So you are here on this page because you are soon going to be an emcee for an event.

So how
can you be a good and effective Emcee (Master of Ceremony)?
I remember the first time I went on stage to emcee an event. I was 17, and I was forced to do it as
part of my school assignment. I was afraid, I stumbled over my words, and the butterflies were
running amok in my stomach. However, it was definitely an experience to remember, and I have
since used that and other good/bad experiences to improve my stage presence.
When I have fun as an emcee, it is really such a magical experience that I can’t wait to get back
on stage. However, emceeing does carry its risks of failure. If you do not prepare well, you run
the risk of failure and it can be a really painful experience
What is the role of an Emcee?
An emcee is the host and facilitator of the event. The event can be a wedding, a party, a seminar,
a conference etc. As long as you are holding the microphone on stage, you are the emcee.
The role of an emcee is to warm up the crowd to prepare them for the program ahead. The emcee
sets the tone. You are there to make the main stars of the show look good. You are also there to
make sure there are smooth transitions between different segments of the program so that it
flows smoothly. Should there be any hiccup, the emcee will have to ensure minimal disruptions
to the program.

1. Prepare for an effective event opening

When people are waiting for an event to start, they are usually restless and raring to go. If you
come out without an effective opening, it will set the dull tone for the entire event, and trust me,
your event will not go down well.
Research has shown that people decide if they like you within seconds of meeting you. So now
imagine you are on stage facing hundreds or thousands of people. You have that window of
seconds for the first impression to make those people like you. This will set the tone for the
entire event.
Think of the Olympic games and the elaborate opening ceremony to kick start the games. Now
think of an “elaborate emcee opening ceremony” to kick start your event!
2. Bring on stage positive and energetic vibes
The last thing people want to hear from an emcee is a dull and low energy presentation. Imagine
you are at a conference and the emcee comes on with zero energy. The speakers that the emcee
introduce will also bring with them low energy, and so will the crowd. With the entire tone of the
event at such a low energy setting, your event will not go well.
So as an emcee, always bring with you positive and energetic vibes on stage. You do not have to
jump around on stage (unless the occasion calls for it), but you will have to sound bright and
enthusiastic for the program ahead.
The more energy you have, the more engaged the audience will be, and if you’re excited, your
audience will get excited. But if you’re dull and boring, there’s a good chance your audience will
also be bored.

3. The emcee sets the tone for the event

In addition to point (2) above, while the emcee is not the star, the emcee will set the tone for the
event. There are times to be serious, and times to have fun. If the emcee is all over the place,
there will be no focus. It is thus important to find a good balance to set the tone for the event.
A good emcee will be able to read the crowd and set the correct tone for the entire event.
4. Control the timing of the proceedings
The emcee will have the ultimate control of the event proceedings. While there may be a stage
manager to help manage the schedule, but by being on stage, the emcee will have control over
what happens.

Always ensure that you are on top of your time management. If one segment overruns, see if you
can recover by cutting some time off another segment.  If one segment is too short, you can drag
the next segment out. Ultimately, you will have to ensure that the event starts and ends on time.
5. Always introduce the speaker’s bio
While you will already be acquainted with the speaker before introducing him on stage, members
of the audience may not know who the speaker is. Often, the success of that segment will depend
on the participants knowing the credentials or background of the speaker. This background
knowledge will play an important role in establishing credibility and rapport between the speaker
and participant.
Remember to make the speaker look good.

6 tips to make your seminar or event emcee script

sparkle
November 26, 2014

by Andy Saks

“Hey, we really need an emcee for our upcoming event. Last year we didn’t have an
emcee, and the event was so lifeless and dull. Would you do the honors?”

This is the moment many would-be emcees dread. They’re drafted into service, and
take the gig reluctantly. Does that sound like your situation?

If I asked you why you’re filled with such trepidation, you might respond, “I don’t know

what to say” or “I’m afraid I’ll say the wrong thing and bomb.”
You’ve already embraced a worst-case scenario featuring you on stage, fumbling
awkwardly for words, humiliating yourself in front of legions of people with camera
phones and YouTube access.

If that’s your vision, know this: you can have fun as an emcee. It can be done. I’ve done
it.

And when you have fun as an emcee, it really is a magical experience. You generate a
connective energy in the room that’s just intoxicating, and will leave you wanting to do it
again.

But as with any live performance, emcee work does carry a real risk of failure. If you
don’t prepare well, you won’t execute well, and that experience is exactly as
excruciating as you think it is.

RELATED POSTS:

4 Key Tips to Help You Be a Good Emcee

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WHY BAD EMCEEING

HAPPENS TO GOOD PEOPLE
In my experience, the most common reason emcee gigs don’t end well is this: the
emcees don’t start their shows well. They fumble through the critical first few minutes,
setting an awkward, underwhelming tone from which it’s hard to recover.

This post, the first of a two-part set, will help you avoid that. As a professional emcee for
AT&T (read about that), Best Buy, Microsoft and others, I’ve learned over many years
and events that a great emcee performance starts with a great emcee script.

Here are six key components good emcee scripts include, and many not-so-good
emcee scripts leave out. They’ll help you connect, relax and establish yourself in the
opening minutes of your event, which will make everything else flow better.
 

EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 1:

USE A “VOICE OF GOD” INTRODUCTION
It’s true what they say about first impressions: you never get a second chance to make
one. Your first impression sets the tone for the whole event.

So what do you want your first impression to be? In those key opening seconds of a
special event, you no doubt want to create eager anticipation, energy, and suspense.

That won’t happen if you just walk on the stage and start talking over your audience
members (or shushing them). That approach ensures your program will start with an
awkward whimper, not a bang.

Instead, use what’s called a “Voice of God” introduction to start your proceedings.

The VoG isn’t complicated; it’s literally just someone with a deep radio announcer voice
starting your event by standing offstage somewhere and introducing you before you
take the stage. Here’s a sample:

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to [event]. And now, here’s your host, [name]!”

You can even tweak it with some fun wordplay that enhances your emcee credibility.
For example, when I emceed one of the AMD/Microsoft North American Tech Tours
back in 2005, my Voice of God introduction emphasized my knowledge of blazing-fast
computer chip speed, which was the event’s theme:

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the AMD/Microsoft Tech Tour 2005. And now,
please welcome your host, the Seeker of Speed, the Sultan of Swiftness, the one, the
only, Andy Saks!”

See for yourself; here’s the video from our Seattle show on that tour. As you can see,
the VoG intro works even better when the house lights are down, the spotlights move
wildly, and there are very loud guitars playing.
Don’t have someone to do this for you live? Don’t be afraid to deliver your own. I’ve
delivered my own Voice of God introductions at events I’ve emceed, introducing myself
while hiding behind the crew table, then running on stage to start the show. Or try
having your VoG intro pre-recorded by a professional; you can find countless voice-over
artists at freelance sites who’ll do this for a song.

EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 2:

THANK EVERYONE
Successful emcees are both grand and humble. You can demonstrate the humble part
by immediately acknowledging the contributions of everyone who helped create your
event, showing your audience you know your event isn’t all about you.

Here’s a partial list of people you can thank:

1. THE EVENT PLANNERS for planning a great event. Event planners are the unsung
heroes of events, and tend to get noticed only when something goes wrong. They
deserve a BIG moment of recognition. As as the emcee, you’re perfectly positioned to
deliver it by inciting a round of applause from your audience.

2. THE PRODUCTION CREW for building the set, lighting, audio, video, slides,
decorations, etc. The production crews I’ve worked with toil tirelessly, hauling massive
cases from the loading dock, assembling scaffolding, seating, video wiring and drapery
for hours, then running the whole show from the crew table. They too deserve your
public acknowledgement. (Plus, it never hurts to throw some love toward the folks who
control your lighting and sound).

3. THE AUDIENCE for showing up. Without them, you’re just a crazy person talking to
an empty room, right? Thank your audience members sincerely for their time, their
attention, and (if it applies) their passion and efforts for your organization and its
mission. You’ll win them over and give credit where it’s due all at once!
Here’s a sample video of me thanking the audience when I served as auctioneer at the
Boston Jewish Film Festival’s 2012 Gala, held at Theatre 1 in Boston. Starting around
the 0:45 mark (and leading up to that) you’ll see me thanking the audience and telling
them what their contributions mean to the BJFF:

EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 3:

TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE
Sounds obvious, right? You’d be amazed at how many emcees I’ve seen who forget to
identify themselves.

This lapse leaves a nagging hole in your audience’s understanding of the proceedings.
They see you, but don’t know who you are or why you’ve been chosen for this central
role in the event. So while you’re off pontificating about other topics, they’re still
ruminating on why you’re up there to begin with.

Ah, but maybe you’re confident that everyone in your audience already knows you?
Introduce yourself anyway. There may be friends, colleagues, special guests, and
spouses in your audience who don’t know you. And those who know who you are may
not really understand what you do, or how and why you got tapped for the emcee role.

I’d suggest mentioning:

— Your first and last name (yes, both)

— Your official title in the organization sponsoring the event

— Your role within that organization (summed up in one casual phrase or sentence)

— Some sense of why you were tapped as the emcee

* BONUS: Express to your audience that you’re honored and humbled to serve in the
emcee role. Reassure them you know how special it is, and you’re happy to do it.

 
 EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 4: 
TURN YOUR MONOLOGUE INTO A CHAT
Emcees can get overwhelmed with performance anxiety before taking the
stage, wondering how they’ll do all that talking when their hearts are pounding and their
limbs are shaking.

If that’s you, share your speaking burden with your audience by engaging them in
something of a conversation. The most common approach is to ask three questions on
a relevant topic, such as who’s attended previous events, or who’s traveled the farthest
to attend this year. The first question sets the terms, the second ups the ante, and the
third plays off the first two as a joke.

Here’s a sample script:

“Show of hands: who traveled at least two hours to be here?” [Audience members raise
hands.]

“Who traveled at least four hours to be here?” [Some audience members keep hands
up, others lower hands.]

“Who never left last year’s event?” [Audience laughs; all hands go down.]

Here’s a video sample for you: In 2012, I emceed an IT seminar for Spark client Atrion
called AlwaysOn Symposium, held at the Putnam Club at Gillette Stadium (home of the
New England Patriots football team). I snuck in TWO of these three-question sets:

— At the 2:03 mark, I asked audience members about their association with the stadium
(the Wes Welker reference related to a photo on the screen of an Atrion employee
wearing a painted face and Welker jersey).

— At the 2:40 mark, I polled audience members about their attendance at past
AlwaysOn Symposia, and saved the biggest “ginormous” round of applause for first-time
attendees.
In the 15-20 seconds it takes to ask questions, you’ve not only lessened your own
performance anxiety with a few key seconds to breathe and collect your thoughts.
You’ve connected directly with your audience members, assessed their collective mood,
discovered the extroverts (who respond to every question) and introverts (who always
stay silent), and shown everyone you care about their contributions to the proceedings,
all of which helps you relax on stage.

EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 5:

SHARE KEY EVENT INFORMATION
When an event starts, audience members will inevitably be harboring nagging logistical
questions about it:

Will I get home in time to relieve the babysitter? Who validates my parking? Should I
pee now, or wait for a break?

If you don’t answer these questions, they tend to become distractions that prevent your
audience members from giving you their full attention.

In your first few minutes on stage, put them at ease and set their expectations by giving
them the full agenda for your event. Here are some details worth including:

— The general order of proceedings in your event (what happens first, second, third,
etc.)

— When you’ll take a break for a meal, networking time, etc., and how long the break
will last

— Where key elements of the venue are located, like restrooms, prize tables, and
autograph sessions

— Explicit instructions for anything in which audience members are directly involved (“In
ten minutes, we’ll ask each of you to vote for your favorite item using cards we’ll
distribute when the vote starts, so start thinking now about who gets your vote!”)
 

EMCEE SCRIPT TIP 6:

TELL THEM WHY YOUR EVENT IS SPECIAL
Special events should be just that: special. Part of giving your event that extra shine is
helping audience members understand the deeper contextual meaning of your event.

For example, let’s say you’re serving as master of ceremonies for an awards banquet.
Most audience members probably assume you’ve all gathered to merely facilitate the
award distribution. But that could be done privately (and far more cheaply). So why the
pomp and circumstance?

It’s your job to answer that question, to inject more meaning to that procedure by
framing the awards, the nominees, the winners, the cause, the occasion and the
organization in a larger, more meaningful context.

Start by answering questions like these:

— Why are your honorees worth honoring?

— If your event has a theme, why did you pick it?

— Why are you holding your event at this specific venue or room? Why is it special?
What does it symbolize?

— How does your event relate to your organization, industry, location, cause, the
greater world around you?

Connect your event to something greater than itself–and connected to your audience–
and you’ll instantly make it more profound and memorable.

Start with these six steps and you’ll be well on your way to an emcee script and
performance that’s fun, inspiring, and memorable for all the right reasons!
Here’s one more unofficial emcee tip: HAVE FUN. Really! Relax. Enjoy yourself. Smile.
Find ways to let loose (a little). The more you embrace your master of ceremonies
role with joy and excitement, the more fun you’ll have, the more fun your audience will
have, and the more likely you are to look forward to doing it all over again next year.

RELATED POSTS:

4 Key Tips to Help You Be a Good Emcee

10 PowerPoint Alternatives That Make Your Presentation Memorable

Got a question or a tip of your own to add? Need more details or an example?
Wondering if your emcee idea will work? Share your thoughts in the Comments field
below, or contact Andy directly anytime!