Life is full of lessons on how to run a successful business.  Just a few days ago, for example, I was watching a salesperson at my local Gold's Gym take a prospective member though a tour of the club facilities.  The salesperson either had not been trained on how to "sell", or he hadn't paid attention to his training.  The parts of the tour I overheard included things like "here's the locker room" (obviously!), "the faucets and hand dryers are automatic" (duh!), and "the pool is right through here"...

What could be more exciting that a salesperson putting his hand under an automatic hand drying to show how it works (insert sarcastic tone of voice here)!  Automatic hand dryers are a feature, not a benefit.  Can something so common be turned into a benefit?  After all, BENEFITS sell, not features. 

Consider these simple twists.

Salesperson:  "In our state of the art locker room, we have automatic hand dryers [feature] which allow the club to control our utility costs, which means we can keep your dues at a lower rate while we reduce our carbon footprint."

Now the salesperson has turned a now-common feature into a benefit.  There are other options the salesperson could use depending on how well the salesperson gets to know the prospective member.  Here's another potential benefit.

Salesperson:  "...and not only do we have sanitizing spray available throughout the gym area, but we also provide automatic hand dryers [feature] which are more sanitary and more environmentally friendly than paper towels.  After all, we want our members to help our members improve their health in every way we can!"

Here's my challenge as a business coach to you as a sales professional.  Start dividing things into features and benefits.  Get to know the difference (what "it is" versus what "it does" or why I should care).  Find ways to attach a benefit to each feature of your product (house, mortgage loan, staging business, etc.)  Then get to know your prospect well enough to know what matters to him or her the most and explain those benefits which come from the wonderful features you provide.

Let me know how it goes...I love to hear success stories!