Long story short – people buy based on the benefits, and then they justify their decision based on the features. That’s why you need both to sell.
No one buys a lawn mower because it has a big engine – he buys it because he can cut his lawn in half the time and spend twice as much time golfing. He buys it because he can cut even the tallest grass without stalling out and making himself look like an idiot for not cutting his grass sooner. And he buys it because something this big and powerful can only make him look bigger and more powerful to his neighbors and his wife (or so he hopes).
But when he’s bragging about his new mower to their next door neighbor, he’s talking about how much horsepower that baby has, how it’s made out of the same metal as the space shuttle, and how a team of 4 inspectors go over the entire mower three times before it leaves the factory.
These features are his justification, and they’re nearly as important as the original benefits that made him buy in the first place. They’re the reason he can justify the thousand dollar purchase to himself and to his wife, and justify why he doesn’t return it for something smaller and cheaper they can actually afford.
Now let’s put this whole features and benefits thing on steroids…
Features are useful, but by themselves they won’t sell a thing. Benefits are terrific, and by themselves they will sell stuff. But without the features, you’ll get a lot of buyer’s remorse and refunds.
BUT… if you add EMOTION to the equation, you put your entire selling process on steroids. That’s because while people think in terms of logic (or to be more accurate, they believe they are thinking in terms of logic) it’s their emotions that weigh in most when it’s time to make a decision.
Emotion SELLS.
Thus, the more you can tap into your prospects’ emotional wants, the more they will respond to your offers.
And the best way to get at their emotions is to go all the way. Don’t stop with just the obvious stuff, dig deeper.
Let’s use an example: You’re selling a weight loss product. You could say, “Take this pill, lose weight.” Losing the weight is the direct benefit of taking the pills. But that’s what everyone in the marketplace is saying. Plus, you’re not tapping into your prospect’s emotions, are you?
Instead, dig deeper and find the indirect benefits. What happens when they lose weight?
- They have more energy
- Stamina increases
- Higher self esteem
- More confidence
- Better dates with sexier people
- More outgoing and social
- Looks better
- Feels better
- Stronger
- Better able to take on life’s challenges
- Less jealous of others (now they’re jealous of YOU)
- Happier
- Healthier
- Live longer
- And so forth.
NOW you’re tapping into the REAL emotions behind losing weight.
Take it one step further, and put them directly into the picture. Don’t tell them they’ll have more confidence. Instead, ask him to imagine what it will be like when his confidence is so high, he can walk into a room of beautiful women and ask the most gorgeous one on a date, and she’ll say YES.
Or ask her what it will feel like when every eye in the room turns towards her – knowing all the men want her, and all the women wish they were her.
Now THAT’s tapping into emotion.
And that will get you the sale every time.
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