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Writer's pictureSarah Turnbull

What's the Difference Between Features and Benefits?


Looking over the user's shoulder to see a laptop screen

Anyone who knows me also knows how much I bang on about the importance of including benefits when creating direct response copywriting – whether it be web copy, social, brochures or any other medium.


Copywriting is the art of writing compelling content that drives sales and persuades customers to take action. A successful copywriter knows that it’s not enough to simply describe the features of a product or service, but they also need to focus on the benefits it offers to the customers.


One of the things that’s very common is that business owners tend to talk about the features of their products, where the target audience is most responsive when they’re told about the benefits. Business owners are missing an opportunity here!


If you take nothing else from this blog, please remember this… Benefits sell.


So, let’s look at features and benefits.


Features

Features are the physical or functional attributes of a product or service. They’re the tangible characteristics that describe what the product does or what it’s made of. Examples of features can include the size, colour, shape, weight, design, and technical specifications of a product.


For instance, if you’re writing copy for a laptop, some of the features may include the screen size, the processor, the storage capacity and the expected battery life. These features are essential to know as they provide a basic understanding of what the product is capable of.


Benefits

Benefits, on the other hand, are the advantages or outcomes that the customers get from using the product or service. Benefits are the emotional and psychological effects of the product, which makes it attractive and valuable to the customers. Benefits answer the question of ‘what's in it for me?’


Using the example of a laptop, some of the benefits may include convenience, portability and increased productivity. For instance, you can highlight the benefit of portability by saying that customers can work from anywhere with ease (this is known as the ‘deeper benefit’), whether it be on the couch, in a coffee shop or while traveling. This approach speaks to the customer's desires, needs and wants.


Difference between Features and Benefits

The difference between features and benefits is that features are the technical or physical attributes of a product or service, while benefits are the outcomes or advantages that the customer gets from using the product or service. Features describe what the product does, while benefits describe what it’s going to do for the customer. How it’s going to make them feel; how it’s going to solve their ‘problem;’ how it’s going to make their life better.


Benefits are what motivate customers to buy the product or service, whereas features are the supporting details that help the customer understand how the product delivers the benefits. By highlighting the benefits of a product, a copywriter can persuade the customers to take action, whether it be to buy the product, sign up for a service or click on a call-to-action button.


In summary, copywriting is not just about describing what the product does, but also about demonstrating how it benefits the customer. By focusing on the benefits rather than the features, a copywriter can create compelling content that speaks directly to the customer's desires and needs, ultimately leading to increased sales and customer loyalty.


Like to know how to write effective product descriptions? Click here for tips and hints.


Thinking of updating your web copy? Visit my pricing page or read my blog on How much does it cost for copywriting for a website.



I offer FREE, no-obligation website audits. If you’d like one, please drop me a message using the contact form and I’ll schedule it in for you. You’ll get an overview of how you can improve your site – many of the changes you'll be able to make yourself!






 

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