It’s not so much that we don’t understand Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, it’s more like Simon Sinek doesn’t understand our features advantages and benefits model.
Don’t get me wrong, I love The Golden Circle. It’s spot on. It’s the perfect oversimplified visual metaphor for everything that he talks about. But, what he doesn’t realize is we salespeople eat breath and sleep this stuff.
Watch his TEDx video, and match up every reference he gives to what you know about F.A.B.
Now, tell me where he gets it wrong. Right. The only place he gets it wrong is when he talks about a why not being a benefit by grouping benefits in with features and advantages. A seasoned persuasion professional doesn’t make this mistake. Ever. This, also, explains why some ivory-tower CEOs don’t get it.
We know that the why is the benefit and the benefit is the why. Every time.
None the less, Simon is extremely observant and articulate and should be recognized for doing the world a service in helping us understand human motivation.
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For those not in the know, F.A.B., or Features Advantages and Benefits, is a model for separating out distinguishing characteristics of a product or service so that we make sure we discuss all three when giving our spiel.
My other articles, Easy to Shuffle, I want it because I want it, and Compared to What? talk about F.A.B., as well.
Other people’s articles on F.A.B.? Read this, this and this. Why, because I searched them out for you to save you time and help you increase your skills so you can make more money. (How’s that for non-sales F.A.B.!)
Photo Credit: There isn’t one, silly.
