I suppose this post could be put into any of the categories I have here because it can apply to any situation. If you are planning to show something to someone as a demonstration, sales pitch, or just to show-off, make sure that it is going to work.

Be sure to do everything in your power to ensure that the events will proceed as planned. Of course, there are circumstances which may be beyond your control, but even these can be limited and should be planned for.

Some ideas to keep in mind when preparing for a situation like this are to test and practice as many times as you possibly can. Once you get something working in your controlled environment, anticipate the circumstances you may face and account for as many different scenarios as you possibly can.

In the case that your primary plan does not work out, it is always wise to have at least one if not two or more backup plans as well as methods to quickly and adequately troubleshoot and repair any minor issues that may arise. This is especially true if the demonstration that you are performing may be able to be loosely classified as a sales pitch.

In these cases, it is definitely better to have things that you don’t need than to need something that you don’t have. To help prepare a list of things to bring along for troubleshooting and repairs, simulate some of the things that may happen that would cause you trouble and then as you fix those problems at home, pack along anything that you used to fix the problem.

I know these tips are fairly generic, but they can be applied in nearly any situation. While you won’t have to consider packing along extra equipment if the demonstration is actually something being posted on your website (in this case, anticipating all the different scenarios and variables your users may introduce becomes more important) you may have considerable equipment and tools to bring along if you are bringing your own laptop (don’t forget the power cord) and projector (spare bulb maybe) to give a presentation (do you have at least three copies of that slide show) in front of a group of prospective clients.

If you have to spend excessive time trying to get things setup and working properly, the power and effect of the demonstration is lost. Without the proper planning and preparation, the demonstration or presentation might go awry and leave you in a situation where you would have been better off having no demonstration at all.