Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way

From emails and power points to phone calls and pitch meetings, almost everything we do involves words. Words are how we persuade, communicate, and connect. But certain words are more impactful than others. They’re better at changing minds, engaging listeners, and driving action. What are these magic words, and how can we take advantage of their power?

This talk provides an inside look at the new science of language and how you can use it. Learn the words that convince clients, captivate audiences, and deepen social connection. How to ask the right questions, hold attention, speak with confidence, and design presentations, pitches, and other types of content for maximum impact. And how the words others use reveal hidden information about their interests, actions, and intent. Whether you’re trying to persuade a customer, motivate a team, or get a whole organization to see things differently, this course will show you how to leverage the power of magic words.

How to Change Anyone’s Mind

Everyone has something they want to change. Salespeople want to change the customer’s mind. Managers want to change employee behavior. Leaders want to change the way an entire organization does business. But change is hard. We persuade and cajole and push and push, but even after all that work, often nothing happens. Things change at a glacial pace, if at all. Could there be a better way?

In this new talk, Wharton Professor and change expert Dr. Jonah Berger outlines a revolutionary approach to change. Successful change isn’t about pushing harder or exerting more energy. It’s about removing barriers. Overcoming resistance by reducing friction and lowering the hurdles to action. Discover the hidden factors that impede change, why your biggest competitor is inertia, and why big changes require asking for less, not pushing for more. Whether you’re trying to change how consumers think, motivate people to act, or shift the way an entire industry does business, Berger will teach you how to become a catalyst.

Returning to Growth in the New World

Our world has recently undergone unprecedented change at a rapid pace. From remote work and online retail to shifting customer needs and employee mindsets, many things are different than they were before. But as we return to a new normal, smart companies and industries are recognizing the opportunity to also return to growth. How can you get your people on the right track and focused to take advantage of these emerging opportunities?

In this timely and forward-looking presentation, Wharton Professor and change expert Dr. Jonah Berger explores how organizations can act now to succeed in the new world. Blending insights from his best-selling book The Catalyst, Berger will discuss the changes in consumer and customer behavior that have occurred so far, which pandemic-driven trends are here to stay, and how to thrive in the new reality we all find ourselves in. He shows how organizations and industries can adapt and motivate their leaders and employees to get on board. Berger will provide actionable tactics for pivoting strategy, thinking beyond the crisis, and changing minds to drive success.

Disruption-Proof

We live in an age of disruption. Entire industries have been uprooted and displaced by new technologies and business models, and the most successful corporations out there didn’t exist just a few decades ago. When it comes to Silicon Valley titans such as Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb, you have to wonder whether incumbents in the consumer goods, automotive, and hotel industries could have gotten their first—and what’s coming next. How can we stay ahead of this relentless innovation? How can we make sure we’re doing the disrupting, and not being disrupted ourselves?

In this exciting, new presentation, Wharton Business School Professor and disruption guru, Dr. Jonah Berger, explains how organizations can make themselves “disruption-proof.” Learn why some companies are more likely to get displaced, how executives ought to be reimaging their competitive set to better service evolving consumer needs, and what innovators do differently than everyone else that makes them so successful. From shifting mindsets and redefining your competitive set to “de-risking” innovation and why great companies cannibalize themselves, Berger demonstrates how we can survive, and win, in this new age.

Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces That Shape Behavior

Are you trying to motivate employee behavior and consumer buying decisions, or drive political or public opinion? Dr. Jonah Berger’s most recent speech looks at the subtle and secret influences that drive the decisions we make—from what we buy to where to eat to what we wear and the careers we choose. A must-see presentation for HR, sales, and leadership teams—and anyone tasked with persuading others to take action—Dr. Berger argues that other people’s behavior influences us at every moment of our lives, and that learning to better understand the influences driving you, your co-workers, employees, family members, potential partners, business associates, and clients can lead to more productive relationships and lives.

Drawing on research he conducted for his book, Invisible Influence, Dr. Berger integrates studies of business, psychology, and social science to lift the cloak of invisibility from the driving forces behind our daily choices, transforming the way audiences see themselves and others. With this speech, Dr. Berger shows audiences how to, as Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh put it, “influence others, make smarter decisions, or just better understand the mystery that is human behavior.” A speech brimming with ideas that will provoke deep reflection, Dr. Berger gives audiences the tools they need to capitalize on invisible influences.

Leading Innovation and Effective Culture Change

In a high-energy presentation based on his groundbreaking research on organizational communication and word of mouth, Dr. Jonah Berger examines the science behind leading effective change in an era of dramatic technological and business transformation. Why is it so difficult to promote change in the first place? How do you grease the system to make people more likely to adopt positive behaviors and ignore negative ones? How do you push past mental barriers that insist innovative practices are impossible or fraught with risk?

Jonah Berger offers audiences practical strategies for leading change in a clear and actionable way that encourages buy-in and drives results. He shares how to overcome reticence to change, how to avoid the “curse of knowledge,” and how to build a movement that shifts your audience from passive listeners to active participants, who become a powerful channel for diffusing your message. If your organization is looking for a forward-thinking talk aimed at getting change to catch on, this talk is can’t-miss.

Understanding Consumer Behavior

To effectively grow any business you need to understand your customers – from determining their wants and needs to delivering customer satisfaction and maintaining relationships. What drives their decisions? What motivates them to take (or not take) action? Dr. Jonah Berger has a PhD in marketing, and has spent more than 15 years studying judgment and decision making. He has published dozens of articles in top-tier journals, teaches customer behavior, and often consults on the topic for Fortune 500 companies. In presentations, Berger shares practical, science-based insights to influence behavior while offering ways for organizations to make the tricks of the trade work for them. From avoiding decision quicksand to how people process information, Berger shares tools for shaping the choice context, being more persuasive, and driving customer growth.

Contagious: Why Things Catch On

Dr. Jonah Berger combines groundbreaking research and powerful stories as he sheds light on why things become popular. Based on 15 years of rigorous academic research, he put together a framework for making anything contagious using the acronym STEPPS: Social currency, triggers, emotion, public, practical value, and stories. In his presentations, he reveals the secret science behind why things succeed and how these six key factors drive all sorts of products, services, and ideas to catch on. Young and full of energy, he is interactive with his audience, quickly demonstrating that our intuitions aren’t always right. Berger also uses funny and compelling examples to reinforce his message and keep his presentation engaging. He provides a set of specific, actionable techniques for driving diffusion. Whether you’re trying to change public perception of an industry, get a product or service to catch on, change organizational culture, or become a more effective leader, these tools will help you get there.