10 tips for being the Master of Ceremonies

10 tips for being the Master of Ceremonies by Thom Singer

A friend and fellow speaker called me recently and asked my advice about being a Master of Ceremonies.  She will be doing this for a major awards luncheon, and while she is an experienced presenter, she had not taken on this role in the past.  As someone who cares deeply about serving her audiences, she did not want to “wing-it”, and thus was collecting best practices and ideas.

Being an Emcee (or is it MC?) is different from being a speaker.  I have served as the MC for several events, and find that it involves a different set of skills from giving a speech, but at the same time a good Master of Ceremonies needs similar traits to a speaker.  In many ways the MC role can be more difficult.

When I think of how an MC can make a difference in the success of an event I am reminded of the Academy Awards.  Over my life I have seen a variety of celebrities host the Oscars, but nobody (in my opinion) holds a candle to Billy Crystal.  Mr Crystal sets the tone for the event on the years they are wise enough to ask him to serve as the host.  Other years we are left thinking “I wish Billy Crystal was the MC”.

My “Conference Catalyst” program is often morphed into an MC style role at multi-day events.  This means that I am juggling educational / motivational material with the important tasks of introducing the speakers and keeping the whole schedule running on time.  When you have to balance between both roles (speaker and MC), it can be a juggling act….and I mean juggling knives or fire.  There is a lot to do as the MC, and a slip up can cause the vibe of the meeting to hit the floor.

If you are going to be the Master of Ceremonies for an event, here are ten tips that will help you contribute to the success and help give your audience a good experience:

1.  Prepare for an opening.  If you just come out and start the introductions there is no show.  The Olympics do not just start with some folks running races or lifting weights.  They have a choreographed opening ceremonies.  You need the same thing.  Crafting a pertinent story that draws in your audience before you get into the mundane (but necessary) tasks of thanking the sponsors and honoring guests is a great way to launch.

2.  Remember that you are not the star of the show.  When you deliver a speech, there is a part of the role that requires you to take center stage, but as MC it is not your time in the spotlight.  You are there to keep things moving and to make sure the others on the program (or the award winners) are celebrated.

3.  Your personality sets the tone for the event.  While #2 holds true (you are not the star), you still set the pace.  If you are buttoned up and serious, you can be sure the whole show will be stiff.  If you are all over the map without purpose, …. there will be no focus.  Find a happy medium, while putting out a high-energy vibe.

4.  If you are not a professional comedian, do not tell jokes. A big mistake is made when people think a joke is the key to putting an audience at ease.  Nothing is worse at an event than seeing an amateur bomb a canned punch line.  Humor is important, but do not force it. Be yourself, and avoid the one liners!

5.  When giving the microphone to others, make sure they have a time frame for their remarks.  An award winner who rambles on and on will bury your momentum.  If you cannot brief the other speakers in advance, work in some instructions about how much time they have.  When appropriate do not walk far from the lectern.  If you are standing close, they will keep their remarks brief.  If you walk away they will talk forever.

6.  Have transitions between speakers or award winners.  A great way to transition is to give a short recap or compliment of what was said by the person before, and then set up the next presentation.  Have stories prepared in advance about those you will be introducing (if possible) so that you have something to add each time you speak.

7.  Be prepared.  If someone does not show up, or if a waiter drops a tray… be prepared for how you will handle the confusion, etc…  Live events often have things that can be a distraction.  The key to being a good MC is to keep control of the meeting no matter what happens.

8.  Shorten the script.  If the meeting organizer gives you a script that is horrible, make changes. Your job as MC is to ensure the event is not boring.  If the program flops you will be blamed for the poor reviews, not the person back at the home office who wrote the words.  Thus you must be involved in creating a tight script that has a good tempo or be able to make changes as you are on stage.

9.  Stay positive.  Even if something goes wrong or someone is out of line, the MC must stay up-beat.  If you get nasty about anything the audience will resent you for it.

10.  Have a prepared close.  Just like the opening ceremonies, you need to tie it together with a closing story or a call to action.  Recap the highlights of the evening, and challenge the audience in some way (even if it is to come back next year!).  If you have no closing ceremony then there is little to remember.

Have a great day.

Credit: thomsinger.blogspot.com

65 tips that can make anyone an expert MC

1. Be courteous and professional at all times.
2. Develop an interest in a wide range of subjects.
3. Be abreast with current affairs so you have relevant things to talk about.
4. Study human relations.
5. Study other MCs.
6. Study presenters, politicians, pastors and comedians.
7. Study marketing.
8. Study negotiation techniques.
9. Use stiff, high quality paper for your business cards.
10. Always have a stock of business cards.
11. Volunteer to MC events for your family, friends and charity even if you are a corporate MC.
12. Post information about your event on social media.
13. Start a blog and update it at least once a week.
14. Avoid accepting to host 2 events around the same time with the view to finishing one early to attend the other.

BEFORE THE EVENT

15. Schedule a meeting when you are contacted to host an event.
16. Ask lots of questions at the pre-event meeting.
17. Agree with the organizer on who your unique contact person shall be for the event.
18. Confirm all points after the pre-event meeting is over with an email.
19. Get a copy of the draft program as soon as possible.
20. Research the speakers.
21. Visit the venue before the day of the event.
22. Set out your outfit and your notes the day before the event.

ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT

23. Get up early and visualize your event as being successful.
24. Dress formally.
25. Avoid dairy products and hot beverages on the day of the event.
26. Set out early and plan to arrive at the venue at least one hour ahead of the start time.
27. Introduce yourself to the venue manager, IT support, DJ, caterer, ushers and other partners.
28. Refer to your partners by their names and not ‘Madam Usher’ or ‘Mr DJ’.
29. Confirm if there are any changes to the program and speakers.

DURING THE EVENT

30. See yourself as the person in charge of the event.
31. Introduce yourself to the guests as they enter the venue.
32. Start on the event on time.
33. Nervous? Breathe in and out deeply and slowly.
34. Walk on the stage, look at the audience for 30 seconds and smile without saying a word.
35. Stand erect and look into your audience’s eyes when you’re speaking.
36. Speak directly into the microphone.
37. Use a quote, proverb or thought-provoking question as your first words.
38. Tell the audience you’re going to have a good time together.

39. Tell your audience the purpose of the event.
40. Tell the audience where the exits, washrooms and parking areas are located.
41. Make sure the speakers are present before you call them onto the stage.
42. Practice pronouncing unfamiliar names.
43. There’s no need to panic if you fluff your lines once in a while.
44. Make your Speaker Introductions brief.
45. Look at the person you’re introducing and smile just before you say their name.
46. Stay by the podium until the speaker is about to talk.
47. Have a glass of room temperature water near the speaker.
48. Listen attentively to the speaker.
49. Lead the applause when the speaker makes an important point or ends the speech.
50. Thank speakers for specific things they say or do.
51. Be the solid bridge between two speakers by thanking the previous speaker and building anticipation for the next one.
52. Resist the pressure to tell jokes.
53. If you must crack a joke, laugh at yourself.
54. Avoid talking down to your audience.
55. In a large venue, speak slower than usual and pause longer between sentences to allow the sound of your voice to reach those at the back.
56. Know when to stop talking.
57. Promote upcoming items on the program without revealing full details.
58. Think a few steps ahead of the program so you can maintain the flow of the event.
59. Deal with unexpected changes to the program in a calm manner.
60. Make your audience happy to have spent their time at the event.
61. Wrap up by mentioning your name.

AFTER THE EVENT

62. Interact with guests at the end of the event.
63. Thank the organizer and ask for new business or the names of 2 people who could use your services.
64. Call the organizer the following day, the following week and the following month.
65. Maintain regular contact with your clients through texts, email, phone calls or personal visits.

Want more? Go to www.HowToMCanyEvent.com to get my eBook

48 habits top wedding MCs have (but never talk about)

1. Remember your responsibilities: to bring order to the event, to energize the audience and to encourage the event to flow.

              

          BEFORE THE DAY

2. Meet the couple before the wedding day.

3. Ask the couple or the event organizer to nominate one person to be your coordinator during the reception.

4. Write notes of what transpires during the meeting.

5. Email a record of what was discussed to the couple and event organizer.

6. Get a draft program of the reception.

7. Ask for the chairman’s profile if you are the one to do the introduction.

8. Visit the reception venue before the big day to familiarize yourself with the layout of the space (location of the high table, entrances and exits).

         

          THE NIGHT BEFORE

9. Get your clothes, shoes, accessories, business cards and notes ready for the following day.

10. Sleep early.

         

          BEFORE THE RECEPTION

11. Attend the religious service and observe everything.

12. Head over to the reception venue in good time so you can prepare sufficiently before the reception begins.

13. Meet with the members of your event team: the coordinator, venue manager, DJ, ushers, waiters, caterer and security.

14. Call your team members by name instead of referring to them by their roles.

15. Give a copy of the program to all your team members.

16. Go over the program with the event coordinator.

17. Be on friendly but professional terms with DJs.

18. Establish a signal with the DJ so he automatically lowers the music when you have to talk.

19. Welcome the early guests and thank them for attending.

20. Pass out your business cards as you introduce yourself.

21. Ensure that the ushers seat guests at their assigned places.

22. Get the waiters to serve guests with cold drinks before the bridal party arrives.

23. Make sure the people responsible for the opening prayer and introducing the chairman are present.

24. Check from the DJ whether the couple has selected a particular song to herald their entrance.

         

         DURING THE RECEPTION

25. Be at least 2 steps ahead of the program so you can improvise when unexpected changes occur.

26. Ask the guests to stand up and clap to welcome the couple when they make their entrance.

27. Make sure you mention the person’s place of worship if the opening prayer is by a religious official.

28. Introduce the chairman briefly using the P- E-N formula to inform guests of the person’s credentials (Profession-Experience-Name).

29. Politely tell the DJ to change the music or lower the volume if the occasion demands it.

30. Read out the names of the champagne popping team 2 or 3 times before inviting them to do their work.

31. Remember whose day it is: the couple’s. You are not the star of the event.

32. Make positive comments about the beautiful bride and her handsome husband.

33. Make frequent announcements pointing out the location of the gift table and encouraging guests to give their presents to the people at the table.

34. Make sure the caterer is ready before you invite guests to eat.

35. Invite the bridal party to serve themselves first.

36. Invite those closest to the buffet table to serve themselves and then spread out towards those further and further from the buffet table.

37. Make sure guests have their glasses before the champagne bottles are popped open.

38. Tell the person who opens the first bottle of champagne to serve the bridal party.

39. Encourage guests to clap after the proposal of toast and the response to the toast.

40. Ask the bride if she has a special song for the couple’s first dance and check with the DJ if it’s available.

41. Invite the guests to join in the dancing after the first dance is over.

42. Be prepared to persuade someone to dance with you if guests are shy about joining the couple to dance.

43. Make several announcements for all the single ladies to get ready for the bouquet toss.

44. Make the bouquet toss dramatic.

45. Ask for a Vote of Thanks only if you have to end the reception.

46. End the reception by thanking the audience for accepting the invitation.

 

         AFTER THE RECEPTION

47. Join the bridal party when they line up to greet departing guests – if you didn’t handle the reception well, this is no time to slink away home.

48. Pass out your business cards once again.

 

P.S. Want more tips? Go to www.HowToMCanyEvent.com to get my eBook

#Freebook: #HowToMCAnyEvent

August 6 was my 45th birthday. Still feel like celebrating so I’m giving away free gifts of my ebook How To MC Any Event.

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Offer ends at 23:59:59 on August 31 2016.

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How to raise funds the easy way

Occasionally, as an MC,  you may be asked to help raise money to support a church building project.  The usual method is that the person in charge of the fundraiser announces a target of, say, 10,000.  He or she then proceeds to beg, bully or cajole would-be donors into parting with their hard-earned cash.

This way of asking for money is time-consuming.  Often the event kicks of with a demand such as “I want four of you to each give me 2,500!”  Immediately there is a hush in the room.  Eyes studiously avoid the searching gaze of the fundraiser lest he misreads a certain look as one’s willingness to cough up the amount.  Because of the high-pressure nature of this style of fundraising, often it can take up to ten minutes before the first donor reluctantly hands over a cheque for the amount or requests a pledge form.  Trying to find the other three 2,500 donors is as easy as getting a cat to bark and so the process is repeated with a lower figure (Can I get four people to each give me 2,000?). On and on the process drags with the audience’s boredom increasing in tandem with the fundraiser’s frustration at the slow pace of takings.  No wonder some church members leave early when a fundraiser is announced.

There is a better, less painful way of raising money for church projects.  I observed it at work at a recent church service.  It worked wonderfully.  Want to know how?

The easy way

The reverend announced that the congregation needed to raise 40,000 to begin work on the foundation at the new premises.  He then enquired about the cost of a bag of cement.  “40,” someone shot back anonymously.  “Great.  That means we need 1,000 bags of cement to finish our foundation.  But don’t worry, we’ll find them step by step.  We have twenty minutes to wrap up this fundraiser.  Who can start?  Who wants to give us 50 bags of cement?”

I thought to myself, what an interesting twist to the usual way of asking for money.  I was curious about what the response would be.  I didn’t have to wait too long before my curiosity was satisfied.  In five minutes, 5 hands had gone up, their owners each pledging 50 bags of cement.  A team of ushers sprang forward with every raised hand to take down the contact details of the donor.  “Thank you very much.  Fifteen minutes to go and 750 bags of cement still remained to be ‘bought’.  Who can spare us 30 bags?”  In a short while, ten people had answered the reverend with their pledges.  The skilled fundraiser kept reminding us of the passage of time and lowering the amount of cement bags needed from 20 to 10 and finally to 5 bags.  By the time his deadline had elapsed, the reverend had achieved his target, ended on time and entertained the audience.

Why did he succeed where other church fundraisers had so woefully failed in the past? Here are two lessons you can learn about who raise money effectively at a church fundraiser.

Convert the cash and break it down

The reverend expressed his target in the form of something tangible.  Most people can’t visualize an amount as big as 40,000.  However they can readily see a single cement bag in their mind.  What they can’t easily picture is a thousand of those bags piled up one on top of the other.  So the reverend started by asking for only 50 bags.  Now the task suddenly looked manageable.  The proof is in the number of people who initially made donations.  Suddenly they could see what their money was being used for.  And they could identify themselves more closely with the project.  Wouldn’t you be proud knowing you had contributed 50 bags of cement to your church building instead of coughing up 2,000 in your hard cash?

Tell them time is ticking

It’s a fact that more goals are scored when players realize they’re running out of time.  The reverend made use of this reality by constantly reminding his congregation of the passage of time.  The advantage of this strategy is that more people will tend to give as the clock ticks.  In addition, your fundraising event will not drag on and on.  Your audience will know how much time will be used and that demonstrates to them how serious you take their decision to be at the event.  Of course it is important that once you plan to spend twenty minutes, please wrap up when you’ve used up all your time.  Job done!

 

What Every Serious MC Should Know About Fundraising

BEFORE THE DAY

1. Have a pre-event meeting with the planner and ask for the fundraising target; it gives you a goal to aim for.2. Get as much information as you can about the organization and what it intends to use the funds for; this information will help you in persuading the donors to give.

   3. Ask the planner for the running order of the event; feel free to suggest changes which will make the event more entertaining and focused on the fundraising effort (see 13 below).

   4. Ask the planner to include a business card raffle with attractive prizes which will come off towards the end of the fundraising dinner; it will reward a few lucky guests, encourage everyone to stay and also provide the organizers with contact details of everyone who attended.

   5. Maintain regular phone and email contact with the planner and fundraising organization after the pre-event meeting.

ON THE DAY

6. Get to the venue early to familiarize yourself with the room and do your sound checks7. Confirm the final running order; last minute changes could have been made and you don’t want to be caught off guard.

   8. Make sure the pledge forms and a copy of the program are placed by everyone’s plate; it’s a subtle reminder that the purpose of the dinner is to raise funds.

   9. Arrange for all tables to be numbered; you will make use of those numbers when the time comes to raise the funds (see 12 below).

   10. Start on time.

   11. Begin with an emotional story about the power of giving; this will catch the attention of your audience. Here’s an example of a very good story: http://www.truthorfiction.com/o/oneglassofmilk.htm#.U1wHkBEgGSM

   12. Appeal for the funds just before dinner time; use that period to tell guests about the purpose of the fundraiser, the target and how you intend to raise the money.

   13. Turn the fundraiser into a contest; announce there will be prizes for members of the table who raise the highest amount – donors will try to outdo one another in their generosity which can only be beneficial to the organization raising the funds.

   14. If the dinner is a buffet, get those closest to the food to serve themselves first; it maintains order by preventing people from disrupting the queue and helps you to get dinner served quickly so you return to the main business of fundraising.

   15. Get executives of the fundraising organization to present the raffle prizes; this is a valuable photo opportunity for the winners as well as the organization.

   16. Announce the total amount raised and then announce the winners of the fundraising contest in reverse order; this builds drama and excitement right to the end of the event.

   17. Have fun from beginning to end!

How To MC An Awards Ceremony

An awards ceremony is a special corporate event designed to recognize and reward excellence within a particular industry. It brings together the top people who make things happen in that industry to network… in a relaxed setting. It provides a perfect excuse for guests to dress up in their finest to spend three or four hours wining, dining and sharing the in the joy of the winners. It can also be a source of abject boredom if the Master of Ceremonies doesn’t bring it to life with an entertaining style of presentation. For how long would you tolerate the MC mechanically announcing “And the winner is…and the winner is…”?

Preparation

The secret to successfully emceeing an awards ceremony is the same as any other special event – the key is preparation. If you have been chosen to host a company’s annual awards, pat yourself on the back. Someone thinks you can do a good job in handling the show. Now it’s up to you not to disappoint them or yourself. Get to work immediately.

Request a meeting

Have a conversation with the event organizer. Make sure you take notes. What do you talk about? Here are eleven questions you should ask:
1. When is the awards ceremony?
2. Where is it taking place?
3. What time does it start?
4. Why these awards at this particular time of the organization’s life? This sounds like an obvious question but you may get extra insights from the response that could be helpful to you.
5. Who hosted last year’s event? (If it was recorded, ask for copies of the video)
6. Who is your sole contact person during the event?
7. Who are the speakers on the programme? You will need their profiles so you can introduce them well.
8. Who will provide entertainment? The deejay? A live band? A comedian?
9. How many awards will be presented?
10. Who is presenting the awards? Company executives? VIPs?
11. What is the highest award? You’ll want to climax the event by announcing this one last.

Running Order

Next, ask the organizers for a draft running order or run sheet. This document shows what will happen at a specific time during the show. I have come across elaborate versions done in Microsoft Excel with precise timings for everything that happens on the stage including scripts for what the MC should be saying. The running order is your best friend if you are the MC. It is your road map that will help you get to Destination Successful Event in good time.

Always note that the running order is not set in stone like the Ten Commandments. For example, if it bunches thirty awards in one presentation segment you can take the liberty of splitting the awards up. You could for example present ten before dinner, ten during dinner and the remainder right after the final musical performance. Audiences attend events primarily to be entertained and you the MC are the facilitator of the entertainment. Bend the running order to suit the dictates of the event.

Rehearsal

As the MC, you’ve asked your questions and you’ve received the running order. Are you ready to host the event? You know the saying “Practice makes perfect.” It’s time to put the saying to the test. You should aim to have a full dress rehearsal of the event at least once.

Practice the key moments of the ceremony – the introduction, the award presentations. In what order will the awards be arranged and presented when the categories are announced? That will prevent you from announcing one category only for the winner to be presented with a plaque for a different award. Will the announcement of awards be synchronized with music? Then you and the deejay have to be well coordinated. It is only during the rehearsal session that you’ll know how the different segments of the show fit and flow into each other.

Show time!

After this amount of preparation, you are ready for your awards ceremony. Get to the venue ahead of time, start on time and have a good time! Success is yours!

HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT (2)

Ama is negotiating her fee with Kwame who contacted her a week ago. They are

acquainted with one another but have not done business before.  Ama wants to charge

Kwame 3,000. Over 2 days, see how she gets Kwame to give her what she wants.

 

(Saturday afternoon)

Ama:   Can we talk about my fee now?

Yaw:   Yes. Sure.

Ama:   My fee is 4,500.

Yaw:   Too too much! Come again.

Ama:   What’s your offer sir? Why do you say my fee is too too much?

Yaw:   Oh, because you’re my friend.

Ama:   How important is it to you that I handle the deal on Monday?

Yaw:   Important to me like a friend and a sister. I offer you 2,000.

Ama:   Too too small. Come again.

Yaw:   Hahahaha! You’re funny. My sister, for only 5 hours? Please.

Ama:   I’ll come down to 4,000.

Yaw:   I’ll think about it.

Ama:   Sure. Have a good afternoon.

 

(Sunday evening)

Yaw:   Hello. I didn’t hear from you again.

Ama:   Good evening. How are preparations for tomorrow?

Yaw:   Everything is in place, just waiting to hear from you.

Ama:   I quoted my best and gave you a discount which I normally don’t do.

Yaw:   I will go up to 3,000. And that’s the best I can offer now.

Ama:   Thank you. Please send me an email address so I can forward you my invoice.

 

Here are Ama’s tips for getting what you want

1 – Take control of the conversation.

2 – Get the other person to say yes early.

3 – Go straight to the point.

4 – Ask for more than what you want.

5 – Clarify any point you do not understand.

6 – Listen carefully to the other person.

7- Speak the other person’s language.

8 – Time is your friend – don’t be in a hurry to get to the end.

9 – Don’t be greedy.

10 – Keep cool and be courteous – why let money come between a mutually rewarding relationship?

HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT

Ama is negotiating her fee with Kofi. She has done business with him before. Ama wants to charge Kofi 3,000 Cedis which is 1,000 more than her fee last year. See how she gently gets Kofi to give her what she wants.

 

Kofi:    I need your charges.

Ama:   What are the start and end times?

Kofi:    Looking at a max of 4 hours. Starting at latest 10am. It will follow the same format as the last time.

Ama:   That will be 4K.

Kofi:    Oh how? You paa!

Ama:   Do you want a discount?

Kofi:    Definitely. Like a slash.

Ama:   What’s a slash?

Kofi:    Price slash.

Ama:   Name your price slash.

Kofi:    2,000.

Ama:   That’s 50%.

Kofi:    Yes please.

Ama:   Pay cash today and I accept your offer.

Kofi:    Hahaa! You know I can’t do that. I need approval first. Of the whole event I mean.

Ama:   I can’t accept 50% without approval too.

Kofi:    Hahahaa! Who approves your billing? He or she must be very mean. Let me put 2,000 on the proposal and go seek approval.

Ama:   My offer expires today. We renegotiate upon expiry. Going into a meeting now.

Kofi:    Okay. Let’s do 2,500 expiring in a week.

Ama:   3,500.

Kofi:    That’s a 75% increase from last year.

Ama:   Hahaha. I see you like the percentages game.

Kofi:    Hahaha!

Ama:   So what’s your final answer?

Kofi:    3,000.

Ama:   Thank you. Will send you an invoice later today.

 

Here are Ama’s tips on getting what you want:

1. Be clear about what your fee will cover.
2. Know how much you want.
3. Ask for more than what you want.
4. Be prepared to negotiate.
5. Ask questions.
6. Clarify, clarify, clarify.
7. If you lower your fee, get a commitment for early payment.
8. Use deadlines to move the negotiation forward.
9. Don’t lose your temper.
10. Have fun. It’s just money.

11 Questions Every Event Organizer Should Ask

Are you an event organizer? Want to hire an MC? Here are 11 questions you should ask potential candidates. The reasons for the questions are in brackets.

1. Are you available?

2. What is your fee (To determine if you can afford their fees)

3. When can you meet us to discuss the program? (Determines their readiness to consider the job; the sooner the date the better)

4. When was the last event you emceed? (To see if they are actively working or living on past glories; competent MCs are usually busy)

5. How many events like this one have you handled? (To gauge their experience)

6. What do you think is your role? (To see if they understand their role which among others is to control the event, introduce speakers, provide smooth links in the program and bring energy to the event)

7. Why do you think you should get the job? (What sets them apart from their competition?)

8. What kind of information do you need for the job? (Background to the event, draft program, speaker profiles)

9. How early will you get here on the day of the event? (At least an hour before arrival of guests is a good answer)

10. By what other means can we reach you? (Second phone number, email address)

11. Do you have any questions? (To cover anything that was missed in the previous questions)