If possible, meet with the people organizing the event and go over the planned structure and itinerary of the event in detail. Knowing what’s going on at any given moment, what should be talked about and what is coming next is key to being a successful MC.
Making sure the event stays on-schedule. Keeping the audience engaged. Introducing speakers and making them feel valued. Transitioning between speakers and presentations. Serving as a central figure and representative of the organization hosting the event.
Find out if there are any special audience members who should be recognized during the event. Make sure you review everyone’s name and title so you know how to say it on stage when the time comes to make their announcement.
Take into consideration the time it takes to get on and off the stage, make introductions for guests, and speeches or thank yous from guest members. Create small notecards to keep yourself on task, or have an outline projected throughout the event for you to follow. It may be helpful to tell the lead organizer of the event that, as MC, you’re only going to answer to one person in charge in the case of complications. This will reduce misunderstandings during the event. [5] X Research source
Remember to smile. Smiling reinforces the fun and lighthearted ambiance of the event, and makes you appear to be an enthusiastic MC. Keep in mind that as the MC, you are not the center of the show. You’re there to make others feel like they’re the stars of the show.
Coordinate your outfit colors with the colors of the company of the organization in order to tie your presence more completely to the occasion. If possible, find out what color the stage and set dressings are, and choose an outfit that complements rather than clashes with those colors. For example, a red dress will blend in too much with red curtains, but a black dress will help you stand out.
Continuing on if you mess up. Roll with the punches and continue on if you make a mistake. If you continue without acknowledging the slip-up, the audience will most likely forget your misstep. Finding a spot to look at while talking. Looking at the individual audience members might make you more nervous while speaking. Instead, try looking over the heads of the audience members to reduce intimidating one on one eye contact. Slowing down your speech. Talking too quickly can lead to mispronunciations and stuttering, which can affect people understanding you. Take your time, and pause slightly in between sentences, and take a deep breath away from the microphone if you need to.
For example, you might say something like, “To all of our Packer fan dairy farmers who traveled all the way from Wisconsin to celebrate this anniversary with us, a warm welcome. ” “I’m so pleased and humbled at the incredible turnout. It means so much to the company, and to the speakers today, that you all took time out of your day to hear what we have to say. ”
To keep the event running on time, discreetly notify a speaker if they are past their assigned time. Give them a note or some kind of visual cue, such as spinning a finger pointing upward to try and communicate to “wrap it up. ” “Our next guest earned her doctorate in zoology from Columbia, where she made significant strides in advancing the study of primate behavior in the wild. Please join me in welcoming Jane Smith. ”
If you find yourself in an awkward spot, try asking your audience yes-or-no questions. This keeps your audience engaged and focused, while reinforcing your command as MC. If the event is a few hours long, it’s helpful to occasionally give a short summary of the performances and presentations that have occurred during breaks in the action, and hint at or forecast what’s coming up next.
Remember that it’s not your job to reprimand someone, it’s your job to keep things running smoothly in spite of something going wrong. An MC with a negative attitude can derail an event. “I’m told our next guest is running a bit late, but will be here momentarily. In the meantime, let’s give a round of applause to the foundation, for organizing this conference…” “Pardon my shouting, but the microphone is taking a little break! We’ll skip to the video presentation while we wait for it to get back to work. ”
In addition, encourage the audience members to take action by being present for the next gathering, donating money, or continuing to pioneer in a certain field. Whatever it may be, encourage the audience to participate. “This evening we had the pleasure of hearing an impressive roster of experts speak on the work they’ve poured years of their lives into. I invite everyone here to support their work with a donation, or get involved yourself by volunteering. ”
