While all the considerations around social media, marketing automation and email marketing are pertinent, effective and important, at the end of the day people buy from people and that buying cycle gets started with a “conversation.”

via rareagent.wordpress.com

I'll just add a few thoughts:

Your prospect must Identify with the hero
The Dragon has to have a brother or sister antagonizing your prospect
The fire the dragon breathes needs to be painful, more than just annoying