#100Startup: Features vs. Benefits

This week I’m blogging through Chris Guillebeau’s new book The $100 Startup and giving away a free signed copy! Find out how you can enter to win »

Chris Guillebeau writes, “Value means helping people.” There’s a strong social good message that comes through in all that Chris says and does. That’s one of the things I really appreciate about Chris. He’s not in it only for himself. He’s not promoting entrepreneurism to help people make a quick buck. He wants to help people make a difference in the world.

One of the most helpful insights that Chris talks about in the book is how value relates to emotional needs. He writes, “Many business owners talk about their work in terms of the features it offers, but it’s much more powerful to talk about the benefits customers receive. A feature is descriptive; a benefit is emotional.”

We sometimes refer to this as appealing to people’s emotional needs or using emotional intelligence (or our EQ, empathy quotient) in our communication. Daniel Pink is probably one of the leading voices in this.

I love this idea because it relates to communication, and as it applies to church/ministry work, the application is pretty obvious: Rather than talking about features (programs, facilities, etc.), talk more about benefits (discipleship, spiritual formation, etc.).

What are you passionate about that you could imagine turning into a missional business? Share that idea in the comments on the contest giveaway post for a chance to win the book!