Crime #006
Focusing on the benefits without explaining what the customer actually gets.
The explanation
More confidence. Greater clarity. A business that gives you freedom.
Your page describes everything someone might gain from working with you. But what are they actually buying?
- How many sessions? How long are they?
- Is there a written plan?
- Can they ask questions between calls?
- What resources are included, and how long can they access them?
“Sell the benefits, not the features” is familiar sales advice. Taken too literally, it produces pages full of desirable outcomes and almost no information about the service itself.
Benefits explain why someone might want something. Features help them understand what they will receive for their money. A prospective customer needs both.
“Feel confident in your next interview” gives someone a reason to be interested. “Two private practice interviews, with personalised feedback and recordings to review afterwards” gives them something concrete to evaluate.
Without those details, your service remains a promise. The visitor cannot judge whether the support is substantial enough, whether it suits how they learn or whether the price makes sense.
They may also fill the gaps with assumptions. One person imagines weekly access to you. Another assumes they will receive a detailed written report. Neither expectation came from anything you explicitly promised, but your description left room for both.
Explaining the features does not make your service less compelling. It makes the benefits more believable by showing what supports them.
Your customer should be able to picture what they will receive after paying. A better future is appealing, but it is not an adequate description of the purchase.
How to fix it
Add a clearly labelled “What’s included” section to your service page.
List the actual components of the purchase: sessions, reviews, written outputs, resources and access to support. Give each enough detail for someone to understand what it means, without overwhelming them with detail.
“Personalised support” is not specific enough. “Email support between sessions, with replies within two working days” describes something a customer can assess, provided that is what you deliver.
For sessions, explain the number, duration and format. For written outputs, name what someone receives. For resources, explain what they contain and how long access lasts.
Connect each feature to its purpose:
- Two practice interviews: Rehearse your answers and receive specific feedback before the real conversation.
- Recordings of both sessions: Review your responses and practise the areas that need work.
- A written preparation plan: Know what to focus on before your interview.
Keep the promises proportionate. A workbook might help someone organise their thinking. It does not, by itself, guarantee a successful career change.
If the service is tailored, explain what is fixed and what you agree together. “Four private sessions, with the focus of each agreed around your priorities” gives flexibility a clear shape.
Check that a visitor can identify what they would receive without booking a call or beginning checkout.
Then ask someone unfamiliar with the service: “What would you expect to get for your money?”
If they can only repeat the benefits, the practical description still needs work. Give them enough detail to understand the purchase as well as the possibility.
Are you guilty of Crime #006?
Book a free 30 minute call with a senior Buyable conversion expert. We will talk through your website, your goals and where you are losing potential customers.