In this article, you’re going to learn what future pacing in copywriting is and how to best accomplish this task. Here’s why:
Do you find it difficult to keep readers interested in your sales copy and advertisements?
Do they lose interest after a while and become bored?
You’re not by yourself.
It’s a common problem, but there’s a simple (but profound) solution.
This is due to a future pacing factor. I.e. the art of piquing readers’ interest by promising them something better if they finish your copy.
Continue reading to find out more!
What is future pacing from neuro-linguistic programming?
NLP (neurolinguistic programming) is a science that studies what motivates human behavior.
The goal of NLP is to help people solve personal problems by teaching them new ways of thinking about themselves and others, rather than just writing persuasively.
Future pacing can be thought of as a way for humans to understand their desires before they even realize them, making it a highly persuasive marketing tool today.
As a copywriter, you can use NLP and future pacing to improve how much people read your ads, how much they engage with them, and the emotional response they elicit.
Here’s something crazy to think about…
The key indicator, according to studies, isn’t the sales copy or the creative…
It is the feeling that people have.
A successful advertisement makes people feel emotions. Simple as that.
This leads to my next point.
How to apply future pacing as a copywriter
Let’s get down to business… using future pacing in copywriting to boost readership, engagement, and conversions.
Allow customers to see themselves using your product in the future
To begin, you can use future pacing by using words like “soon” and “fast” to help people imagine the future.
This is because we pay attention to words that have to do with time in the near or distant future. We pay more attention to it than if it’s in the present or past tense.
You’re more likely to be interested in a Target ad offering a 20% discount than one from Kohl’s advertising their Black Friday sale later this year.
One you can use right away, while the other takes time.
Second, instead of just telling them what features are included in its functionality, include statements about how your product will make them feel. Luxury goods, for example, blow this technique out of the park.
They make others feel unique. They act as if they are royalty, and they are in a private club that only a few people know about.
It boosts their self-esteem, confidence, and perhaps even ego.
After all, you’re not buying a new BMW for the gas mileage or any other reason. You’re most likely purchasing it for the image, prestige, and admiration that comes with achieving it.
Customers will anticipate those feelings and will be more likely to purchase your product as a result.
Hint to your readers about what they can expect later in your sales copy
Future pacing can be used in marketing for a variety of reasons, one of which is to hint at what the reader can expect later in the sales copy.
Consider it similar to foreshadowing in a good book. Little snippets of the story and what will happen in the future are gradually revealed. It builds suspense and tension.
You have a feeling something is going to happen… similar to a jump scare in a horror film… You don’t know when, though.
Give little nuggets along the way with future pacing, like “Later you’ll learn X” or “Let me get back to that idea in a minute,” as Neil Patel does at the beginning of most of his blog posts.
It subtly encourages the reader to stay on the page or save the sales letter, especially if you promise that what they learn will improve their situation.
Help the readers visualize their pain points
The most important detail to include in a landing page is usually the customer’s pain points and struggles.
Customers are more likely to find relief with whatever offer you have for them if you can help them visualize their problems.
So it’s not enough to say that sitting at a desk all day causes back pain; you also need to demonstrate how it feels so your audience understands how much they should be suffering! This is also referred to as “bridging” or “translating.”
People purchase goods and services for a specific reason. Do you have any idea what it is?
To resolve an issue. That’s it.
Whether it’s a need for a new t-shirt after ketchup was spilled on it, or scrambling to hire a copywriter like myself because revenue is dropping.
Help the readers visualize what will happen if they don’t take action with future pacing.
If we’re promoting a weight-loss offer, for example, we could inform readers that if they don’t buy the product:
- They’ll keep despising what they see in the mirror.
- They will keep binge eating and gaining weight.
- They will never have high self-esteem or confidence in their appearance.
Make it touching. Make it substantial. That’s what gets people’s attention and keeps them engaged.
Create vivid emotions for your readers
The most important part of copywriting, as I’ve mentioned several times in this article, is eliciting emotion in readers.
That’s why, regardless of how you use future pacing in copywriting or marketing, the key is to bring up the customer’s hopes, dreams, and failures.
- What went wrong for them?
- What problems are they attempting to resolve?
- And, what does “heaven” look like for them?
The most important thing to remember when using future pacing is that each sentence should evoke emotion in your readers and customers.
Remember that 95% of purchases are made subconsciously and emotionally.
That way, no matter how they react, their brain will be unable to resist any requests from you because they will have already invested themselves in what happens next.
Plus, because of their emotional investments, they’ll be more motivated to achieve success by taking the action steps suggested at the end of your copywriting piece.
Conclusion on future pacing in copywriting
Copywriters and marketers can benefit greatly from future pacing.
It aids in the growth of readership, conversions, and overall response to advertisements.
It can be used in a variety of places, including blog posts, sales letters, and direct mail.
The basics boil down to three points:
- Help readers in imagining what will happen if they take action (their “Heaven.”)
- Assist readers in imagining what will happen if they do nothing (their “Hell.”)
- Throughout the sales copy, give readers hints about what they will learn later.
