FAB stands for Features, Advantages, and Benefits. It's one way professional copywriters turn interest into action, and readers into buyers. Learn how to use the FAB framework in copywriting to make your marketing more persuasive.
What is the FAB framework in copywriting?
The FAB copywriting framework is a way to structure your marketing messages to give them more impact. It is a key copywriting technique that professional writers use to influence buyer behavior.
FAB comprises three essential components, which work together to make your product more desirable.
Features: These are the specific attributes or functionality of your product or service.
Advantages: These explain how the features solve a problem for the customer.
Benefits: These demonstrate how those advantages improve the customer's life or business.
By structuring your website copy around these elements, you can engage and persuade your audience more effectively.
Imagine a walking sock manufacturer. Yes, the water-wicking material and anti-rub seams are really important. But what the customer really wants is comfy dry feet. The FAB copywriting framework reminds us to ‘sell the sizzle’ when you sell the steak.
FAB framework example 1 - ecommerce store
Here's how the FAB copywriting framework could be applied to a B2C context for an imaginary jewelry store.
Features
18k gold and precious gemstones
Handcrafted jewelry
Customizable designs
Advantages
Exquisite craftsmanship ensures the highest quality
Premium materials create dazzling designs
Customizable to express your individuality
Benefits
Leave loved ones with more than memories - with jewelry that stands the test of time
Reflect wonderful, one-of-a-kind you with a unique piece
Feel confident and glamorous in statement jewelry
Be the envy of your friends
FAB framework example 2 - SaaS project management tool
Here's how the FAB copywriting framework could be applied to a B2B context for a project management software solution.
Features
Task assignment and tracking
Real-time collaboration
Analytics and reporting
Advantages
Efficiently assign tasks and track progress for all team members
Real-time collaboration fosters teamwork and boosts productivity
Analytics and reporting provide insights for data-driven decision-making
Benefits
Projects are completed faster and with higher accuracy, leading to cost savings
Team members can work seamlessly, regardless of geographical location
Data-driven decisions result in improved project outcomes and business growth
Confused by all these acronyms? Check out my glossary
Why combining features and benefits works
Customer psychology is complex. We don’t just buy products based on what they are or do. We buy them to solve problems and fulfill needs. Perhaps, most importantly, we buy how we’ll feel after using the product.
In copywriting, our problems are known as ‘pain points’ and our desired outcome is known as the ‘dream state’. Copywriting is all about showing customers how our product moves people from one to the other.
The features, advantages, and benefits structure does that by presenting the perfect combination of factual information and emotional appeal - the actual characteristics of your product and the more ethereal dream state it creates.
Just focusing on features is a mistake…
One mistake businesses make is to just write about the features of their product. When you do this, you’re seriously underselling. Your customers do care about the features of your product.
But they’re also interested in how it solves their problems and makes them feel. Just focusing on features misses the emotional appeal of your product. And that can be very influential for instinct-buyers.
But so is focusing exclusively on benefits
Some businesses go the other way - especially software vendors - by only talking about the benefits of their product.
After reading about how the product will streamline and accelerate their business processes, the audience is left asking ‘But what does it actually do?!’
No one is going to buy something if they don’t know what it is. Especially more analytical buyers who need detailed information to compare products before making a decision.
Getting started with FAB: identifying features, advantages, and benefits
The first step to using the FAB framework in your marketing is to identify your features, advantages, and benefits. Having a strong understanding of your market and ideal customer helps you position your product effectively.
Identifying features
Assuming your product already exists, identifying the features should be fairly easy. Categorize them according to which are the most important to the audience you’re targeting. For example, 18ct gold could be an important feature for customers looking for hypoallergenic or higher-quality jewelry, whilst custom designs might appeal to people looking for unique pieces.
Identifying advantages
You identify your advantages using your knowledge of your target audience and the pain points they experience. Ask what problems your product solves for buyers. Is there anything that your product is uniquely positioned to deliver? Market and customer research can help you uncover advantages that matter to your users.
Identifying benefits
Consider the dream state of your audience. How do they want to feel - or what do they want to experience - as a result of using your product or service? Again, you can get an insight into this through market research. Talking to real customers about your product can surface quotes you can use in your copy verbatim, to really resonate with your readers.
Don't just settle on the superficial benefits - keep asking why until you get to what the buyer really wants. For example, someone buying expensive custom jewelry may want to make their friends jealous and show off their wealth - although they may never directly admit it!
How to apply the FAB framework to your copywriting
Once you’ve identified your features, advantages, and benefits, it’s time to use them in your copy.
You can use the FAB framework to structure an entire web page - like a product page - or just a short handful of sentences.
On a product page, you might literally include bulleted lists of features, advantages, and benefits.
In a sales email, you might focus on one specific feature, advantage, and benefit to build a compelling piece of copy.
For example, StickLess frying pans have a patented non-stick coating that means you need less oil for the perfect eggs. Wake up to a healthier breakfast and a fresh start to your day.
What are the benefits of using the FAB framework in copywriting?
The FAB copywriting framework is a simple way to make your marketing copy more effective. It makes your sales materials more persuasive, which means you’re more likely to convert readers into customers.
1. It makes copy clearer
FAB helps you structure your marketing messages clearly and logically. It ensures your messaging includes everything the customer needs to make a confident purchase decision - the facts and the feels.
2. It makes copy more persuasive
FAB creates a more compelling case for your product by combining factual information and emotional appeal. Readers need both to understand exactly what they’re getting from your product.
3. It differentiates your product
Including features and advantages helps differentiate your product from competitors. It lets customers compare like for like between different brands or products, supporting confident decision-making.
4. It reinforces your value proposition
When you include benefits in your product, you make it more valuable in the mind of the customer. They’re not just buying a product, they’re buying long-term benefits too.
5. It makes your copy customer-centric
Benefit-led copy is more customer-centric. It puts the focus on what the customer needs and wants to know, rather than what you want to tell them. And that's always more effective.
6. It makes great copy easier to write
Following a tried-and-trusted copywriting framework makes it easier to write great copy - and to achieve your marketing goals. Win-win!
Now you understand the FAB framework in copywriting, what are you going to do with it? Use it to make your product pages more persuasive? Rewrite your marketing emails to maximize their impact? If you want to boost your sales with FAB copy - but haven't got the time or inclination to do it yourself - get in touch today.
About the author
Libby Marks is an award-winning copywriter and content marketer. After 15+ years in marketing and communications, she escaped the 9-to-5 and started Write on Tyne.
Write on Tyne is a small content and copywriting agency dedicated to making marketing managers' lives easier.
We provide top-notch copy for campaigns, content marketing, and websites - underpinned by expertise in marketing strategy and SEO.