Most reps think they are selling benefits. Listen closely and most of them are reciting features.
Neil Rackham's research redefined the terms in a way every rep should know. A feature is a fact about the product. An advantage is how it can help. A benefit shows how it meets a need the customer has already said out loud. His work found features alone did little, and could even raise price concerns. Benefits, in that strict sense, were what moved decisions.
The ladder, with a simple example:
- Feature. "It is a once-daily tablet."
- Advantage. "So it is simpler than twice-daily dosing."
- His need. "You said your patients forget the evening dose, Doctor."
- Benefit. "With one dose a day, there is no evening dose to forget."
The third step is the one reps skip. Without it, the benefit is just a better-sounding advantage. With it, the doctor hears his own problem being answered.
“A feature is about your product. A benefit is about his patient.”
Lesson 10 of 15 in Step 5: The visit, with the full guide and a checklist for this week.