Why Selling Benefits Beats Selling Features (Every Single Time)
If you've ever posted about a new listing, a service you offer, or a tool you use and heard crickets... this is probably why. Most of us are trained to talk about what something is. But people don't buy what it is. They buy what it does for them. Let me show you what I mean. The Problem: Features Don't Sell Look at these examples: ❌ "Buy our 200W Charger" vs. ✅ "Charge your phone in 10 minutes" ❌ "Waterproof phone case" vs. ✅ "Stress-free pictures at the beach" ❌ "Prevent Obesity ($)" vs. ✅ "Cure Obesity ($$$)" People don't care about the 200W charger. They care that they're not stuck with a dead phone when they're running late to a showing. They don't care about the waterproof case. They care that they can take photos at their kid's pool party without panicking. The feature is the what. The benefit is the why it matters. The Same Goes for Real Estate When you're marketing a listing, most agents do this: ❌ "4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2,500 sq ft" That's a feature list. It's not bad, but it doesn't sell. Here's the benefit version: ✅ "Room for the whole family to spread out, plus a home office you'll actually want to work in" See the difference? One describes the house. The other describes the life you'll live in it. Another Example: Selling Your Services ❌ "I offer professional photography and virtual staging" vs. ✅ "Your listing will stand out online and get more showings in the first 48 hours" People don't hire you for the photography. They hire you because they want their house to sell fast and for top dollar. The Real-World Test Here's a quick exercise. Look at your last social post, email, or listing description. How many times did you describe what something is vs. what it does for them? If you're heavy on features, flip it. Feature: "This home has a gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances." Benefit: "Host dinners you'll actually enjoy cooking for." Feature: "I use AI tools to streamline my client communication." Benefit: "You'll never wait more than an hour for a response from me."