Feature benefit selling

Feature Benefit Selling - is a sales technique that involves presenting the features of a product or service (features) and the benefits these features bring to the customer. It is an approach focused on explaining how specific product features can solve a customer’s problems or improve their situation, thus increasing the value of the offering in the eyes of potential customers.

The components of Feature Benefit Selling strategy

1. Understanding Customer Needs - the foundation of effective feature-benefit selling is a deep understanding of the customer’s needs, challenges, and goals. Sales professionals must engage in active listening, ask probing questions, and conduct thorough research to gather insights about what the customer truly values.
2. Identifying Product Features - a feature is a factual statement about the product or service, such as specifications, attributes, or design elements. It’s crucial for salespeople to have a comprehensive understanding of their product’s features to accurately and confidently present them to customers.
3. Translating Features into Benefits - this step involves converting the technical aspects of a product’s features into practical benefits that meet the customer’s needs. A benefit explains how a feature improves the customer’s life, offering a solution to a problem or enhancing their experience in some way.
4. Articulating the Value Proposition - once features have been translated into benefits, the next step is to articulate a clear and compelling value proposition that encapsulates why particiular customers should choose this product over others.
5. Using Supporting Evidence - to make the feature-benefit selling more persuasive, it’s beneficial to support claims with evidence. This could include data, statistics, case studies, testimonials, or demonstrations that prove the product’s effectiveness and reinforce the benefits.
6. Handling Objections - in feature-benefit selling, handling objections is crucial. Customers may have concerns or reservations about the features or the benefits presented.
7. Closing the Sale - effective feature-benefit selling should naturally lead to closing the sale. By this stage, the customer should be convinced of the product’s value.

‍

Benefits of Feature Benefit Selling process

Feature Benefit Selling, or selling based on product features and benefits, offers a number of advantages that can significantly impact the effectiveness of sales strategies. Here are numerous advantages of this technique:

• Increased perceptual value of the product
• Improved understanding of customer needs
• Increased customer trust and satisfaction
• Closing sales more effectively
• Differentiation from competitors

How to implement the Feature Bernefit Selling process?

1. Train Your Sales Team - begin by training your sales team on the differences between features and benefits. Ensure they understand how to identify and articulate the benefits of each feature of your product or service.
2. Understand Your Customers - deeply understanding your customers’ needs, pain points, and desires is crucial. Use customer data, surveys, feedback, and direct interactions to gather insights.
3. Develop a Feature-Benefit Matrix - create a comprehensive matrix that lists all your product’s features alongside their corresponding benefits.
4. Integrate into Sales Scripts - incorporate feature-benefit selling into your sales scripts or talking points. This ensures consistency in how your sales team communicates the value of your products or services.
5. Use Supporting Evidence - strengthen your sales pitches by integrating supporting evidence such as statistics, testimonials, case studies, or third-party reviews that corroborate the benefits of your features.
6. Practice Active Listening - encourage your sales team to practice active listening during their sales conversations. This approach helps them better understand the customer’s specific situation and respond more effectively by highlighting the most relevant features and benefits.
7. Monitor and Adapt - regularly review the effectiveness of your feature-benefit sales strategy. Monitor sales performance, gather feedback from customers and sales staff, and adapt your approach as necessary.
8. Close with Confidence - ensure your sales team is equipped to transition smoothly from discussing features and benefits to closing the sale.

Summary

Feature Benefit Selling techniques work by developing a deep understanding of how product features can be transformed into real benefits for the customer, and then effectively communicating these benefits in a way that resonates with the customer’s needs and expectations. This approach helps to build trust and increase the chances of sales process.

‍