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So much so, even marketing managers who once were copywriters believe this is what you need to put on your landing page to convert more visitors.
I thought so too. Even wrote so in my book:
In Mario's case, benefits do sound much more appealing than features. But maybe this is because you don't really care about mushrooms?
When you're in a big, saturated market where every product looks the same, the benefits-first communication appears generic.
For example, CRM's benefits look like this:
It doesn't matter if you're Pipedrive, Zendesk, or Attio, the ultimate outcome of a sales team using a CRM is to drive revenue. Revenue-focused messaging is an obvious choice.
AI development companies, instead, like to talk about transformation. After all, when you compare a company before and after AI adoption, a transformation has clearly taken place.
The problem with these benefits?
The bottom line?
"More revenue and business transformation” are invisible benefits. Literally. People can’t visualize them.
Our brain processes clichés quickly – because we’ve heard them so many times – and decrypts their meaning without doing the hard work of creating mental images. And when the reader doesn’t see what you’re saying, they don’t remember it.
In this situation (big, saturated market with benefits that characterise a product category, and not one solution in particular), you can do 2 things:
Let's start with the features.
I came across a tweet:
If you're a copywriter trained to prioritize benefits over features, this is an example you would definitely agree with.
But if you think more critically about it (or at least check out the comments below), you might want to think twice before you decide which message is bad and which one is actually good.
“Enjoy YouTube without ads, offline, and in the background.”
→ I would argue that this message is clear. It tells you exactly what value you get. Whereas, the benefits-focused message is pretty vague:
“Watch your favorite videos without distractions, anywhere, and anytime you want.”
→ I'm not sold on “without distractions, anywhere, and anytime.” Ads is a more specific word than distractions. I can visualize it. It's not abstract. It works.
Now let's come back to our CRM and AI development company, and see examples with feature-first messaging.
If you're in a competitive market and your benefits sound just like everyone else’s, you're better off highlighting your features instead.
Here are two examples of CRMs that do exactly this ↓
Less Annoying CRM has a great fun positioning (and name). To differentiate from other CRMs, they tell you about 3 features that matter to their customers: experienced people in customer service, low price, and ease of use.
↑ Insightly, on the other hand, cuts straight to what matters. No long-winded hero copy, no fluff. Just a simple line about being a modern CRM and a direct question: "What features interest you?"
That’s it. No time wasted, no scrolling required. They get exactly what their customers care about, and it’s brilliant.
And here is an example where an AI development company tells you the "how” → the feature of their service:
Our formula for AI software development? High-quality data + robust algorithms + efficient infrastructure) × (top talent + flawless execution + ongoing monitoring) = success, every time.
Creative!
If you're a service-based company, “how” you provide your services is your feature. This is what makes you different and unique.
When they are unique to your product. When nobody else uses them. When you can frame them in a way that people remember.
For example, Agile CRM has a unique benefit-focused message: Sell & Market Like the Fortune 500.
This message is memorable.
At Zmist & Copy, we're swamped with requests to write copy for AI development companies. Here are the latest 2 examples of our work ↓
We don't say “Transform your business.” We say “Unbeatable cost efficiency and time to value” and “Build AI 3X faster.” These benefits are more specific, and our customers care about them.
1000 songs in your pocket. Remember?
iPod was an innovative new product back in 2001. If Steve Jobs tried to sell it using features, that might've looked like this:
- 5GB hard drive with 1.8-inch display
- Lithium-ion battery that lasts up to 10 hours
- Supports MP3, AAC, and WAV formats
😭
With messages like these, the iPad definitely would’ve flopped. 100%.
For products in new markets, for new category-forming products, with little to no competitors, focusing on benefits is a winning approach.
It really depends on your audience.
If you're targeting a technical crowd, a message like, "This camera has 16 megapixels with optical image stabilization and a wide-angle lens," will resonate more.
But if your audience is broader, a message like, "Capture memories with stunning detail – our advanced 16-megapixel camera ensures sharp and shake-free photos every time," will be more effective.
Kate
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P.P.S. Need a hand with content? Fix your mediocrity problem with Zmist & Copy
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Articles no one reads... Non-stop requests from ebooks to Instagram captions... Feeling a cog in the content machine... If you're thinking "Oh sh*t, that's me!" it's time to pivot into high-impact work. My newsletter will tell you how.
