A lot of people talk about social media. Not enough people talk about community. And pretty much no one talks about forums. That’s a shame.
It’s also a missed opportunity. Forums are the backbone of the social web and they can represent tremendous value for businesses (both in managing them and in marketing to them) and for people.
Their influence is underestimated, lost in a sea of buzzwords and currently hot platforms. People talk about Facebook or Twitter or YouTube – but not forums. That’s a mistake. Forums own a sizable chunk of the conversation that occurs around any given topic. For example, 90% (not a typo) of conversations in social media about banking occur in forums (source). Surprised?
I’ve spoken about community for companies like CNN, Dell and FedEx, for conferences like South by Southwest Interactive and for educational institutions like Australian National University, Northwestern and Arizona State. My experience drives my presentations and I am able to talk about all aspects of forums, from management and cultivation to how you should approach them as a marketer.
Many conference talks seem to be nothing more than a thinly veiled exercise in self-promotion and business development. Patrick is the exact opposite: he takes enormous pride and satisfaction in delivering independent, genuinely fascinating and entertainingly delivered talks that never fail to fill an auditorium. Looking around at his talks, you see people furiously taking notes, visibly enjoying the content and it’s delivery and nodding furiously in appreciation. He is passionate about the importance of high quality conference talks and his professionalism and efforts are always appreciated by his audience and the conference organizers.
– Alicia Navarro, CEO and Founder, Skimlinks
My talks are about strategy, not platforms. They are light, fun and tailored to the audience. I love Q&A. I don’t just want to speak at an event, but participate in the event as a whole and have a hand in its success.
For more on my speaking philosophy, please see my detailed speaking page or contact me to book an engagement. Thank you for your time and interest.