How to Plan for the Unplanned

Excellent planners know that having a robust backup plan is not just a precaution—it’s a necessity. Just ask Desirée Knight, CAE, CMP, DES, immediate past chair of the board of directors for the Professional Convention Management Association and senior director of meetings and events for the American Psychological Association. “I once had a speaker fall off stage,” she says. What saved her (and her speaker) was having emergency contacts on file so that she could secure the right help immediately, and keep the show on track.

Now, Knight begins all of her industry events with a safety briefing. “A lot of venues have different procedures. It would be sad if something happened and you weren’t clear about the process. That eats up time,” she says.

The primary reason for having a backup plan is to avoid scrambling on-site when things go wrong, Knight says. “Someone once said ‘never let them see you sweat,’” she says. “I live by that. We have everything from earthquake to travel delay plans.” She also says that it’s crucial to go through all of your backup plans at the beginning of every planning meeting. This ensures that all stakeholders are aware of the procedures and can act swiftly in an emergency.

Investing time, money, and energy into a backup plan is crucial, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are six viable backup plans for common event scenarios:

1. Speaker Delays

Plan: Have a list of potential replacement speakers.

Action: Identify leaders among your internal attendees who can step in if needed. This way, if your keynote speaker gets held up at the airport, someone is ready to take over.

2. Emergency Supplies

Plan: Prepare an on-site emergency trunk.

Action: Stock it with essentials like flashlights, batteries, and a first-aid kit. This covers almost any eventuality, from power outages to minor injuries.

3. Lost Equipment

Plan: Identify local rental options.

Action: Have backup suppliers lined up. This prevents lost or damaged equipment from derailing your event by ensuring you can quickly replace what you need.

4. Strikes and Protests

Plan: Develop crowd control strategies.

Action: Create plans to manage crowd control and maintain access to the venue in case of strikes or protests outside the event site. This will enable your attendees to enter and exit safely and without disruption.

5. Travel Disruptions

Plan: Assess your risks.

Action: Evaluate the risk factors for each city where your event is held. Be sure to have measures in place, such as travel insurance and a clear refund policy, to handle unexpected disruptions like a ground stoppage of planes.

6. Planner Problems

Plan: Centralize your information.

Action: Knight recommends documenting absolutely everything about an event—from names and contacts of attendees to food vendors—and keeping it in what she calls a “staging guide,” so that if your key planner is unable to complete their duties, anyone can step in and manage the event.

Who to Involve in Your Backup Plan

Creating a backup plan should not be a solo endeavor. Knight advises involving stakeholders and team leads in the planning process. “Don’t do this in a silo,” she says. “It’s essential to get input from those who can provide valuable insights and quick thinking in a crisis.”

Involving stakeholders helps to guarantee that the plan is comprehensive and practical. It also fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among team members, which can be crucial during an emergency.

Planning Ahead

Planning an event and its contingency plan should go hand in hand. Even if you’re planning years in advance, start your backup plan years in advance, too, so it can develop alongside the main event.

Stay Zen

By investing time and resources into creating comprehensive contingency planning, event planners can maintain their calm. But mental preparedness is important, too. Coming from a mental health background, Knight advocates for taking a moment to center yourself before executing the backup plan. There, don’t you feel better already?