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Do You Really Need a Device That Does Everything?
Weighing the real value of your purchase comes down to counting its benefits — not its features
When I told my mom I was planning on buying an Amazon Kindle, she raised her eyebrow and suggested, “Why not just get an iPad? You’ll still be able to read, plus do a whole lot of other stuff.”
Fair point. The Kindle Paperweight costs around 150 USD, while I can get an iPad for as low as 399 USD. The latter price seems steep — but then, in terms of functionality, this is clearly not an apples-to-apples thing. If the Kindle were an apple, an iPad would be a premium fruit shake supercharged with ten fruits, organic soymilk, plus a protein boost.
But is that really the case?
The answer, as I’ve come to realize, lies in understanding a fundamental of sales: the distinction between functions and benefits. Features are simply what make the product. Benefits, on the other hand, are what you gain from using it. Here’s a nice, straightforward illustration:
As an experienced sales & marketing professional, I’ve learned that the best way to…
