Sometimes we struggle to produce marketing materials that are punchy, catchy and impactful. Though there are many components in a marketing materials, one that is common across most mediums is what I would like to call Benefit Statement.

Essentially, as it’s name implies, it states the benefits of your products or services.

Here are some examples:

• Increase your sales by 127% in less than 2 months
• Improve your confidence and get that dream promotion
• Eliminate your nasty eating habits in just 4 hours
• Reduce your marketing costs by over 230%
• Present your ideas with clarity and charisma
• Influence your prospects with our award-winning 7-step system
• Enhance your creativity and create amazing work anytime, anywhere

However, over the years of teaching copywriting and marketing, I found that if I were to give a blank sheet of paper (or Word Doc) to participants, the results are usually poor. The would usually just look at us blankly after 15 minutes.

Then I started to see if I can use a framework or template to help craft the benefit statements, and after a while of testing with different audiences, I’ve managed to create one that can produce decent (80%) benefit statements.

And hey, compared to 0% with blank stares and a blank sheet of paper, I’ll take 80% anytime.

Got the Benefit Statement Constructor and a pencil? Ok, let’s go.

STEP 1 | List out all the nouns.

What are the “properties” that your products and services are helping with? Sales, ROI, costs, talent retention, health, sleep, rest, productivity, exam scores. Go crazy with this one. Try to list at least 5 for a start, but don’t let me stop you.

STEP 2 | List out all the verbs.

If you look at the properties and items you have listed in step 1, what are the verbs that you can use to match it with? For example:

• Sales – Increase, boost, enhance, improve
• Talent Retention – Improve, discover (methods), charm, leverage, organise
• Sleep – Create, boost, improve, eliminate, energise
• Health – Revitalise, enhance, master, nurture, nourish

Now, because I’m a nice guy, I’ve listed a bunch of useful verbs here, which is kinda like my cheatsheet over the years. It contains all the verbs that are benefit-selling and action-driven. Feel free to use it as a reference, or to trigger new ideas too. You can bookmark it because over time, I will update the list.

STEP 3A | Identify the measurables.

Let’s look at the results you’ve created, especially those are are measurable. Remember, be specific with the metrics and time. For example:

• 127% in 2 months
• 83% in 4 weeks
• 167% quarter to quarter

STEP 3B | Identify the immediate benefits.

Now, sometimes your benefits cannot be measured. That’s where this part comes in as an alternative. List down the immediate benefits of that verb and noun combo. Think of what that particular benefit statement brings to the table. Ask yourself, why would they want to experience it?

Examples (the parts in italic are the benefits):

• (Increase product offerings) to expand your business regionally
• (Improve your charisma) and be taken seriously at the work place
• (Enhance your child’s reading speed) and watch their grades sky rocket
• (Boost the quality of your sleep) and enjoy better focus at work
• (Cultivate healthy eating habits) to feel strong, vibrant and alive!

However, sometimes it can also be measured, and you can align it with an immediate benefit too. That’s what we call “benefit-stacking”, and as long as it doesn’t make the benefit statement too long, it’s fine. My rule of thumb is if you can say out each benefit statement in one breath (comfortably), then it’s probably too long.

STEP 4 | Just link them up!

Verb + Noun + Measurables and/or Immediate benefits = BENEFIT STATEMENT

#boom

OPTIONAL STEP | Play around with different verbs

It could be just me, but I kinda hate it if I had to repeat the same verb over and over again (Increase sales, increase productivity, increase teamwork, increase confidence etc). Go back to my cheatsheet and see if you can replace any of the verbs with alternatives.

So there you have it.

If you want me to have a look at the benefit statements you’ve created, leave a comment below, and I may be able to give you some suggestions here and there.

Cheers!

This article is originally published here.