Are you finding it harder than ever to get your message heard in a world where everyone is constantly distracted? Today, the battle for your attention is fierce, with endless notifications, social media, and content vying for our focus every second. That’s because we live in a time where both digital and offline interactions are driven by psychological triggers and the ever-present phenomenon called Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), which hijacks attention, takes people out of the present, and distracts them from those things that should be their true priorities. But just as it takes fire to fight fire, so too can you use FOMO as a powerful tool for persuasion.

In this interactive session based on Patrick’ bestselling book, Fear of Missing Out: Practical Decision-Making in a World of Overwhelming Choice, you’ll learn to master the psychological principles that unlock the power of persuasion while exploring how FOMO, alongside other psychological drivers, can be leveraged to influence decisions, cut through the noise, create urgency, and inspire action in a digital and cultural landscape overflowing with choices. Through a combination of cutting-edge psychology, real-world examples, and practical advice, McGinnis will equip you with the strategies and tools you need to craft compelling narratives that break through the clutter in any setting —whether you're selling a product, leading a team, negotiating a deal, or getting someone to put down their phone and pay attention.

Audience takeaways

• Understand the psychology of persuasion
• Identify the root causes of distraction and inaction
• Design triggers that capture attention and spur decision- making and action
• Develop core daily practices to practice their persuasive powers

Every great marketing campaign is built on one fundamental principle: FOMO. Whether it’s a product launch, an exclusive offer, or a viral brand moment, the most effective marketing strategies tap into the deep psychological drivers that make people take action. But FOMO isn’t just about scarcity or urgency—it’s about aspiration, identity, and the innate human desire to belong.

Marketers at all levels and in a wide range of industries can harness the power of FOMO to fuel engagement, build loyalty, and drive business growth.

The secret to using FOMO to drive behavior is The FOMO Persuasion ModelTM, a proprietary science-backed framework developed by Patrick J. McGinnis, FOMO’s creator. Using this framework, and building their strategies on the two types of FOMO, Aspirational FOMO—the desire to achieve a better version of oneself—and Herd FOMO—the instinct to follow the crowd— allows marketers to tap deeply into the psyche of their clients to build a much deeper connection.

Through compelling case studies and real-world examples, this keynote explores how today’s most successful brands use FOMO to create cultural relevance and influence purchasing decisions. From luxury brands cultivating exclusivity to social media platforms leveraging community-driven momentum, marketing that truly resonates doesn’t just sell a product—it sells a feeling, an identity, and a fear of being left behind. Beyond theory, this keynote delivers practical, actionable insights that marketing leaders can apply immediately. Using interactive exercises, participants will analyze their own marketing strategies through the lens of FOMO, identifying ways to enhance messaging, create urgency, and build campaigns that drive action.

Audience takeaways

• Understand the drivers and triggers of consumer behavior
• Identify the two types of FOMO and how they correspond to essential marketing concepts
• Design a marketing campaign that leverages FOMO to drive consumers into action

Digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, blockchain, Web3, NFTs, and whatever comes next. Innovation is everywhere and the pace of change is unrelenting. While the term intrapreneurship was first coined a quarter century ago, building a truly entrepreneurial culture at an established company remains challenging, regardless of their R&D budgets.

But it’s not impossible. Any company can create a culture of entrepreneurship by encouraging its employees to explore their own entrepreneurial projects out side of work (i.e., their side hustles) and then challenging them to apply what they learn back at their day jobs. In doing so, they leverage their employees to become leaner, faster, and more innovative, for the benefit of their business. Also, by encouraging their employees to spend time on projects that interest them in their free time companies unlock a unique and powerful retention tool.

Based on Patrick’s international bestseller The 10% Entrepreneur as well as practices at companies ranging from Google to Goldman Sachs, Patrick will provide your teams with the inspiration and the practical frameworks required to actively integrate every employee in the firm in the process of building an entrepreneurial culture.

Audience takeaways

• Identify the three advantages of entrepreneurial thinking versus traditional thinking
• Learn how companies and teams can employ the 10% mindset to drive innovation, build an entrepreneurial culture, and retain talent in a hyper- competitive world
• Formulate an action plan to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into their work (The 5 types of 10% Entrepreneur)

Good marketers and effective salespeople share a common secret: they know how to use urgency and scarcity to move potential customers from “maybe” to “yes.” Put simply, they infuse their strategies with FOMO–the Fear of Missing Out. That’s because FOMO taps deeply into our psychology in two ways. First, it shows us the positive qualities of a product or opportunity in order to convince us that we want, need, or desire it (also known as aspirational FOMO). Second, FOMO reminds us that if we don’t take action, that product or opportunity we risk missing out (known as herd FOMO). It is this potent combination of aspirational and herd FOMO that drives markets, moves products, and closes deals.

But knowing how the psychology works and using it effectively - and authentically - requires skill, planning, and a deep understanding of your product and your customer. Specifically, it requires the intentional design of FOMO Activation Loops by the salesperson in order to drive a change of behavior in his target client.

In this action-oriented keynote that presents case studies of what works (and hilarious, what doesn’t), you’ll learn how to use FOMO to drive sales, market products, and deploy powerful yet ethical strategies to supercharge your sales and marketing machine.

Audience takeaways:

• Understand the psychological power of urgency
• Identify triggers of urgent action and design their own triggers for the products or services they would like to market
• Understand the potential ethical or marketing pitfalls to navigate when using this strategy.

Just as FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) can drive our behaviors and decisions in social settings, it also profoundly influences how we adopt disruptive technology. After all, both of these forces are deeply connected to human psychology. Whether in the business sphere or beyond, AI sits at the intersection of ambition, human anxieties and the pervasive fear of being left behind in an age of profound change. Understanding the parallels between FOMO in the social sphere and its manifestation with respect to AI adoption is critical in a world where the relationship between humans and intelligent machines is evolving by the day. In this keynote, you will learn how to develop strategies for when to “miss out” and avoid the temptation to fall victim to all the AI hype, wasting time and money on the next not-so-big thing.

Navigating the complex world of financial markets requires more than just analytical skills, it demands an understanding of the powerful psychological forces that drive market behavior.

This keynote delves into the critical roles that fear, greed, and the fear of missing out play in shaping financial decision-making. Drawing from real-world examples and his extensive experience in both the entrepreneurial and financial sectors, Patrick uncovers the impact of these emotions on investors, markets, and economies. He explains how recognizing and managing these forces can lead to better investment strategies and more resilient financial decisions. Most importantly, Patrick offers fresh perspectives on how to thrive in an environment where emotional intelligence is just as crucial as financial acumen.

In a world full of potential opportunities–and potential pitfalls-it can feel impossible to choose just one path and commit to it. At the same time, there are so many temptations to follow the crowd,  hot trends like blockchain, NFTs, Web3, and AI beckon-even when it seems like the responsible thing to do is to head to Corporate America, graduate school, or a more traditional path. So, what are you supposed to do? What’s real and what’s hype? And even if something feels like it’s more than a little bit about hype, what should you do? In this fun, interactive, and yet highly practical session, you’ll receive the context, strategies, and hacks you need to find the power to choose what you actually want and the courage to miss out on the rest. Using a mix of psychology, anecdotes, and actionable advice, Patrick will help you to figure out what you really want so that you can find the best path forward.

How to Win the Battle for Your Brain

Today’s teens are growing up in a world that poses an unprecedented challenge to their productivity, mental health, and self-esteem: their brains are developing in a world of constant pings, live streams, likes, feeds, and the endless pressure to keep up. Behind all of these forces is a powerful psychological force called Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO. While the concept is typically associated with digital culture, its impact goes far deeper than a memes or a viral videos. FOMO can shape identity, influence behavior, fuel anxiety, and hijack attention in ways that feel invisible yet overwhelming.

Patrick J. McGinnis, who coined the term FOMO over twenty years ago in an article for the student newspaper of Harvard Business School, he has spent his career studying how it shapes decision making, relationships, and the way people navigate society. Now, in this engaging and relatable keynote designed specifically for youth and teens, Patrick unpacks how FOMO works, how it can be controlled, and even how it can be a force for good. Using psychology, science-backed frameworks, interactive games, and entertaining stories, Patrick shows students how to spot how FOMO is used against them while teaching them practical strategies to stay centered, present, and mentally healthy in a hyperconnected world.

In this timely keynote, Patrick’s grounds his message in practicality. Rather than telling students to put down their phones forever, he empowers them to understand what is happening inside their minds. He then challenges them to take back control so that they can make choices that support their success and wellbeing instead of undermining it.

AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, ATTENDEES WILL:

• Understand how FOMO affects the teenage brain
• Identify how algorithms and comparison drive distraction and stress
• Recognize when FOMO is shaping decisions and relationships
• Develop simple daily habits to build clarity, confidence, and control

Are you a CEO navigating a wave of industry consolidation? A leader worried about being left behind in the AI arms race? An investor watching in disbelief as peers pour money into things that make no sense? Whatever your challenge, there is a universal force that explains what is really going on: FOMO.

FOMO is not just a buzzword. It is the hidden engine behind asset bubbles, speculative mergers, questionable acquisitions, and poor strategic decisions across [Your Industry]. It has shaped everything from Crystal Pepsi and Quibi to Theranos, NFTs, and even the AOL Time Warner merger. When leaders, investors, and innovators chase what everyone else is doing instead of asking what truly makes sense, FOMO is at work.

In this interactive session, you will learn to decode how FOMO drives decision making at every level of business, from product launches to billion-dollar deals. You will explore the psychology that fuels irrational moves and speculative frenzies, while also seeing how the same force can be used to your advantage. By applying the psychology of FOMO to your industry, you will uncover patterns behind past trends (good, bad, and absurd) and gain an analytical framework for making smarter strategic decisions going forward.

REPRESENTATIVE PAST KEYNOTES ON THIS THEME

• This is the Accounting Industry on FOMO
• This is the Marketing Industry on FOMO
• This is the Crypto Sector Industry on FOMO
• This is Venture Capital on FOMO
• This is the Software Sales on FOMO