This document provides crisis management strategies for event professionals facing common issues: 1. When a drinks sponsor backs out last minute, the guide recommends contacting competitors for a replacement and offering incentives like increased brand exposure. 2. If an event venue is too large for attendance, visual techniques can make the space feel full while reducing costs, such as moving sessions to smaller rooms. 3. If a keynote speaker doesn't arrive, the guide suggests finding a replacement panel or moving other sessions to fill the time slot. 4. When sponsors are unhappy with engagement, the guide recommends ensuring they meet the right attendees and providing unexpected value like accommodations to improve satisfaction. 5. If a press story turns negative, taking

1. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
FOR #EVENTPROFS
THE GUIDE TO
EVENTS

2. WHEN THE DRINKS SPONSOR
BAILS AT THE LAST MOMENT
The sponsor
suddenly realises
your event is not in
the budget, or the
decision maker gets
sacked before the
contract is signed.
1

3. • Call all their competitors
• Offer a better deal for half the price
• Demand a quick decision
• Accept the first competitor to agree
• Double the amount of brand exposure
• Promote the hell out of the new sponsor
• Double the price next year

4. WHEN YOUR VENUE IS TOO BIG
FOR TOO FEW DELEGATES
For whatever reason, not enough
people are coming to your event,
but you are committed to using a
venue which is twice the size you
need it to be.
2

5. Negotiate with the venue to reduce numbers for catering
(rather than cancelling) and use visual trickery:
• Build expo booths & staging away from the walls
• Make the edges of rooms darker, to draw the focus into
the middle
• Use fewer – not more – chairs than you need
• Move networking sessions to smaller spaces (with lower
ceilings) in the venue

6. WHEN THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
DOESN’T SHOW UP
3• If they are just late, try to
switch with another session,
then reschedule for when they
do arrive
• Try and find a business
competitor only too happy to
steal the limelight
• Canvas the delegate list for 3
or 4 experts in this area & ask
them to join a panel discussion
on the topic instead

7. WHEN SPONSORS AREN’T HAPPY
WITH THE NUMBER OF DELEGATES
• Sit down with your sponsors
and find out what the best ROI
will be for them
• Devote a member of the team
to ensuring they meet the right
people
• Try to deliver unexpected value
from the event: free
accommodation, room
upgrades, a better table at
dinner, a post-event mailshot
4

8. THE PRESS GETS HOLD OF
THE WRONG STORY
Your CEO got a little ‘handsy’ at
the gala dinner…
One of your exhibition stands
caught fire…
A rogue tweet went viral…
Two of your VIPs got in a fight…
Your big keynote was a no-show…
5

9. Journalism is focused on
short-term wins, so take
control. Play the long game.
Don’t panic.
Be ‘flawsome’, own mistakes,
apologise and move on.
Keep in mind what you need
to be remembered one month,
one year from now.
Bury bad news under good.
Spin the positives. Offer
exclusive access & interviews.
Rewrite the story.

10. THE GUIDE TO
EVENTS
For more information, visit
www.guideto.events
Photography credits:
Nick Kenrick
Jean-Baptiste Paris
Tim Stubbings
Ian Pollen
PhotoCindy
Joshua Ganderson
Jiwasz
Habrda