What Makes You So Special?

by Stephen E. Heiman, Diane Sanchez with Tad Tuleja

Unique Strengths or product benefits? At first glance, they appear identical. But there are some significant distinctions between the two, distinctions that can make or break a sale.

Unique Strengths are quite different from the traditional, product–related notion of features and benefits. The basic difference between the two approaches to giving product information is that the features–and–benefits idea starts with the product, while Unique Strengths start with the Customer's Concept, that is, the customer's perceived solution to a problem.

This is a subtle but crucial distinction. The flaw of features–and–benefits selling may be summed up very simply: It assumes that every product feature has a benefit and thus that if you describe the feature glowingly enough, the benefit will be obvious to the customer. But this works only when the prospect has already recognized and accepted the value of the benefit—that is, when it's already a part of her concept. The feature "tenderness" in a T–bone steak has absolutely no benefit to a vegetarian. That's why pushing any product's "inherent" benefits is a self–defeating proposition unless you first determine that those benefits link up to the prospective buyer's concept.

The value of the Unique Strengths approach is that it begins by asking, "What is the customer's solution image?" and then proceeds logically to the next step: "How can I uniquely speak to that image?" Features–and–benefits selling begins (and often ends) with the product. Unique Strengths lets you look for a fit.

There's another reason why Unique Strengths is a more reliable method of Giving Information about your product than even the best features–and–benefits pitch. Many features and benefits are common to a number of competitors, and so they do not provide true differentiation. Your stain–resistant feature may be attractive to your customer, but if everybody in the carpet business offers it, it is hardly a Unique Strength.

Product strengths alone are never enough. You've got to be able to give information about those product strengths that make you stand out from all the others. In any competitive environment, unless you move beyond product specs you're going to default to the "me too" scenario, where the customer is forced to do his own sorting —usually on the basis of price or availability alone.

One of the great advantages of emphasizing Unique Strengths, in fact, is that it diminishes the importance of price competition. It has the ability to level the playing field when your company is not the lowest bidder.

Some areas of possible Unique Strengths include:

• People
• Product
• Process
• Knowledge
• Service
• Implementation
• Delivery
• Experience
• Organization
• Customer Base
• Technology
• Reputation
• Application
• Training
• Logistics

Remember, it all comes back to Customer Concept.You always need to begin with what the customer expects your product or service to accomplish. In selecting which of your possible Unique Strengths to emphasize in any given sales call, you should always start by asking yourself: "How does this Unique Strength meet this person's individual need? How does it fit her solution image?"

Adapted from The New Conceptual Selling Stephen E. Heiman, Diane Sanchez with Tad Tuleja © 1999 by Miller Heiman, Inc., All rights reserved with permission of Warner Books. Inc.