View PDF | Print View | Html Version
by: KenrickCleveland
Total views: 5
Word Count: 733

Future pacing is a bit of an advanced strategy in persuasion. It's not difficult to understand, but it is challenging to learn to do. It involves reminding your prospect or client about all the reasons they decided to buy your product or service and places reminders in the future, at which point triggers, which you've installed, can be fired off.

This is a technique I use every time I sell something. It is potent in helping your client or prospect feel secure in their decision to purchase regardless of what outside influences (including their own second thoughts) might try to say.

Since this is a fairly advanced strategy, I'll be giving just an overview and example here. As a young man, I used this technique to sell health spa memberships.

I had an eighteen year old guy come in and he wanted to buy a membership so I sold it to him. I didn't even really have to 'sell' it to him because he was so eager to sign up.

Once the young man signed the contract, I did some future pacing with him just for good measure. I said, 'Imagine if someone were to tell you that this was a bad decision. What would cause you to stay with your decision to join up?'

And he said, 'I want this and no one's going to talk me out of it. I do what I want.'

I responded, 'That's great. Now, suppose you started to doubt your own decision. What would cause you to stay with it anyway?'

He explained, 'I absolutely know what I want and I want this membership. I make my own decisions and that's it.'

Later that day my phone rings. The young man's mom is on the phone. 'Hey, you sold my son a gym membership.'

I said, 'He came in and bought one, I didn't really have to sell him anything.'

And she said, 'Okay, he bought a membership. I'd like you to cancel it and send me notice that it's been done.'

I said, 'I'm sorry, can't do that. He's over eighteen otherwise I couldn't have sold it to him. He needs to bring in the paperwork, as per the terms of the agreement that he signed, and we'll be happy to cancel it. He has seventy-two hours to do it.'

'Okay,' she said, 'We'll be in tomorrow.'

The next day the young man and his mother showed up together. I could see the young man was unhappy about this. His head was hanging low. He said to me, 'I need to cancel this membership. But I wanted to bring my mom in to see the gym. Can I work out today and show it to her. On my way out I'll stop by to cancel it.'

I said, 'Absolutely. Go right ahead.'

He went and worked out. And after he worked out, the kid ducked out the back and left his mom at the gym.

She came up to me and said, 'Okay, we need to get this canceled.'

I said, 'Great. Give me the contract and I'll be happy to cancel it for you.'

She said, 'I don't have it. He has it.'

I said, 'I have to follow the terms of our agreement and I will be more than happy to cancel it, just bring me the contract within seventy-two hours.'

The next day the kid comes in, brings the agreement and says, 'I'm supposed to give this to you, but before I do, can I just work out?'

I said, 'Sure. Go ahead.'

For the second day in a row he worked out, and for the second day in a row, he left without seeing me.

The third day came. His mother dragged him in and said, 'Give the man the goddamn contract.' He handed it to me.

'Cancel this contract,' she said.

I turned to him and said, 'Do you want it canceled?'

'No,' he said. And an argument ensued. He was nearly ready to sever his relationship with his mother over the gym membership.

At this point, I took the membership and canceled it. I realized what had happened. I hadn't given it a second thought until I saw this kid unable to hand back the agreement because he had made a decision and I had future paced it.

When you future pace something, you lock it into the mind of the person and I'm telling you right now that with the power of the strength of their own mind, you will have virtually locked them in.

About the Author

Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of affluent clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.

Add Comment