A good emcee might be a pleasure to watch and listen to, but a great emcee is truly mesmerizing. Their indisputable ability to connect with the audience and bring an event to life is something otherworldly, and it is pure art.
Whether it is a conference, gala dinner, D&D, or roadshow, the emcee is the glue that binds it all together. Effortlessly bridging the gap between the stage and the audience, a proficient host knows how to read the room, instinctively guiding the crowd and keeping guests interested and involved.
These skills don’t come naturally, but they are honed through years of experience, intuition, and hard work. And now, we’ll share them with you! In this blog post, we’ll share some secrets from Emcee Rayson, a top emcee with over 200 events under his belt.
The Start
An emcee is on trial the moment he or she gets on stage with a microphone. Whether it’s a lunar new year celebration or another type of event, your opening should be rock-solid, commanding attention and instantly starting to build rapport with the audience. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so be sure you make it count.
Also, the welcome message should be completely customized and highly relevant to the audience. Use your body language, voice, and energy to set the stage for the event and highlight what’s to come.
Reading the Room
This is any emcee’s superpower. First, you’ll need to understand your audience’s mood and demographics. Singaporeans by nature are fairly quiet and reserved, so you’ll need to read carefully between to lines and adjust your tone, pace, and humour.
Know when you should energize the crowd, or when you should tone things down. Try different ways of drumming up enthusiasm and see what works for the crowd you’re speaking to.
Connect With Your Audience
When you’re hosting an event, the folks in the audience are your greatest supporters. Get them on your side, and you’ll enjoy their undivided attention which will help easily keep them engaged. Humour is your best bet, but be careful, especially in formal affairs like gala nights or conferences. Try to keep things tasteful and subtle, not slapstick or too in-your-face.
You’ll have a bit more leeway during casual events like family days or company D&Ds. You can chat with your event organizer and have some inside jokes under your belt, or use references to pop culture or current events.
Create Interactive Moments
Many events can be long and tedious, like corporate events or conferences that run all day. Break the lecture-style monotony up by using live polls, games, Q&As, trivia, or planned games.
Two-way engagement works way better than passive listening, so get every attendee involved and feeling included, but don’t push too far or you might put them on the spot.
Smooth Transitions
Awkward pauses and confusion can be the downfall of any event, making it look poorly planned and inefficient. Be sure that you can easily link each segment with the next, and be prepared for any delays.
For example, if the next speaker isn’t ready or is late, quickly announce a coffee break and have some music ready. You can also prepare some filler content to keep the energy up, like a surprise quiz with some questions that are relevant to the next segment.
Be Prepared
In the world of events, we are extremely familiar with Murphy’s Law. Even with our extensive experience, there is no predicting the unforeseen, often disruptive issues that will come up, no matter how careful we are.
Be prepared to think on the fly and quickly redirect the focus of the event elsewhere if you need to. Have several tricks up your sleeve, like a quick quiz, interactive segment, or a few stories that are relevant to the event. Always stay calm and think on your feet. A well-timed, tasteful joke can turn an annoying issue into a positive, funny one.
Step Back
At some point, tactfully step back and let the spotlight shine on others. For example, when you introduce speakers, award dinners, or other guests on stage, let them take the spotlight, but always be ready to jump in to support them and help them be their best. Sometimes, you are a facilitator, not the main focus.
Time-Keeping
A 5-minute delay might not seem a lot, but multiply that by 10 segments and you have yourself an unhappy audience just itching to go home. Be strict with the timing and keep things moving with utmost precision.
Nothing makes us prouder than a successful event with a happy client and a happier audience. Good luck, and we wish you all the best in your emcee journey!
