Understanding features, benefits, and the brand magnet
We all want prospects to know and like us. We want to carve out a little place in their brains where we reside. But prospects already have a head full of stuff, making it hard for us to request a little corner in there.
We need to become valuable to them. And in order to do that, we have to understand not only what they want, but also what they desire. This means we need a solid grasp on why we are relevant to them. From our features to our benefits to something I'll refer to as our brand magnet.
What are your features?
Your features are the aspects of your offering that would be interesting to those you hope to serve. These are the rational wants they have. They are the things that check the boxes when it comes to fulfilling your prospects' needs.
For example, it could be a characteristic of your offering like:
Our widget has an X-48 modulator.
It could also be the way you deliver your offering:
Our widgets are built using a proprietary air-cooled process
Ideally, these would be unique to you. But that's getting harder and harder to do these days with the pace of technology and the ability of competitors to spin up comparable features. That may leave you with relying on the uniqueness of your combination of features to help you stand out. It's important to note that these feature combinations (or "secret sauce" as it's sometimes referred to) tend to be less impactful than one unique feature. But we do what we can with what we have.
Again, these are rational items. Which makes them the weaker components of your messaging. People may claim that they make a decision to engage by examining the features. While features do play a role, don't be fooled. We know that all decisions are emotional. So let's move on to explore a more emotional driver – the benefits.
What are your benefits?
Your benefits demonstrate what your features do for those you hope to engage. In other words, how the feature benefits a life.
Let's go back to our widget example. If our widget has an X-48 modulator, here's how a benefit could read:
The X-48 modulator cuts production time by 30%
Or since our widgets are built with that proprietary air-cooled process, the benefit might be:
The proprietary air-cooled process gives the widgets a 50% longer life span
You could even combine the two to get to this benefit:
With our widget, you can get more done because it cuts production time and gives you long-lasting uninterrupted performance.
Our benefits start to express the real reason we might want this widget. They help show us how we can solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity. That's way more powerful than just saying you have widgets with an X-48 modulator, and then leaving it to your prospects to figure out why they should care.
But your benefits are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to creating powerful emotional connections with those your hope to serve. That honor goes to your brand magnet.
Do you have a brand magnet?
A brand magnet is that thing that makes your brand irresistible to those you hope to serve. You can think of it as the benefit of the benefit.
For example, Starbucks puts a lot into the cup of coffee it serves. It supports sustainable practices. It offers educational aid to its workers. And more. They are doing this so we will feel good about the cup of coffee we are purchasing. To help us feel like we have a part in helping them do good for people and communities. They encapsulate it with a purpose-driven summary:
To inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
There is no stronger brand magnet than a brand purpose. Because it connects with a deep need we all have to feel like we have meaning in our lives. Like we are helping to make a difference for those around us. Or make the world a little better place.
It takes all three.
For your brand to be successful you need to define all three – your features, benefits, and brand magnet. But once you have that, you need to understand where the real power lies.
So many organizations rely on simply detailing their features to us, leaving us to figure out why it matters to our lives. A few will dive into benefits. And while appealing to us, those benefits don't go very deep to serve our emotional desires. This is why you need a brand magnet.
For those your hope to serve, your brand components have different potency. Here is the hierarchy starting with the most powerful and working down:
Your brand magnet
Your benefits
Your features
Remember this as you work on your brand. As you allocate resources (time and money). If you respect the hierarchy, you'll begin to connect with why we should care. And carve out that little corner in our brains for your brand.