ARTICLE 12

What would you rather have, a dirty weekend or an expensive piece of paper? When you put it like that it’s pretty obvious isn’t it? Most people do not buy what something is (i.e. an air ticket) rather they buy what the thing will do for them (dirty weekend and all that goes with it!)

The distinction is between what people refer to as ‘features’ and a ‘benefits’. A feature is a fact – something that is true about your product or service. A benefit is what that feature does for you the customer. When a visitor walks around a show, they are tuned in to what the exhibiting companies can do for them rather than what they do. The point to realise is that people do not buy features; they buy benefits.
If a visitor were to walk past your stand at the next show you attend, what will be their perception? Will they recognise what you can do for them or will they simply get an idea of what you do? One is more alluring than the other. A quick test is to see whether you can ask “so what?” following your statement. For example, ‘this computer has a Xenon IP6 Processor inside’. “So what?” Well that means it is very fast and can save you time. Aha! At last, the benefit (saving time).

So before you spend a not inconsiderable amount of time and money on three-dimensional re-useable environmentally friendly graphics, think about the message you are trying to convey with them. If you are displaying features it won’t do much for your visitor. Benefits on the other hand, will have them salivating at the prospect of nirvana on a beach, with a drink, in the sun, with a yoghurt pot, traffic warden’s uniform and a whip. . .