What does WIIFM mean (and why is it important?)

WIIFM is a term used in marketing and advertising to describe what the audience will get out of using or buying a product.

The problem with most people’s understanding of WIIFM is that they think it means “what’s in it for me?” And they are right, but then there is the way to use this acronym. In this article we will take you through the meanings of WIIFM, starting by why it is important and how you use WIIFM in copywriting.

The definition of WIIFM

We all know that getting customers to buy from us is important, but how do we keep them coming back? It turns out that offering a great product or service isn’t enough. You also have to tell your audience what they get when they choose you over the competition.

The acronym WIIFM stands for “What’s In It For Me?”. WIIFM helps you create better marketing copy and marketing and sales materials. Some other close examples of proper marketing questions include; Will It Fly?, What Is Important Now? The Five Whys, Why I’m Here Today?, What If I Fail My Exam?, etc…

Focus on the benefits of using your products or services instead of just listing features. The product value isn’t in features, it is in the desired outcome.

Keep your target audience in mind

WIIFM is a term that marketers and sales professionals use to describe what people want in order to buy a product. If you’re trying to sell something, it’s important for your target audience to know why they should care about what you have to offer. But how do you get them interested?

It seems like every single business on the planet has some version of “Buy our stuff!” as their main message. But if you don’t give people a reason why they should buy from you instead of someone else, how are they going to find out?

Always remember: You aren’t your customer

IF YOU HAVE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE IN MIND, YOU’LL NOTICE THAT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND WANTS THAN YOU AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, MARKETER OR SALESPERSON. THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND IMPORTANT OR INTERESTING MIGHT NOT BE OF INTEREST TO YOUR PROSPECTS AT ALL.

WIIFM and segmentation

As a part of your product marketing and Market segmentation, the stated benefits will be different for different segments of the market. Marketing Persona’s are an extension of these groups and by properly made marketing Persona’s will include AOI (Areas of Interest), Benefits Sought and JTBD: jobs to be done.

WIIFM-messaging

Experienced copywriters will write amazing marketing copy that will make your different customer segments notice and say “That is why I want it!”.

We all know that a key element to marketing is creating content that speaks directly to the needs of your audience. WIIFM (What’s in it for me) messaging helps you do just that, by telling people what they can get out of using your product or service.

A professional copywriter is an expert at crafting compelling sales messages and writing effective headlines, descriptions, web content, emails, etc !

Copywriters use the Problem-Agitate-Solution PAS-formula when they write their sales messages. If you follow this formula it is easy to create great web content yourself. Just think about the problems your customers have, how to explain and make them worse, and then how what the solution is.

Using words that excite your audience so they feel compelled to act on their curiosity.

A WIIFT strategy: What’s In It For Them

Too many businesses fail to understand what makes their customers tick. From the marketers perspective we need to ask: “”Whats in it for them”

Just asking the question WIIFT gets you started in a deep dig into the minds of your customers. Find out exactly why they do what they do and want what they want. You’ll uncover key insights that can help you serve them better, get more sales from them, and create a stronger connection with them. This inevitably will lead to a better positioning.

WIFM?

You might have read WIFM somewhere. The meaning of “WIFM” is same as WIIFM. It is the  near-acronym way of writing “What’s in it for me?”. So they can be used interchangeably with WIIFM or “What is in it for me”.

WIIFM examples

When it comes to choosing a product or service, we all want to know what’s in it for us. That’s why effective marketing copy always has a “what’s in it for me” angle. It shows the reader how the product or service will benefit them personally.

Look at this landing page from Dollar Shave Club for their monthly subscription:

Rather than boasting about their ingredients, the landing page tells you that what’s in it for you is you get the best products and you get to control how you use them. After they’ve highlighted what’s in it for you, only then do they talk about features like premium ingredients and flexible delivery dates.

Now let’s look at the landing page for Apple’s M1 laptops:

You’ll see that Apple doesn’t shy away from highlighting its features (“fast M1 max chip – the first Apple silicon designed for pros”) but they always follow it up by telling you what these features mean for you, or what’s in it for you: “groundbreaking performance and amazing battery life”. This way your customer understands what’s in it for them but also what the company does to bring those advantages.

Finally, we’ll have a look at Slack’s homepage to see how they leverage WIIFM:

Can you take a guess where the WIIFM strategy is used in Slack’s copy?

Yep, it’s right there in the homepage headline, “Slack is your digital HQ”. They don’t tell you they’re the number 1 work communication tool, how many customers they have, or how much money they’re making. They tell you that by using Slack, you can create a digital HQ anywhere in the world, and that’s what’s in it for you.

Now let’s go through some hypothetical examples that give more clarity on how you can use WIIFM in your own copy:

• Let’s say you’re selling a new type of home security system. Your marketing copy might highlight the fact that the system is very easy to install, so the customer won’t have to hire a professional (and save money in the process). It might also mention that the system is very reliable and has a long battery life, so the customer can feel safe and secure knowing their home is well-protected.
• If you’re selling a new skincare product, your marketing copy might highlight the fact that the product is very gentle and won’t irritate even the most sensitive skin. It might also mention that the product is very effective and will help improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
• If you’re selling a new type of vacuum cleaner, your marketing copy might highlight the fact that the vacuum is very lightweight and easy to maneuver. It might also mention that the vacuum has powerful suction and can get rid of even stubborn dirt and dust.

The real meaning of WIIFM

As you have seen, WIIFT is an amazing tool for marketers who want to connect with their audience on a deeper level then just telling or showing how great their product is.

Now we know what WIIFM stands for, keep it in mind and shift the perspective of your messaging, proposition and business communication.