Let’s face it. When it gets right down to it, people don’t give a rodent’s backside about your business.

You could tell them until you’re blue in the face about how your customer service software is the best in the industry or how your employee dental plan and vacation package is phenomenal. They, really, truly, when it gets right down to it, don’t care.

About Face

Now turn it around. Tell those same customers that the representatives that answer your phone are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and skilled at getting them the information they need so that they can get on with their lives.

Those vacation days and teeth cleanings keep your employees happy and loyal, so they stick around and  learn the ins and outs of your business, but your customers don’t care about that. They care that they can get things done quick with someone who knows their stuff and is happy to be there.

Tell those same customers that they’ll sit on hold waiting to talk to a real live person for half of the time as your competitors’ clients. Just don’t bother explaining that those shorter hold times only happen because of your intuitive, lightning fast software. Their eyes will glaze over and you’ll lose them.

The software and the vacation days are features.

The quicker calls and reduced hold time are benefits.

Benefits are what’s in it for the customer and, let’s be honest, that’s really all they care about.

WIIFM, WIIFM Good

Wait, what?

WIIFM (commonly pronounced whiff-um) stands for What’s In It For Me. It’s really a noun. I like to use it as a verb. Just go with it.

When you WIIFM a feature, it magically transforms into a benefit… and a benefit will speak to your customer. A benefit will keep their attention.

A benefit is the first step to a beautiful relationship.

So, what does this mean for me?

Your homework is to look through your website. Is it teeming with features? Turn those features around and WIIFM.

WIIFM good.