Practical Sales Training™ > How To Convert > Future Updates
Future Updates
What Is It?
If your offering changes over time, it likely gets regular updates. You can charge for those, or give them away free. Either way, the promise of what’s coming next becomes part of the sale itself.
Why Does It Work?
People hate feeling left behind. So many buyers need the latest version just to feel confident. So talking about future updates does double duty. It becomes an upsell opportunity for some, and a buying incentive for others.
How Can You Use It?
You have two real options here. So the right one depends on your situation. Charging for updates works well for something like satnav software in a car. Each update becomes a distinct, priced product. Making updates free instead changes the sale itself. That could mean unlimited updates, lifetime updates, or updates for a fixed period. The promise becomes the reason someone buys today, rather than waiting.
When It Works Best
This works best when your product genuinely evolves in ways buyers care about. Free lifetime updates work especially well against competitors who charge for every new version.
When It Becomes Dangerous
This becomes risky if you promise updates you can’t realistically sustain. A buyer who bought partly for “lifetime” updates remembers your promise. That memory lasts long after you’ve stopped delivering them.
Common Mistakes
Promising “Lifetime” Without Thinking It Through
Don’t promise “lifetime” updates without thinking through what that actually commits you to. Vague generosity today can become an expensive obligation years down the line.
Springing A Surprise Invoice
Never let charged updates feel like a bait and switch. If buyers expected ongoing improvements, a surprise invoice later damages trust fast.
Future Updates – An Example
This software offers free lifetime updates to encourage people to buy.
See also
- The Unlimited Effect
- The Abundance Effect
- 180+ ways to improve conversion
- 40+ ways to increase buyer spend
