Headline The Benefits First

Business.

What is your reader looking for? - it' s a well - known fact that your reader is looking for information. The common think is your reader is looking to solve a problem or get a desired result.

But what kind of information? - okay. The mantra that runs through every reader' s mind is: Why should I use your product? But pull that string a little more and you find out that your reader is actually looking for benefits. What will it do for me? How do you do that?

Answer the question up front and she' s hooked. - the first thing you have to do is look at your product or service the way she does. When you start off with the benefits, she' ll be interested. Doing that forces you to present the benefits up front. Moreover, if you combine features into your benefits - rich presentation, she' ll be persuaded. Commercial advertising, promotional sales.

Where could you use it? - this has everything to do with advertising and selling to the consumer. We shake our heads in agreement with that. Advertising and business go hand in hand because nothing happens in business until someone buys your product. It' s so obvious. Are they packed with benefits?

Yet take a look at your advertising and promotion communications. - and do you only add features that show how the reader gets those benefits? I was in a hardware store looking for furniture polish. I' ll tell you a story. Confronted with so many brands, I didn' t know which one to chose. One did.

I wanted a package to make up my mind for me. - it clearly stated the benefit i wanted. Yep! I picked it up and read further. Exactly what I wanted. Read the instructions.

Turned it over. - ah hah! I bought it plus another product by the same manufacturer. Easy to follow plus it reinforced the benefit. Another time I wanted to hang a bookshelf. When I went to the hardware store, the wise clerk asked me what I was trying to do.

My brother - in - law told me what hardware to buy. - i told him. "what kind of shelving? " he asked me. He gave me exactly what I needed to get the result I wanted. I told him. "What kind of walls do you have? " I told him that too. That' s salesmanship at work. Your message takes your place. But what if you' re not personally there?

In fact your message - the benefit - has to shout! - benefits on the front and repeated on the back. In the first incident I told you about, that' s exactly what the package did. Benefits were even added to the directions: wipe clean, and admire, let set. Instruction booklets or assembly sheets are part of integrated advertising promotion and marketing communication. How else can you use it?

Imagine a headline that reads: "Follow these simple instructions and you' ll soon be enjoying. " Or, picture an instruction manual that has a section entitled" I want to. " (filling in what the reader wants to accomplish) . - you bet! Wouldn' t that be helpful? And who is he going to refer his friends to? Ignored areas to list benefits. Labels, and product sheets, cartons. I' ll give you an example.

It says: "Norwood Micro. 23" LCD Television. - i' m looking at the box for a norwood tv. HDTV Ready/ Multiple Video and Computer Inputs/ One Year Limited Warranty/ etc. " There' s a big picture of the TV on the carton. It' s all about features. What' s wrong with that carton? Instead, how about: "Norwood Micro( next line) Everything You' re Looking For. What do you think about that?

Guaranteed! " List the features after that with bullets. - headline the benefits first! Instant viral marketing! Not only that, everyone who sees that carton sees the company and the benefits. Another one: instead of" Wigglee' s Rubber Bands/ 24 count" how about" Wigglee' s Rubber Bands/ They won' t break! (next line) 24 count" . It' s the business writer' s job to keep the benefits visible.

Guess who that company calls the next time they need to order rubber bands? - give the reader what he or she is looking for. And take advantage of every opportunity to drive the benefits into the reader' s mind.