Use the WIIFM Principle for Benefits-Based Selling

Posted on 08/24/2017 in Selling Skills

You should always strive to customize each sales message in order to communicate the key selling features alongside the benefits that they provide with the value that this customer will receive. 

Feature + Benefit + Value = A successful sales message.

One very important tactic we advise is to always use the WIIFM Principle (What’s In It For Me). Tailor your sales message to respond to the WIIFM principle for each and every customer. Some examples of WIIFM Principle questions include:

  1. Will this product or service save money for the customer by reducing costs or decreasing expenses?
  2. Can your product or service provide opportunities for your customer to make money by increasing sales or profits? 
  3. Can your product or service save time or improve productivity for the customer?
    Do you know what is most important to your customer?

The WIIFM Principle helps you build your sales message around what is important to each customer. Be sure to avoid the common mistakes that many sellers make when presenting their sales message, such as talking too much, using jargon, and presenting in feature language, rather than describing benefits.  

Visit Essential Selling Skills online module 8 on Presenting Information as Benefits. The Essential Selling Skills 12-part series includes practical exercises, planning forms, and quizzes. 

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