Seminars That Make a Difference
- “Outstanding program.”
- “Very pertinent. Immediately useful info.”
- “So many good ideas.”
- “Wonderful sense of humor.”
- “Excellent presentation.”
- “Exceptional presentation.”
- “Best speaker on this topic.”
- “Fabulous again.”
- “Useful and funny.”
- “A very unique perspective.”
Dynamic presentations. Timely topics. Real-world know-how.
For AFP chapters. Planned giving councils. Board meetings. Staff.
Making a difference for your organization, its mission, and you.
"I don't give a hoot how well you know your gift plans. If you can't find prospects to talk to, you're not doing your job."
- Viken Mikaelian
“Guaranteed Simple Steps to Raise Planned Gifts”
This newest of Viken Mikaelian’s programs reveals how going after gifts that “anyone can make” – 85% of all planned gifts – is the most powerful strategy to grow your endowment during difficult times:
- How and what to learn from for-profits
- How to avoid killer mistakes
- How not to alienate prospects
- How not to squander limited budgets
- How to energize your career!
In this high-energy presentation, Viken combines humor and unmatched industry insight to arm your audience with practical and proactive ideas they can use today to close more and larger gifts.
Contact us for details on having Viken address your group.
More Detail | Speaker bio and promotional information | Photo (high res)
"Viken can speak to a group in a darkened room at 1 p.m. after a high-carb lunch and have you sitting bolt upright in your chair with the synapses of your mind pinging with transmissions and on high alert. Using colorful stories and examples, he makes the case that planned giving is not fundraising, but marketing. Viken advises a simple, no-nonsense approach.”
Susan Fisher
Univest Foundation"Viken made technical stuff make sense to me. He was informative, entertaining and provided me with ideas that led to gifts. It doesn't get any better than that.”
Jack Miller
Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council"The entertainment industry has Madonna, Sting, and Bono. Sports has Magic, Venus and Serena, Michael, Tiger. For those of us in planned giving, there's Viken. He wants us to re-think the ways we reach out to the individuals who support our organizations. The language we use. Viken also brings a colorful and direct approach to talking to us about what we do right, what we do wrong (you'll see he's not afraid to show us what we do wrong) and how we can do better.”
Ron Fleury
Planned Giving Group of Connecticut"Controversial, funny, and painfully truthful.”
Jeff Cory
Formerly of the Planned Giving Council of Lee County"You can't help but laugh — and learn — once Viken takes the mic. His energy is contagious. Viken listens closely to questions from participants, so he is able to meet them where they are — whether they are new to the field or seasoned veterans. His presentations are packed with down-to-earth and useful information you can use.”
Mary B. Hopkins
Delaware Community Foundation"Viken Mikaelian balances an in-depth knowledge of his subject matter with concrete examples and subtle humor. Our AFP audience of seasoned professionals praised both the information and his use of the live internet in this fast paced presentation. One out-of-towner made a point of saying, 'It was well worth the drive!' We look forward to having Viken back again.”
Lucy O'Donnell
AFP of DelawareViken was a smash hit in Pittsburgh last week. Praise was high and so were the ratings. We measure Quality, Content, and Relevance. Viken's were all in the 95% — 98% range and comments were strongly positive. After reviewing the Program Evaluations from his presentation, the fact that comments repeatedly used words such as "excellent,” "wonderful,” "outstanding,” "fantastic,” and "fabulous” speaks for itself. Thanks again for a great program.
Gordon M. Core
President, Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council-
"[Viken is] an energetic individual with a very unique perspective on how to build a planned giving program. Coming from a background in marketing, his expertise was truly in how to engage an audience and capture the attention of a donor base."
Association of Fundraising Professionals Nebraska Chapter