are going a step further. After identifying your clients pain points, you want to define how your client  will move from where they are to where they want to be using your services. Whereas benefits are about short-term advantages, results speak to the long-term gains. They paint a vision of the future where your customers have resolved their challenges and met their aspirations. Results/transformations are a result of the benefits just as benefits are a result of features.

Use the following tools and prompts to draft your own effective marketing messages

Why would a client want/need your services?

Messaging Framework:

Use this grid to create messaging that is transformational rather than transactional. Fill in each box below according to either a benefit or result your services provide or a feature your product or service possesses. Within the box that correlates the benefits the customer wants and a strength you have, write a sentence that combines the desired benefit with how you can deliver upon it.

Feel free to adjust the product/service features section to your personal strengths and differentiators! For example – one of your strengths could be that you have 20 years experience. If a desired benefit that your ideal client wants is an experienced guide to lead them to X results – then you have the background and expertise to get them there!

Email me if you have any questions or want to dig in further on this topic – I love feedback and connecting with you!