What is the single most distinctive benefit of your new product?
Why listing more benefits can dilute your message and confuse consumers
By Yannick Dillen
Professor of Management Practice
When companies launch new products, they often tend to emphasise every possible benefit. While it's tempting to highlight all advantages, the reality is that the power of a product pitch is determined by its weakest claim. Professor of Entrepreneurship Yannick Dillen says that listing too many benefits can dilute the message and even create scepticism. Instead, it's usually more effective to focus on the single most distinctive benefit of the product – something that clearly sets it apart from competitors and is easily understood by the customer.
Listing many product benefits is often less effective than it seems. Can you give a successful example of the opposite strategy?
Yannick Dillen: “Certainly! Let’s take the example of Calendly, a scheduling app. The primary, or first-order, benefit is simple: it makes scheduling meetings smoother by eliminating the back-and-forth email exchanges. This is a direct, easy-to-understand advantage that resonates with users. A second-order benefit might be that both parties involved save time, which increases productivity. Both benefits are directly related to the use of the app and are easy to demonstrate.”
Why it's important to focus on the first-order benefits of your product
Professor of Entrepreneurship Yannick Dillen explains how listing too many benefits can dilute your message and confuse consumers.
So, what happens when companies start talking about third-, fourth-, or even fifth-order benefits?
Yannick Dillen: “The further you move away from the core benefit, the weaker the claims tend to become. For example, claiming that the saved time from using Calendly leads to happier employees and, eventually, increased revenue is a fourth- or fifth-order benefit. These claims are much harder to prove and can be influenced by many other factors that are not related to the product. Making such indirect claims can backfire, as they often feel less credible and may raise doubts in the minds of potential customers.”
It sounds like focusing on a few strong benefits can also help with message clarity. Would you agree?
Yannick Dillen: “Absolutely! In today's crowded marketplace, where consumers are bombarded with information, standing out with a clear, concise message is crucial. When you focus on just one or two strong points, your message will not only become clearer but also more memorable. A single, powerful claim that is well-supported is far more likely to resonate with your audience than a long list of weaker, more speculative benefits.”