You are going through the feed on your favorite social media and you come across…
“Getting crabby about marketing. It’s opening day of crab season here and our traps have just been set. The idea of setting traps for a bounty to come is always really exciting, especially on opening day. It’s been a long winter, and I can’t wait for the feast to come.”
- “Have you gone through a long winter in your business?”
- “Has it been a while since you feasted?”
Intrigued?
Does this opening by book ghostwriter Laura Elliott’s grab you? (Yes!) Does it hit a nerve? (Very likely) Do you want to read on? (Absolutely!) Why?
The unexpected crab metaphor.
This talented writer knows that metaphors always draw people into a story, article, or post. They arouse curiosity, evoke images and feelings, and connect with 
readers instantly. Metaphors are stories in microcosm–and everyone is intrigued by stories.
If you write posts on a regular basis to increase readership and impact, it pays to take time to create an apt metaphor to lead into your main message. And, even more so, when you weave that metaphor throughout that message. Here’s the rest of Laura’s post…
“Here’s what crabbing has taught me about marketing and lead generation–– It’s really all about sinking the traps in the right location and setting them with the right bait. Once the trap is filled, it’s about selecting the legal size. You have to throw away ones that are too small and the females too.”
“Are your traps set in the right location? (Are you where your customers can see you?) Is your trap filled with the right bait? (Is your value proposition resonating with your target market?) Are you throwing the right ones back? (Do you have the confidence to throw the little guys back knowing that the right-sized client, the one that is a perfect fit is coming your way?)”
“What’s your recipe for putting a feast together for your business? Any tips to share? What’s been your best “catches” recently? Bon appetit!”
Set Your Trap, Metaphorically Speaking
As Laura works the crabbing metaphor through her message, she is not only entertaining and educational, she is also coming across as someone you want to reach out to for help with that book or article you have always wanted, or needed, to write.
What metaphors do you use in posts and articles to cause people to want to reach out to you as well?
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors!
P.S. For more information on Laura, visit
- http://www.laurasmagicday.com/ghostwriting-2
- @laurasmagicday
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraelliott
Random Metaphors in the News
These are not meant to endorse any political or social viewpoint. They just strike me as examples of how effective a metaphor is when used to underscore a point. You can adapt them to your situations or just be inspired to create similar ones for your business.
“But Biden, 76, isn’t about exploring uncharted paths. He’s about following bread crumbs back to where we lost our way. Less Lewis and Clark, more Hansel and Gretel.” OP-ED NY Times, 7/10/2019
“Many junkies, before hitting bottom, stoop low enough to steal their mother’s jewels. That’s what’s happening on a national scale on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.” OP-ED NY Times, 7/19/2019
“How do you know who is going to be a good fit [asked of Ilana Weinstein, headhunter for the hedge fund industry]?” “The people who are best suited are kind of like war generals. They’re cool under pressure. They are always thinking about the field and new information and synthesizing inputs and reassessing their strategy and not too wedded to a point of view.” Management, NY Times, 6/20,2019
Please send me any you come across and I will post them. amiller@annemiller.com
If you enjoy these Metaphor Minutes, please share with friends, clients, and colleagues. Thank you!