Marketing Copy: Identifying the Benefits

Jun 2, 2014 | Better Web Copy

People buy products and services to make progress of some kind. The progress is the benefit. Your copy will be more persuasive and more powerful if you write benefit-rich copy.  In order to do that, you must be able to figure out what the benefits are.

Questions to Ask about Your Product or Service

The original version of the following questions was developed by a legendary copywriter (and gore film pioneer), Herschell Gordon Lewis.  I’ve modified them slightly over the years. Your copy will be benefit-rich if it answers one or more of them explicitly.

Imagine that you are the person reading your copy. Then ask the following questions. Substitute your product or service for the word, “it.”

Will it make me rich?

Rich is financial gain.  Will it make me more money?  Will it keep me from losing money?

Will it make me famous?

Famous is not necessarily “world-famous.”  A person can be famous in a small circle. Will it increase my stature among people who matter to me?

Will it make me more powerful?

Power is the ability to do what I want.  What will I be able to do after I buy what you’re selling that I can’t do now, or can’t do as well?

Will it make me safer?

The world is fraught with dangers.  Will it keep me safe from evil perpetrators or from getting fired? Will it save me from embarrassment?

Will it make me loved?

You can change “loved” to “liked” if you choose.  Will other people like me better if I buy what you’re selling?

There is no magic to this list or the number of questions.  You can change them, add some, or delete some if that works better for you.  If you use these questions to help develop your copy you will produce more persuasive copy.