Griffin Hill | Achieve More

Focus on the Benefits

Written by Cameron Baird | July 14, 2009

Picture this: You're a salesperson with a fantastic product. You're an expert on every feature, every spec – the whole nine yards. But for some reason, those sales aren't permanently closing the way you expect.

The missing piece? It's that powerful shift from focusing on features to focusing on benefits. Trust me, this change is an absolute game-changer. And the best part? Like Griffin Hill's, sales methodologies are designed to help you make this shift and master benefit-driven selling.

 

Unlocking the Power of Benefits

Let's be honest for a second: What sealed the deal when you bought your last gadget or pair of shoes or even booked that super cool vacation? It needs to be a list of fancy features. It was how you imagined those things improving your life – the benefits!

So, let's get clear on the difference between the two:

  • Features: What does your product or service include? Like the multiple lenses on a fancy smartphone camera.
  • Benefits: Why the customer should care. Those cameras could create memories in a dimly lit restaurant or get super-detailed shots of nature on a hike.

Features could be capturing precious memories out of the 'thing.' Benefits are about how that 'thing' impacts the person buying it. That's why focusing on benefits hits differently in sales.

 

Finding the Golden Nuggets: Uncovering Customer Benefits

I know what you might think: "I get the idea, but how do I find the right benefits for my product?" There's a simple trick for this - it's all about asking, "So what?".

Let's use those fancy smartphone cameras as an example:

  • Feature: Multiple camera lenses
  • Benefit 1 (So what?): Captures more of a scene and greater detail
  • Benefit 2 (So what?): It lets you be more creative with your photography
  • Benefit 3 (So what?): Gives you professional-looking shots without bulky equipment.

See how asking "So what?" pushes you to think about the positive impact on the customer.

 

How to Talk Benefits Like a Pro

All right, you've got your list of excellent benefits. Now what? Here's how to make them work their magic in conversations with potential customers:

  • Know your crowd: Who are you talking to? What keeps them up at night? What are their dreams and goals? The more you know, the better you can make your benefits hit home.
  • Storytime! Could you paint a picture with vivid examples? Instead of saying your product "increases efficiency," share a story about how you helped a client streamline and save time.
  • Numbers are your friend: Whenever possible, try to quantify your benefits. Instead of "boosts productivity," try "helped clients achieve a 25% increase in output."
  • Get them talking: Don't just dump a benefit list on the prospect. Ask questions! Get them to describe their current struggles, and then you can show how your product provides the solution.

 

The Griffin Hill Advantage: Your Benefit-Boosting Guide

Consider sales methodologies like Griffin Hill as your 'benefit-finding' power tools. They give you the structure and techniques to make this process easier and more effective. Here's how Griffin Hill helps you explicitly up your benefit game:

  • Supercharged discovery: Griffin Hill teaches you to ask insightful questions that reveal not just a prospect's surface-level problems but their deeper needs and aspirations.
  • Presentations that shine: You'll learn how to present your offering in a way that ditches feature overload and puts those benefits front and center.
  • Value propositions that pop: Consider this as benefit-selling's 'elevator pitch'. You'll master how to quickly and powerfully convey what makes your offer uniquely beneficial to the prospect.

 

The Benefits of the Griffin Hill Sales Methodology

Picture Griffin Hill as leveling up your benefit-finding skills. Here's a glimpse into what you gain:

  • Be a customer whisperer: Understanding your clients on a deeper level lets you build stronger relationships. It goes beyond basic transactions!
  • Seriously engaging conversations: People want to listen when you focus on how your product or service improves lives.
  • Say goodbye to stalled deals: Who doesn't want something that makes their life easier and more suitable? Focusing on benefits helps push deals over the finish line.
  • Success that lasts: Benefits-driven selling isn't about tricks or pushy tactics. It's about genuine value and building trust that leads to long-term clients.

 

The Psychology of Benefits: Connecting Emotions to Solutions

Understanding the psychology behind benefits in sales is like unlocking a treasure trove of insights into human behavior. Customers make buying decisions based on emotions, aspirations, and perceived value. When you connect the benefits of your product or service to these emotional triggers, you create a powerful connection with your prospects.

For example, let's say you're selling productivity software. Instead of just highlighting its features like task management and scheduling, focus on how these features alleviate stress, improve efficiency, and create more free time for personal activities. By tapping into the emotions of wanting less stress and more freedom, you make your solution more compelling and relatable.

 

Benefits Beyond Features: Transforming Needs into Desires

Features are what your product or service can do, but benefits are why your customers should care. Transforming customer needs into desires involves showcasing how your offering solves their problems, fulfills their desires, or enhances their lives meaningfully.

Take the example of a fitness tracker. Its features may include step tracking, heart rate monitoring, and calorie counting. However, the benefits go beyond these features by offering users insights into their health progress, motivating them to stay active, and ultimately leading to a healthier lifestyle. By highlighting these benefits, you shift the conversation from technical details to personal transformation.

 

The Art of Benefit Storytelling: Crafting Narratives that Sell

Storytelling is a timeless sales technique that resonates with people on a deep level. When crafting benefit-driven narratives, create stories that showcase real-life scenarios, customer successes, and transformative experiences.

For instance, if you're selling a financial planning service, could you share a story about how your expertise helped a client achieve their dream of buying a home or retiring early? By illustrating the benefits of financial stability, security, and peace of mind through storytelling, you make your service more compelling and relatable to potential clients.

 

From Features to Benefits: Bridging the Gap with Griffin Hill

Griffin Hill's methodology provides a structured approach to seamlessly bridging the gap between product features and customer benefits. It emphasizes the importance of translating technical details into tangible value propositions that resonate with prospects.

By leveraging Griffin Hill's strategies, sales professionals can effectively communicate how their offerings address customer pain points, deliver unique benefits, and solve problems. This bridge between features and benefits is crucial for building trust, demonstrating value, and closing deals successfully.

 

Mastering Benefit-Centric Conversations: Strategies for Success

In benefit-centric conversations, preparation and strategy are crucial to success. Sales professionals must listen actively, ask insightful questions, and tailor their messaging to highlight the most relevant benefits for each prospect.

Strategies for mastering benefit-driven conversations include conducting thorough customer research, customizing value propositions based on customer needs, using storytelling techniques to illustrate benefits in action, and handling objections with confidence by linking them back to the corresponding benefits.

By mastering these strategies, sales professionals can engage prospects more effectively, differentiate their offerings based on value, and guide prospects toward making informed buying decisions that align with their goals and aspirations.

 

Ready to Transform Your Sales?

If you're nodding along and thinking, "This all sounds amazing; I want in!" it's time to explore how to make it happen. The Griffin Hill sales methodology is designed to turn salespeople like you into benefit-focused superstars.

 

Let's talk about benefits and how we can help!

Want to learn more about how this works in the real world? Contact us today to book a free consultation. Take the lead with John of Griffin Hill. Schedule your complimentary consultation today and discover innovative strategies for success or visit us at Griffin Hill!!