Selling Benefits II

How did you do with the benefits exercise I gave you
recently?

Chances are you didn't even do it.

And why is that? Because you honestly believe you're
already a master at selling product benefits.

In 21 years of sales training experience and multiple
team exercises, very few salespeople are able to
articulate the difference between features and benefits.

I know, you think you're different. Most of the salespeople
I work with think they're different until I ask them, what
makes you different - and time after time I get the same
slurpy yada, yada, yada.

My passion is to help entrepreneurs and salespeople become
the best you are capable of becoming.

To be the best in sales requires discipline and skills.
Having skills is more important than having experience.
And having both is an exceptional combination.

Presenting benefits is a skill which has to be learned
and mastered.

Good ole Elmer Wheeler probably said it best in 1938,
when he said you have to sell the sizzle not the steak.
And the sizzle of course are the benefits.

Okay I'll quit preaching for a while.

Here's what I'm going to do right now for you. I'm
going to give you four features of a #2 pencil.

Following each feature I'll give you a benefit for that
feature. Remember, I got these from a copywriting
course I'm taking.

1. Feature - The pencil has one end capped with a rubber
eraser.

Benefit - convenient eraser lets you correct writing
errors cleanly and quickly.

2. Feature - The eraser is attached with a metal band.

Benefit - tight-fitting metal band holds eraser snugly
in place - so you'll always have an eraser when you
need it.

3. Feature - The pencil is 7 1/2 inches long.

Benefit - long length insures a long writing life.

4. Feature - The pencils are sold by the dozen.

Benefit - sold in a convenient 12-pack so if you lose
one, you don't have to run to the store for another.
Also, more cost-effective for you.

A couple of observations here. The benefits are longer
than the features. They are drawn out with specific
details and allows the sales prospect/customer to get
a clear picture of how he will gain/benefit from your
product.

One of the biggest mistakes, I've observed, is that
salespeople tend to assume the sales prospect/customer
knows what the benefits are. Well the simple truth
is he doesn't know what the benefits are.

The only way your sales prospect/customer will know
what the benefits are, is if you clearly state them.

The benefits are what people buy. The benefits are
the emotional strings that pull your prospects/customers
closer to you and what you're selling.

Guess what they buy when you fail to offer clearly
stated benefits?

You guessed right if you guessed price. Do you ever
wonder why so many of your sales prospects and customers
are pounding you on price?

Every product/service you sell must be wrapped up
with multiple benefits.

Take this litmus test. Pick one of your products and
list four factual statements/features.

Next to each feature list a clearly articulated benefit.

Do this four times.

Then compare your benefits to the benefits listed for
the #2 pencil.

Anyone can state the facts and features of a product.

Not everyone is capable of presenting features and
the benefits of those features to his sales prospects
and customers.

You may not realize this, but for some salespeople,
I've just taken you to a place you've never been.