ature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

I’d like to ask you two questions. Your first question: How many times have you begun reading a brochure only to think to yourself “That’s nice. They sure do a lot” and then thrown it away?

Now, for your second question (and this is only for those brave enough to answer it.)

And how many times—do you think--has someone begun reading YOUR brochure only to think to themselves “That’s nice. They sure do a lot” and then thrown it away.

(If you were brave enough to answer the second question truthfully,chances are, there were more times your brochure was trashed than you would want.)

And you’re not alone. Most brochure writers – and those who hire them – think that the way to attract customers is to prove to those customers that you’re the greatest company that ever walked the earth. And so the brochure copy goes on, and on, and on, about “Established in the year 2 AD, our company has been on the cutting edge of—blah-blah, blah-blah, blah . . . .”

Bor-ing! Wouldn’t you agree? I mean, really, who wants to read some pompous prose about all the accomplishments of XYZ Company from time immemorial? In the back of your mind you’re probably saying, “So what? What’s in it for me?”And if you’re saying it . . . perhaps your prospects and customers are saying it, too.

Frightening, isn’t it?

But before you go wrapping fish in all those brochures sitting in your office, vowing never again to mention the word “trifold” as long as you live, let me share with you a marketing copywriter’s secret that will have you reeling in your prospects.

And that is knowing the difference between features and benefits.

You see, when most brochure writers – and the people who hire them –think “our brochure” they immediately think “Of course it’s about us.” And they begin writing all that long-winded, self-congratulatory, stuffy, pompous prose that really does work better wrapping fish than reeling in prospects.

That's because that “blah-blah-blah-blah-BLAH” prose contains "features.” What a “feature” is, is what you do. For example, in the brochure for Joe Blow Plumbing, it says: “we fix leaky faucets.” That’s a feature. And that’s information, but it doesn’t connect with what the prospect needs. It doesn’t tell the prospect why it’s important to “fix faucets.” And, even more important, it doesn’t meet the prospect’s needs, it doesn’t solve the problem for them. It doesn’t relieve their pain.

So, instead of saying “we fix leaky faucets” Joe Blow’s brochure should begin by saying something like “Your leaky faucet means your money’s going down the drain. Don’t waste another nickel. Call us.” Or, an even better example (if this is truly a fact.) “For every minute your faucet leaks, you’re sending 5-cents down the drain. That means you’re wasting $3.00 an hour and $72.00 a day. So don’t waste another nickel . . .”

The last two examples are “benefits.” And you have just witnessed the magical transformation from “feature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

<omers that you’re the greatest company that ever walked the earth. And so the brochure copy goes on, and on, and on, about “Established in the year 2 AD, our company has been on the cutting edge of—blah-blah, blah-blah, blah . . . .”

Bor-ing! Wouldn’t you agree? I mean, really, who wants to read some pompous prose about all the accomplishments of XYZ Company from time immemorial? In the back of your mind you’re probably saying, “So what? What’s in it for me?”And if you’re saying it . . . perhaps your prospects and customers are saying it, too.

Frightening, isn’t it?

But before you go wrapping fish in all those brochures sitting in your office, vowing never again to mention the word “trifold” as long as you live, let me share with you a marketing copywriter’s secret that will have you reeling in your prospects.

And that is knowing the difference between features and benefits.

You see, when most brochure writers – and the people who hire them –think “our brochure” they immediately think “Of course it’s about us.” And they begin writing all that long-winded, self-congratulatory, stuffy, pompous prose that really does work better wrapping fish than reeling in prospects.

That's because that “blah-blah-blah-blah-BLAH” prose contains "features.” What a “feature” is, is what you do. For example, in the brochure for Joe Blow Plumbing, it says: “we fix leaky faucets.” That’s a feature. And that’s information, but it doesn’t connect with what the prospect needs. It doesn’t tell the prospect why it’s important to “fix faucets.” And, even more important, it doesn’t meet the prospect’s needs, it doesn’t solve the problem for them. It doesn’t relieve their pain.

So, instead of saying “we fix leaky faucets” Joe Blow’s brochure should begin by saying something like “Your leaky faucet means your money’s going down the drain. Don’t waste another nickel. Call us.” Or, an even better example (if this is truly a fact.) “For every minute your faucet leaks, you’re sending 5-cents down the drain. That means you’re wasting $3.00 an hour and $72.00 a day. So don’t waste another nickel . . .”

The last two examples are “benefits.” And you have just witnessed the magical transformation from “feature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

re with you a marketing copywriter’s secret that will have you reeling in your prospects.

And that is knowing the difference between features and benefits.

You see, when most brochure writers – and the people who hire them –think “our brochure” they immediately think “Of course it’s about us.” And they begin writing all that long-winded, self-congratulatory, stuffy, pompous prose that really does work better wrapping fish than reeling in prospects.

That's because that “blah-blah-blah-blah-BLAH” prose contains "features.” What a “feature” is, is what you do. For example, in the brochure for Joe Blow Plumbing, it says: “we fix leaky faucets.” That’s a feature. And that’s information, but it doesn’t connect with what the prospect needs. It doesn’t tell the prospect why it’s important to “fix faucets.” And, even more important, it doesn’t meet the prospect’s needs, it doesn’t solve the problem for them. It doesn’t relieve their pain.

So, instead of saying “we fix leaky faucets” Joe Blow’s brochure should begin by saying something like “Your leaky faucet means your money’s going down the drain. Don’t waste another nickel. Call us.” Or, an even better example (if this is truly a fact.) “For every minute your faucet leaks, you’re sending 5-cents down the drain. That means you’re wasting $3.00 an hour and $72.00 a day. So don’t waste another nickel . . .”

The last two examples are “benefits.” And you have just witnessed the magical transformation from “feature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

ect needs. It doesn’t tell the prospect why it’s important to “fix faucets.” And, even more important, it doesn’t meet the prospect’s needs, it doesn’t solve the problem for them. It doesn’t relieve their pain.

So, instead of saying “we fix leaky faucets” Joe Blow’s brochure should begin by saying something like “Your leaky faucet means your money’s going down the drain. Don’t waste another nickel. Call us.” Or, an even better example (if this is truly a fact.) “For every minute your faucet leaks, you’re sending 5-cents down the drain. That means you’re wasting $3.00 an hour and $72.00 a day. So don’t waste another nickel . . .”

The last two examples are “benefits.” And you have just witnessed the magical transformation from “feature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

ature” to “benefit” and that transformation is powerful.

This is what Joe Blow’s brochure – and yours – should be packed with –piled with benefit, upon benefit, upon benefit.

Even when you have to briefly talk about your company’s expertise, always frame it in terms of benefits.

So to use the Joe Blow example again. Instead of simply saying: “In business for 50 years” implying your expertise and leaving the reader to say “That’s nice”,Joe Blow’s brochure should say something like “By hiring us, you get our 50 years of expertise. So we really know how to fix your leaky faucet, fast.”

See the difference? You are providing them with important information about your business, but you’re doing it in terms of benefits.

So that’s the one thing your brochure absolutely, positively, most definitely needs—it needs to be benefit-driven.

(c)CSC Group, LLC