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Difference Between Features & Benefits?
Posted By: vinced on 10/30/2006 8:09 PM (CST) 250 Points
I teach an advertising course at a community college in Phoenix with students 19-23 years of age and am having a difficult time explaining to them the difference between product features and benefits.

iI use the text book, my own experiences, recent publications, etc. I am not doing well with the challenge.

I would appreciate any thoughts how imaginative folks like you might explain the subject.

Thanks,

Vince DiFranco

Posted by: NuCoPro Accepted Answer
10/30/2006 9:12 PM (CST)
Features are what a product does, while benefits are the value you get from the use of those features. Features may not provide benefits per-se' but may simply be necessary for the product to "work" correctly.
 
Posted by: KathySmithFilms* Accepted Answer
10/30/2006 9:23 PM (CST)
Have each make a list of 10 products they like in their own demographics such as iPod, BMW, School Supplies, Cosmetics, The latest fad, coffee hang outs, etc. and write out 5-10 examples of what the product does for them emotionally or how it makes life easier. From them drawing their own examples it will be clear to apply to the companies that will be hiring them once they graduate as one more piece of the puzzle simplified.

Here's a couple of examples to help you a little bit more:

You sell the benefits, not the features of your product or service. A classic example? Take the electric drill. Nobody is going to buy one just so they can have an electric drill. Most folks don't care what the drill is made from or how the circuitry is toggled - they care that it makes holes. But they only care about those other things because they add to performance, convenience or safety - benefits, not features, and they appeal at an emotional level.

Or take lipstick. What is going to grab her interest is that the lipstick makes her look more attractive. And it stays put longer so she doesn't have to keep reapplying it. And it doesn't smear or "kiss off", so she doesn't have to worry about curling up against someone else's shirt. Less fuss, fewer worries, great look - these are the benefits of this lipstick.
Kathy
 
Posted by: Jo Masterson Accepted Answer
10/30/2006 10:26 PM (CST)
My quick input.

Features - are about the product
Benefits - are about the end user

Feature: Costs less
Benefit: Saves you money

Feature: Comes in multiple colors
Benefit: Reflects your personality

Feature: 100% Columbian Beans
Benefit: Tastes great

Hope this helps,
Jo
 
Posted by: shghosh Accepted Answer
10/30/2006 11:08 PM (CST)
Since everyone has quoted on products let me explain it in terms of services:

Feature: 24 Hour Credit Card Call Centre
Benefit: Peace of mind-If you lose your card even in the middle of the night you can call and block it.

Feature: Happy Hours in Restaurants
Benefit: Pay less for the same amount

Feature: Bluetooth
Benefit: Keeps you connected; In-with-it halo
 
Posted by: Clive Fernandes Accepted Answer
10/31/2006 4:28 AM (CST)
Dear Vince,

Kathy has hit the nail on its head with her reply. You could do no better than have your students understand the difference themselves from their own experiences.

Benefits can be derived from features as shown by the examples given in the other responses. What you can do is have your student’s list 2/3 features of products they use and then deduce how those features help them in real life.

My definition differentiating the two would be that Benefits are the use that end-users get from the Features of a product.

Hope this helps.

Clive Fernandes
Clive Fernandes Consulting
 
Posted by: proeditor Accepted Answer
10/31/2006 6:54 AM (CST)
Yes, I agree that Kathy's idea is great.

Another way to find benefits is to list a feature and then answer the quesitons, "So what?" or "What's in it for me (the customer)?"

For example:

Feature: XYZ Drugstore is open 24 hours
Benefit: If your child wakes up in the middle of the night with a fever and you're out of tylenol, you can head to XYZ.

Here's another overly simplified example. (You can even give each student an apple and ask them to "sell this apple.")

Features of an apple: comes in red, yellow or green; crispy; tart or sweet; contains vitamin C, doesn't require refrigeration; etc. Benefits: makes a great tasting, healthy snack; in a bowl on your counter, adds cheer and color to your kitchen; easy to carry with you to satisfy hunger when you're on the run; etc.
 
Posted by: vic Accepted Answer
10/31/2006 8:13 AM (CST)
It's really quite simple...

Features are those facets of a particular product or service that provide "value" to a client.

Benefits are the ability of a client to derive from those "features" measurable value and convert that value to their bottom line.
 
Posted by: vinced Author Response
10/31/2006 11:32 AM (CST)
Hey gang: Great stuff. Didn't think of getting the students involved with products and services that they buy for this feature--benefit exercise.

Will be using them all.

If any of you are in the Phoenix area or will be escaping from the cold the next few months, I would love to have you stop in and add some inpiration to either my advertising or pr class.

Thanks again,

Vince
 
Posted by: BARQ Accepted Answer
10/31/2006 11:35 AM (CST)
Vinced:

Benefits should also be described differently as well. We call them Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds.

A Golden Retriever is a benefit you want to get (Great Taste)
A German Shepherd is a benefit for what you want to avoid (Less Filling)

Better copywriting addresses both.

Some buyers are oriented toward accomplishing things -- they respond to Golden retriever bene's.

Some are motivated by avoidance of risk. They like the German Shepherd bene's.


BARQ
SELMARQ, Brands' Best Friend
 
Posted by: narthur Accepted Answer
10/31/2006 1:10 PM (CST)
A short description I use in sales training:

Everyone's favorite radio station: WIIFM - What's in it for me? BENEFIT

The how, what are the features. Said well in many of the prior responses.

Neil
 
Posted by: telemoxie Accepted Answer
11/5/2006 5:36 AM (CST)
Another perspective is that of one of my prior bosses, who described Features, Functions, and Benefits:

a feature is an identifyable component of the product or service, such as the bristles on a toothbrush

a function is what that feature does: clean your teeth

a benefit is what you get from it: eliminate bad breath, fewer cavities, whiter teeth
 
Posted by: meglooneyml Accepted Answer
11/6/2006 7:05 AM (CST)
Using Kathy's example, features of an iPod are:

1. Made by world renowned brand Apple.

2. Includes Apple Click Wheel.

3. 1x hours battery life.

Benefits of these are:

1. You'll be recognized as someone with style and flair.

2. You'll be able to find songs fast.

3. You'll be able listen to music longer.

The difference between features and benefits is that the features focus on what makes the product, while the benefits focus on your experience of that product.
 
Posted by: gorgous_gal_909 Member Response
10/6/2007 10:33 AM (CST)
dear proeditor, NuCoPro and other interested people
i am a student just finishing my retail traineship and have not been able to understand the diffrence between the fetures and benifits no matter how hard my tafe teacher tryed to explane this to me i would like to thank you all for helping me understand this as it is an emportant part of my last assesment i perticuly found proeditor and NuCoPro information help full and i would like to say thank you to every one for helping me understand

Lisa
 


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