2015 Speaking Trend: Connecting with Consumers

Connecting with consumers is one of the hottest business trends for 2015. Leaders are looking for more than increasing awareness of their product and are instead asking their teams to engage buyers and decision makers.

Today’s consumer is hungry for content that he or she can share and spread – no matter where it comes from. Best-selling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On and Wharton professor Jonah Berger believes that there is a scientific way to create content that stands out because people feel like they have to share it. He looks at the psychology behind what people engage with and offers six steps for creating word of mouth that drives results. Read more of his insights. One of my favorite principles from his speech is the idea of social currency. The more we make people feel like insiders with special status Berger says, the more they can’t help themselves but to tell others about it and share their social standing.

In addition to creating content, organizations are more and more focused on the consumer experience and the ability to build a long-lasting connection.

Former director of communications strategy for Harley-Davidson Ken Schmidt asks, “What do you want people to say about your brand, and what would you do to get them to say it?” The former motorcycle marketer says that the secret is competing with weapons stronger than price or features. He believes people want an emotional connection with the organizations they support, and he shares stories of how to leverage basic drivers of human behavior to increase demand. Read more of his insights. Schmidt tells a funny but accurate story about shopping for high-end electronics and why forcing consumers to use their brains causes them pain. Selling a television may be easier by painting the consumer a picture of how their Super Bowl party will change or their movie night experience will be enhanced instead of selling the high-end technology behind the screen.

I’ve seen both of these speakers deliver strong insights into how to engage today’s consumers that have a staying power with their audiences. They both consistently get great reviews. Submit the form below if you’d like more information on either of them or if you’d like some more suggestions for speakers on connecting with consumers.