Marketing experts continually remind us that our customers are always asking this question.  In The Little Blue Book of Advertising by Steve Lance and Jeff Woll, the authors reiterate the essential need for businesses of any size to identify and understand the differences in the features, advantages and benefits of their product or service. 

Thus from this comparative analysis, you’ll want to develop marketing messages that incorporate those items that personally mean the most to your customers and prospects.  Remember that your customers are bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands of marketing messages each day.  By applying this strategy, your message is more likely to reach them and/or tug at them in an emotional manner. 

So to get started, let’s examine features, advantages and benefits.  A feature is a statement of fact about some aspect, element, or prominent part or characteristic of a product or service.  Features can often be the technical jargon your industry uses on a daily basis, but the end user may not understand or relate to such terms as GHz or network interface card. 

An advantage helps the customer or user in a specific manner, i.e., something the feature provides or delivers to the user.  An advantage can also describe how the product or service is better than an alternative feature, and/or a feature offered by the competition.   

A benefit is what the consumer or user gains from the feature and/or your product.  For many products, start by thinking of the problem or problems your product or service solves.  The benefit is what you want to offer and sell to your customers and prospects.  As stated above, customers are primarily concerned about themselves and want to know how a product benefits them.  In an on-line article by Laura Clampitt Douglas, the author recommends thinking of benefits as the end “result” for the customer.  So if you prefer, interchange the terms benefits and results. 

Research indicates the following are some of the primary benefits sought by a purchaser.

1. Improve quality of life / save time / life made easier / high reliability
2. Save money
3. Save lives / safety concerns
4. Improve health and well being
5. Improve one’s status – wealth / appearance

After you develop your message, always remember to test it.  Ask non-vested people or some of your customers for their feedback.  And don’t be surprised if women have a longer list of benefits since they tend to seek a solution to a greater number of needs and wants.   

I thought it would be helpful to provide some examples to start your creative process.  Codes are “F” for feature, “A” for advantage and “B” for benefit/result. 

F: four wheel anti-lock brakes

• A: help the car stop faster
• A: safer than the competition’s car
• B: save the consumer’s life 

F: non-stop airline service

• A: gets the passenger to his/her destination faster (compared to a one or two stop itinerary)
• B: save the consumer’s time 

F: wireless mouse

• A: less wiring and fewer cords on top of desk so it’s clearer
• B: customer can be more organized and effective 

F: clothes soap with more cleaning power

• A: clothes get cleaner
• A: improve your appearance
• B: customer may feel and look better 

F: over-the-counter cold medication

• A: purchase without a prescription
• A: stop a runny nose
• A: relieve congestion
• B: improve customer’s health and/or she/he feels better faster 

F: accepting credit cards

• A: no need to have cash at time of purchase
• B: customer convenience 

F: feature, advantage, benefit analysis

• A: makes one sit down and truly think of the benefits from the customer’s perspective
• A: develop more effective marketing messages
• B: improve the return on your advertising    

If you would like more information about this strategy, contact Kate at 817-488-2761 or kate1.kgbmarketing@verizon.net 

Since women are involved with the purchasing decisions of over eighty percent of all consumer goods in the United States, more businesses are focusing on marketing to women.   Thus I thought it would be helpful to present brief information about the following active women’s groups found in the greater Southlake, Texas area.  Remember, involvement with these groups can be a great way to make our communities a better place in which to live, grow and work along with growing your business.

 Greater Keller Women’s Club

• founded 1989
• primary goals are community service and fund raising
• hosts annual Fashion Show and a variety of on-going social/networking activities for members
• www.gkwc.org 

Colleyville Woman’s Club

• founded 1981
• holds annual Fashion Show and Holiday Homes tour for their fundraisers
• has monthly meetings September through May
•  www.c-w-c.org 

Grapevine Chamber Women’s Division

• hosts numerous special projects and activities that benefit the community and beyond
• active for at least 33 years!
• www.grapevinechamber-womensdiv.com

 Greater Grapevine Newcomers Club

• primarily a social group
• Contact 817-488-8949

 Greater Southlake Women’s Society

• founded 1997
• supports numerous local philanthropic causes and events throughout the area
• holds annual art auction and annual blood drive
• www.southlake-gsws.org 

Southlake Newcomers Club

• sponsors annual Holiday Home Tour and Auction
• www.southlakenewcomers.com

 Southlake Women’s Club

• founded 1985
• sponsors two major fundraising events, Art In The Square and the annual School Supply sale
• hosts annual Valentine Luncheon for local senior citizens
• www.southlakewomensclub.org

 Trophy Club Women’s Club

• founded 1981
• sponsors annual garage sale, golf tournament and progressive dinner
• www.tcwc.info

 If you would like more specific information about marketing to women, please contact Kate at 817-488-2761 or kate1.kgbmarketing@verizon.net  I would love to meet with you!

Women in the U.S. influence or are responsible for making the purchasing decisions on eighty percent of all consumer goods in the average household. 

Martha Barletta, author of Marketing to Women, does an excellent job in describing the differences between male and female consumers. The following summary highlights three main points made in her book, and will likely make many women smile! 

 If women frequently shop in your store, use your services, or buy your products on-line, why should you consider taking a different approach when marketing to women? 

 1. Women have a different purchasing process than men

· They consider more factors and generally do more research

2. Women have different attitudes,  priorities and (often) responsibilities than men

· They are more likely to bounce ideas off others, generally favor “we” over an “I” attitude, and want everyone to get ahead

3. Women have different responses to marketing messages than men

· They prefer realistic people in ads, respond to emotion and human situations, rely on word of mouth so if a product works for someone else, it’s likely to work for her situation 

Focus groups, or focus group interviews, are generally considered a quick and fairly inexpensive method for gathering in-depth, descriptive information from customers, prospects and employees. 

On the flip side, this popular type of qualitative research can be very subjective as findings are not representative of the full market segment and conclusions vary based on the perspective of what department (sales, operations, customer service, accounting, etc.) is viewing the discussion.  

Focus groups are best at providing help with identifying major issues, problems, and a range of desirable services and features.    One can gain in-depth personal information on customer attitudes, perceptions, behavior, lifestyles, needs and desires in a creative format.  In particular, focus groups can help with examining a new product concept or how to possibly advertise it, explore the criteria consumers may use to make purchasing decisions, or generate terminology for developing a questionnaire. 

The format can be flexible enough to allow delving into a particular response on the spot.  Participants can use their own words to answer questions versus a pre-determined list on a written survey.  A real world example occurs when attorneys use focus groups to gain insight into how people speak, think and feel about specific topics. 

Experts recommend a group size of six to twelve participants.  If you have a very opinionated group such as executives or a shy group of teenagers, consider reducing the group size to four to six.  One highly vocal participant can dominate the discussion and influence responses from others no matter the size; thus certain group and meeting management skills are essential! 

This type of research compliments quantitative research, such as written surveys that are number/statistic driven.

 Some standard “nuts and bolts” about consumer based focus groups include:

• Plan on recruiting (external sources can help) and compensating participants who are targeted for certain characteristics (gender, age, occupations, hobbies/interests, etc.)
• allow a minimum of one hour for each session with two hours usually the maximum
• prepare to hold a minimum of three focus groups per target market segment, such as three involving men, three involving women, and three for each age segment
• tape each session to allow multiple viewing of the exchanges and  responses (advise participants upfront that people are observing the session and it is being recorded)
• develop an outline of open-ended questions, usually moving from general to specific
• hold off site, such as in a hotel suite or office building conference room
• hire a trained moderator / facilitator to obtain the best results
• use name tags.

If you’re wondering about the role of the moderator/facilitator, his/her job is to explain the process and general guidelines, encourage discussion, restrain dominating personalities, remain emotionally detached from the subject or topic, ensure key questions are addressed, and maximize the use of probing questions.  

Other practical hints include making sure participants are provided assurances to give their honest opinions and are comfortable and relaxed.  Thus try to make sure the room isn’t cramped, too hot or too cold, and neither too dark nor too bright.   

If you’re a small business on a limited budget and want to conduct casual focus groups involving your key customers, you may be able to offer little or no cash compensation, but provide an appropriate thank you gift along with a meal and refreshments.  Experts advise to plan on paying a greater amount for the participation of highly trained professionals, such as attorneys and doctors.   

Here are a few ideas to spark your creativity.

• A toy developer could observe and tape kids at a local day care center interacting with a new toy concept.  In this case, permission from the parents would be an absolute necessity.
• A fitness center could seek information on new programs or customer satisfaction noting priorities between women and men.
• A grocery store could seek information on a new marketing campaign targeting families of different income levels.
• A bank could seek customer service information from new customers versus long term customers.
• A youth organization could try to find out what new programs would appeal to youth at a certain age and distinguishing between inner city and suburban youth.
• A technology store could research how their products are being used by age and gender.
• A title company could research an idea for a new service based on residential versus commercial realtors.
• A school district could question how technology impacts teachers and students in the classroom.
• A business or organization could use the format informally to meet with employees about various topics, such as benefits, organizational issues.

Experts on the women’s market state that various forms of focus groups can be very useful when collecting information from women since they like to share stories in great detail and often relate products and services to people and lifestyle. 

Focus groups differ from town meetings, brainstorming sessions and study circles as the former have a clear plan and utilize a controlled process with greater structure, along with the fact that participants are selected based on characteristics they share.  Impractical uses of focus groups are trying to build consensus or educating a market segment. 

If you would like to visit about the various methods for obtaining customer information, please contact us at 817-488-2761 or email kate1@kgbmarketing@verizon.net.  We’ll be delighted to meet with you! 

You’ll find a variety of common marketing mistakes’ lists on the Internet.  But I thought it might be helpful to present these issues in reference to the stages of the sales cycle that I’m defining as: 

1. Prospecting, trying to build a list of contacts or “filling the pipeline.”  This phase includes networking and non-personal promotional activities such as advertising.
2. Following up with prospects / contacts.
3. Turning prospects / contacts into presentations.
4. Converting presentations into sales.

Additionally, I’ve also provided a few questions and suggestions to help address these common mistakes.   

First, not taking or making the time to clearly define and promote your benefits.  As an example, you may be talking about the features and advantages of your product, instead of focusing on what the purchaser needs and how your product or service will benefit them.   

Potential benefits may be saving time, saving money, increasing revenue, simplifying a process, or saving a life. This of course can also apply to staff at a retail store.  Are they trained to state benefits prior to features and advantages?  Do your advertisements promote benefits? 

Second, not focusing on the correct target market.  Have you taken the necessary steps to identify your target market to know who really needs your product at this point in time or in the near future?  Do you know where they live?  Do you know what they read, listen to or watch?   

What information do you have about existing customers that can be researched for answers?  If you’re starting a business, what industry information can you obtain about your competitors and their customers’ needs? 

Third, not being able to succinctly state what he or she does.  When you’re meeting new people, this core message is called an “elevator speech” or USP, unique selling proposition.   No matter what you call it, you want to tell people how you solve problems, such as helping small businesses fix their computer problems, or helping people maintain a healthy lifestyle.  This statement encourages them to ask for more information, instead of just stating “Oh that’s interesting” when you tell them you’re a computer repair specialist or a fitness instructor.   

Fourth, if you have a website, not providing enough information to generate leads.  Does it clearly state benefits and provide testimonials and examples?  Have a few non-vested people look at your website to obtain objective input about the design, content, colors, ease of using, etc.  Websites can be interactive to sell, handle customer service and/or accounting issues, or they can be just an informational site. 

Fifth, not using an effective contact database system.  Have you established a system to routinely update your database with new contact information?  Are you keeping track of enough information to ask additional qualifying questions?  

One expert recommends the use of index cards for maintaining contact information only if you have less than three hundred contacts.   Perhaps you might benefit from asking patrons to fill out a card when visiting your store or leave their business card. 

Sixth, not adequately listening. Remember, based on customer service research conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Institute, the number one thing people want from someone they do business with is to be listened to!   

Do you focus on what the prospects are telling you in terms of their needs?  Your business may not be able to help them solve a big problem, but you might know someone who can.  Personally, I think of this follow-up stage as the time to develop meaningful relationships.  

This also applies to retail staff.  Do they have adequate information about the various products sold in the store, where they are located, or how to obtain service and installation? 

Seventh, not following up with enough contacts.  What type of item or contact would be useful to your business and fit your style.  Should you write a monthly or quarterly newsletter?  Should you send out postcards with helpful information?  Are phone calls the best option for your industry? 

Eighth, not identifying meaningful solutions.  Have you clearly understood the need or the urgency of the prospect’s situation?  Are you adequately answering their questions, or are you providing a cookie cutter response?  Are you talking too much during the presentation?  Are you showing enough examples of your work, providing enough references or sharing enough testimonials?   

Ninth, not adequately preparing for presentations.  What type of feedback have you received about your written and verbal skills?  Are you comfortable with public speaking if that is an essential part of your presentation?  Should you consider taking some type of class or joining a group that provides public speaking opportunities?  Can you honestly say you know your material well enough that you’re flexible to address all of or the majority of issues that might surface during a presentation? 

This list does not address the importance of focusing on repeat customers and the six marketing fundamentals for all businesses posted under the Strategy category on April 16, 2007. 

If you would like to discuss solutions to these and other marketing problems that you may be encountering, please contact us at 817-488-2761 or kate1@kgbmarketing@verizon.net 

  This list includes the location and organizer 

April    

•    Southlake’s Art In The Square (Southlake Women’s Club)

May  

•   Grapevine’s Main Street Days (Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau)

June  

•   Keller’s Keller Fest (Keller Chamber of Commerce)

August   

•  Keller’s Keller Lions Club Fair (Keller Lions Club-generally limited to advertising & booth options)

September

•  Grapevine’s Grapefest (Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau)
•  Keller’s Wild Wild West Fest (City of Keller Parks & Recreation Dept.)

October

• Southlake’s Oktoberfest (Southlake Chamber of Commerce)
• Trophy Club’s Fall Festival (Trophy Club Parks &Recreation Dept.)

December

• Colleyville’s Celebrate Colleyville (City of Colleyville)
• Grapevine’s Christmas on Main Street (Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau)

 Sponsoring community events is one way to generate awareness of your small business. 

 According to Raleigh Pinskey, author of 101 Ways to Promote Yourself, just about any small business can find a way to contribute to “almost every event imaginable.”  In many instances, your participation may primarily be limited to time and/or services.   

Your business can benefit from this participation when

1.  event promoters publicize sponsors and volunteers
2. you and your employees network at the event and pre and post events
3. your business name appears in the event program.

 Other promotional objectives might include developing community goodwill, improving image or stimulating trial of your service or product.  Your employees may also enjoy an opportunity to volunteer, meet new people and provide service to the community.

If you would like to share some of your personal experiences, I would enjoy hearing about them.  Either phone me at 817-488-2761 or email me at kgbmarketing@hotmail.com.  Also, if you operate in the greater Southlake area, visit our DFW Marketing section to learn more about major local events in our market.