Wow is absolutely right! That's a shame. I use DimDim because it is (err...was) the only quality free web conferencing tool I could find. I thought it was great, and would have considered moving up if I ever increased my web conferencing usage. Looks like they cashed out! Hope it was worth it.

Pia, Thanks much for the suggestion! Be on the lookout for a blog post in the near future about the relationship between marketing and presenting. They are definitely part of the same family of brand narratives. Jon

Vivek, Steve, Priyanka, Thank you all so much for the support. I really appreciate it and I wouldn't have been able to achieve it without great people like you. Jon

Andy, I can't say that I've ever heard that advice, but I'm not even sure it's necessary. We ALWAYS make mistakes. It can be as simple as pronouncing a word wrong or pausing for a little too long. I think the larger issue is ACCEPTING that making these mistakes is not only okay, it definitely humanizes you. It can even be endearing. Thanks so much for the comment! Jon

Thanks Erik. Great job on the presentation. I left some comments on how you might be able to quickly improve it.

Of course they'll lose interest if it's just about you. It's all about them!

Much appreciated Chris. Glad you like the additional posts. I'm trying to offer as much useful information to my readers as possible to make the presentation world a better place. Jon

Great comment Benjamin. I make sure my presentations address WIIFM by challenging the presenter (or myself, if I'm creating a presentation for myself) to truly figure out why the audience should care. What are they going to get out of it? You deliver it by making what's in it for them your main theme and work from there. I like to make sure my audience has "gotten it" by engaging them often. I try to ask the audience specific questions instead of just asking if they have any questions. Hope this helps. Jon

Steve, Thanks for stopping by! You definitely need to know (profile) your audience before you can develop your presentation so you can know exactly WHAT they are all about. What is their current situation? How can you (the presenter) help? What do they care about? What don't they care about? What are their fears, concerns? Thanks Steve. Jon

Benjamin, Great info! Super helpful approaches. In Nancy Duarte's recent book, Resonate (I highly recommend), she refers to the pain/pleasure in a different way, as "Where we are" and "Where we could be." I love that way of thinking because we're always trying to convince/persuade in some fashion. So we're trying to get the audience unstuck from the status quo and empower them to want to make that change, whether it's hiring your company or implementing a new technique. That contrast is very important, so the audience knows the difference between where they are now and where you can bring them. But that's all in-line with what you say. Appreciate the comment! Jon

Congrats Olivia! You're the winner. I'll be contacting you via email.

Steve, My argument is this: Can a business ever be too successful to market themselves? I see where you're coming from, but I hardly think the owners are diving into piles of money like Scrooge McDuck. There are always ways to improve and get better. Also, don't you want to add value to your customers' lives, regardless of success? Spending $50 a month on WiFi at the restaurant might make my life a whole lot easier, and I'll be more likely to come during the slow hours (outside of 12-2pm) to get work done while buying lots of coffee. Thanks for the comment and for reading my blog. I really appreciate it. Jon

Thanks Steve! I'm glad I had the opportunity contribute.

Jay, I think being unique and using any kind of visual resume is a way to stand out from the crowd. That uniqueness is what you hope will set you apart and result in at least an interview. I'm not sure I like the model of using both voice and slides, particularly text-heavy slides, that you show in your example. You're delivering the same information just in a different way, but the example you provided was still dry. If I were to submit a BrainShark type presentation, I would want them to see my face, and to speak in a conversational tone. I think this video is a great example of providing the same information in a completely different way - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jnCic3RPn0 In this video, the candidate uses no text, and talks about his personal experiences in a tone that doesn't sound like he's reading. It's of high quality and creates a connection between him and his prospective employer. Of course, the challenge is to get the potential employer to your video, which is no easy task. Thanks so much for your comments! Jon