Using Time Presuppositions - good or bad?

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What I mean by time presuppositions is that you write your copy in such a way that puts the prospect in a time when he has ALREADY bought what you're selling and already enjoying the benefits. Example:

"Instead of saying, "Once you read EBOOK you'll notice that the level of your self confidence will rise to an all time high."
You instead say, "After reading EBOOK you'll notice that the level of your self confidence is now at an all time high."

Instead of saying, "Your confidence will become..."
You instead say, "Your confidence is now..."

What are the risks involved in using time presuppositions. And if indeed they are useful how do you go about using them?
#copywriting #bad #good #presuppositions #time
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    • [1] reply
  • I could be horribly wrong here, but I keep it in the future tense. That way the reader builds a future fantasy in their head, and buys to fulfill it. All my sales letters are future tense (in that regard anyway), so... :-)
  • Profile picture of the author Calamaroo
    I got this passage from an NLP material on therapy. Can the general structure of this be useful for copywriting?

    "What would it be like when you have made those changes now, in the future, as you look back and see what it was like to have had that problem....as you think about it NOW?"
    • [2] replies
    • Maybe it is late (which it is), but that sentence is complete gibberish to me.
      • [1] reply
    • A lot of NLP patterns are useless for copy.

      That's one of them.

      This pattern works in hypnosis when the mind is forced to make sense of nonsense.

      It won't work in copy at all.

      If you try to manipulate people with NLP, it's gonna bite you in the can.

      Peace.
      • [ 2 ] Thanks
  • People don't buy products - they buy experiences....

    ...specifically, imaginary future experiences of themselves
    using the product and enjoying the benefits.

    We don't buy books, we buy lazy afternoons in the
    hammock reading them with a glass of iced tea.

    We don't buy training courses, we buy profitable
    businesses that are running on auto-pilot using
    the knowledge we glean from the training.

    We don't buy carpet cleaning, we buy our bitchy
    mother in law commenting on how spotless the
    carpet looks and how spotless the house is.

    We don't buy braces, we buy straight teeth.

    We don't buy life insurance, we buy our family
    being able to survive without the breadwinner.
    • [ 9 ] Thanks
    • [4] replies
    • Good stuff man...
    • Great phrase dude.

      Stealing that for my SWS students
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
    • Hey,

      I think we buy both. The deep-set emotional
      reasons are there, but the surface reasons are there
      too, and just as valid.

      We buy a book, and we buy lazy afternoons in
      the hammock. Cause I can't remember the last time I
      heard someone say...

      "Hey, I'm off to Borders to buy a lazy afternoon in the
      hammock."

      The product and its emotional benefit are intertwined.

      With that said, about the OP's post...

      I've seen great copywriters use both, so I don't think there's
      a rule of thumb about it. But I generally like to paint a word
      picture for the reader, and to really get them into it I've found
      that talking about things in the present tense makes that much
      easier.

      I think it's easier to imagine... "The overhead sun paints the green leaves white."

      Than... "The overhead sun will paint the green leaves white."

      Just my take on it.

      David
      • [1] reply
    • Psst, Ken...

      Zip it up, your projection is showing.

      Smooch.
  • trust me it's a good thing. I used to be a car salesman for two years, and the was the very first technique I learned. Looking back on it now it's a bit crazy.

    Watch some of Frank Kern's sales videos. He sells his $2k programs the same way a car salesman does, presumption, demonstration, reciprocity, over coming objections...etc.

    Putting all the pieces together and you got yourself a powerful piece of copy.

    Best Regards,
    Anthony
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • In sales using a pre-supposition when you have good report works well. Using pre-supposition on someone you do not have rapport with can turn the person off and make it harder to gain raport.

    My opinion is only use strong pre-suppositions during closing or to hot lists where you know you have a good reputation.
  • Visualize This Picture In Your Mind...

    It's 10:08 on Monday morning...

    You open your eyes and lazily roll out of bed...

    Stretching, you stroll down to your well-appointed home office
    where you gaze out your window at the clear, bright blue sky...

    Warm cup of fresh coffee in hand, with a touch of giddy anticipation
    you sit down at your desk in your comfortable office chair to check
    your email...

    ... another 14 members have just joined your membership site, overnight!

    Suddenly a thought hits you...

    You've just made more money while you slept than you used to make
    slogging out three full days at work.

    For a moment, you almost can't believe how far you've come in so little time.
    But you have... and it was so much easier than you thought it would be.

    In fact...

    ...it all started with a single membership site that you built in just one day...
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • David,

    I believe a 27 inch penis might make him feel more like an elephant than a man.
    • [1] reply
    • LOL. So true... But maybe that's what he wanted all along
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    Using Time Presuppositions - good or bad?

    What I mean by time presuppositions is that you write your copy in such a way that puts the prospect in a time when he has ALREADY bought what you're selling and already enjoying the benefits. Example: "Instead of saying, "Once you read EBOOK you'll notice that the level of your self confidence will rise to an all time high."