March 12, 2012 - Sell! Sell! Sell!

We've all the heard the advertising adage, "Sell the benefit, not the product" and that still remains true today.
In the above video, what is the relationship between a drowning man and a rope? Does he care that the rope is "superior quality 1-inch diameter, rot-proof, super-strong, lightweight, pure hemp rope"? Of course not, he wants the benefit. The fact that it will keep him alive.

There are three elements to any product or brand and let me tell you, they are FAB!

Features: common elements among similar items.
Attributes: specific qualities among similar items
Benefits: the only reason people actually buy anything

For an example, let's look at . . . toilet paper!

Paper-like material, assists in wiping/pranking, wrapped around a cardboard tube

This is your basic toilet paper. Now, let's look at specific brands.

This is store brand toilet paper. It's inexpensive and there's a lot of it, so you won't run out.

This is Renova, the most expensive toilet paper. It comes in multiple colors, is three-ply, and made from 100% virgin pulp. The website boasts about its "tiny drops of rich cream that envelop the fibres of this tissue paper, enriching its structure with moisturising compounds." It'd be like wiping your butt with a 5-dollar bill every time you went to the bathroom

But, what is the benefit of both of these? A clean, hygienic feeling on our buttocks. That clean feeling translates into satisfaction, and satisfaction allows us to worry about other things besides our ass. 

So remember, sell the benefit, not the product!