I'm always amazed when I see ads and other marketing materials that break those rules. If you're going to pay to advertise, be sure that your ads are working hard for you. Remember: We buy benefits, not features.
Here's a simple example. Every spring, the newspapers fill up with ads for new mowers and tractors. So ask yourself which of these hypothetical headlines and subheads would be more likely to make you salivate over a new mower:
Jim's Mower Shop
We're The Largest Shop
In The Eastern Quadrant
Of the Tri-County Region
or
Slash Your Mowing Time
By 74% This Summer
With a Really Big Mower
Here's The Mowdown
On This Year's Fantastically Fast
New Models
The obvious answer is that the second headline and subhead will grab your attention because they address your wants and needs. They give you a reason to get excited about a mower.
So keep these simple concepts in mind when you create marketing materials:
• Consumers buy benefits, not features.
• What you're selling isn't always the same as what people are hoping to buy.
