It Matters Who Receives the Benefits


Benefits produce internal and/or external value to customers. The focus of these benefits plays a major role in how much value customers place on them. Additionally, whether benefits are internal or external determines what departments and positions you contact first.

Internal Benefits

Internal benefits produce value only for the purchasers of your products. They appeal more to departments with low customer contact such as accounting, purchasing, engineering, or manufacturing. Often, these departments are more concerned about Column 1 issues than Column 2 issues.

Example

start example

You sell paint wholesale to painting contractors. One of the features of your paint is two-hour drying time. Painters can apply a second coat sooner, thereby reducing the time it takes to complete a job. They receive the internal benefits of reduced labor costs.

end example

External Benefits

External benefits occur only when you sell to businesses, not consumers. They produce value for your customers' customers. External benefits appeal more to departments with high customer contact such as customer service, marketing, and sales. Often, these departments are more concerned about Column 2 issues than Column 1 issues.

Example

start example

Painters use the quicker drying time of your paint to give homeowners faster completion dates. The quicker drying time produces an external benefit—faster completion dates—to the painters' customers: the homeowners.

end example

Internal and External Benefits

As the name subtly implies, both your customers and their customers receive benefits. This combination produces the most value because everyone benefits (including you).

Example

start example

The painting contractors pass along some of their cost savings to homeowners as lower prices. Everyone wins because painters increase their competitiveness and profitability, homeowners receive better prices and quicker completion dates, and you sell more paint.

end example

The last column on the right in the table in Exhibit 2-4 demonstrates this concept for the cellular phone and the bottle of barbecue sauce.

Cellular Phone Features (Adjective-Noun)

Benefits (Verb-Noun or Adverb-noun)

Value Type (Measurable or Perceived)

Focus: Internal, External, or Both

Digital Signal

Improves reception

Perceived value

Both: you can reach customers more easily and for longer periods (I) Customers can reach you more easily and for longer periods (E)

Increases battery life

Measurable value

Both: same as above

Extends talk time between recharges

Measurable value

Both: same as above

Hands-Free Operation

Increases safety

Perceived value

Internal (external to other drivers)

Sauce Features (Adjective-Noun)

Benefits (Verb-Noun or Adverb-Noun)

Value Type

Focus

Hickory Flavor

Improves taste

Perceived Value

Internal

Eliminates the costs of wood chips

Measurable Value

Internal

Eliminates the time and expense of grilling

Measurable Value

Internal

Fat-Free Ingredients

Reduces the intake of fat grams

Measurable Value

Internal


Exhibit 2-4: Know the focus of the value.




The Science of Sales Success(c) A Proven System for High Profit, Repeatable Results
The Science of Sales Success: A Proven System for High-Profit, Repeatable Results
ISBN: 0814415997
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 170
Authors: Josh Costell

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