Copywriting Masterclass: Selling the Benefits

Welcome to this free class, I'll be your guide for today...

• www.harrisonamy.com

• Copywriter / Content Marketer

• Clientso Small business ownerso Coaches / entrepreneurso Large companies

• What we'll cover

o The difference between features and benefits

o How to identify benefits for different audiences

o How to find the benefits in your offer

o How to use benefits in copywriting

What are benefits?

Benefits are the reason we fall in love with products.

Imagine your favourite pair of jeans or a childhood teddybear

Even though the ‘features’ are nothing more than material and thread, the ‘benefits’make us FEEL something

The jeans fit perfectly, we feel attractive

The bear is soft, we feel comforted

When you fall in love, you’re attracted to ‘features’ (hair colour etc)

But how you FEEL when together is much more powerful.

So much so, that if someone came along with the exact same features…

…you wouldn’t even notice them.

Benefits in copywriting are a little different.

While you grow to love your jeans, your teddy bear and your partner from spending time with them…

…In copywriting, you use benefits to make your customer love your product before it’s even out of the box.

The difference between benefits and features

Mp3 Player

Features: What it has / does

• Blue• In-ear headphones• 8GB memory• Screen dial and touch

buttons• Radio setting• USB connect

Benefits: Why people buy…• Looks stylish• Comfortable listening• 1,000s favourite songs• Choose songs quickly• Listen to favourite shows on the go• Quickly and easily manage large

nos of songs via computer

Difference between features and benefits

Car

What it has:

• 4 wheels and an engine• 4 doors• Spacious• Huge wheels

Why people buy it: • Independence, freedom, adventure and control• Easy to transport more than 2 people, sociable, perfect for families• Comfortable for long journeys, the commute or frequent use• Feels safe, enjoyable to drive, perfect for doing the school run up a mountain

Features tell the facts

Benefits sell the adventure

So what gets your customer's attention?

To use features and benefits with great effect in your copywriting, you need to understand 2

things about your audience

1. Your customer has a NEED

(features)

2. Your customer’s choice of product is influenced by DESIRE

(benefits)

NEED FEATURE

Shorter hair Haircut

Haircut that doesn't look stupid

Qualified Hairdresser

But the customer won’t choose just ANY hairdresser. They’ll choose one based on their

desires:

DESIRES BENEFITS (how will our customer FEEL?)

To look stylish Confident

To impress friends Important

Be Pampered Relaxed

To have a friendly experience

Sociable

Benefits make your customer FEEL good

So how do you find the benefits for your audience?

1. Review the features

• What does it have / do?

• List as many things as you can

o What does it look like?

o What are the functions?

o How does it work?

2: How will your customer use it?

• What are they struggling with right now?

• What specific problem does you solve?

• What does it enable them to do?

• What does this look like in their life?

• (Refer to your customer profile)

3: What makes them feel good (what do they desire?)

LOOKS? SMARTS? SOCIAL? PROBLEM PROBLEM-FREE

Attractive Intelligent Popular Worried Carefree

Sexy Successful Admired Stressed Relaxed

Desired Wealthy Included Sick Strong

Fit Knowledgeable Exclusive Failure Success

Special Skilled Influential Embarrassed Confident

Noticed Proud Cool Poor Affluent

Slim Elite Confident In pain Vibrant

Envied Ambitious Needed Frustrated In control

Captivating Efficient Leader Overwhelmed Focused

Here are some popular triggers that motivate customers to buy. It is not an extensive list and you should create your own based on your customer. If you’re struggling to find a positive benefit, think of a pain or frustration, and find the opposite (see last 2 columns)

Pause for a moment

Features tell the facts, benefits sell the adventure

1. What do you have?

2. How will they use it?

3. What makes your customer feel good?

Let's look at an example...

1. Review the features... of a business coaching programme

• Run by an experienced consultant

• Weekly 1:1 mentoring via phone

• Helps business owners develop a strategy

and marketing plan

2: How will your customer use it?

• What are they struggling with right now?

o Frustrated and overwhelmed in their business

• What specific problem does it solve?

o Not knowing where to go next in their business

• What does it enable them to do?

o Rethink the direction of the business with expert guidance

o Find answers to frustrating questions

o Find shortcuts and systems for a more efficient business

• What does it look like in their life?

o More organised

o Renewed enthusiasm for their business

3: What makes them feel good(what do they desire?)

LOOKS? SMARTS? SOCIAL? PROBLEM PROBLEM-FREE

Attractive Intelligent Popular Worried Carefree

Sexy Successful Admired Stressed Relaxed

Desired Wealthy Included Sick Strong

Fit Knowledgeable Exclusive Failure Success

Special Skilled Influential Embarrassed Confident

Noticed Proud Cool Poor Affluent

Slim Elite Confident In pain Vibrant

Envied Ambitious Needed Frustrated In control

Captivating Efficient Leader Overwhelmed Focused

These are just a few possible examples

4: Features, Results, Benefits

FEATURES (NEEDS)

RESULTS (WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE)

BENEFITS (DESIRES)

New business plan Clearer vision of the business direction Successful

Marketing strategy More sales and clients Wealthy

1:1 mentoring Able to ask questions and receive tailored answers Special

Clearer branding message More people talking about the business Admired

Help them to be the driving force in the business

Ability to set goals in their business AND achieve them

Proud

Guidance on business growth Able to earn more, higher paying clients Ambitious

Better systems More time to work on more important tasks Efficient

New knowledge Better decisions, faster Confident

Plan of action mapped out Less distractions and overwhelm In control

Clear business plan Track progress, better use of time and more able to relax

Focused

Next, go back to your features and list them (left hand column). Now ask yourself what this looks like in your clients life. What results will they get? (Middle column). Finally, look through your ‘desires’ list (highlighted on the previous slide). Which emotions match the different features / results.

So how do you use this

in your copywriting?

1: Tell a story: Pain, Answer, Results, Benefits

"If you're frustrated and overwhelmed in your business, it doesn't mean you're not a success. (PAIN)

It might just mean you need some tailored guidance and help. (ANSWER)

When you finish this 1:1 business coaching program you'll have a clear business plan for the next 3 months, a marketing strategy and a plan of action mapped out that you can follow. (RESULTS)

Which means in just 3 months you'll feel confident, focused and in control of your business.“ (BENEFITS / DESIRES)

2: List the Benefits followed by Results

• Feel successful with a clearer vision of your business' direction

• Feel proud when you can set clear goals in your business… and achieve them

• Feel more confident when you can make better decisions, faster

3: List the Features (F), Results (R) and Benefits (B)

• With guidance about growing your business, (F) you can earn more, win higher-paying clients (R) and satisfy your ambitions (B)

• Better systems in place (F) means you have more time to work on important tasks (R) so you feel efficient and less stressed (B)

• A clear business plan (F) lets you track progress, use your time better (R) and helps you feel focused and in control (B)

Recap

1. Know your features

2. Know how your audience will use it (context)

3. Know what makes them feel good

4. Map out: FEATURES / RESULTS / BENEFITS

5. Use in your copywriting

a. Tell a story

b. Benefits, results

c. Feature, results, benefits

Want more help digging out the benefits?

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