June, 2015
VAL-YOU STORYTELLING: FEATURE YOUR BENEFIT INSTEAD OF YOUR FEATURE.
Your ideas, services, products, knowledge…your story; are you telling benefits or merely features? The big difference is between the “about” and the “how” in what you do or give. “About” = feature. “How” = benefit. Benefits give value and value is how you shine YOU!

James Cash Penney says: “It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.”  That “service” is the something unique or extra that only you can offer as you solve their needs…your benefit.  This benefit is usually something marked by your passionate point of view, which makes it so much “more”; your value. As you look at “features” vs. “benefits” there are some distinct basic traits for both.

An example:
Features: These are the “whats” of you. The descriptions of what you do oh so very well. The listings of things, i.e.: “I supply the tech industry with XJE large band width pipelines within the banking niche”.  Qualifications usually are your “whats”.

Benefits: The value of “how” you solve a need is the benefit of “what” you do, i.e.: “My installing the super XJE large band width as an information conduit promises to condense the banking industries man hours used for recording client data. Saving expensive overtime, and gives employees and management the chance for balancing work, live, play hours.” Answers that free up “unstuck” are your benefits.

Sell the problem you solve, not the product.
I agree with the above wisdom recently shared on Linked in. You give value by solving a need, problem, or some sort of lack. Be it a lack of clarity, missing objects or functions, fuzzy communications, multiple focus…what is your client’s “hurt” or pain point? How can you make their world comfortable, flowing again? Take a look at the need first. Are you offering REAL help, a possible solution, or a long list of your qualifications?

Benefits lead away from pain and stuck. Features do not offer a “way out”; they act more like inventory on a shelf.
The heart of your benefit is YOU.
The story of your “how” becomes valuable when your benefit solves your client’s pain point…their problem. Folks move away from pain…it is a basic survival instinct. Having guided many “stuck” brand evaluations, business “pain” is no different.
Some tips to begin to offer story telling that uses your “you” benefits:
1. On one sheet of paper, list your capabilities, your expertise, your and your product or service features. Then on a second sheet of paper make a list of possible problems they could solve…make them up or take them from your case studies or experience. (To brainstorm for a new application or niche for applying your features…think of situations within that desired new client that your expertise can help.)
2. After you list your solution capability actually visualize these situations so they become quite real. Imagine each issue your client is going through without your benefit, then visualize your story offering answers / solutions, how it will succeed your client. How does the story result? This is like Shape Shifting your client’s problem into victory for both of you. Telling and using your story this way creates trust and loyalty.
3. Test your “story”. Create a 60 second elevator speech using your benefit, your manner of problem solving. If you have any sort of “item” list in this speech…you need to edit these items into a tangible example of solution for each thing “listed”. Are you telling your story coming from emotional phrasing and words or are you reciting a piece from your tax report? Story with benefit naturally speaks from the “gut” and not the “head”.

Stories with benefit have a visual feel to them.
The best stories are woven with words that create a moving picture tale. Your audience can almost “see” what you can do for them when you are telling a benefit story. Why not show them your story with visuals. It has been researched that our brains are hardwired to remember via visuals more than any other sort of communications. (It is in our DNA to run after we see a large furry animal with big teeth and razor-sharp claws coming at us.) Help folks connect to your benefits by giving them quick visual memories of the “how” of what you do. Build your benefit story with visual cues!

Maybe one of your pain points is finding the right visuals for your story…or you are in the position of having great benefits and not great art skills? I would love to create solution for you with quick sketch visual recordings of your “hows”. Give me a call so we can find the unique visual solution for you to tell your benefit story with focus and clarity.

Value lives “inside” of benefit.
Perhaps adding “art” to how you communicate story is that bit of “more” that lets others become your friend, find, and remember your benefit value. C.S. Lewis wraps the benefit of art up with his words: “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…it has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”

Thanks for the benefit of your time and sharing!

I’m Paula Brown; Visual Scribe / Feng Shui practitioner / Author / Animal Communicator. I am a visual storyteller showing you how to IGNITE YOUR STORY, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR WELL-BEING for both business and home. My site is: www.chilightful.com Connect on:  LinkedIn, Twitter. and you can “like” my facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ChiLightful