How can you identify and prioritize features and benefits for your target audience?

1 Define your target audience

Before you can identify and prioritize features and benefits, you need to have a clear understanding of who your target audience is, what their needs and pain points are, and how your product can solve them. You can use various methods to define your target audience, such as market segmentation, customer personas, surveys, interviews, or focus groups. The more specific and detailed you are, the better you can tailor your message and offer to them.

2 List your product features

A product feature is a specific attribute or functionality of your product that delivers a certain benefit to the customer. For example, a feature of a smartphone could be its camera, battery life, or screen size. To list your product features, you can start by brainstorming all the possible aspects of your product that make it unique, useful, or desirable. You can also use tools like product roadmaps, specifications, or user stories to help you organize and categorize your features.

3 Translate features into benefits

A product benefit is the value or outcome that the customer gets from using your product feature. For example, a benefit of a smartphone camera could be capturing high-quality photos, memories, or moments. To translate features into benefits, you need to think from the customer's perspective and answer the question: what's in it for them? How does your feature help them achieve their goals, solve their problems, or satisfy their desires? You can use tools like benefit statements, value propositions, or benefit ladders to help you articulate your benefits.

4 Prioritize features and benefits

Not all features and benefits are equally important to your target audience. Some may be essential, some may be nice to have, and some may be irrelevant or even negative. To prioritize features and benefits, you need to evaluate them based on two criteria: how important they are to the customer, and how well you can deliver them compared to your competitors. You can use tools like importance-performance analysis, Kano model, or feature prioritization matrix to help you rank and visualize your features and benefits.

5 Test and validate your assumptions

The final step is to test and validate your assumptions about your target audience, features, and benefits. You can use various methods to collect feedback from your potential or existing customers, such as surveys, interviews, usability tests, or experiments. The goal is to find out if your features and benefits match their needs and expectations, and if they are willing to pay for them. You can use tools like customer satisfaction, net promoter score, or customer lifetime value to help you measure and improve your results.

6 Apply your insights to your marketing strategy

Once you have identified and prioritized your features and benefits, you can use them to inform and enhance your marketing strategy. You can use them to craft your unique selling proposition, positioning statement, and value proposition. You can also use them to create effective marketing messages, content, and campaigns that highlight your product's value and appeal to your target audience. You can use tools like AIDA model, copywriting formulas, or marketing mix to help you plan and execute your marketing strategy.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?