Hire Chris Houchens to be the speaker at your next corporate event

“…can’t thank you enough for your phenomenal presentation at our annual convention … Time after time, our post convention survey forms listed you as one of the biggest highlights of the week. Thanks again Chris!!! (read more testimonials)

Chris Houchens is a marketing keynote speaker and author who combines years of real-world marketing experience with expertise in current trends to help forward thinking brands, companies, and organizations take advantage of the new realities of today’s marketing environment.

Chris offers high energy, informative, and entertaining presentations available to any size group and in any setting including conventions and trade shows, company retreats, day seminars, or any sort of corporate event. Talks can be centered around many aspects of marketing, advertising, branding, social media, sales leadership, and customer service. Chris is a reliable speaker who will make your event memorable for your attendees.

Whether he’s speaking to an audience of thousands at a major conference, teaching marketing techniques to a seminar group, or discussing marketing strategy with a few executives in a board room — Chris is a keynote speaker who makes a connection to people through his honest and straightforward style. He has the ability to address complex and challenging subjects in a simple and common sense manner. Each presentation, which is customized for your audience, is infused with energy, humor, and real world examples. Chris is a marketing speaker who delivers a message that’s straight to the point, clearly presented, and full of takeaways in a sensible down-to-earth style that is well-received by your audience.

Chris’ most popular marketing presentations and topics

Most topics below can be presented in keynotes, workshops, breakout sessions, or any form that matches your event. Prior to the event, Chris will work with you and your event planning team to develop a presentation that meets the specific needs of your group. You’ll be asked for information about the group, the overall goal of the meeting and/or conference, and the spectrum/experience of your participants so the presentation can be customized to the specific needs of your organization.

Top-of-Mind Branding
Developing a Winning Brand Strategy
Unfortunately, the concept of ‘branding’ has been diluted into meaningless business jargon. However, your brand is your organization’s most important asset. Every business that has customers has a brand, but not all brands are managed. A correctly developed and managed brand strategy yields long term marketing ROI. This session focuses on the importance of developing and maintaining a brand for marketing supremacy. Key takeaways from this presentation include:

  • What a brand is (and is not)
  • How branding fits into an overall marketing strategy
  • The 3 essential elements in brand strategy
  • Developing a brand online and in social media
  • Tracking and evaluating the ROI of branding efforts

You can also add a book signing event onto this presentation where each of your attendees will recieve a copy of Chris’ book, Brand Zeitgeist. Ask about pricing for this optional add-on.

Selling. Good. Works.
Fundamentals of Marketing a Non-Profit Organization
Non-profit organizations are focused on helping the communities they serve. However, to effectively serve that community, there is a need to find donors, raise awareness, and find users for the organization’s mission. The challenge for most non-profits is trying to achieve multiple goals with these multiple audiences. In addition, the marketing message must stand out using limited resources in a cluttered and noisy marketplace. This session addresses the unique marketing opportunities and challenges faced by charities, public service agencies, and other types of non-profit organizations including:

  • Important similarities and differences between non-profit and for-profit marketing
  • How non-profits should develop a marketing plan
  • Getting the message out to those who need it
  • Effective ways to use a small marketing budget
  • Using the web and social media to communicate
  • Tracking and evaluation of non-profit marketing efforts

Shoestring Marketing
Low Budget / High Impact Marketing
This seminar provides inspiration and actionable methods for marketing any organization within a budget. Participants will learn how to get the most “bang for their buck” and how to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of any size marketing budget. The key takeaway from this session will be not to solely focus on what’s cheapest, but what provides the greatest overall return on investment.

  • How should you develop a marketing budget?
  • What are the most cost effective ways to purchase media?
  • What can you get for free?
  • Low budget “guerilla” marketing tactics
  • Which low budget approaches work and which don’t?
  • What marketing activities should you not skimp on?
  • How can you track and evaluate you marketing activities?

Talking ‘bout the Generations
Navigating generational boundaries for maximum business effect
generational marketingAll people in today’s society can be divided into five distinct generational segments. Each of these generations has a unique worldview that influences nearly every portion of their lives including purchasing behavior, media consumption, life perspective, and values. By understanding how each of these generations think, you can tailor your sales and marketing plan for maximum appeal. You can also use this knowledge internally for better management, motivation, and recruitment of your employees. This session will benefit marketers, business leaders, managers, recruiters, HR professionals, parents or anyone who has to reach across generational lines as Chris Houchens explores the background and mindset of each of the five generations and provides ideas for strategies and tactics for successful generational marketing to each of them.

Using LinkedIn for Marketing
More than an online resume
Most professionals have a LinkedIn profile, but don’t know what to do with it except to accept connections. LinkedIn is Facebook for grown-ups. Tap into this free database to effectively generate quality leads for both B2C and B2B sales success. Discover the other marketing solutions that LinkedIn can offer business professionals. In this session, Chris also shows organizations how to effectively build a brand presence on this network.

Online and On Target
Developing an internet marketing strategy
online marketing strategy The constant evolution of online technology means that your internet marketing needs to keep up with the changes. Just having a website is no longer sufficient when competing for customers online (and offline). This session will focus on what a holistic online marketing strategy needs to look like right now and what it will need to do in the future. The presentation will address the present and future trends in online marketing and will highlight several real world business social media successes and failures. Participants will learn the challenges and opportunities of using social media such as Facebook and Twitter to promote their business. An online conversation is happening right now about your business. Are you participating in it?

  • What should a website look like and do?
  • Email marketing
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
  • Social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, blogs, etc)
  • Multimedia (online video, podcasts, etc)
  • Online Advertising (banners, search advertising, etc)
  • Mobile (Geolocation, QR codes, etc)

Developing a Marketing Plan
Marketing on paper and on purpose
marketing planDespite the fact that a marketing plan can save budget while broadening reach, many organizations do not have a written plan in place. During this session, Chris will lead both fresh start-ups and established organizations through the seven essential steps of creating an effective, strategic marketing plan. Attendees will learn how having a marketing plan can help an organization’s marketing effectiveness. Participants will gain understanding in doing preliminary market research, developing a marketing budget, and implementing marketing strategies and tactics.

Lead from Within
The four essential elements of organizational leadership
Leadership comes from within. In this motivational keynote, Chris helps the individuals in your organization recognize the abilities they already have to become strong, effective leaders.

Effective Advertising Strategy
Fundamentals of buying and placing ads
how to advertiseThis workshop is a good overall primer for advertising and media placement. Learn how to decipher all the numbers that media salespeople throw at you and get the best deals for your media dollar. What are the best times and locations for your media buy? How should you advertise online? Participants will learn the basics of layout and design, how to work with a graphic designer, the elements of a good print ad, and how to write effective copy. Learn how to make a radio commercial that sells and the essential elements of TV advertising.

Chris has two presentations on customer service and the customer experience. One is designed for front-end employees and the other is designed for managers.

Complete Customer Service
You are the company to the customer
customer service trainingThis session is designed to be presented to any employee that interacts with customers. Attendees will be shown the key elements of customer service, simple actions that can vastly improve customer service, and how they, as employees, are an important part of your marketing strategy. Topics include communication basics, dealing with difficult customers, body language, tone of voice, and This session is quick paced and entertaining so that employees will absorb the content and be able to implement it immediately.

Customer Service starts at the top
Empowering employees to provide great service
In order to make customer service a top priority on the front lines with customers, it has to be a top priority for management. Employees can only provide the level of customer service that they’ve been enabled to do by their superiors. The success of all your marketing efforts hangs in the moments of interaction between your business and the customer. Tactics for managing that relationship and enhancing it for your benefit are discussed. This keynote is designed to help management see the effect that company policies and their individual actions and decisions will have on employees’ ability to serve customers. Attendees will learn the value of support and leadership from management on customer satisfaction, employee retention, and overall ROI.

The marketing topic I need is not listed here!
At no extra charge, a custom presentation can be created just for your organization. Chris can speak on many topics related to marketing, advertising, branding, and life. Just email Chris to discuss what you need.

Sample videos

(From 2007 – so forgive the references to MySpace and social media being “new”!)

(short snippet from presentation about how media & marketers implant knowledge into our minds everyday.)

Here’s what meeting planners and attendees are saying after hearing marketing speaker Chris Houchens

Our Executive Directors thought your presentation was outstanding and you successfully taught them so many important tools and ideas. So thank you for putting together a great seminar.
–Joanne Schecter, Executive Vice President – AAF Club Services

Can’t thank you enough for your phenomenal presentation at our annual convention. The information contained in your presentation was the most “usable” information our franchisees received this year! Most importantly, your presentation was not a sales pitch—it was practical, excellent information delivered in an entertaining, informative way. Time after time, our post convention survey forms listed you as one of the biggest highlights of the week.Thanks again Chris!!!
–Leigh A. Woeller, Director of Franchising – Good Feet, LLC

The presentation was awesome. Attendees gave you very high ratings, indicating that they, too, loved what you had to say. (A few people rated you 10+, 12 or “excellent”)
–Art McFarlane, President – MacMichiana

Chris’ presentation on brand strategies was spot on with his concise definition of branding and provided key examples of successful branding in addition to being brutally honest regarding failed branding attempts. Chris was very engaging with our full-house audience which spurred a great question and answer session. Our March membership luncheon was a complete success thanks to Chris and his market relevant presentation.
–Thom Harris, Programs Chair — Ad Fed Baton Rouge

Chris made me realize how important it is to step back and re-examine your brand every now and then. You have to keep it current, while staying true to it. Not as easy at it sounds.
—Colleen Jackson, Communications Chair — Ad Fed Baton Rouge

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No doubt you’ve filled out evaluation forms after hearing speakers at conferences and meetings. How many times have you heard a speaker who inspired you to praise the speaker? These are just some of the actual quotes that attendees wrote on evaluations and feedback surveys after hearing Chris speak.

  • Fabulous!
  • Wish we’d had more time with him!
  • Very good info on what works best for an ad and how to get the most out of your dollars-handouts very helpful
  • Received a lot of useable information
  • Very informative
  • Good info – GREAT handouts
  • Insightful and forward thinking speaker
  • Great speaker – wonderful info
  • Great speaker very personable and kept me interested
  • Super creative marketing speaker
  • Answered questions graciously – good info
  • Very willing to give as much information as possible – Lots of ideas
  • Good info, handouts – received specific info
  • He knew his stuff
  • Good ideas and speaker was very enthused about what he was talking about
  • Information useful and delivered well
  • Good Info. – Reminded me of info I had forgotten
  • Gave good insights on various models of marketing
  • Have him back next year
  • Chris really was a “Shotgun” of marketing strategies! Enjoyed!
  • Good Presentation. Learned a lot. Just wish I wasn’t so tired, coming straight from lunch because this is something that is so interesting and vital to know but complex!! Thanks!
  • Very good and informative about importance of marketing in health care
  • Very good, excellent, well organized, comprehensive, everything fell into the organizational scheme.
  • The best breakout session I’ve had in years! It delivered what was promised in conference schedule description. Very helpful!
  • Very informative, good presentation

Let your group have these reactions with a keynote, seminar, or other type of speaking engagement from Chris! Contact Chris for a no-obligation speaking quote or proposal.

Some of Chris’ previous audiences

  • Dorel Industries subsidiaries including Cosco, Ameriwood, & Schwinn Bicycle
  • Maison Brison
  • Essentially Women Healthcare
  • Networking Businesswomen
  • UWSK
  • Professional Marketing Association (x3)
  • Health Leaders Media (x2)
  • Good Feet Franchisees
  • MAC Michiana
  • World Tea Expo (x2)
  • Medical Group Management Association
  • Barcamp Nashville (x2)
  • University of Tennessee Cooperative Extension Service
  • Advertising Federation East Central Indiana
  • Fort Wayne Advertising Federation
  • Inland Press Association (x2)
  • American Advertising Federation (National Conference Executive Directors’ Training)
  • WKU Small Business Development Center (x2)
  • Contact Lens Manufacturers Association
  • Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge
  • Carolinas Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society (CHPRMS)
  • Volunteers in Action: Social Media for non-profits
  • Nashville SMEI (Sales & Marketing Executives International)
  • American Advertising Federation: Knoxville
  • Datafutures Carescope UGM10
  • Dow Jones News Fund (@wku)
  • {x} matters
  • AAF Greenville
  • AAF Midlands
  • AAF Chattanooga
  • 2013 APMA Young Physicians Institute
  • AAF Coastal Carolinas
  • Builders Exchange Network (BXNET) Annual Convention
  • Kentucky Society for Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing