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D. SNITILY, Snitily Carr, 300 S. 68th St. Pl., Lincoln, NE 68510 By now, even the most casual observer of marketing and advertising can't help but be aware of the classic “benefits vs. features” argument. You know the spiel...you don't buy insurance, you buy peace of mind, and so forth. The fact is that people do care about features—they just want to know what's in it for them first! On an innate level, they want to quickly understand how they will benefit from your product or service before they invest the time and energy to learn about all the bells and whistles. Let's face it—consumers are under assault by messages every single day, and they can't afford to engage every invitation to buy. And so marketers constantly strive to answer that “so what?” question lodged defiantly in the mind of the prospect. Not only are today's consumers more diverse, but they are also more knowledgeable, better informed, and increasingly cynical when it comes to advertising claims. To effectively break through the barrage of information consumers are exposed to every day requires a skillful blend of smart, creative, and relevant benefits—delivered by exactly the right medium at exactly the right time. “So what?” you may be asking yourself. “Why should I care about all of this? What's in it for me?” The answer is that building your brand and acquiring new customers is expensive. After all you go through to engage them, connect with them, and get them to try your product, it had better live up to the billing or you will have lost them for life. Deliver on your promises and you do more than earn a customer, you create priceless word of mouth.
Session 48, The marketing function: Why should I care?
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |