I’ve just finished my final polish on my slides for the three talks I’m doing this week.

I’m so excited! These are going to be great trainings!

The LinkedBook?

Wednesday, I’m giving 3-hour training on how to effectively use social media for individuals and small organizations. I’m calling it The LinkedBook? because all the tools can get confusing. People are going to learn:

• Where social media “comes from” (it’s not the stork!)
• How to develop a strategy (If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else!)
• How a website, blog, and email list fit into your strategy (they’re central!) and how to do those well
• Practical tips for using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn (getting beyond farmville!)

Yeah, that is alot to cover in three hours. But I talk fast. 🙂 I had so much more to cram in, I’ve started a book called “The LinkedBook? Marc A. Pitman’s Guide to Social Media.” The content is far better than the title and early drafts will be available for purchase tomorrow.

This seminar is hosted by the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce in Lewiston, Maine. There might still be room so call them if you’re interested: (207) 783-2249.

Ask Without Fear!

Thursday, I’m giving the 2011 Whitley Lecture for the New Jersey AFP chapter. I’ll be delivering my Ask Without Fear! fundraising training. People there will learn:

• Why fundraising is such an incredible privilege (fundraising isn’t the “f” word!)
• The simple “Get R.E.A.L.” approach to major gift fundraising (keeping it simple helps!)
• 5-7 common fundraising mistakes (we all make ’em, might as well laugh at them!)
• and an easy exercise to help you overcome objections before you’re sitting in front of the donor (it really can be easy!)

This is also 3-hours. I’ve given this seminar all over the world and love seeing people get jazzed about it. Even people that have been in the field for decades learn things during this seminar!

For more information about this seminar, or to register if there is space, go to: http://www.afp-nj.org/programs/AFP-NJ_March2011_Whitley_Lecture.htm.

Funding Missions

Then on Thursday night, I’ll be in Ronkonkoma, NY (on Long Island) doing a brand new session called “Funding Missions.” In this blend of Fundraising in the bible and Ask Without Fear!, people will learn:

• How Moses, David, and Nehemiah went about asking for money (this isn’t your “passing the plate” experience!)
• Why fundraising isn’t violating Jesus’ “don’t let your right hand know what your left is doing” teaching (even Jesus had donor support!)
• A simple plan to strategically asking for money (fundraising can be scary enough, why complicate it?)
• How to overcome objections even before they happen (because knowing is half the battle!)

This seminar is being hosted by IHOP-LI. People who register for this course are then able to join me from 9-12 on Friday morning to ask questions and to learn even more detailed approaches they can use. For more information, or to register if there’s still space, go to this announcement from IHOP-LI Funding Missions Fundraising Training.