Here’s how I do it: a feature is the bright shiny thing. A benefit is what it does for you. So your MP3 player has massive storage capabilities. That’s a feature. The benefit? You have tons of songs to listen to, and they all fit in your pocket.

So how does this work for creatives?

When you’re selling a service, try focusing on action words: faster, easier, user-friendly, accurate, stress-reducing. In other words, what does your service do for your customer?

If you’re a painter, potter, or musician, the benefits are more about an experience: the prestige of owning an original work of art, the pleasure of eating rice out of a handmade raku bowl, or the thrill of a song that moves you. The features here are the original artwork, the handmade bowl and the original song. The benefits are prestige and pleasure. Not as concrete as a pocketful of records in a tiny device, but quality of life is important to humans.

Customers want to know about benefits. They want to know what they get from you will make their lives better. Knowing the difference between features versus benefits will help you focus on how to make a meaningful connection with your potential customer.

Clear like crystal, or clear as mud?