Do You Focus on FAB or the Pocket?

The day was October 23, 2001. Steve Jobs was wearing his famous black turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans. As he paced across the stage, he talked about the popularity of music and how Apple was going to be the leader in the digital music revolution.

Then Jobs introduced the iPod’s features and explained its advantages: it was an MP-3 music player that played CD quality music and all current formats.

Then he launched into the benefits: “But the biggest thing about iPod is that it holds 1,000 songs. This is your entire music library…and the coolest thing is your entire music library fits in your pocket.”

It’s a masterclass in creating great content—let’s find out why.

What’s Your Formula to Engage?

Features>Advantages>Benefits (FAB) is a well-known, tried-and-true sales system that teaches you to focus on the product’s features, then the advantage to the customer, followed by the benefits.

That’s just what Jobs did. He didn’t “feature dump” in his introduction of the iPod to the world but succinctly breezed through to what everyone cared about—holding 1,000 songs in your pocket.

But here’s what’s really fascinating: What if instead of introducing any features or advantages, we simply focused on the benefits to customers first? And, what if instead of trying to hit them in their rational/logical centers, we went to their emotional centers?  That’s what Jobs did when he talked about carrying 1,000 songs in your pocket. He made people believe in something fantastic. A revolution, indeed.

So try it. The next time you need to write or create content that introduces an idea to your customers, switch it up.  Try hitting emotional centers before logical/decision-making centers. Be like Steve Jobs. Focus on the pocket. Watch Steve Jobs introduce the iPod to the world.