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The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau

A speakers bureau that represents the best original thinkers,
writers, and doers for speaking engagements.

Words can be powerful—this is how you use them to transform your organization.

Bestselling Author of Magic Words, Contagious and Invisible Influence | Wharton Professor

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The Word-of-Mouth (1:21)

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Invisible Influence (4:52)

How can we use language to communicate more effectively and increase our influence? Why do some products, ideas, and behaviors catch on? And how can we be more effective at changing minds and organizations? Jonah Berger is a Wharton School professor and internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, and has spent his career finding the answers to these exact questions. A world-renowned expert on natural language processing, change, word of mouth, influence, consumer behavior, and why things catch on, he’s published over 80 articles in top‐tier academic journals, teaches one of the world’s most popular online courses, and popular outlets like The New York Times and Harvard Business Review often cover his work. Whether you’re trying to persuade a customer, motivate a team, or get a whole organization to see things differently, he shows you how to leverage the power of magic words.

Jonah has helped hundreds of companies like Apple, Google, Nike, and GE get their products, services, and ideas to catch on. He’s helped Facebook launch new hardware, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sharpen messaging, and small start-ups, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations change minds and drive action. He’s also keynoted hundreds of major conferences and events like SXSW and Cannes Lions, and spoken to audiences around the world.

He’s the internationally bestselling author of Magic Words, Contagious, Invisible Influence, and The Catalyst. In his most recent book, Magic Words, Jonah shares his cutting-edge research and reveals how six types of words can increase your impact in every area of life: from persuading others and building stronger relationships to boosting creativity and motivating teams. In Contagious, Jonah reveals the secret science behind why products, services, and ideas become popular. He provides a set of specific, actionable techniques to make your work go viral—whether it’s simple messages, advertisements, or information that people will share. Whether you’re a manager at a big company, a small business owner trying to boost awareness, or a health official trying to get the word out, this New York TimesWall Street Journal, and Washington Post bestseller will show you how to make anything more contagious.

Jonah has been recognized with several awards for both scholarship and teaching, including various early career awards. He was named one of the top 30 leaders in business by the American Management Association and one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company magazine. His research has been featured multiple times in the New York Times Magazines “Year in Ideas” and Wharton gave him the Iron Professor award for awesome faculty research.

He received a BA from Stanford University in Human Judgment and Decision Making, and a PhD from Stanford in Marketing.

Speech Topics

Leadership
Magic WordsWhat 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? In this keynote, Wharton professor and bestselling author Jonah Berger shares his cutting edge research to show you the right words to convince clients, captivate audiences, and deepen social connections.

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.

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Consumer Behavior
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?

This talk 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, this talk will teach you how to become a catalyst.

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Marketing
How to Make Things Catch On

Why do some things catch on and become popular while others falter? And how can we generate more word of mouth for a product or initiative we’re working on? This talk reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. Discover how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to become popular. If you’ve ever wondered why certain brands get more word of mouth, stories get shared, or content goes viral, this talk will explain why, and illustrate how to leverage these ideas to craft contagious content.

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Future of Work
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?

This talk reveals how organizations can act now to succeed in the new world. It outlines the changes in consumer and customer behavior that have occurred, which new trends are here to stay, and how to thrive in the new reality we all find ourselves in. How organizations and industries can adapt and motivate their leaders and employees to get on board, and how to pivot strategy, thinking beyond crisis, and change minds to drive success.

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Featured Books

Magic Words
What to Say to Get Your Way
The Catalyst
How to Change Anyone’s Mind
Invisible Influence
The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior

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