.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Most marketing materials tout features. Sure, it’s nice to know the “what” of a product or service, but really your customers are interested in the “why.” Why would your product or service make their lives easier or better?

When your materials or ads only sell the features, you leave the audience to extrapolate the why or the benefit to them. If they bother at all.

Make it easy and more compelling. Don’t stop at the feature. Go directly to the benefit and help them understand why they need or want the features that your product offers. But remember, you don’t have to explain the benefit to the nth degree. Paint a picture and let them finish the thought.

Want some examples?

Feature: Long lasting

Benefit: Throw the atomic flashlight in your glove box or drawer and forget about it. In a month or in 15 years, it will work when you need it.

Feature: Faster

Benefit: You’ll never wait for another Web page to load.

Feature: Organize all your financial records

Benefit: Lack of receipts and records costs the average American more than $438 in tax deductions a year. Do you want to lose $438 again this year?

Feature: Compassionate

Benefit: The kind of nurse who will care for your mom just as you would.

The feature is nice, but the benefit is where the emotional tug exists. It’s in that emotional tug that the consumer will find the motivation to buy.

By the way, you don’t always have to use words to describe the benefit. Sometimes your visual will make the point with as much, if not more, emotional strength.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan