Stacy Snow

Online program launch & growth do-er | Principal w/ @KennedyHigherEd | Formerly @Missouri_Online, @GeorgiaStateU, @MUExtension

[Nathan Baugh @nathanbaugh27]

Students at NYU asked the creators of South Park the million-dollar question:

“What makes a good story?”

They gave one of the best explanations of story I’ve heard:

“If we can take the beats of your outline, and the words ‘and then’ belong between those beats… you got something pretty boring.

What should happen between every beat you’ve written down is the words ‘therefore’ or ‘but.’”

They go on to say, “That gives you the causation between each beat, and that makes a story.”

Point 1:

There’s an idea in storytelling called ‘Promise, Progress, Payoff.’

Essentially, a story is a neverending cycle of promises that are paid off over the span of the story.

It’s a cycle of expectation and resolution. Cause and effect. Conflict and progress.

Point 2:

A story isn’t a bunch of random events thrown together.

A story is a series of but / because / therefore moments.

A famous example:

• Harry discovers he's a wizard. Because of this, he goes to learn magic at Hogwarts.
• But then he learns Voldemort wants to kill him and rule the world.
• Therefore, he must find a way to defeat him.

Point 3:

‘And’ implies a simple continuation.

‘But / Therefore’ give prior events meaning through causation.

‘But’ implies conflict. ‘Therefore’ implies progress.

I’m reminded of a Hemingway quote:

“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration.”

Great writing is intentional. It doesn’t wander. It builds upon itself.

***

I hope you enjoyed that! If so, follow @nathanbaugh27. I study the best storytellers ever and share what I learn.

[Ad Professor @The_AdProfessor]

The 10 most creative ads I've collected this week:

1. Luxor Highlighters

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Important point here. Several times I’ve sat across the table from CFOs who insisted the pro forma had to show reduction of marketing over time because the Marketing (the team and the tactics) would eventually become more efficient.

[Seth Odell @sethodell]

@eolsencreative Ha! So true.

My answer to that question is almost always to do three scenarios and present by confidence level and let them choose

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Nodding like you’re playing a kick drum, @sethodell. Better at so many aspects, from the offering alignment to true demand and need, to getting better at differentiation, and getting way better at pricing, discount and scholarship strategy.

[Seth Odell @sethodell]

Lots of news this week about continued declines in college enrollment

For those looking to grow, a friendly reminder that...

The only way to grow in a mature market is to take marketshare from someone else

So if you want to be bigger, you're going to need to be better first

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Common ? from the last 2 weeks: What can we do to still move the needle for Fall? Here’s a great option:

[Seth Odell @sethodell]

If you're a higher ed CMO with marketing money to spend ahead of a June 30th fiscal year close - and looking for a quick win - it may surprise you but what you should spend it on is...

Direct Mail

Yup, seriously.

Hit your full fiscal year Inq-No-Start list with a letter.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

A few months in and the @Reeses University ads and website still entertain me. I haven't slowed down long enough to notice other #highered parody work like this since Monster University.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Truth. And why we all work so hard to make data informed aid packages.

[Rick Clark @Clark2College]

To quote my long-time friend and colleague Robert Barkley (former Clemson admission director) "The students who didn't get in, want it. Students who got in want more money. Students who got the most money really wanted it from someone else..." #MarchMadness

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

I just tried to make a call using the calculator app.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@CorynnMyers Your Haiku speaks to me on a personal and visceral level. I had to napkin my fingers so I could type you this.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

My weather person is playing that word game

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Sending positive vibes to online #highered comms and IR folx who are wading through embargoed online program rankings info & preparing your internal & external storylines. May your Wonder Woman-strong cuffs deflect many a "why are we down?" "why are we up?"

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Don’t skim this thread. Marinade in each concept for a spell.

[Katelyn Bourgoin 🧠 @KateBour]

I’ve spent 1500+ hours learning about cognitive biases and heuristics (AKA the stuff that drives *your customers* to buy)

Here are the top 19 concepts that marketers need to know:

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

Was typing in an email "...think 2022 is going to be exciting..."
Got distracted (typical) and checked Twitter.
Learned @nprAudie is leaving #NPR.
Deleted email draft.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

M-I-Z!

[Matt Michaels @MattAndAMic]

This @MizzouWBB win is one of the greatest wins in #Mizzou history.

Not just women's basketball history. The history of the University of Missouri.

Congrats to @CoachPingeton, ther staff, and the team. An all-timer over No. 1 South Carolina!

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@ariannaorland Yes and I also remember thinking how superior it was to PageMaker and how that Adobe stuff wasn’t going to take off. #dontfollowmeforstockadvice

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@StephenApp My text: hey I’m logged in; do you still have time to chat this morning ? Them: oh! I don’t have a mtg from you this morning. Be right there. Me: ::facepalm:: I did it again. Tell them they are amazing and ask them how I can help them this week. Give them time back. Sigh.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@StephenApp I’ve started to see myself in each of the comments related to my own periods of creativity and productivity throughout the day. I’m strawberry atop a cake now but within the hour I could be the raspberry that gets thrown out instead of tossed into a smoothie.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@sethodell @KanahomaAgency Standing. Clapping.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

All forms of yes to this. It’s a nice half-AY mark to plan for; yet not too far out that the CFOs are pacing around looking for the ROI under the couch cushions.

[Seth Odell @sethodell]

If you want growth, you have to hire ahead of it.

In the case of online education, you're looking at a 6 month lead time

You need to hire and train the staff before you invest the marketing, which generates the interest, to be supported by the expanded staff.

[Stacy Snow @stacysnow]

@7ontheline And now it’s a thing that will soon be part of my life. Thank you, sir.