Translate Your Product Features into Customer Benefits That Sell

You’ve created an exciting new product. You’re jazzed about the innovation, the engineering, and the elegant solution you’ve built.

But, when you talk to potential customers, there’s a disconnect. They don’t seem to realize what a game changer your product is, and you can’t seem to get them as excited as you are.

The hard truth is, your customers don’t buy your technology – they buy what your technology does for them. They aren’t interested in the functions, the features, or the specs – they’re interested in solving their problems. And it’s not their job, as the potential buyer, to figure out how your product can help them. It’s your job to show them.

Instead of telling them what your product does and expecting them to connect the dots, you have to translate your product's features into tangible benefits that matter to your customer. These benefits, not your product, is what will get them excited and ready to buy.

Your customers only care about benefits

As a founder, you're justifiably proud of your product’s features. You spent months, maybe years, developing them, thinking through and problem solving every detail.

But your customer doesn't care about any of that. They aren't thinking about your product, they’re thinking about their own problems. They're worried about rising input costs, labour shortages, or the pressure to operate more sustainably.

Features are just the means to an end for them. Your customer will never go looking for "machine learning algorithms" or "high-resolution cameras." They look for "how to lower my bills" or "how to know I'm protecting my business."

By talking about benefits, you join the conversation that’s already happening in your customer’s head. You show them you understand their problem before you start talking about your solution. That’s how you earn their attention.

Features, advantages, and benefits

To build a product message that connects, you need to understand the relationship between three key concepts: features, advantages, and benefits.

• Features: Features are the objective attributes of the product you’ve developed, such as functions, performance, design, or quality. These are the “What” your product does, and unique features set your product apart from other offerings in the marketplace
  
  Example: "Our soil sensor has a five-year battery life."

• Advantages: Advantages are the results or impact of your product’s features that provide an improvement over their current state. They are the tangible “How” your product solves your audience’s problem.
  
  Example: "Because the battery lasts for five years, it can be installed and left in the field without needing regular maintenance."

• Benefits: The benefits are the emotional payoff of the advantages delivered by your product, and they're the “Why” your audience cares about your solution. A benefit shows how your audience’s life is better because of your product, and this is what matters to them.
  
  Example: "You have peace of mind knowing you’re getting consistent, reliable data year after year without adding more work to your already busy schedule."
  

Example: John Deere See & Spray

John Deere’s See & Spray technology is a great case study in marketing a complex product with a simple, benefit-driven message. Imagine you’re the product manager for this technology.

You might start by listing the features:

• "The sprayer has 36 high-resolution cameras."
• "It uses advanced machine learning algorithms."

Okay, great. So what are the results or the outcomes of these features for the farmer? The results of these technical features create an advantage:

• "Spraying only weeds reduces herbicide use by more than two-thirds."
• "Reducing chemical use allows for more environmentally-friendly farming."

Okay, and? Why does the farmer care? Why is their life better because of reduced herbicide use?

Asking that final question reveals the emotional benefits:

• "The farmer has less stress and concern about their largest input cost, giving them more confidence in their ability to be profitable."
• "They can also feel proud that they're maintaining the quality of their land for future generations and meeting sustainability goals."

The features are the tech. The advantage is the tangible outcome. And the benefit is the human impact – the reason a customer will ultimately choose your product. John Deere doesn’t lead with "buy our cameras and algorithms." They lead with the promise of a more profitable and sustainable farm.

How a marketing strategist can help

Don't know where to start? A marketing strategist like me can help. 

I’ve helped develop dozens of brands for agri-food and other industrial and bioscience technologies. My fine-tuned toolkit and deep expertise can help you create product messages that stand out from your competitors and connect with your customers.

I also offer additional services like research to help you understand your audience and marketplace, as well as fractional marketing strategy and management services to help you with the planning and implementation of your product marketing within your organization. 

Get in touch if you’d like to learn more!

Start with why

By shifting your message from talking about what your product is to how it makes your customer’s life better, you change the conversation from talking about you to talking about them. You help them to understand why they should care about your product. Which is what will help them to buy your product.