In every corner of multifamily, student housing, and senior living, marketers are grappling with the same pressing question: How do we build trust, inspire belief, and create true belonging in a world defined by noise, change, and nonstop churn?
From resident engagement to team retention to brand storytelling, the challenge isn’t just what to market — it’s how to create meaning that sticks.
That’s exactly what keynote speaker Seth Cohen will tackle at the 2026 Multifamily Strategic Marketing Summit with his high-energy, thought-provoking session:
Build, Believe, Belong: The Applied Optimist’s Blueprint for Modern Marketing
Seth introduces Applied Optimism, a strategic philosophy grounded in three essential elements — Purpose, Knowledge, and Wonder — that helps leaders and marketers reframe challenges and unlock forward momentum. Rather than reacting to problems with urgency or uncertainty, Seth shows how to respond with clarity, creativity, and optimism that actually moves people.
Drawing from relatable stories, real-world marketing examples, and frameworks from his upcoming book, Solve for THAT: An Applied Optimist’s Guide to Finding Solutions That Stick, Seth will guide you through three transformative steps for designing marketing solutions that elevate both performance and human connection.
What You’ll Learn
1. Solve the Right Problem
Using his Mirror/Window/Door diagnostic, Seth helps marketers identify what truly needs attention — and avoid wasting time solving the wrong thing.
2. Harness Purpose, Knowledge & Wonder
These three elements form the foundation of Applied Optimism, reframing marketing strategies around meaning, insight, and curiosity. The result? Solutions that don’t just work — they resonate.
3. Use the Rapid Refinement Loop to Adapt Faster
Seth’s “Win, Lose, Learn” process gives teams a practical way to test, adjust, and improve quickly. It’s iterative creativity for the real world — not theory.
You’ll receive three digital tools to use during and after the keynote:
- Mirror/Window/Door Diagnostic
- Purpose–Knowledge–Wonder (PKW) Canvas
- Rapid Refinement Loop Template
And for those who want deeper guidance, Seth will hold complimentary on-site office hours during the summit for a limited number of attendees.
Why This Keynote Matters for Multifamily Marketers
At its core, the Applied Optimism “Build/Believe/Belong” framework is about designing marketing solutions that move people — not just to sign a lease, but to feel connected to a community, a team, and a purpose.
Because great marketing doesn’t just fill buildings. It builds belief, fuels belonging, and transforms challenges into opportunities for growth.
This keynote will equip senior marketing and operational leaders with a modern, human-centered approach to solve today’s toughest problems — and create momentum that lasts.
Learn more about Seth Cohen and his optimistic outlook.
Don’t miss out on the lowest rates of the year to learn from Seth and meet him in person in Napa!