🤖 AI is cool, but does it SELL?


“Our app uses AI-powered algorithms!” said the founder with a smile.

“That’s nice,” replied the customer, “but how does it help me?”

This interaction happens more often than you’d think.

You’ve probably heard, “Features tell, but benefits sell,” and there’s a good reason this phrase keeps coming up.

Think about it this way: people care more about how something makes their life better than a long list of fancy features.

This matters whether you’re starting a small business, already have a big one, or even have a small digital product online for just $1.

What your customers really want is to see how it helps them.

They want solutions.

For example, imagine your product is a meal planning app.

Here’s how to turn your features into benefits:

1. Identify the problem:

What’s bothering your customers right now? Think about the everyday problems they face and how your product makes those problems go away.

“People struggle to plan healthy meals while managing a busy schedule and often end up ordering takeout.”

2. Show the benefit:

People want things that help them, not just a list of cool features. What makes your customer’s day better when they use your product?

Instead of saying “AI-powered recipe suggestion engine” (feature), say “Never worry about what to cook - get personalized meal ideas that match your taste and schedule” (benefit)

3. Relate it to their day-to-day:

Show them real-life examples they can understand. Think about their daily life - when would they use your product and how would it help them?

“Imagine it’s 6 PM, you’re tired after work, but instead of stressing about dinner, you open the app and find a quick, healthy recipe using ingredients you already have. Within 30 minutes, you’re enjoying a home-cooked meal instead of expensive takeout.”

Even if it’s just a $1 product, thinking this way helps you connect better with customers.

Take a moment to see how you’re presenting yours.

Until next time,

Keep focusing on benefits, not features!

Cheers,

Minosh.

PS: Thinking about selling something on your own? These one-person business ideas might give you some inspiration.

TalkBitz Newsletter

Business and marketing insights from smart founders, researched and handed to you every Thursday.

Read more from TalkBitz Newsletter

Tesla built 360,000 versions of their car to sell online. Most of them never sold. Not because people didn’t want one. But the checkout had 64 clicks in it. And by the time someone got through half of it, choosing tire specs and interior colors and autopilot configurations, they were already exhausted before they even hit the payment screen. Jon McNeill, who ran Tesla’s sales at the time, only spotted this because he sat down and actually used the website himself. Not a report. Not a sales...

I was pretty close to buying AirPods. Not because I specifically needed AirPods, but because everyone has them, I mean, that’s just what came to your mind when you need earbuds, right? Made sense at the time. I watched YouTube reviews. A lot of them. And they were fine, I guess, but most of it was just unboxing videos and spec comparisons, and none of it answered what I actually needed to know: how long do AirPods last? Because where I am, spending that much on something that lasts two or...

Everyone says validate fast. Take pre-orders. Get paid before you build it. And I get why that sounds right. It feels like the safe move, like you’re being smart. But here’s the thing about taking money before you’re actually ready: you’re not just proving demand. You’re also creating a deadline. And if your product has any kind of complicated backend, like bulk inventory, overseas manufacturing, long shipping timelines, you just handed your first customers the ability to make your life...