How to Present Products Persuasively

Home > Promote > Marketing > Articles

by Michel Fortin

When you meet people for the first time and introduce yourself, what do you usually say? If you're like most people, you might say "Hi, my name is Michel Fortin, I'm a marketing consultant" or "my name is John Doe, I sell vitamins on the Internet" (or whatever it is you do). This is called an elevator speech, like the speech you would give to a person whom you've just met in the elevator. In essence, it's the way you introduce yourself.

But if we examine these types of elevator speeches a little closer, which are typical and comparable to what the majority of people say, you can see how such introductions will be easily forgotten if not ignored. Think about it. How often do you easily forget the name of someone who has introduced him or herself to you? Therefore, if you are introducing yourself in that way, your statement will be easily forgotten because it will not create lasting top-of-mind awareness and, more important, interest in you or your business.

As my mother used to say when I was child, such introductions will only go "in one ear and out the other." They don't stick. They don't say much. They don't offer compelling enough reasons -- specific pieces of information -- that generate desire.

Why is that? In memory management courses, they say that you should use mental association in order to memorize names. More important, they say that you should attach emotion to your mental associations, for emotions seem to help hook words into the mind. Psychologists often say that emotional events are the ones lodged more deeply in a person's consciousness. For example, if I asked you to tell me about your childhood, you will most likely talk about the times when you felt the most happy, sad, anxious, or mad. These events are solidly etched in your mind.

Normally, a person's name, business, or type of work are often not associated with emotions. On the other hand, those that are have made an impact and are easily remembered, even years later. They are laced with emotion. They mean something at a deeper level. There is some sort of personal significance behind them. As such, using emotion in your introduction -- let alone while presenting a product -- is the key.

Stick Like a Stain
In order to circumvent the lack of emotion, ask yourself some key questions, like: "Why should people buy from me?" "Why should they even listen to (or read) what I have to say?" and, better still, "Why should they even remember me at all?" Above all, the key question is "What emotions does my business or product invoke in the minds of my site's visitors?" The answer to all of these is to think benefits.

On the Internet, benefits are vital. In the cold world of cyberspace there is a lack of human interaction let alone emotion. If I asked you to name the last 10 web sites you visited, your mind will probably go blank -- unless those sites have communicated benefits that were important to you specifically in some way. Additionally, how many times have you stumbled onto a web site that was confusing, boring, inappropriate to your search, or lacking compelling reasons for you to stay? Many, I'm sure. You probably clicked out of these sites faster than you can say the word "click."

As the saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression!" Good introductions are not only meant to get acquainted but also to persuade let alone to have the people you've just met easily remember you, especially in a positive way. And this goes for the people who visited your web site for the first time. A web site that introduces your business or product in a way that communicates clear, specific, and cogent benefits will stick in the minds of visitors. Not only will your site be more successful but also will be visited more often.

In a previous article, we discussed the "Ketchup Principle." The web sites that are remembered the most are usually the ones that made an impact, be it good or bad. It's just human nature. People will remember the ketchup stain on your shirt more than your name, your business, or the presentation you gave. People hate making bad decisions, so they are constantly on the lookout for key points that can help justify their rationale. You can use this to your advantage by stressing key benefits right from the start.

Humdrum to Humdinger
So, don't just give a plain name and title introduction. Use your company name, your tagline, and a short description of what your site is all about. However, this description should include the benefits you provide -- not just the activities you perform, the products you sell, or the services you offer. For example, get rid of that "Welcome to my homepage" or "This site is dedicated to (product name)." Give benefits right away, even in the title. Not only will such an introduction arouse interest but it will also make your web site stick.

Visitors will stay on your site longer, respond to your offer more favorably, remember you when needing what you have to offer, refer you to others when the opportunity presents itself, or talk about you openly especially when a related subject is discussed. Here are some examples. Instead of "My name is Dr. John Doe, and I'm a certified plastic surgeon," say "Dr. John Doe, Lifestyle Enhancement Specialist. I help to profoundly impact the quality of people's lives through positive and lasting changes in their appearance." As you can see, the difference between the two is obvious.

Here are some more. If you're a computer consultant specializing in network solutions, don't say "My name is Elaine Wilson. This site is dedicated to local and wide area networks." Instead, say "Network Magic! This site is dedicated to helping corporations improve their network efficiency, increase their productivity, and solve their computer headaches." Don't say "Jack Vidoli, management consultant specializing in accounting." Rather, say "Welcome to a Knack with Knumbers. Jack Vidoli specializes in helping firms save time, effort, and money by simplifying their accounting systems."

Go Benefits or Go Bust
Also, having an impressive portfolio or a superior company or product will not work for you in the long run. Benefits will. People perceive a company as superior, not by its better qualities but by its benefits. People are astonishingly attracted to benefits, whether consciously or unconsciously. Therefore, your most marketable competitive edge should be your main, core benefit. As Theodore Levitt once said, "What people are buying are not quarter-inch drills but quarter-inch holes." Your web site must immediately communicate as clearly and concisely as possible the main benefit that you offer your visitors.

What the product brings to the customer specifically is more important than what it has or does, or even how it is better than the others. To help you understand the differences between features, advantages, and benefits, do the following: Take a series of 3" by 5" index cards and write down a feature (of your site, product, or service) on each one (i.e., what it does). Below it, write down the feature's relative advantage (i.e., how different and unique it is compared to others). Then, on the back of the card, write down the benefit (i.e., what it brings). When you describe your product online, refer to your cards. Remember that each and every feature you describe on your site or in your ads should be immediately followed by its benefits.

Here's an example. A site sells web hosting services online. A feature would be the fact that it offers 25 megabytes of web space. A relative advantage would be that a customer's site will be up 99% of the time. The benefits would be added convenience, less time and hassle, more flexibility, increased peace of mind, greater control, and so on. In short, benefits are emotions that help to anchor the feature more profoundly in the mind.

Nevertheless, you can tell people what you do. However, don't tell them how you do it -- at least, not right away. Tell them why you do it and what that means to them specifically. Remember, people don't buy products. They buy what products do for them.