Feelings, Features, and Benefits | The Reasons People Buy Things

“You don't need to justify it, Lees".

My father’s face had filled up the whole of my phone screen. We were Facetiming and, as usual, he was holding his face so close to the phone that I could almost see up his nose.

I'd been busy rattling off all the reasons the new and expensive jacket I’d just bought on an impulse had actually been a sensible purchase.

It'll be autumn soon and I'll need a jacket…

My dad had cut me off and said, "You don't need to justify it, Lees”.

But I did need to justify it.

Not because I care what my dad thinks about how I spend my money (well, maybe just a little bit). But because I knew deep down that I didn’t need a new jacket. Least of all, in the middle of summer when we’re having a heatwave.

But I’d wanted it.

It made me feel pretty. It made me feel confident. It made me feel like I was one of those stylish people you see in Soho bars on a Saturday night.

And the only way I could square that wth my conscience was to invent pseudo-logical reasons that made it sound sensible. 

You've done this, right? 

That thing you bought that made you smile from ear to ear. It was pricey. You didn't need it. But by Christ, you wanted it. So you handed over the cash and carried it home feeling on top of the world… 

…while your brain got busy coming up with all sorts of logical reasons to justify the money spent.

Because the fact is, no matter how rational we like to think we are, we make approximately 70% of our buying decisions based on how we feel. 

Even if we come up with all manner of apparently logical reasons to justify it later on.

So, what’s this got to do with you?

Everything.

When you’re writing copy, whether it’s for social media, a blog, a landing page, or the home page of your website, if you want it to be compelling, you’ve got to poke at people’s feelings. Because that’s where the decisions happen.

And one of the best ways to poke at feelings is to translate features to benefits.

Cue the practical takeaway…

Features describe what your product or service does.  

Benefits resonate with your reader’s needs and desires.

Let’s say I’m trying to sell you an electric radiator.

I could tell you that this particular radiator has a power output of 100W per square meter, open window detection, and remote activation. These are all features.

Did you feel anything? 

Boredom maybe.

Or I could say that this radiator is powerful enough to make your home all snuggly and toasty. And it’s efficient, it alerts you when there’s a draft so that you never waste any energy. You can even programme it to come on just before you get home. Giving you a warm, cosy house, whenever you need it. For less, because you’ve got lower energy bills. 

See the difference? 

I’m not selling a radiator, I’m selling comfort and warmth.

I’m not selling open window alerts, I’m selling peace of mind and lower energy bills.

I’m not selling remote activation, I’m selling convenience. 

So, whenever you’re trying to showcase something, draw attention to the benefits.

These are the endpoints of the thing you’re talking about. The experience that’s created.

Features will tell your readers what the thing does. Benefits will make them imagine it, feel it, and want it.

And that’s how we make our decisions. Whether we like to admit it or not.

Now, I’m off to the shops to buy a new wardrobe to go with my new jacket. It’s the only sensible thing to do.

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