Ask me about hiking and I’ll fly into raptures about the fresh air, views, people I meet, packing minutia and more. Prod me about maintaining healthy energy—I’m all ears. Tips to grow my business? Bingo! I’m hardwired to embrace great info for me and you.
Your ideal audience has "hot buttons" too—passions, dreams and situations that need attention—that you and your offerings can address and solve.
Check out these hot button examples:
Frustration. “My gears are stripped. My mind feels cloudy and my stress is through the roof. Will I ever feel good again?”
Floundering. “I’m working 12 hours a day and never get a break. My business is just breaking even. How do I move ahead?”
Confusion. “I know insurance is important but I'm overwhelmed by the choices. I wish someone would make it simple for me.”
Determination. “Climate change and pollution are wreaking havoc on our world’s water supplies. How can I help change that?”
Dream. “Finally, I’m building my dream home! Where can I find a contractor who understands my vision and respects my budget?
Passion. “Helping kids succeed in school and life is my greatest passion. How do I take my grass-roots organization national?
Now think about your ideal audience’s hot buttons. What issues do they struggle with? What fears or gripes do they have? What quests, dreams or passions do they want fulfilled?
When you figure out what’s most important to your ideal audience—what keeps them up at night or fuels their ambitions or fires their imagination—and address it head on in your written outreach, you grab their attention, arouse their trust and stoke their curiosity to learn more.
Why? Because people sense that you get them. You’ve anticipated their feelings, questions, needs and desires, so they feel understood, valued and validated. And wow, that's quite a gift.
Here’s an example of how Salt Marsh Opera grabs the attention of young adults seeking real-life experiences creating professional productions:
Passionate about performing arts?
Fuel your calling with real-world, roll up your sleeves mentorship—become a Salt Marsh Opera intern!
When you join our team, you work with professionals keen to share their knowledge, guide your efforts and help you excel in your chosen field. Available to high school and college students, our internships typically last four weeks during the spring, summer or fall, and can be tailored to your interests. And though internships are unpaid, the connections, insights and experiences you gain are invaluable.
Take action!
Brainstorm your ideal audience’s hot buttons—what are their fears, concerns, gripes, dreams, passions? What are their two or three “hottest” buttons? How do your offerings resolve these needs or desires? Tell me in the comments below, I’d love to know.
Thanks so much and have a great week :)
P.S. When it comes to brainstorming your ideal audience’s hot buttons, having someone from the “outside” pop into your audience’s shoes can reveal significant new insights and exciting ways to grab their attention. Want to learn more? Call 774-644-1965 or email me now for your free 45 minute consultation!