Vol. 18, Issue 5, Dec. 18, 2020

One thing is certain in this uncertain world, and that is that we’re all missing travel.  Whether it’s to visit family, take an exotic vacation or go to a conference, COVID 19 restrictions have put a damper on our plans. Nevertheless, our yearning for adventure and the open road — or open skies — lives on, especially for professional speakers.

Now that most speakers who want to continue in their careers have conquered the vagaries of virtual presentations, many are getting creative and innovative. They’re well aware of Zoom fatigue and by their very nature, they want to grow and improve.

Hence, they’re focusing on re-inventing the delivery of their content to thrive in the virtual context.  In this era of constant upheaval, I believe these wise words apply, “Necessity is the mother of invention, it is true, but its father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife.” — Jonathan Schattke.

One of the most creative and successful innovators is our speaker Tami Evans, who was one of the early adopters of virtual programming. To learn more about her creative solutions, read on.

Tami Evans

Passport to Excellence: Navigating the New Normal – Personally and Professionally.

Tami Evans’ virtual program, “Passport to Excellence,” is anything but your typical talking-head-on-the-screen presentation.

You’ll sit back in your desk chair — or easy chair — while Tami jets from airport to airport, at each stop landing in an exotic place … There she pops up on the screen to share some ideas on how to bring creativity, confidence, and connection back to your organization.

Every program is customized, so you’ll be able to select the issues that apply for your organization. She makes her points crisp and memorable so participants will be able to use this content in their professional and personal lives to help them navigate these challenging times.

You might wonder, “How did she do it? How did she create an on-location travel video when we’re all staying home?”  Well, that’s the secret of virtual, and if you watch the 5-minute demo video, which you can access by clicking here, you’ll be in on that little secret. It’s really quite clever — and efficient.

If you are a client who wants the stability of a pre-recorded presentation, she tailors the program as a customized virtual keynote  (30 – 45 minutes) that allows timing and technical accuracy, as well as many cinematic scenes not available in live presentations. If you would like, she can also be available to interact with your attendees in the chat feed during the event or for a 20 – 30-minute live meet & greet when it is aired.

In addition to holding an MFA degree in stage & on-camera performance, and being a Certified Speaking Professional, Tami is a Certified Virtual Presenter. This verifies that a professional speaker has the right equipment, the right environment, and the right skills to deliver an amazing virtual experience for each customer.. 

Learning while Laughing

It is no secret that things are not “business as usual” these days, and it is common for virtual event attendees to feel a sense of ZOOM DOOM.

Learning while laughing is Tami’s approach, and it has helped organizations give their teams important tools like Motivation, Communication, and Self-Confidence. These tools will help manage the next several months of virtual reality and set everyone on a renewed path for a journey that is happier, healthier and more productive.

One effective approach is to build a new kind of event that will motivate your team and engage your employees.  They’ll be feeling fired up so that over the next several months they’ll know that they are not alone, that this will pass, and until it does they can feel more connected than ever.

On a larger scale, if you’re planning a major conference and need someone to pull all the segments together, or if you’re looking for an energizing emcee, Tami will bring her expertise, experience, and zing to your virtual stage.

To learn more, go to her profile on our website (click here)  or see Tami’s special virtual presentations page by clicking here.

The Show Must Go On

As we wrap up this year, and look hopefully into 2021, I’m counting my blessings (after licking my wounds). Seriously, after the shock of watching bookings fall like dominoes in March, we put on our Big Girl Panties and went to work figuring out this virtual thing. That’s not a royal we. My speakers and I came together to help one another learn and grow.

We began meeting regularly online where we worked through our technical obstacles (there were many, primarily mental), as well as the emotional ones  — missing the live audiences, the laughter, the hugs, and the feedback – even the travel. Oh yeah, and the paychecks.

We listened and learned from one another as well as from our clients, we adjusted and reinvented, we lamented our losses and we laughed at ourselves. While back-of-room sales became ancient history, and ring lights became the new normal, we all slowed down and looked in the mirror. We saw our resilience, our creativity unleashed, and our fortitude. And we survived.

The same cannot be said for over 300,000 U.S. souls at this point. Our hearts and gratitude go out to the thousands of healthcare providers working tirelessly to treat and comfort their patients and save lives, usually at high costs to their own well being as well as their families’.

Words are not sufficient to express the depth of our feelings. Hopefully, the lessons we are learning in this tragic era will bring new practices, compassion, and care to our country and our world.

Until next time, I hope your holidays are safe, peaceful, and filled with the people and experiences that bring you joy, even if they look and feel different this year. Take care of yourself for your well being, and those you love. Remember to keep your distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands.

Yours truly,
Barbara

For Your Well Being is published with the intention of bringing you insider speaker reports, exclusive stories about special events around the country, meeting planner tips, and fun stuff from the worlds of health and well being. Be well and be in the know!

The Speak Well Being Group is a specialized speakers bureau, focusing on speakers for hospital-sponsored community events, healthcare organizations, nurses, conferences and women’s groups. Our speakers are hand-selected. They are not only experts in their fields, they connect with their audiences while bringing them life-changing information, smiles of recognition and ultimately a sense of well being and hope.

Finding the perfect keynote speaker for your special event or conference is my personal passion, not just once, but year after year. It brings me great joy to know that your audience was delighted and moved by the speaker we selected together. I’m committed to making the process easy, pleasant and fun.