Two weeks ago, my wife, Elaine, and I moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, just outside of Charleston. We loved living in Northern Virginia, but we wanted to move to a warmer climate.

We weren’t disappointed. The beaches, the Charleston downtown, and the wonderful neighborhood in which we now live (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) confirmed we made the right decision to move to the Charleston area.

So we moved in and are still opening boxes. We moved in on a Monday and didn’t obtain Internet access until Thursday. We had access until the following Tuesday, when men from the Internet company came to bury the cable in my yard.

Unfortunately, they left without checking my Internet access. You guessed it. I had no access after they left.

We had to wait until the following Friday to get our Internet access restored.

I started thinking about what we could do as speakers if your Internet access were cut during a live presentation.

This article explores three backup plans if your Internet access is lost during your presentation.

Use a Mobile Hotspot or Tethered Smartphone as a Backup Connection

So, what do you do when your Internet connection is cut during your presentation?

Most smartphones can act as mobile hotspots, providing internet access via cellular networks (4G/5G).

Public speakers can tether their devices via USB or enable Wi-Fi sharing, allowing them to reconnect their laptops or tablets instantly.

The challenge is that your ability to connect to tablets, laptops, and desktop computers is dependent on the strength of the signal from your smartphone.

A hotspot that works well for a tablet may not have sufficient power to work with a laptop or desktop computer.

Test hotspot speed beforehand in your speaking environment to ensure it supports video conferencing.

It is also a good idea to keep a portable charger or power bank handy to sustain battery life during longer sessions. Portable chargers are for laptops. Power banks are for laptops.

So, you can use your smartphone’s hotspot to connect you to the Internet if the Wi-Fi fails.

You can also pre-record a backup version of your presentation.

Pre-Record a Backup Version of Your Presentation

Recording a high-quality version of your talk in advance enables event organizers to switch to the recording if you become disconnected. This is a professional contingency used in virtual conferences and webinars.

There is an old saying in the theater: “The show must go on.” So, your show must go on even if the Internet connection is lost.

The event organizer might not have the timing perfect with your slides, but their presenting your slides is better than your slides not being presented at all.

Your audience is still there, whether your slides work or not. Something must be presented.

More experienced speakers include timestamped notes or cues, allowing the host to transition back to you live if you regain connection during the event.

For videos sent to the event host, use universally accepted formats, such as MP4, for optimal playback compatibility.

You can use your smartphone’s hotspot to connect to the Internet and pre-record a backup version of your presentation to send to the event organizer in case the Internet connection is lost.

A third thing you can do if the Internet connection is lost is to send your slides to the co-host.

Send your Slides to the Co-Host

A trusted co-host with access to your slide deck or outline can continue the presentation, facilitate Q&A, or manage the audience while you reconnect.

Discuss your slides with the co-host well in advance of your presentation. Share your materials and key messages with this person before your presentation.

Tell the co-host the point of each slide.

Consider using tools like Google Slides or PowerPoint Online to allow your co-host to present in your absence. These tools make your presentation immediately accessible to those with permission you grant.

These tools also allow the co-host to modify any aspect of the slides on your behalf. This could be important for last-minute changes that you cannot now do.

It is essential that your slides support, rather than replace, your presentation. You are. Depending too much on slides can dilute your presentation narrative and muddle your main message.

So, three ways to deal with the Internet being cut during your presentations are (1) use your smartphone’s hotspot to connect to the Internet, (2) pre-record a backup version of your presentation to send to the event organizer, and (3) send your slides to the co-host.

When planning your presentations, always have a Plan B in place for unforeseen circumstances, such as an Internet outage.

You and your audience will be glad you did.

Call to Action

• A few days before your presentation, check to ensure your smartphone hotspot can connect your laptop to the Internet

• Pre-record a backup version of your presentation in .mp4 format and send it to the presentation co-host.

• Ensure your co-host has a copy of your presentation slides.

References

• Forbes Technology Council. (2020). “13 Effective Ways To Stay Online When Internet Service Is Unreliable.” Forbes

• Gallo, Carmine. “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.” (2010). Gallo discusses the power of rehearsal and preparation, which includes having contingency plans for tech failures.

• Duarte, Nancy. “Resonate.” (2010). Duarte emphasizes audience engagement through storytelling and adaptability—having a co-presenter is an extension of that adaptability.

Being a confident, engaging, and effective technical speaker is a vital personal and professional asset. With more than 40 years of engineering experience and more than 30 years of award-winning public speaking experience, I can help you reduce your presentation preparatory time by 50%, overcome your fear of public speaking and be completely at ease, deliver your presentations effectively, develop your personal presence with your audience; and apply an innovative way to handle audience questions deftly.

Working closely with you, I provide a customized protocol employing the critical skills and tools you need to create, practice, and deliver excellent technical speeches and presentations. Let’s connect and explore how I can help you become the exceptional speaker you were meant to be. Please reach out to me at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com or 703-509-4424 for a complimentary consultation. Schedule a meeting with me at calendly.com/frankdibartolomeospeaks