Nov '24 • Sales
Future Pacing vs. Presupposition In Sales.
What is Future Pacing?
Future pacing is a technique in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) that helps your customers imagine a future where they are already benefiting from your product or service. It’s all about painting a vivid mental picture of what life will be like after they make a decision. This technique guides people toward the action you want them to take by encouraging them to see themselves in a successful and positive future.
For example, let’s say you’re selling a fitness program. Instead of simply listing the benefits, you might say, “Imagine yourself three months from now, feeling stronger, healthier, and full of energy because of the workouts you’ve been doing.” This statement helps the customer visualize a future where they’re already experiencing the positive outcomes of their decision.
Future pacing works because people are naturally motivated by their desires and goals. When they can see themselves achieving something they want—whether that’s saving time, improving their health, or solving a problem—they’re more likely to take action.
What is Presupposition?
As we’ve discussed in earlier chapters, presupposition is a way of embedding assumptions into your language. It’s about framing a conversation in a way that assumes certain things are true or will happen, subtly guiding the customer toward a positive decision. For example, if you ask, “When will you start seeing the benefits of this product?” you’re presupposing that the customer will buy the product and see positive results.
While future pacing focuses on visualizing a successful future, presupposition focuses on making the decision feel inevitable by assuming it has already been made or will be made soon. Both techniques are designed to influence your customer’s mindset, but they work in slightly different ways.
The Key Differences Between Future Pacing and Presupposition
Although both future pacing and presupposition are powerful NLP tools, it’s important to understand the differences between them so you can use them effectively in your sales conversations. Let’s break down the key differences:
1. Focus on the Future vs. the Present
- Future pacing focuses on the future. It’s about helping your customer imagine what their life will be like after they’ve made a decision. You’re guiding them to think about how their situation will improve once they’ve bought your product or signed up for your service. For example: “Imagine how much easier your life will be once this software is installed. You’ll save hours every week and have more time to focus on the things that matter to you.”
- Presupposition focuses on the present. It’s about using language that assumes the customer is already making or has made a decision. The decision feels like it’s already happening, so the customer is guided toward it without even realizing it.
For example: “When you start using this software, you’ll immediately notice how much time you save each day.” This presupposes that the customer will use the software, subtly pushing them toward that outcome.
2. Visualization vs. Assumption
- Future pacing encourages visualization. You’re asking the customer to mentally “try on” the future—to see themselves using your product and experiencing its benefits. The goal is to make the future feel real and desirable. For example: “Picture yourself a month from now, effortlessly managing your tasks with our software. How much less stressed will you feel knowing everything is organized?”
- Presupposition makes assumptions. Instead of asking the customer to imagine the future, you’re framing the conversation in a way that assumes certain things are already true. This removes uncertainty and subtly directs the customer’s mind toward action. For example: “What feature of this software will you use the most?” This assumes the customer will use the software and shift their focus to thinking about how they’ll use it.
3. When to Use Each Technique
- Future pacing is especially useful when your customer needs help seeing the long-term benefits of your product or service. If they’re unsure about whether the investment is worth it, future pacing can help them imagine the payoff down the line. This technique works well when the decision has significant future benefits, such as improved health, productivity, or financial savings. For example: “Imagine how confident you’ll feel walking into meetings, knowing that you’ve mastered this new skill.”
- Presupposition is effective when you want to remove doubt and make the decision feel like the natural next step. If the customer is already leaning toward a positive outcome, presupposition can help seal the deal by framing the conversation as if the decision has already been made. For example: “After you’ve experienced how much easier this tool makes your life, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.”
How Future Pacing and Presupposition Work Together
The great thing about future pacing and presupposition is that they don’t have to be used separately, you can combine them for even greater impact. By blending both techniques, you can guide your customers through a journey where they first visualize a positive future and then feel like the decision to take action is inevitable. Here’s an example of how you can combine future pacing and presupposition in a sales conversation:
1. Start with Future Pacing: Begin by helping the customer imagine a positive future with your product or service.
- Example: “Imagine how much more productive you’ll be once you start using this new software. You’ll have all your tasks organized, and you’ll be able to focus on the big-picture projects that matter.”
2. Transition to Presupposition: Once the customer is visualizing the benefits, use presuppositional language to assume they’ve already decided to take action.
- Example: “Once you’ve started using the software, you’ll immediately notice the difference in how smoothly your day goes.”
This combination helps the customer move from imagining a future benefit to feeling like that future is inevitable. By using both techniques together, you create a smooth path toward a positive decision.
Practical Examples of Future Pacing and Presupposition
Let’s look at some practical examples of how you can use future pacing and presupposition in different sales scenarios.
Example 1: Selling a Fitness Program
- Future Pacing: “Imagine yourself three months from now, feeling stronger, healthier, and more energized. You’ll wake up every morning knowing that you’re in the best shape of your life.”
- Presupposition: “When you start seeing results from this program, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your body responds to the workouts.”
Example 2: Selling a Productivity Tool
- Future Pacing: “Picture yourself a month from now, with all your tasks organized and your projects running smoothly. You’ll have more time to focus on growing your business.”
- Presupposition: “Once you’ve implemented this tool, you’ll wonder how you managed without it.”
Example 3: Selling a Subscription Service
- Future Pacing: “Imagine how much easier your life will be when you have access to our service 24/7. You’ll never have to worry about missing an important update or falling behind.”
- Presupposition: “After you’ve tried our service, you’ll see why so many people trust us to keep their information up-to-date.”
By using these techniques, you help your customers feel excited about the future benefits while also guiding them to take action in the present.
Using Future Pacing and Presupposition in Sales Copy
Future pacing and presupposition aren’t just for face-to-face conversations—they’re also powerful tools in written sales copy. Whether you’re writing an email, creating a landing page, or crafting a product description, these techniques can help persuade your readers to take action.
Here’s an example of how you can use both techniques in sales copy:
“Imagine how much time you’ll save each week once you start using our project management software. You’ll be able to focus on the tasks that matter most, knowing that everything is organized and running smoothly. When you experience how much more productive your team becomes, you’ll wonder why you didn’t make the switch sooner.”
In this example, the first sentence uses future pacing to help the reader visualize the time-saving benefits. The second sentence uses presupposition to assume that the reader will use the software and experience positive results.
By blending both techniques, you create a persuasive message that guides the reader toward a positive decision.
Mastering Both Techniques for Sales Success
Both future pacing and presupposition are essential tools in NLP that can greatly enhance your sales conversations. While future pacing helps your customer visualize a positive future, presupposition makes that future feel inevitable. By using both techniques together, you can guide your customers smoothly through the decision-making process, making it easier for them to take action.
As you practice these techniques, remember to focus on creating positive mental images and framing decisions in a way that feels natural and empowering for the customer. When done correctly, future pacing and presupposition can help you close more sales, build stronger relationships, and leave your customers feeling confident about their decisions.
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Future Pacing vs. Presupposition In Sales.
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