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| | The Marketing, Channels/Partnership & Sales Execs Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | re: re: re: re: re: re: They don't buy benefits , they buy ... re: re: What do people buy? - Mark | Views: 828 | | Dec 07, 2004 3:00 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: They don't buy benefits , they buy ... re: re: What do people buy? - Mark | # | 
Michael Lee | | One point missing from the conversation is the REAL reason people buy anything. Problem solving. We all have problems and the products/services we purchase solve those problems.
I want to buy a car. What is my problem? Without one, I have to walk. Then I'm late for my job. And so on. I buy a car to solve my transportation problem. Why do people buy food? Because a feature is easier preparation and a benefit is less clean up? NO. They buy food because they are hungry. Or will be. Hunger is the problem.
I'm not a sales guru. Features and benefits are an important part of the sales process. If you want to increase your sales, focus on solving your customers problem. You will make more than a sale. You will create a customer for life!
Regards,
Michael
> Mark Newman wrote:
> Features and Benefits, the two oldest twins in the history of sales pitches. They are inseparable no matter what.
>
>I once took a week-long class on selling new and used cars, and although I decided (fortunately) to just bag it, it was one of the best sales educational processes I could go through. If you can sell cars, then you can sell anything.
>
>It included what I think was called a Six Point Presentation, where you had to take the customer around the car starting at the front right bumper and in every case showing a Feature and Benefit. The feature was the platinum-tipped spark plugs, and the benefit was never having to change them. The feature was the liner under the hood, and the benefit was inflammability in case of sparks. The feature was the ribbing over the door panels, and the benefit was guided water runoff that prevented rain from trickling onto the passenger entering the vehicle. One after another, Feature and Benefit, large or small.
>
>They go hand-in-hand in every sales walk of life like seller and buyer. They buy features, they buy benefits.
>
>Best,
>
>Mark Newman
>
>> Nancy Fraser wrote:
>> Dear Jim,
>>I don't really understand what you are trying to say. People do buy based on benefits but if you identfy the benefit without consumer feedback, it is not as effective as asking the customer why they buy and marketing to that motivation. It's always dangerous to assume. Features have never been a good way to sell a product because there is no emotional attachment to a feature.
>>Telling someone that a decongestant will clear their sinuses (a feature) does not clearly convey what that means to someone who has no experience with decongestants, they say "So what".If a number of buyers tell you it clears their sinuses and they feel better and can enjoy life more despite the fact that they have a cold, you then market to the customer's perceived benefit.
>>I agree with your statement that most businesses don't have a clearly communicated USP. Most businesses find it easy to say they are different but extremely difficult to articulate why in any meaning full way.
>>
>>Nancy
>>Nota Bene Consulting
>>www.notable-marketing.com
Private Reply to Michael Lee | | Dec 09, 2004 1:59 pm | | Thank You ... re: They don't buy benefits , they buy ... re: re: What do people buy? | # | 
Craig Elias | | Thank you to Leslie who started this topic and EVERYONE who has contributed to it.
I am not the moderator of this network but I would like to say that I have found this topic and it's postings to be fascinating.
If selling was easy and we all know why people buy everyone would be good at it. In reality VERY few companies and even fewer sales professionals get past mediocre.
The one thing I have learned in my last 15 years in International Sales & Marketing is that whatever causes it (features or benefits) people choose what to buy based on emotion. They make emotional decisions and rationalize them later.
In my case I am NOT talking about the decision to solve a need and buy a car. I AM talking about the decision of WHICH car to buy and my experience tells me that is based on the personal and emotional value I get from the features or benefits. Hmmm did I buy my first Volvo sports wagon because of the features or benefits or did I buy it because of the image I wanted to have and the emotions tied to the brand of Volvo.
Oh, Oh. This may be another version of this VERY lively conversation we have going, Branding or Marketing - Why do people buy?
Keep the conversation going and have a GREAT week!
Craig
____________________________________
Craig Elias,
Founder & CEO, InnerSell Inc.
San Francisco, California
Phone: (415) 613-6757
Website: www.InnerSell.com
> Michael Lee wrote:
> One point missing from the conversation is the REAL reason people buy anything. Problem solving. We all have problems and the products/services we purchase solve those problems.
> I want to buy a car. What is my problem? Without one, I have to walk. Then I'm late for my job. And so on. I buy a car to solve my transportation problem. Why do people buy food? Because a feature is easier preparation and a benefit is less clean up? NO. They buy food because they are hungry. Or will be. Hunger is the problem.
> I'm not a sales guru. Features and benefits are an important part of the sales process. If you want to increase your sales, focus on solving your customers problem. You will make more than a sale. You will create a customer for life!
>
>Regards,
>Michael
>
>
>> Mark Newman wrote:
>> Features and Benefits, the two oldest twins in the history of sales pitches. They are inseparable no matter what.
>>
>>I once took a week-long class on selling new and used cars, and although I decided (fortunately) to just bag it, it was one of the best sales educational processes I could go through. If you can sell cars, then you can sell anything.
>>
>>It included what I think was called a Six Point Presentation, where you had to take the customer around the car starting at the front right bumper and in every case showing a Feature and Benefit. The feature was the platinum-tipped spark plugs, and the benefit was never having to change them. The feature was the liner under the hood, and the benefit was inflammability in case of sparks. The feature was the ribbing over the door panels, and the benefit was guided water runoff that prevented rain from trickling onto the passenger entering the vehicle. One after another, Feature and Benefit, large or small.
>>
>>They go hand-in-hand in every sales walk of life like seller and buyer. They buy features, they buy benefits.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>Mark Newman
>>
>>> Nancy Fraser wrote:
>>> Dear Jim,
>>>I don't really understand what you are trying to say. People do buy based on benefits but if you identfy the benefit without consumer feedback, it is not as effective as asking the customer why they buy and marketing to that motivation. It's always dangerous to assume. Features have never been a good way to sell a product because there is no emotional attachment to a feature.
>>>Telling someone that a decongestant will clear their sinuses (a feature) does not clearly convey what that means to someone who has no experience with decongestants, they say "So what".If a number of buyers tell you it clears their sinuses and they feel better and can enjoy life more despite the fact that they have a cold, you then market to the customer's perceived benefit.
>>>I agree with your statement that most businesses don't have a clearly communicated USP. Most businesses find it easy to say they are different but extremely difficult to articulate why in any meaning full way.
>>>
>>>Nancy
>>>Nota Bene Consulting
>>>www.notable-marketing.com
>
> Private Reply to Craig Elias | | |
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