Notes

What To Do When Your Webinar Technology Fails
Webinar technology - like any technology - isn't 100% reliable. If your technology fails badly, it can be very difficult to keep with the webinar. In order much as possible, prevent this problem by double- and triple-checking the technology before starting. Do the practice sessions, use a reliable headset, ensure you've got a good Internet connection, etc.

It's also prudent to put measures in place to control the problems that might arise - for instance:

If problems occur, do you have someone else on the webinar who can dominate as organiser/presenter?
Assuming you have a guest presenter, have you asked them for backup material you can present with the person should they drop out?
Perhaps you have told your guest presenter to help keep an eye on their chat window, in order to send them emergency messages if necessary?
Do your guest presenters, panellists and also participants have your cellular phone number or your PA's number to call if they get stuck?
If your visuals fail, are you experiencing a PDF version of your slides you can e-mail to participants (or have previously e-mailed to participants)?
If your audio drops out, do you have an emergency slide to see participants you're still on the webinar?
Some webinar technology like GoToWebinar also allows you to send chat messages to participants. However, you can't rely on them keeping track of their Chat window, w here as they will certainly see this emergency slide.

When THEIR technology fails

Even if you test thoroughly your technology thoroughly, you can't predict how successful your participants will be when they connect to the webinar. That is less of a problem for the webinar overall, but needless to say it could be a tragedy for all those participants who lose out.

Clearly, you should try to minimise or prevent the problems, with things like this:

Clear instructions before the webinar
Reminder e-mails that help them prepare for the webinar
Explaining how the technology works in the beginning of the webinar
Multiple choices for connecting to the webinar (for instance, phone or Internet)
However, this won't eliminate all problems. In fact, no matter how hard you try to coach them, some participants won't browse the instructions. This is not necessarily their fault; it might just be they're intimidated by the technology anyway, so they just do what's easiest for them and expect the best.

So you still need to be able to manage the problems when they occur - for instance:

Record the webinar, and make certain participants know that in advance, so should they can't connect at all, at least they know they can watch the recording.
Give them a telephone number to call - yours or your PA's - should they have trouble connecting to the webinar.
Encourage visitors to join the webinar at the very least 10 minutes in advance, in case they do have trouble.
If their microphone isn't working, remind them they are able to type their question for you (or send it by SMS).
Anything you do, some participants simply will not be able to get the technology right. So have some way of giving them value - whether it's by way of a recording, a transcript, a follow-up telephone call, or whatever is appropriate.

Gihan Perera is the author of "Webinar Smarts", the smart method for professional speakers, trainers, thought leaders and companies to deliver engaging and profitable webinars.

If you need to discover how to reach the planet with mic, screen and mouse, visit http://webinarsmarts.com/ for the copy.
My Website: https://www.olcbdfan.com/how-to-use-the-xfinity-mobile-app/