Choose Benefits to Match Your Audience’s Needs

Grocery store “loyalty” cards are all the rage in Columbus, Ohio.  According to an article in The Columbus Dispatch online (February 25, 2001), a grocery store war is underway locally among chains Kroger, Big Bear, and Giant Eagle.  The plastic cards are designed to keep shoppers returning to stores by offering discounts, many deep, on a variety of products.

Yet, some customers’ loyalties remain unaffected by the cards.  The benefit of lower prices does not outweigh other concerns, such as which store is closest or whether the cards might be used to track customers’ purchasing habits.  At least one customer said the cards are a bothersome “gimmick.”  And if everyone is offering discounts, does it really matter which store a person shops at?

While extrinsic benefits, such as price, can influence customers’ decisions to purchase a product or use a service, intrinsic benefits often work better.  For a grocery store chain hoping to build loyalty, these might include customers feeling welcome in the store, experiencing a sense of safety and security while shopping, or having the opportunity to chat with friends and neighbors.  

When writing documents, brainstorm your reader benefits.  Look for both intrinsic and extrinsic benefits—explained in detail in BCS on pp. 138-141.