Are You Selling the Benefits of Your Product or Service?
The words on your website have the potential to make or break your business.
There are millions of sites that have the sole aim of selling a particular product or service, but so many of these go about it the wrong way.
Describing the features of what you sell or provide is one thing but what’s in it for your prospective customer?
Let’s take a look at an example;
A company selling a new range of golf balls online might say “this new ball has a titanium core” which is a feature. It may be important to the manufacturer but what does it tell the golfer looking to buy? What’s in it for them?
To turn this feature into a benefit the company could simply say “the new titanium core will help you drive the ball longer” which describes what it will do for the potential purchaser.
The So What? Test
Whether you already have a website or are in the process of writing the content for a new one, the so what? test is an easy way to write benefits that sell.
Look at the content on your site or the text you’re currently writing for it. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer and try to imagine what they’ll be thinking.
Looking at the golf ball example again, let’s consider some other features using the so what? test
This new ball has been 3 years in development – so what?
We have over 20 years’ experience in the golf ball market – so what?
This is the only place you can buy this golf ball online – so what?
These three features above fall into the trap so many companies make when writing online content; it’s written from their own perspective.
If you are looking to buy a new golf ball would you really care if the ball has been 3 years in development? No, it doesn’t mean it will improve your game.
Would you care the company has 20 years’ experience? No, again it doesn’t mean their golf balls are any good.
Would you care the website offered that golf ball exclusively? No, it could be because it’s simply not very good.
Now if you said the golf ball could help you drive the ball longer, straighter and give you more feel on your putting stroke then those are real benefits that would interest any golfer.
Take a look at your website today and see if it passes the so what? test.
Are You Selling the Benefits of Your Product or Service?
The words on your website have the potential to make or break your business.
There are millions of sites that have the sole aim of selling a particular product or service, but so many of these go about it the wrong way.
Describing the features of what you sell or provide is one thing but what’s in it for your prospective customer?
Let’s take a look at an example;
A company selling a new range of golf balls online might say “this new ball has a titanium core” which is a feature. It may be important to the manufacturer but what does it tell the golfer looking to buy? What’s in it for them?
To turn this feature into a benefit the company could simply say “the new titanium core will help you drive the ball longer” which describes what it will do for the potential purchaser.
The So What? Test
Whether you already have a website or are in the process of writing the content for a new one, the so what? test is an easy way to write benefits that sell.
Look at the content on your site or the text you’re currently writing for it. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential customer and try to imagine what they’ll be thinking.
Looking at the golf ball example again, let’s consider some other features using the so what? test
- This new ball has been 3 years in development – so what?
- We have over 20 years’ experience in the golf ball market – so what?
- This is the only place you can buy this golf ball online – so what?
These three features above fall into the trap so many companies make when writing online content; it’s written from their own perspective.
If you are looking to buy a new golf ball would you really care if the ball has been 3 years in development? No, it doesn’t mean it will improve your game.
Would you care the company has 20 years’ experience? No, again it doesn’t mean their golf balls are any good.
Would you care the website offered that golf ball exclusively? No, it could be because it’s simply not very good.
Now if you said the golf ball could help you drive the ball longer, straighter and give you more feel on your putting stroke then those are real benefits that would interest any golfer.
Take a look at your website today and see if it passes the so what? test.
| Jamie Graham - Mr | 
| I am the head of Ocean Copy, a copywriting agency based in Scotland. I started my writing career as a restaurant reviewer with a range of UK food guide publications. Ocean Copy was set up in 2007 and we have worked with many high profile clients in the UK and Europe.
I’ve also got considerable search engine optimisation (SEO) experience having worked with an online marketing agency in Scotland for around two years. I have achieved many page 1 Google rankings for my clients through a combination of copywriting and SEO.
I’m a great believer in copywriting being a clever combination of writing for the search engines but most importantly your target audience.
I enjoy creative writing, cricket (only wish Scotland had a better team) and golf amongst many other things. Read More >> | |
|
Selling the Benefits..
Written by Jamie Graham
Partnerships can be fraught with problems. Getting a Partnership Agreement in...
