When you define what your firm does, you are actually saying what you do for others.  Have you asked yourself, "What’s in it for my prospective customer?" "What are we offering that actually benefits our customer in a way they value most?" "What is it about our product or service that provides a tangible benefit to our customer?"

Benefits are not features.  Features describe your product or service.  Your product features may be the technology used, its size, that it has fewer emissions or even that it has a specific design feature.  Your service features may be hours served or the type of consulting you offer.  Whether for product or service, features are not a reason to buy.  Benefits explain the reason to buy.  Benefits translate a feature into a solution for your customer.

• A technology feature such as 3G or 4G is meaningless until the customer understands the benefit, that their phone’s internet connection will be faster and stronger. 
• A car may feature large cargo capacity but what does it matter until the benefit is shown to the target market – that the car can accommodate more sporting gear, for example.
• A feature may be the hours your firm is open for business, a benefit is convenience to the customer.
• A feature may be twenty years of consulting experience but that doesn’t translate to a benefit until your customer learns that your experience and expertise will actually take them to the precise outcome they seek. 

Features are simply descriptors.  Features are meaningless to your prospective customer.  Benefits mean everything.  Benefits are the results, the explanation of how the customer’s needs are being answered. 

In a business plan, discussing benefits shows your understanding of why a customer will pay you for your product or service.  A business without clearly stated customer benefits is a business destined for failure.  Enthusiasm and personal commitment will never replace the power of the answer to the primary question your prospect is asking, “How does it benefit me?”