What are the most common mistakes that occur again and again at events? For you, Sandhya Mirajkar, Creative Consultant, and Malik Zayat, Creative Consultant & Event Director at Habegger, have compiled the 10 biggest fails – and how to avoid them.
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Confetti canon |
Using a confetti cannon can go wrong in many ways: misdirected, or ignited too early, too late or not at all, the colourful paper rain usually produces an abrupt low – rather than the long-awaited highlight. The scattered confetti also poses a certain risk of slipping on stage.
Our solution: The confetti cannon is emblematic of the most important lesson you should learn: rehearse procedures. Even supposedly simple actions need to be tried out in advance. It’s best to use a dummy cannon for this. This also saves you the hassle of cleaning. And speaking of cleaning: make sure the confetti is removed from the stage before the next item on the programme.
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PowerPoint slides |
The motto “more is more” does not apply to PowerPoint slides. Overloaded pages full of text and a font size that is too small are unfortunately still a regular occurrence. This means that the speaker and the actual message receive less attention, as the audience is always reading along and has to contend with sensory overload.
Our solution: Reduce to the max. Always ask yourself what you want the audience to take away from your event. Focus on a small amount of content, ideally only represented by images.
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Teleprompter |
Speakers who tag on an unplanned anecdote may be a gain for the audience, but not for the teleprompter operator. Going off-script can shake up many a well-oiled routine.
Our solution: Place a person from your company who knows the speech and the speaker with the operator. This way, ad hoc adjustments can be made and the operator knows where to jump to in the script. Furthermore, it’s a misconception that the operator controls the reading speed – this depends solely on the speed of speech on stage.
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Timing |
Transitions, introductions and applause times are often forgotten in the timing. In the end, these supposedly small interpolations can add up to a full-blown delay of up to 15 minutes.
Our solution: Include all introductions, and also the applause. The same applies to break times: did you know that, for an event with 200-300 people, you need to allow around 30 minutes per break? This is the only way everyone can have time get something to eat and relieve themselves.
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Briefings |
They are all professionals! Due to time constraints and false assumptions, detailed briefings for show persons and presenters often fall through the cracks. The consequence: speakers who don’t know when and where they have to go on stage, and presenters who have to read up on a new topic just before the show starts.
Our solution: Even if everything looks so easy on stage, there is a lot of preparation behind it. Presenters prepare meticulously. Therefore it is essential that everyone involved is briefed in detail and on the same level at an early stage. It often helps to involve professional presenters right from the content development phase. What’s more, the top motto here, too, is: rehearse!
Want to know more about the biggest mistakes? Then listen to “RADAR – the Habegger Podcast” on the topic.
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Incorrect formats |
Openers ending on a black frame or inappropriate font sizes on LED walls: formats that work for the web or social media are not always suitable for shows, and can make for messy transitions.
Our solution: Have your content checked for show suitability in advance – and preferably early on (see Tip 8) – by a professional. If you also prepare your content as a keynote, then elements can also be adapted to the circumstances on site.
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Lack of agreements |
In most cases, various contacts are involved in the content creation process – the in-house communication department and the external marketing agency. This can lead to agreements being forgotten and incorrect formats (see Tip 6) being delivered.
Our solution: The earlier the show crew can work with the content creators, the sooner the show’s technical needs can be taken into account. This prevents idle time and errors. A joint production plan is recommended whenever different formats and content are involved.
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Last-minute approach |
The event industry is characterised by short run-ups. But this should not be taken to extremes. Doing everything just before the deadline has never been a good solution and it is an ideal breeding ground for mistakes.
Our solution: Set yourself deadlines, allow enough time for the unexpected and start planning sooner rather than later. This will not only save your nerves, but also those of the entire show crew.
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Speaker |
Monotonous, faltering and stiff: not everyone is a born speaker. And that’s not only exhausting for the audience, but also a pity, because the message becomes completely secondary.
Our solution: Break away from the idea that a certain person such as the ‘head of’ or a CMO has to present. A more suitable speaker who can present the topic with greater rhetorical elegance can usually be found within the team. If that is not an option, then resolve the situation with an interview or a round of talks. This allows even less experienced speakers to shine, and prevents a cringe-worthy experience for the audience.
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Rehearsals |
Renting an event location for an extra day costs money. For this reason, rehearsals are often dispensed with in the run-up to an event. This usually results in a drop in quality and gives rise to the previous 9 biggest mistakes.
Our solution: Anything that is not rehearsed should not be in the show. That is the overriding maxim. Rehearsals are the most important element and help to eliminate most mistakes in advance.
And should something go wrong despite our tips: Put on your warmest smile and move on. The show must go on!
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