At times, I wonder: how playful should SpeakerSite be?
There is a gentle tug of war going on here...
On the one side is the EARNEST: all the technology, the importance of so many speakers' missions, the importance of the entire communal mission. This is real, this is business, and SpeakerSite must be a top-shelf, credible resource for event planners and speakers.
On the other side is the ENDEARING: the opportunities for fun, and joy, and the giving community. The "Mega Blowhard" label (in the Keynote Award) and my rather low-budget welcome video are two examples.
What do you think? At the ripe old age of three months, should we grow up a little? Might we lose something if SpeakerSite becomes more formal?
Do you like metaphors? Here you go: SpeakerSite is the frame in which each speaker is the artwork. What do we expect of SpeakerSite, as a great frame for our important work?
Memorable communication always blends art and science (frame and art?) There's nothing more effective in any speech than earnest endearment unless it's endearing earnestness. You're doing fine Artie!
For starters, make sure to keep it user friendly! I mean I'm all for improvements, but don't loss focus of why so many professional speakers such as myself are joining http://www.speakersite.com at a rapid pace. I love this site for the networking, all the great advice we share with one another and the way we can promote ourselves without so many unnecessary restrictions. If we keep things in line and remember this is a business site and not some dating site. I am sure we'll have a great site that will only better as the time goes on for years to come! This is the only professional speaking site I do my promotions, because a lot of other speaker sites are full of it! Yes I have the qualifications to be on their sites, but they don't have what http://www.speakersite.com has to offer! Keep up don't Great work!
overall, you are doing all the right things. Keeping a level of humanity in a smart and sharp looking web site is a challenge. But we have a great thing going for us here, we don't have kids!
Seems like the audinece is quite mature, but fun loving...so don't become too corporate, leave the soul of some goofy looking illustrations to liven up the day.
And above all, lets not take ourselves too seriously
The only question I have about the site is:
How does Catherine White get to be one of everyone's first friends!?"
It must be living in Australia, she has a few hours jump on all of us....