Leveraging story to define yourself and make sh*t happen.

1. LIVE to
TELL THE TALE
Leveraging story to define yourself & make sh*t happen.
SHAWN PFUNDER
Editor in Chief, GoDaddy

2. UAT Edition 2015
Copyright © 2015 Shawn Pfunder
All rights reserved
T his is the space where I type some stuff up to give the perception that this is the
copyright page of a book and it will look so official that no one will read it because
let's face it: no one reads the copyright section of a book—unless you're a lawyer.
And even then, you don't want to. You want to get to the good stuff. You want to get
to the story.
You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram but I can't promise it will be as
exciting as the stuff we're gonna talk about today.
pfunder pfunder shawnpfunder shawnpfunder

4. MY NAME IS SHAWN PFUNDER.
I WORK AT GODADDY.

6. GRANDIOSE
TRUMAN
LIAR
POSER
ACTOR
CERTIFIABLE
INTERESTING
}

8. LOGOS. LOGIC. MATH.

9. MYTHOS. MYTH. MAGIC.

10. SKIN, BRAIN, HAIR, LIVER,
STOMACH, NAILS, EYES, EARS,
NOSE, MUSCLE, BONE,
CARTILAGE, LIPS, HEART,
TEETH, LUNGS, HORMONES,
SALIVA.

11. WE ARE MADE OF STORIES.

12. DREAMS, NIGHTMARES, WISHES,
REGRETS, GOALS, HOPE,
DESIRES, LOVE, HATE, BELIEFS,
OPINIONS, MOVIES, BOOKS,
SONGS, PLAY, BRANDS, SALES.

13. THE AVERAGE DAYDREAM IS
FOURTEEN SECONDS LONG.
WE HAVE ABOUT 2,000 OF THEM
A DAY.

14. THAT'S EIGHT HOURS A DAY.

16. IF WE ARE MADE OF STORIES,
WHY DON'T WE USE THEM
MORE?

18. FIVE. SEVEN. FIVE.

20. WHEN WE MEET, PLEASE DON'T
SWING YOUR HONESTY LASSO.
I'M UNDERCOVER.

22. THE GREEN GREAT DRAGON

23. OPINION—SIZE—AGE—
SHAPE—COLOR—ORIGIN—
MATERIAL—PURPOSE NOUN

24. LOVELY LITTLE OLD
RECTANGULAR GREEN FRENCH
SILVER WHITTLING KNIFE

25. LITTLE LOVELY RECTANGULAR
GREEN SILVER FRENCH
WHITTLING OLD KNIFE

27. THIS IS LIFE.
SOMETHING HAPPENS.
LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW.

28. COMMERCIALS, ARTICLES,
TESTIMONIALS, PITCHES,
BIOGRAPHIES, BLOG POSTS,
PRESS RELEASES, NEWS, FLASH
MOBS, PRESENTATIONS,
CAMPAIGNS

29. THIS IS A PROBLEM.
SOMETHING'S MISSING.
THIS IS A SOLUTION.

30. IT'S BIGGER THAN THAT. WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND OUR
AUDIENCE'S NARRATIVE.

31. THIS IS LIFE.
SOMETHING HAPPENS.
LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW.

32. QUEST, PURSUIT, RESCUE,
ESCAPE, REVENGE, RIDDLE,
RIVALRY, UNDERDOG,
TEMPTATION, ADVENTURE,
TRANSFORMATION, LOVE,
MATURATION, SACRIFICE

34. 1. THE QUEST.
2. THE UNDERDOG.
3. TRANSFORMATION.

36. 1. WHO'S THE HERO?
2. WHAT'S NORMAL LIFE?
3. WHY CHANGE?
4. WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT?
5. WHAT'S NEXT?

38. PRIMARY STORY: TRANSFORMATION
Secondary Story: Quest
Hero? new clients, 40+
Normal life? hectic, frustrating, self-loathing
Why? find balance, confidence, health
Different? smile more, love more, forgive
Next? bring someone, be a mentor
Who are we in the story? We're a guide. Someone
to help facilitate growth and transformation, but
they'll have to do it on their own. It will be hard.
It will hurt sometimes. But it will lead someplace
worthwhile. It will lead to someplace unexpected.
TYPICAL TRANSFORMATION STORY
For marketing and messaging reference.
To use this story, make sure you clearly understand
the hero's world—even the minutiae—before
transformation. Focus on the process of change as
our hero moves from one stage of life to the next.
Change comes in stages. Identify the stages. First
dramatic phase? The crisis that starts the process of
change. Second dramatic phase? Describe the effects
of the transformation on our hero. Third dramatic
phase? Our hero understands her experience and
how it has affected her. True growth. True
understanding.
MURMURAT ION YOGA

40. PRIMARY STORY: UNDERDOG
Secondary Story: Adventure
Hero? first time entrepreneurs and freelancers
Normal life? dull, robotic, unjust, helpless
Why? to make a difference, to change world
Different? creative, confident, street-wise
Next? go bigger or try something new
Who are we in the story? We're the advisor that
helps level the playing field. We provide the wit
and wisdom. We remind the hero that this is
possible. We help define their moral code in the
story. We're there when they fall short.
TYPICAL UNDERDOG STORY
For marketing and messaging reference.
The odds are stacked against them—real or
perceived. The struggle is irresistible and against an
immovable force. Demonstrate status quo.
Understand the odds. Antagonist pushes against our
hero first. Hero pushes back. There is failure and
success. Our hero has deficits to overcome. The
hero doesn't always win. The antagonist is aware of
their improvement. Focus on how the hero is
morally right in some way. Consider reversal of
fortune and wits to win the fight. Each big win
propel our hero to fight the next boss.
SHOESHINE ST UDIO

42. PRIMARY STORY: ESCAPE
Secondary Story: Revenge
Hero? over-worked couples
Normal life? make money or die
Why? remember what life is about
Different? creative, at ease, new perspective
Next? destroy the cubicle, leave phone at desk
Who are we in the story? Our role is two-fold.
First, we have to remind our heroes that they are
confined. Second, we have to provide ways, means,
and encouragement to escape. You don't manage it
by visiting once. Escape takes time.
TYPICAL ESCAPE STORY
For marketing and messaging reference.
Make escape as literal as possible. Our heroes have
been confined against their will and they want to
escape. Our moral argument is black and white:
stress will kill you; it's not worth it. Our heroes are
victims. First dramatic phase? Hero’s imprisonment
—initial attempts at escape fail. Second dramatic
phase? Hero plans to escape. Plans may still be
thwarted. Third dramatic phase? Actual escape.
Antagonist controls our hero during the first two
dramatic phases; hero gains control in the last
dramatic phase.
SAWTOOTH LODGE

43. 1. WHO'S THE HERO?
2. WHAT'S NORMAL LIFE?
3. WHY CHANGE?
4. WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT?
5. WHAT'S NEXT?

45. SEE THE WORLD
AS A STORYTELLER.

46. WHAT IS YOUR STORY?

47. This is where I put notes and the many thank you messages about all
the books and movies and ideas that aren't mine but make this kind of
conversation possible.
T he Storytelling Animal by Jonathan Gottschall
20 Master Plots by Ronald B Tobias
T he Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth
T he Wizard of Oz by Frank L Baum
Wonder Woman by Charles Moulton and H. G. Peter
Gleaming the Cube by Michael Tolkin
Dead Poet's Society by Tom Schulman

48. Now, fly my pretties! Go tell some tales. It's worth it.
THANKS.