Why babies and liquor actually go hand-in-hand

A story about “hidden benefits.”

A few weeks ago, school was closed on Thursday and Friday for “Non-Attendance Days,” so we enrolled our four-year-old in nearby camps.

When I arrived for drop-off on Thursday morning, something was off.

I checked my email and confirmed the address.

But no other parents were around.

And the door was locked.

I waved at a teacher inside, then realized I had gotten the drop-off time wrong—it was 9:00am, not 9:30am. But my real mistake became apparent later at work when I received a text from my wife:

“You dropped him off at the Friday camp, not Thursday's.”

There are some annoying parts to having young kids.

Like paying double tuition because you dropped one off at the wrong camp.

There are good parts, too.

Like hearing your baby laugh for the first time.

And then there are the “hidden benefits.”

My favorite is more freedom at large family gatherings.

If there’s a toddler on your hip, you don’t have to talk to anyone.

You can just wander around the party instead.

Slowly sipping your cocktail.

Conversations are more tolerable – if you decide to have one – and you can leave at any time.

“Hidden benefits” tip the scales in the young kids equation.

Not by adding items to the “pro” column.

But by reducing the apprehension felt by tentative parents-to-be.

Like a product feature mentioned near the end of a sales pitch — “and the best part?” — they make the overall proposition look like a good investment.

Speaking of the end of sales letters, “hidden benefits” influence the buying equation in the same way.

They make shoppers feel like they’re getting a good deal.

However, since they’re easy to miss, brands struggle to find and leverage their value.

That’s why I prioritize finding them in my clients’ surveys when I do my Roasts.

My re-designs of survey questions shift a shopper’s focus away from the obvious benefits and pain points, and towards the stuff they didn’t anticipate enjoying so much.

So you can set your messaging apart from the usual clichés within your category.

And make your proposition look like a good investment.

Just click on the link below.

I’d love to help.

https://www.sammcnerney.com/45-dollar-survey-roast

Cheers,
Sam

PS: Rory Sutherland talks about the “hidden benefit” of dishwashers. 95% of the time, dishwashers provide value not by cleaning dishes but by being a convenient spot for dirty dishes.