You probably already know that you should focus more on your software’s solutions instead of features, but let’s be honest, your website, emails etc. focus primarily on your feature set… right?
It’s easy and natural to find yourself talking about your features, after all, they’re awesome! But try to always remind yourself WHY you built them.
Features tell, not sell
With features, you’re simply outlining what your software does from a technical standpoint. While what the features do is important, you’re missing is the emotional connection. You’re telling and not selling. Focus more on the solutions and benefits your features provide.
Features are competitive
When you only focus on features, you make it very easy for consumers to compare feature sets, which can often put you at a disadvantage. Feature wars can often be a losing battle. Consumers are comparing words, there is no emotional connection.
Goals, challenges and pain points
It’s important to constantly remind yourself and your team why you created those features and what they can do for your customers.
Focus more on their goals, challenges and pain points. Can your software’s features make their lives better by helping them reach their goals? Can you make their life easier by squashing their pain points or make something less challenging? Talk more about what your features help your customers do, or don’t do; more on the result of using the software.
Satisfaction and fear
At the end of the day, people buy things to improve their lives or because of fear. Always communicate how your software can satisfy your customers needs and the “bad” things that happen as a result of not having your solution… ie, their pain points.
Once you connect with your target audience on an emotional level, showing how your software’s features can improve your customers lives by providing solutions, you will have less competition and more sales. People are most interested in what your software can do for them, not necessarily how cool and shiny they are.
Change everywhere!
Once you get in the habit of customizing your marketing communications to speak more to your target market’s goals, challenges and pain points, remember to be consistent and do this everywhere. Each touch point is an opportunity to help, and convert. This includes copy on your website, emails, advertising etc.
Remember, the reason someone is looking at your software, is because they’re hoping it can be a solution to their problems. Let them know how much better things will be by using your product. Not through the features, but the solutions and benefits they provide.
