The Future of Digital Marketing, Confluence Conference, September 2017
Finding community online, TEDxFortWayne, June 2012
Hire Erik Deckers to Speak at Your Next Event
I’ve given more than 400 presentations since 2007 on content marketing, social media, and writing, and have owned this content marketing and social media agency since 2009.
I co-authored Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself (2nd ed.), No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing, The Owned Media Doctrine, and helped write Twitter Marketing for Dummies.
Channeling my inner standup comic. “And what’s the deal with conference food?!”
I’ve been a writer for 27 years, and a blogger for 18. I’ve been doing Internet marketing for so long, I remember when we just called it “marketing.” I’ve been a newspaper humor columnist for over 20 years.
My talks have enough information, inspiration, and education so people feel they got more than their money’s worth.
I keep my talks both informative and humorous, and use stories and case studies to convey my message. I customize every presentation to each audience, their industry, and their issues.
Every talk is a combination of lessons learned through trial and error, through experimentation, or through a lot of reading. Or stealing stuff from Jason Falls and Jay Baer.
I can name 7 of the 10 commandments. I know most of the state capitals. I know what “metonymy” means. I never put more than 7 words on a presentation slide, and use photos rather than text. I never read my slides. I enjoy speaking to large crowds, but get a little nervous with small ones. I believe the designated hitter rule hurts baseball, and that pitchers should have to take an at-bat.
Speaking Topics
- 12 Professional Secrets to Improve Your Writing: Writing is not everyone’s cup of tea, but most people have to use it in the corporate setting. Many people like to use jargon, or use big words, or write in passive voice, and it creates cluttered, uninteresting writing. I’ll show you how to tighten up your writing and make it sing! (Or at least not bore the pants off your readers.) Target: People who have to regularly write reports, emails, and other content for others in the workplace.
- Content Marketing Secrets Learned From Literary Giants: Today’s content marketing writing is so jargon-filled and boring, it’s downright painful. Good content marketing stands on the shoulders of giants of literature, and uses their secrets to make their work more interesting. Learn from Ernest Hemingway, Agatha Christie, Kurt Vonnegut, Joyce Carol Oates, Hunter S. Thompson, and P.D. James. Target audience: Content marketers, business owners, and people using the written word to sell products.
- Personal Branding and Social Media: Using the Branding Yourself book as a backdrop, I’ll show you the best (and worst) ways to build your personal brand through social media and face-to-face networking, whether new to the job search, changing careers, or re-entering the work world after a long hiatus. Ideal for anyone looking for a job, starting a small business or consultancy, or changing careers.
- How to (Safely) Use Humor in Writing and Marketing: Humor can be dangerous if you’re not careful or if you don’t know what you’re doing. But humor can also be taught. I have a 10 point formula that anyone can use to safely and effectively use humor without getting called down to HR for “a little chat.” Target: Marketers, speechwriters, and fiction writers who just want to add a little spice to their work and do it without offending others.
- Small Business Marketing: In many ways, small businesses are an extension of the people who run them. The same principles that apply to personal branding apply to small business marketing as well. If you want to grow your own company, these social media tactics can help you reach your target audience with a little research and planning. Geared toward entrepreneurs, small business owners and managers, and consultants.
- Advanced Writing Secrets: Language has the power to move people, more than video, more than photos. I’ve been a writer for 27 years, with newspaper humor columns, business articles, political speeches, books, stage plays, radio plays, and a couple thousand blog posts to my credit. I’ll show you how to use language to move people, persuade them, and inspire them. Ideal for writers, bloggers, and people who write on a regular basis.
- The Future of Content Marketing: Content marketers speak in fearful whispers about the day we’ll be overwhelmed with steaming piles of mediocre content. It’s a big concern for people who use this channel to get their message out. I’ll show you how to make it stand out, by writing well, producing important — but less frequent — content, and relying on your social networks to share your message. Target audience: Marketers, content marketers, small business owners, and anyone who says “content marketing” without rolling their eyes.
These topics may be given as keynote talks, stand-alone presentations, or as part of a half-day or full-day seminar.
Erik Deckers’ Speaking Testimonials
Erik Deckers provides solid, actionable advice that instantly improves both my skills and site. Each time I hear him speak, I walk away with practical knowledge to build my brand and increase business. — Heather Sokol, professional blogger and owner of Inexpensively.com
There are two qualities that unite every good business speaker: The ability to hold the audience’s attention and the ability to provide actionable value the audience can put into practice right away. Erik Deckers delivers both consistently. What’s even more satisfying about an Erik Deckers talk is that regardless of your familiarity with the subject matter, you still learn something good. He’s definitely worth paying to see. — Jason Falls, Director of Digital and Social Strategy, Cornett.
