by Kenrick Cleveland
Future pacing is a phenomenal strategy that reminds your prospect of all the reasons they made the decision to purchase or sign up with you, and transfers all of those reasons to the future, reminding them why, through triggers and signals that you will have installed.
I like to use this technique every time I sell. It’s powerful in helping your client or prospect feel good about their decision no matter what outside influences say. This includes overriding any second thoughts they may have themselves.
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.
One day, I had an eighteen year old guy come in to buy a membership. I didn’t even have to sell him on it because he was ready to go.
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?’
He said, ‘I’m certain this is what I want. I’ve been wanting this a long time.’
I responded, ‘That’s great. Now, suppose you started to doubt your own decision. What would cause you to stay with it anyway?’
He replied, ‘I know what I want. Nothing is going to make me doubt my decision.’
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 have to sell it to him.’
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.’
She said, ‘Okay, we’ll be there 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?’
‘Certainly.’
So he worked out and left without seeing me.
On the third, and final day, the mother dragged him in and yelled at him, ‘Turn it over to him right now.’ He hesitatingly handed it to me.
‘Cancel it immediately,’ she said.
I asked the guy, ‘Do you want this contract canceled?’
He said, ‘No.’ And he started arguing with his mother. He was ready to sever the relationship with his mother over this gym membership.
At this point, I realized what was happening. This kid was unable to back out of our agreement because I had future paced him. I immediately took the contract and canceled 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 techniques 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 techniques.