If you look at a lot of job ads online right now, I bet you'll see things like:
…fitness location is our Foosball table ;-)
…willing to endure in Nerf gun tournaments.
…we’ll let you win at foosball – promise.
…long walks to the coffee machine, casual beers, while gazing towards…
…MarioKart, air hockey, table tennis, darts and nerf gun battles while enjoying…
…atmosphere! Online coffee breaks and catching…
…lunch and Barista-made coffee may be a factor),…
…and halal options). Coffee snob? Don’t worry,…
...Table tennis , foosball, darts, football field, basketball…
What is wrong with them? Let us ask you: are these benefits the reasons you joined your company in the first place? Are those mentioned benefits deal-breakers when you consider moving to another job? Do you even care about it when you are deciding between two offers? Well... I bet your answer is no.
Make sure you're talking about tangible benefits for your employees. Don't use these as a carrot. It doesn't work. As long as you don't see them in job ads, benefits like a "beer fridge," "ping pong," and "pool table" aren't bad. Still, they often hide that there are very few tangible benefits to working for a company.
Our tip: Avoid HOLLOW BENEFITS.
How to stop being HOLLOW?
Remember the last time you switched your job to another? What was the reason that convinced you that the current position was worth it? What were you thinking at that time? The truth is that you weren't thinking. Instead, you were "feeling."
The power of feeling outweighs the power of thinking.
Everyone wishes to be rational. We want to analyze the facts, balance our options, and make sound conclusions. But this isn't always the case.
We have strong feelings. We act on our emotions more frequently than we realize (see our previous article). Whether we are terrified, joyful, thrilled, or angry has considerably more impact on whether we respond to the offer.
The material on a company's career website or job page must appeal to readers' emotions and wants. So, explain why they desire it instead of telling your reader what they can have. Tell them that your company and that position will make a difference in their lives.
In short, in your copy, emphasize benefits rather than features.
Benefit-based copy outperforms feature-based copy, as evidenced by research.
Feature: What can your company do, and what does it offer?
Benefits: Why is this relevant to the reader? What does it mean for them?
I don't want to work for your company. I want to feel "special" at your company.
Your reader wants to read your copy and want to feel:
You can use many copywriting formulas in your copy to help you attract your audience. One of the most common is AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action).
But in today's article, we will discuss a different formula. One of our favorites - is the FABUlous formula.
F = Features. What can your company do, and what does it offer?
A = Advantages. Why is it helpful? What problem(s) does it solve?
B = Benefits. Why is this relevant to the reader? What does it mean for them?
Bonus:
U= U-appeal. Why should the reader care?
Be FABUlous in your body.
Let me ask you a question: Can you tell me why you mentioned: "playing ping pong in the office" in your copy? So what are you trying to say? Who cares that you are playing ping pong in the office? What does that mean for a reader? Why should they care?
Remember, "content can make or break trust."
So focus on candidates, not on your organization.
How to write a Benefit-based copy:
1. Identify a pain point of your reader
2. Think of how your feature/your company will solve it
3. Illustrate through storytelling, with at least a few details
4. Avoid fake benefits
5. Avoid fake jargon as:
world-class
cutting- edge
industry-leading
it's never been easier
the best (company)
incredibly exciting
FABUlous is a great formula to highlight the proposition of a company and make your copy more attractive to potential candidates.
Final Thoughts
Claude Hopkins suggests the following strategy for framing features and benefits: ask yourself, "Would this help a recruiter sell the company? Would it help me sell if I met the candidate in person?"
Would you convince the candidate in person and talk about playing ping pong in the office before addressing the benefits to a candidate?
Remember that if you don't persuade them about the benefits, you're doing them a disservice. Instead, give candidates what they want by demonstrating how your offering, your company, is the "one thing" they've been looking for.
PS: If you want to learn our fabulous formula, don't hesitate to get our e-book, 'Copywriting in recruitment.'