Messaging That Works: How to Market Complex Ideas

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Great ideas don’t make an impact if no one understands them. Whether you’re pitching investors, explaining research, or marketing a technical product, clarity is everything.

Join us in person at the Maryland Innovation Center for Messaging That Works: How to Market Complex Ideas, a practical workshop led by Joel Benge, communications strategist and author of Be a Nerd That Talks Good. Joel has worked with organizations from NASA to Nickelodeon—and now helps startups and technical experts turn complex concepts into messages that inspire action.

What you’ll gain:

• Spot the Pitfalls: Diagnose why technical communication fails and how to avoid common traps.
• Head, Heart, Gut Model: Craft messages that resonate emotionally, logically, and credibly.
• Translate Complexity into Clarity: Learn to explain technical topics in ways that capture attention and drive results.

This session is perfect for founders, innovators, and technical professionals who need to get their message across—clearly, memorably, and persuasively.

Meet Your Instructor: Joel BengeJoel Benge has built a career at the intersection of technology, storytelling, and strategy. He’s worked with organizations ranging from NASA to DHS to early-stage startups, translating highly technical ideas into messaging that sticks. Along the way, he even created a card game to simplify a PhD thesis into a 40-second pitch. Today, Joel coaches startups, researchers, and practitioners to communicate with confidence and impact. His latest book, Be a Nerd That Talks Good, is fast becoming the go-to guide for tech founders who want to market their ideas effectively.

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