television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial profWell that certainly is a direct -- if not offensive -- title, isn't it? Stay with me a little while longer, and you will understand its significance.

Many of us realize that, to get a buyer's attention, we have to tell them about benefits. As Jack Trout and Al Reis wrote in their best-seller, Positioning, everyone listens to the same radio station, WII-FM (What's In It For Me?). No one really cares about us as businesspeople; they care about how our businesses can help them achieve their objectives.

So what? There's that abrasive term again. But that is really the question that you have to answer. You see, businesses -- large and small -- often market themselves with what they think are benefits. In actuality, they are trumpeting features, never really answering the question. Take a recent television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial prof

tion, we have to tell them about benefits. As Jack Trout and Al Reis wrote in their best-seller, Positioning, everyone listens to the same radio station, WII-FM (What's In It For Me?). No one really cares about us as businesspeople; they care about how our businesses can help them achieve their objectives.

So what? There's that abrasive term again. But that is really the question that you have to answer. You see, businesses -- large and small -- often market themselves with what they think are benefits. In actuality, they are trumpeting features, never really answering the question. Take a recent television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial prof

s about us as businesspeople; they care about how our businesses can help them achieve their objectives.

So what? There's that abrasive term again. But that is really the question that you have to answer. You see, businesses -- large and small -- often market themselves with what they think are benefits. In actuality, they are trumpeting features, never really answering the question. Take a recent television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial prof

answer. You see, businesses -- large and small -- often market themselves with what they think are benefits. In actuality, they are trumpeting features, never really answering the question. Take a recent television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial prof television commercial by General Motors, for instance. It promotes one of its SUVs that is equipped with an eight-cylinder engine that switches to four cylinders when possible. This, the commercial professes, increases fuel economy. Okay, there's the benefit, right? Wrong. The fact that the engine switches from eight to four cylinders is a feature. It has not answered the question, "So what?" But the fact that the engine increases fuel economy is certainly the benefit, correct? Wrong again. It is the advantage over other engines that do not have the same capability. The benefit is the fact that you can afford to own this SUV because it helps keep costs down, a fact the commercial never mentions.

You might think the difference between this advantage and the benefit is very slim or that the benefit is implied. But unless the actual benefit is clearly stated, the reason for the commercial -- in fact, the reason for the SUV -- is left for the prospect to determine. My question is why would anyone