What do you do if your live event faces unexpected technical difficulties?

1 Stay Calm

The first thing to do when technical issues arise is to stay calm. Your demeanor sets the tone for both your team and the audience. Panic can lead to rushed decisions that might exacerbate the problem. Take a deep breath and assess the situation. Communicate clearly with your team, using predefined signals or keywords if necessary, to understand the scope of the issue. A calm approach allows for rational decision-making and shows your audience that you're in control, which can help to maintain their confidence in the event.

3 Communicate Clearly

Clear communication is vital during technical difficulties. Let your audience know that you're aware of the issue and are working to resolve it. If possible, use humor or storytelling to keep them engaged while the problem is being fixed. Ensure that your team knows who is responsible for communicating with the audience and that they have a script or guidelines to follow. Transparency with your audience can go a long way in maintaining their trust and patience.

4 Implement Backup

Always have a backup plan ready for such instances. This could mean having spare equipment on hand or a secondary system that can take over if the primary one fails. If you're streaming an event, ensure there's a backup internet connection. For presentations, have hard copies available. The key is to transition to the backup solution smoothly and quickly, minimizing disruption to the event's flow.

5 Learn and Adapt

After addressing the immediate issue, take notes on what went wrong and why. This is not the time for blame but for understanding and improvement. After the event, hold a debrief with your team to discuss what happened, how it was handled, and what can be done to prevent similar issues in the future. This reflective process is an invaluable learning experience that can greatly enhance the resilience of your live events moving forward.

6 Engage Audience

While technical issues are being resolved, engaging your audience is crucial to keep their attention and prevent frustration. If there's an extended delay, consider having an impromptu Q&A session, or if appropriate, provide entertainment that can be executed without technical support. Remember, the goal is to turn an unfortunate situation into an opportunity to connect with your audience on a different level.