If my live demo crashes, I’d stay calm and acknowledge the issue with a smile, keeping the mood light. I’d reassure the audience that technical hiccups happen and I’m working to resolve it. While the tech team handles the problem, I’d engage the crowd with a relevant story or discuss key points of the demo. Staying composed and positive builds trust, allowing for a smooth recovery.

If your live demo crashes, its important to stay calm. Take a deep breath, acknowledge the issue and let the audience know you’re handling it, Stay positive and if you feel its suitable make a light joke of the situation. Work on explaining the main idea of what the demo was supposed to show and how it works. Incorporate storytelling and work on narrating for eg- a user journey of your product by creating a character who uses the product and how it makes a difference to their life etc. Have a back up in place like showing slides or visual images of the product. Always focus on the bigger message, not the hiccup, so the audience still learns and feels your confidence.

The first thing NOT to do is to panic. Alternatively, it could be a good idea to inject some humour into the situation by discussing common occurrences such as unexpected IT glitches. You could then start practicing 'stand-up' comedian skills of yourself in order to keep calmness and bring in some relaxation to the audience, as a more tasteful introduction of apologies that will shortly then follow.

If your live demo crashes, stay calm, acknowledge the issue, and pivot smoothly. First, maintain composure and avoid panic, as your reaction sets the tone for the audience. Briefly acknowledge the issue with humor or transparency, then shift focus to a backup plan, such as a pre-recorded demo, screenshots, or a verbal walkthrough of key steps. If possible, troubleshoot quickly while keeping the audience engaged with insights or Q&A. Emphasize the key takeaways rather than the technical failure, ensuring the presentation remains valuable. Adaptability and confidence will help you recover gracefully.

This is fairly a common problem. There have been many times when I was speaking at a conference, and the live code component had issues This was most likely because of slow internet at the speaking venue. I would recommend having a recorded version of the live demo as a backup always. I also like to carry a pocket internet device with me, so I don't have to rely on the venue's internet connection. Since there is a high chance for live demos to crash, its best to be prepared with a good backup plan. Also this is a great time to engage with the audience and open the room for questions while you wait for the issues to be solved. The last thing you want to do is be nervous and blame yourself for a demo crash.