Patrick Schwerdtfeger

Conference Keynote Speech on COVID-19

Public relations is essential within a successful marketing strategy, and pandemics like the coronavirus make it even more important. Patrick’s approach is to highlight successful and not-so-successful strategies employed by other companies in similar circumstances. This content allows attendees to quickly identify strategies that can showcase their sophistication within a chaotic situation, enhancing their brand while competitors fall victim to the opposite outcome. At the same time, technology plays a role in all of these decisions, particularly in terms of the delivery mechanism of the message. Obviously, an email blast from the CEO makes sense, but there are countless other opportunities to add value and provide updated information via social media channels.

Embracing Disruptive Innovation

Disruptive innovation invalidates existing business models. That’s why it’s become so important for business executives around the world. Technology is evolving along an exponential curve, and entire industries are collapsing as new (mostly digital) business models provide better outcomes for fewer dollars. Disruptive innovation generally comes from the edges of industries, not the center. It comes from ‘adjacent markets’ often catching executives by surprise. Patrick explains the topic and provides two (2) modesl and a strategic framework for executives to both anticipate and PROFIT from disruptive innovation.

Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

The explosion of big data technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) have led to dramatic advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies are fueling innovation in predictive analytics, autonomous driving, image recognition, virtual reality, and countless other fields. Patrick has accumulated dozens of case histories and success stories in a variety of different industries, allowing him to explain the trends in a way that people understand. His technology keynotes don’t get into technical specifications. Instead, they highlight trends and strategies for business executives to exploit within their own respective business models.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin

Bitcoin was the first application of blockchain protocol. Since 2009 when it was officially launched, the bitcoin blockchain has never been hacked. This distributed public ledger technology is now finding its way into hundreds of different applications. In particular, supply chain management, capital formation, and digital identity are leading use cases. Its popularity is part of a larger trend from centralized to decentralized structures. Ironically, the industries that are most threatened by blockchain technology (banks and insurance companies) are the ones investing most aggressively in its development. Patrick explains both the risks and opportunities for business executives.

Anarchy and Decentralization

Technology enables decentralization, and decentralization enables anarchy. Today’s media environment is a case in point. Everyone has strong opinions, and they all accuse each other of “fake news.” All industries will trend towards this model over time. Success amidst anarchy requires defiant leadership. Business executives need to identify their target market and ignore the haters and trolls. Those who like you will love you! Those who hate you don’t matter.

Digital Marketing and Social Media

Marketing has been forever changed by the Internet and social media, but online channels are converging with offline channels. The secret to successful marketing is to convey compelling stories on both online and offline channels simultaneously. This is done with (1) event-based ‘launch’ campaigns or (2) ongoing ‘drip’ campaigns. Patrick has dozens of fascinating and entertaining success stories for each strategy. His programs leave attendees inspired to revolutionize their businesses with cutting-edge marketing techniques.

Monetizing Big Data: Leveraging Predictive Analytics and Business Intelligence

Monetizing Big Data is the most powerful and energizing big data keynote available. It’s perfect for an opening or closing general session. What are the prevailing trends? Where is the technology going? And how are businesses leveraging it today? Patrick’s engaging speaking style combined with a string of fascinating and entertaining case histories guarantee a dynamic session. This program has garnered top reviews from private equity managers and business owners to C-level executives and IT professionals. Patrick will inspire your attendees and leave them with cutting-edge ideas they can implement within their own organizations.

Monetizing Big Data: Program Take-Aways
1. Understand the underlying technology trends and where they are heading
2. Identify the 3 primary opportunities: optimization, prediction & security
3. Hear case histories of businesses who are leveraging big data technologies

Think Bigger! (leadership)

Build a culture of innovation! Build a team of leaders! These are exciting times. The next ten years will be nothing like the last ten! That’s the primary message in Patrick’s ‘think bigger’ leadership program. By reviewing technology developments at a strategic level and identifying the trends tying them all together, the ‘think bigger’ program energizes attendees and gets them thinking more expansively about modern technology as well as the leadership opportunity they have in exploiting it. Patrick’s ‘think bigger’ keynote is a great opening session to get your attendees thinking bigger right from the opening bell.

Social Media Victories: Real Businesses, Real Campaigns, Real Results

The vast majority of business professionals spending time on Facebook and Twitter are just wasting time. For the most part, they’re using unfocused and ineffective tactics that do nothing to attract new clients. In the meanwhile, a few are using simple but powerful strategies to explode their businesses virtually overnight. Patrick is passionate about finding these little-known tricks – those juicy secrets – that transform social media from a relentless time waster to a reliable business builder.

Social Media Victories: Program Take-Aways
1. See how different companies are using Twitter to find new customers.
2. Leverage the biggest opportunity on Facebook to build your business.
3. Discover powerful tricks to get more views for your YouTube videos.

Global Business Trends: How to Predict the Future

Business and geopolitical mega trends are converging and overlapping, bringing implications in every aspect of life and business, and Patrick is well-known for his ability to break down complex subjects into accessible and understandable language. With his dynamic and engaging speaking style, Patrick’s mega trends (including Big Data) keynote is perfect as a high-level strategic and inspirational closing session for your upcoming event. Some of the primary mega trends include changing demographic profiles, the globalization of everything, increasingly empowered and connected citizens, accelerating technological advancements, resource depletion and global warming, unprecedented monetary and currency manipulation, and increasing leverage in business and finance.

Global Business Trends: Program Take-Aways
1. Understand that global mega trends are reshaping our world.
2. Discover emerging opportunities driven by global mega trends.
3. Learn how other businesses have capitalized on these mega trends.

Think Bigger! How to Dominate Tomorrow’s Economy

Thinking BIG is the fastest path to success. Not just thinking a little bigger but thinking WAY bigger, because a fascinating domino effect begins when you embrace huge goals. For starters, you tend to encounter far less competition because everyone else is too busy chasing “realistic” goals! Secondly, a positive mental attitude not only improves your own performance but also the performances of everyone around you. And finally, your visionary focus will inspire countless others along the way. These are all great reasons to set blatantly audacious goals and stroll unimpeded towards them. This motivational keynote will enlighten your attendees with fascinating research, energize them with inspiring case histories, and empower them with simple, actionable steps.

Think Bigger: Program Take-Aways
1. Discover the domino effect that starts when you think WAY bigger!
2. Achieve ambitious goals easier with a “top-down” approach.
3. Embrace learned intuition as the path to cultivate greatness.

Digital Marketing and Social Media

Marketing has been forever changed by the Internet and social media, but online channels are converging with offline channels. The secret to successful marketing is to convey compelling stories on both online and offline channels simultaneously. This is done with (1) event-based ‘launch’ campaigns or (2) ongoing ‘drip’ campaigns. Patrick has dozens of fascinating and entertaining success stories for each strategy. His programs leave attendees inspired to revolutionize their businesses with cutting-edge marketing techniques.

Predict the Future … Today!

Patrick also facilitates interactive strategy sessions for senior executive teams. Not only will we identify the seeds of disruption in your industry, but you will also be introduced to a series of predictive models and proprietary frameworks that Patrick uses to filter technology developments and anticipate where the trends are leading. The agenda consists of a 60-minute presentation followed by a coffee break and then an interactive workshop-type session where we apply the models and frameworks to your specific business environment. This powerful program can reshape your entire business strategy in a single three-hour session.