The product description should be clear and simple, using language that a non-industry person can understand, appreciate, and embrace. It should cover the product features and benefits and, as such, is sometimes referred to as the product features and benefits statement. The features and benefits statement for a product/service is a marketing statement that combines the unique characteristics of the product/service and describes how the product/service is different from other similar products/services. It also explains how the product/service adds value to the consumers life. For instance, the following is a sample features and benefits statement for Voluntrip: Voluntrip serves clients seeking to travel to areas of the world where their tourism dollars can help sustain and maintain communities and cultures at riskin both global and domestic regionswith superior, unique, and affordable services. The features noted in this statement are superior, unique, and affordable services. The benefit that these product features offer to the consumer is travel to areas of the world where clients tourism dollars can help sustain and maintain communities and cultures at risk, both domestically and globally. WHY THIS MATTERS: A company needs a compelling features and benefits statement to serve as proof for why customers should purchase its product or service over those offered by competing brands. The features and benefits statement is also referred to as the product description. YOUR TASK: Read A Closer Look on Voluntrips service features and benefits. After identifying and differentiating between the two, create a features and benefits statement for the firm. To help you complete the practice exercises that follow, refer to the sample NetFast statement for a model and consider the guiding questions provided. VoluntripNot Your Typical Travel Company Currently the Tourism & Travel industry comprises more than 200,000 agents, brokers, and agencies. Voluntrip, however, wants to be a little different. It is a start-up sustainable travel company that serves clients seeking to travel to areas of the world where their tourism dollars can help sustain and maintain communities and cultures at riskin both global and domestic regions. Voluntrip is not alone in this endeavor; travel companies of this ilk already exist, for example, G Adventures, whose mission is to help people and communities thrive through solutions, not handouts.1 Ari, Luiz, and Sarita, the owners of Voluntrip, want to ensure that their company provides services that are superior, yet affordable, for their unique clientele. They know that in order to drive travelers to the regions they want to help strengthen they need to focus on offering them attractive travel packages. The owners describe their companys products and services on three levels: Travel Planning Consultant Personalized Tour Guide Services Humanitarian Project Travel Voluntrips travel packages include: Unique travel itineraries Family-owned hotel/hostel/homestay accommodations Travel concierge services (point-to-point) Local tour guides Online customer account management Passport and Customs services Currency conversion and currency exchange services Meal packages Air travel packages Convenient online booking options Virtual travel meeting services Ground transportation options Convenient payment options AAA, military, AARP discounts Extended Customer Service hours (6:00 a.m. to midnight EST, Monday Friday; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) 1. PRACTICE: Identify the service features and benefits at Voluntrip. INSTRUCTIONS: Review again the elements of Voluntrips travel packages in A Closer Look. Identify which are service features and which service benefits. Then list at least 4 features and benefits in the spaces provided. As you work on identifying your features and benefits, consider these guiding questions: PRODUCT AND SERVICE BENEFITS AND FEATURES What is/are the product/s? What is/are the service/s? What does your product/service do? What consumer gaps are you filling? What is the end result that your consumer is looking for in your product/service?

QUESTIONS:

A) PRODUCT FEATURES

B) PRODUCT BENEFITS