Writing in this tense will make your sales copy better

“This product will help you…”
”We would like to show you…”
”The product has continued to evolve…”

Any ideas what I suggested a recent client change about those phrases?

Yup. The tense.

Let’s do a quick English language lesson in case it’s been a minute since you were at school (yup, same).

The simple past tense is how we describe things that happened in the past (I went, I ate, I drank). Not that useful for copy unless we’re telling a story or describing how things used to be before our product changed the world. The present perfect (I have done) describes an action that started in the past, but its effects continue now. Better than the simple past, but quite wordy. 

The future tense describes events that will definitely happen in the future (I will go, I will eat, I will drink). Could be useful for copy. But can feel a bit distant. 

The conditional tense describes things that might happen in the future (I might go, I should eat). Not great for copy because we want to be more certain than it allows. Nobody wants to hear that they might like your new product. Not very convincing. 

So, what tense works best for sales copy?

It’s super simple, but writing in the present tense makes your offer feel more solid, more tangible.

”The product helps you…”
”We show you…”
”The product continues to evolve…”

I heard the present tense is also making a comeback in history documentaries. Why? Because it makes the actions of the past feel more immediate, more real to the audience. Can’t argue with a bit of immediacy for your product or service, can you?

If you’d like to chat more about writing for your business, I’d love to hear from you.