Stop Reading Now, if You Don’t Like Strawberries

If we know our audience well, we don’t have to come out with a blatant (and blanket) statement, like my subject line, to grab our audience’s attention. Instead, the engagement we’re seeking is understood. Why? Because we’ve done our homework.
 
Once the homework is done, both our subject line and our subject content can be much more laser-focused on the needs of our audience - the subject line to attract their attention and the subject content to keep their attention. Meaning, content that educates our audience and continues to entice in some way. In the realm of strawberries, it could be something like one of these facts:

• There are 200 seeds on an average strawberry.
• An average American eats an average of 5 pounds of fresh and frozen strawberries every year.
• Considered members of the rose family, strawberries give off a sweet fragrance as they grow on bushes.

 
These are generic statements, although interesting to some degree, they cast the audience net quite wide. In other words, we’re going for the masses. What’s more powerful in attracting and keeping our audience is if we can personalize our message to smaller groups – like, say those nice folks in Delaware who may be interested to know May 21-27 is Strawberry Week in their state. Or citizens of California who may want to know that their daiquiris can be made very fresh since their state produces 80 percent of strawberry crops in the U.S.
 
Who cares about strawberries? Well, maybe we all do. In many cases it is appropriate, and perhaps necessary, to cast our communications net wide to hit the masses. Certain truths can be a powerful tool to draw-in our audience, like the facts that strawberries:

• help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
• are low in calories and high in vitamins C, B6, K, fiber, folic acid, potassium and amino acids.
• contain high levels of nitrate, which has been shown to increase blood and oxygen flow to the muscles.
• if eaten before exercising, produce greater endurance and burn more calories.

 
These prior statements can be made even more impactful through personalization. Imagine these scenarios in promoting strawberries and encouraging our audience to act…

• Delivering a postcard to households whose family history contains cancer risks. And including coupons for fresh strawberries.
• Delivering a text to high school and college athletes, just before sports tryouts, promoting the benefits of strawberries in increasing oxygen flow to muscles.

 
Still doubtful? Then turn to sex. Umm, I mean, sex sells, as they say. In France, they believe strawberries are an aphrodisiac. So much so, that strawberries are served to newlyweds at traditional wedding breakfasts in the form of a creamy sweet soup. The French. Seems they’ve cornered the romance thing in just about every aspect.
 
The innate interest of our article or story can be found in the subconscious of our audience. And therefore, if we tap into where their mind already is – we can be much more persuasive. The result – our audience will continue to read, absorb, understand, and act – if that is our intent.
 
If you’ve gotten this far and you don’t like strawberries I must say…

1. You may need assistance in following directions.
2. Your curiosity is outstanding, and therefore, you truly are my audience!

 
Yours,
 
Blaise
 
Sources: Food Republic; Country Living
 
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