I gave a talk on Features versus Benefits to a business group. When asked if anyone knew what they were, only one hand went up. Which is normal because business professionals rarely receive this training. But ask a marketing consultant or a copywriter what they were—they'd know.

Or would they?

I wouldn't bet on it. But don't allow that to keep you from recognizing the difference between Features and Benefits. Then you'd know exactly if you were hiring a genuine marketing expert—or a hack.

Here's the difference in a nutshell...

Anytime you talk about you, your company, your products, or your services: those are features. Anytime you mention what your prospect gets from you, your company, your products, or your services: those are benefits.

The hack will recite some story they memorized from a one-day marketing workshop they attended because they get a day off from the office. You've probably seen the promotions for those. The versatile trainer speaks about Diversity on Monday, Customer Service on Tuesday, Marketing on Wednesday, Sensitivity on Thursday, and has a hard time paying bills by Friday.

The expert transforms features into benefits, deeper benefits, and even ultimate benefits. Let's take a closer look...

Say you went to Home Depot to buy a drill bit. The problem is, when you were sleeping the night before, you weren't dreaming of buying a drill bit. What you really wanted was a hole in the wall.

The hole is the benefit. The drill bit is the feature.

But the drill bit distributors will disagree. They want to educate the public on how well their drill bits are built. How unique those tungsten carbide tips are. And why the shank sizes are important.

On the other hand, the consumer wants to know if she will be able to hang her Monet, put up shelves, or secure cabinets quickly. She's not interested in how long those tips last or that stunning drill bit chart on the manufacturer's website. She wants to know how she will benefit from buying those drill bits.

How does this serve you?

Take a look at your mailers, brochures, and websites. Anytime it mentions anything about you, your prospect is not interested. Anytime it mentions what they will get, they're interested.

Believe it or not—they're not concerned about your pretty graphics, corporate letterhead, or expensive logo. If you haven't addressed their wants, needs, and desires—you've lost them. They'll dismiss you like they have so many others.

As I'm writing this, I just received a voicemail for a free analysis of my phone system. They left their company name and phone number. I'm sorry, but that's not enough to get me excited about the analysis. Not even a free one. They haven't identified one benefit. They've wasted my time as well as theirs.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Unless you're in a government program. Even the offers for a free credit report are tied to some subscription deal.

What's happening today?

The dark side of the Force is dominating the war in the marketing empire. They employ mindless clones to get their messages across. Only a few thinking Jedis stand in their way.

If you want to become a Jedi marketer, you must master the Force. And resist the seductive dark side.

Resist the urge to brag about your company, your products, or your services. Show your prospect how you can solve their problem with what you offer. Paint the picture of what they'll get in your marketing promotions. Then you'll be on your way to becoming a Jedi.

Let's take a look from another angle...

Scan most pieces of mail and you'd swear Og Advertising Agency produced them. Browse most websites and you'd conclude Igor Web Design Firm built them. And read most company newsletters and you'd testify Schmuck Publishing wrote them.

Am I being brutal?

Yes. Brutally honest...

Because the majority of the marketing messages you read either clobber you in the head with their features (company name, product or service)—or they hide those features in-between expensive graphics. Or their messages are so bland and sterile: you're fighting to keep your head from crashing on your desk and saliva from dribbling down your chin.

Do they have it backwards?

No, not backwards. They've got it all wrong. Period.

Most marketing pieces lead with company features, support it with more features, and close with even more features.

The consumer continues to scratch his head wondering when they will talk about what concerns him, what he wants, and what he gets.

The Star Wars Solution...

Here's how to grab more business than you've ever had: Lead with consumer benefits—follow with company features.

Instead of saying, "This house has vinyl windows," ... say, "You'll save money on energy and enjoy easy maintenance with vinyl windows."

The vinyl window is a feature. What your prospect gets from the vinyl window is a benefit. Now that was easy.

In your promotions, show them how they will benefit in your headline. Continue adding more benefits throughout your body copy supported by company features. Then close with features such as your contact information.

Lead with consumer benefits, support them with company features and you'll create a stronger pulling marketing piece, get more sales, and generate more leads. You'll also answer your prospect's favorite question, "What's in it for me?"

May the Force be with you.