Hi Everyone,
Having been in sales and marketing jobs for many years, and now running an online business, I’ve noticed many major flaws in the way that online marketers approach selling.
In this post I’ll be addressing this matter and discussing ways of improving website conversion, so you can make more money from your sites.
The most fundamental aspect of selling, that anyone involved in marketing must understand, is that people do not buy things because of the ‘features’ that a product has. People buy things for what the product can do for them, otherwise known as the ‘benefits’.
I am amazed at the number of websites, articles and videos that I see across the web, where people are trying to make a sale, but they are trying to do so by selling on features. This is a huge mistake and something that must be avoided.
Just recently I watched a video that someone had created, who was an affiliate of a software product. The product was great, no doubt about that, but the way the person made the video was not so great.
I watched for 9 mins as he systematically went through every single button and function the tool had. At the end of the video I was bored, as I really didn’t care “How” the product worked, I wanted to know “What” the product could do for me.
I was interested in how this product would save me time, improve my efficiency, and ultimately make me more money. However these vital sales trigger points, were not discussed in the video….big mistake!!
People want to know how their life will be better, or how they will make more money if they buy your product. The ‘means’ for how your product will do that, is totally irrelevant, and if you focus on this your sales will suffer and improving website conversions will be tough work for you.
Whenever you write any piece of content, whether text or video for your internet marketing campaigns, make sure you list all the benefits that the product has, and be sure to check that they are not features.
Also do not assume that people will be able to work out what the benefits are, this is another HUGE mistake that I see many websites doing. It is your job to tell the potential customer what these benefits are. If you don’t then they probably won’t work it out, and you may well miss an opportunity to close the sale.
It’s easy to slip into selling on features, I often catch myself doing this too, and have to continuously remind myself that benefits sell and not features, and something do on all my affiliate marketing sites.
It doesn’t matter if you are selling as an affiliate or the product owner yourself, the same principles apply. The only difference is that as the affiliate you should be more subtle, and discuss the benefits, but in an unbiased way, as you need to build trust with the reader too.
The Hook
Another important aspect of selling online, whether text or video, is to make sure you provide a hook for the visitor to want to keep reading. The most obvious way is a benefits loaded headline. Also make sure that the first thing the visitor reads or hears, are strong benefits, otherwise they will lose interest and leave you site fast!
Call to Action
Although you might think the action you want a visitor to take once they have read your content or watched your video is obvious, it is often not, and this is another major pitfall that I see far to often.
You must make it very clear and tell the visitor what they now need to do. If you have a video on your site, that is selling a product, at the end of the video you need to have a strong close.
For example you might say “All you need to do is now is put your name and email in the box below and you will immediately get access to XZY so you can start …. LIST BENEFITS!
One more important thing, is to make sure you know what the benefits are for a potential buyer. If you’re not the target market for the product you are promoting, then don’t make the vital mistake of assuming that you know. Go to forums where the target market hang out and do your research.
The same principles apply to email marketing, and this is another place that I see people forgetting that benefits are the triggers for people.
If you want good open rates with your emails, then make sure the title of the email is loaded with benefits. You then want to continue in this manner in the email itself.
My closing thoughts are this, remember to sell on benefits, however just because you are selling on benefits doesn’t mean you need to be the pushy sales person. You can sell benefits in a subtle yet powerful manner. If you do this, you’ll make more money (benefit) and improving website conversion rates will be easy.
That’s all from me, happy benefits selling!
Matt Carter
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spoken like a true salesman! bravo!
So true! Consumers want relief from some sort of problem. Listing the benefits helps de-stress the consumer and give more hope to solving the problem.
Thanks Matt again for your courtesy and helpfulness to others!
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:06 am
Hey Linda
Thanks for your input, and great to hear from you again
Matt
That is so true Matt. Without value and benefits, it’s most likely another useless product being sold with hype and no purpose. Thank you for all of your marketing tips you provide on your blog.
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:11 am
Hey Tracy
yeah you are right, however some products are good and do have great benefits, it’s just that the people promoting them often neglect to talk about them
Thanks for your comment too!
Cheers
Matt
Thanks Matt – its interesting that we often realise the obvious, try to practice it, but sometimes just forget to actually do it.
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Hey Tony
Thanks for your input
Matt
Matt,
Thanks for the e-mail and re-introduction to your site. Great post. I looked around and read a few others, and you clearly emphasize the need to sell the “benefit” of the product versus the actual product. Or, as we used to say in the insurance business “sell the sizzle, not the steak.”
I totally agree, and believe anyone in sales needs to listen to what your saying…!!!
Rick Samara
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Hey Rick
Thanks for adding a great comment, I like how you put it, “sell the sizzle, not the steak.”
Matt
Agree!! I’m currently studying copy writing to help me increase my conversions, all resources i read, this information is repeated over and over again because it is true. But when you get out into the web you find mistakes all over the places, even with people selling copy writing & email marketing products.
Once again Matt you have hit the nail on the head, great post!
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Hey Hari
Hope your copy writing goes well for you
Thanks
Matt
I think the best thing is to tell the benefits and then the features. In fact every feature has a benefit. If you can tell the benefits that the features provide, it is the best for the consumers. But internet marketers (including me) elaborate on benefits that even don’t exist. If somebody is buying products based on Internet marketers elaboration of benefits without knowing what feature that benefit is ascribed to, he/she is financially challenged and can be easily manipulated.
Matt,
As always, another very informative article! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and valuable tips with us!
Hi Matt,
Wouldn’t this make it all hypey?
I know when I read sales copy I do 2 things. I jump directly to the bottom of the page to find out the price, then I go searching for the features, because I need to know what I am getting for more money. If I can not easily find these 2 things, or there is not a video right at the top which tells me these 2 things in the first 2 minutes, I promptly leave the site.
Also if the video starts with the persons life story, I cant close the browser windows quick enough.
Cheers,
Chris
A timely reminder on what to pay attention to Matt. Am in the midst of compiling a fairly comprehensive campaign, and your post has reinforced the notion that ‘benefits’ are a top priority for the message to my prospects.
What are your thoughts on the ‘FAB Technique’ – Features, Advantages, Benefits, which I first heard about from Andy Jenkin’s Video Boss? It seems to be a sound strategy to integrate into sales messages.
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:45 am
Hey Kieran
I think FAB is interesting, as long as the benefits are in there somewhere
Thanks
Matt
solid tips – thanks Matt!
Hey Matt,
Great stuff…Thats one thing I sometimes forget is a good proper hook, thanks for reminding me.
Thank you Matt for the helpful idea of selling.
didn’t know if i sent this comment correctly from the previous one’s sent a moment ago..thank you.
check out buying buy colours or selling by colours
depends on the customer you are targeting depends on the language yo use
red = bottom dollar
green = facts and figures
Yellow = this will help your friends and society
blue = all shiny bells and whistles
so basically we all buy different
Again Matt you are right with the bebefits there is no reason
I like your comments because they lift my spirits thanks
A good reminder of the basics. This is the first thing you learn when studying sales and marketing, but as the marketer who is familiar with the product and competing products, it is easy to get caught up in the features and forget that, for the consumer, it is all about the benefits. And it ties in with the other basic sales premise, people buy based on emotion, and just use logic to support their emotional decision.
I’m trying to make it complicated and here you get me back to the basics. Bait the hook with benefits. Fishing is the same as it was the day I caught my first fish.
Thanks Matt
I love this post…it’s so true and yet so many people still get hung up on selling what the product or service does without promoting the real benefits. I agree with what some of Chris Davis wrote – video’s of a person’s life story…boring – get to the point! Haven’t heard of FAB – does look interesting although not what I was taught (many years ago…)
Hi Matt,
I have also been in sales and marketing all my working life however only recently in the online arena.
I find the following formula has worked extremely well in the offline world and I would be interested in your opinion on how this works for online:
1. Identify their needs (asking questions)
2. Disturb them about their current situation (never with malice)
3. Features (only need say 3)
4. Benefits (Logical (left brain) benefits)
5. Dominant Buying Motive (Emotional (right brain) benefits)
6. Call to action (ask for the sale)
I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Cheers,
Mark
Needed that talking to Matt, thanks. I have made many mistakes in this area and am paying the price. I am sure the rapidrewriter will help me construct better selling pre-sells. Looking forward to your next video.
Hey Matt.
Great post. You make some excellent points. I thought I would add that retargeting is another excellent marketing technique focused on increasing web conversions. Just another tool to add to a good online marketing strategy. 🙂
Very good points, as always it is a pleasure to read your blog. I do have a little observation.
In the beginning you mention the video going too much into detail and you getting bored. I’d add that the pace of a video and ability to scrub through it is just as important as order in which the things are said.
I for one, and I mean no disrespect, got truly bored with your rapid-rewriter video, simply cause I had to see it five time over and over again, just to revisit some part I wanted to recheck.
But as very valid points you make here, and again, it’s always a pleasure to read your blog.
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Hey Lance
Good points you add.
The reason you had to watch my video 5 times, was because I removed the fast forward controls. This is done on purpose to make sure people get the whole message.
Thanks for a great comment also
Matt
Hi Matt
Your emails are coming to me via two other addresses as well. Thats because I always find valuable info in them.
Hello Matt,
Thanks for reminding me about the benefits, which I had forgotten about and didn’t do on my last sales page.
I’ll be keeping it in mind in future.
Thanks
David.
Matt Carter Reply:
May 5th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Hey David
No problem and thanks for stopping by the blog
Matt
Matt,
Thanks for the big reminder. Even though I know benefits are what really interest people, sometimes I am too focused on what the program contains. Thanks for your continually helpful content.
Kelley
Matt Carter Reply:
May 7th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Hey Kelly
Your welcome and great to hear from you also
Thanks
Matt
Hi Matt
Another timely reminder of how to go about it!
I must admit that I am sometimes guilty of ‘personalising things’ and maybe not stressing the benefits enough.
regards
Graham
P.S. I’ve got a WP blog up now – I broke one template, changed the header image on another, changed the HTML code, and then ended up with 4 image headers showing! Bet you haven’t heard that before (oops).So I started again with another template and it’s OK, so now I will start posting and join in with Web2.0 – wish me luck!
Matt Carter Reply:
May 7th, 2010 at 10:11 am
Hey Graham
Great to see you making some good progress. I think you will do well at this online thing.
I can tell you are a hard worker mate, so keep going!!!!
Thanks for stopping by
Matt
Great advice,will give it a try
Best
Steve
Thanks for the information. It should help conversions One should remember it, when making sales copy.
Hi Matt,
Great article. My niche is natural men’s health. I am new to AFF Marketing, so I am focusing now on article marketing and using your tips on building links and back links to build my SE ranking.
In my articles, as you suggest, I state how using the product will help the reader or cure their issue, especially since my products are focused on erectile dysfunction issues and prostate health.
I have several articles on my site http://www.menshealthcures.com including affiliate links, but have not gotten any sales yet. As a super affiliate, do you have any suggestions?
Thanks,
Ken
Matt Carter Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Hey Ken,
Yes I can help you with your site.
First of all the banner you have at the top is not aligned correctly, it is hanging over the side bar.
Anyway, you site it coming along well, so good job, however you need to work on the layout.
There is way to much big bold text straight away. You only need one small headline, and then get into your article. You also have mentioned for the visitor
to click the link below, but they are not hyperlinked, I tired to click then but they don’t work.
Also you can’t expect people to click these links when you haven’t given them any good reason to do so. Your copy needs to convince them, so that when they
do click the links, they are already pre-sold on the product. What you are attempting to do is shuffle them straight to the product owner with no pre-selling.
Then after the initial links, you have more links, which also don’t work, also do you need these links?
You need to keep it simple. One product, one message per page, otherwise the reader gets confused. So choose one problem, like erectile dysfunction as you state, and just focus on writing your article about why a certain product can help fix that problem. Then have 2-3 text links to the product (your affilate links) and 1-2 of that banner you have, in the body of the text and one at the bottom.
Get rid of the Youtube videos, get rid of the stuff on surveys, and replace it with an article, that discusses the issues and why the product you are promoting is a good cure. Don’t come across as too pushy though, just a gentle recommendation.
Hope that helps
Matt
Hi Matt,
Thanks for the great Blog. I use it as a training tool in my efforts to improve my affiliate marketing website. There are three affiliate marketers I deem extremely helpful to use as a resource and you are certainly one of those three.
Thanks for all your helpful tools and advice.
Dan
Matt Carter Reply:
May 8th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Hey Dan,
Thanks for your kind words, glad to be of service to you.
Cheers
Matt
Hey Matt
Where were you about 4 years ago when I started? I
sure have learned alot from you. Thanks for the good advice
instead of the usual CRAP that’s out there.
Mark
Matt Carter Reply:
May 9th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Hey Mark,
Great to hear from you, and glad you have learned a thing or two
from me, glad to help
Cheers
Matt
Hi Matt,
Thanks so much for taking the time to look over my website. I have learned tons from you and your friend Mark Ling. You guys rock!
The banner issue has been a pain for me. I think I will change to a different theme for my blog that supports banners…this one doesn’t really do that, as you can see by the misalignment. When I move it it messes up the header.
Strange about the links, as they work on my computer, but it concerns me that you can’t link as others can’t either then, uggh. They link to the post pages for ED and prostate health, etc, but I will streamline that so buyers are not having to drill down.
I haven’t made any sales yet, and this may be why….so I will fix this straight away, and report back.
Thanks again for all your great advice,
Ken
Awesome Matt ! You nailed it. Thanks for adding value to this community.
It’s all about ADDING VALUE to your customers. Matt you hit the nail on the head. You certainly add value. Thanks
I have been following your blogs and videos for few months now. But this is the first time I am commenting on your blog. Thanks for another article of stupendous value. I always felt you are giving away more than others in the market and that’s why I always look forward for your emails.
Awesome stuff, you made me realise how I need to reset or reword a few things in my written content. Enjoy learning from here Matt. Valuable information. Cheers Karen.
Matt Carter Reply:
June 28th, 2010 at 10:59 pm
Hey Karen
Thanks for your comment and great to see you taking action!
Chat soon
Matt
Thanks for such practical sales tips in your post! I am going to re-visit what I have written to be sure I am addressing benefits instead of features. As someone without any type of sales background, I really appreciate the good advice.
I don’t quite understand how you can feature the benefits without telling the features. Isn’t it the features that make the benefits possible?
Or do you mean maybe tell the feature and how it will benefit the customer?
Matt Carter Reply:
October 3rd, 2010 at 9:02 am
Hi Cathy
Yes you still need to say what the feature is otherwise you have nothing to talk about, but you need to describer the feature in terms of WHY it is a benefit to have this feature. A lot of maketers make the vital mistake of thinking the customer will make the connection to the benefit themselves which is not always true.
Great question
Thanks
Matt
i was wondering the same question what cathy asked
as i scrolled down i found the answer thanks matt.
Great post, thanks a lot. I say you can always put features and benefits in the same site for the same product. Just split the site to categories you wish and let your reader decide where to go.
There are features that nobody cares about. If I buy a television, I don’t want to hear about all the buttons that change the brightness, color mix and all that. Every TV should have them. But I care about how it looks and sounds. What makes me want to buy this particular TV? If the screen has a special coating named Xplymotormithium, I don’t care about the name. I do care that because it has a unique special coating I will see absolutely no glare and that the picture will look perfect from whatever angle I look at it.
Hilma
Great post! It’s really easy to get features and benefits confused unless you really concentrate on what you are doing. Any and all content on your sites should be geared towards the need/pain of the visitor, and how your service/product can provide the solution. Thanks for more useful information!
Excellent article. You need all that you said for a successful conversion. Give them the benifits and solution to their problem and they will be coming back for more!
Those seems so obvious that a lot of time I forget about them. Probably that’s lack of right knowlegde. I’ll back and study more often. Thanks
Hi Matt,
This is great advice that we need to hear over and over until we get it. Then we need to hear it again!
I have a passion in teaching jazz trombone, as well as performing. I offer products and services to help educate people about the benefits of further study in enrichment, stress relief, and doing something special for themselves.
Nobody cares what you know until they know you care about them.