Organizing an event can be overwhelming because there are plenty of things to consider. But with careful planning and the right partner, this can be made easy and successful.
One excellent partner you should hire is a master of ceremonies or MC. This professional serves as the face of your event – how they act will have a massive impact on the event producers, audience, and speakers. They can bring life to all the work the team has done behind the scenes.
However, hiring anevent MC is not easy. There are important considerations to keep in mind to ensure that you find someone who fits your unique corporate values and goals.
Here is everything you must know about hiring an event presenter:
Why Hire an MC?
A professional MC plays a vital role in ensuring the success of any gathering. If you are still doubtful about hiring one for your upcoming event, here are three compelling reasons:
1. An MC sets the tone for the event
Setting the scene is part of the expertise of professional presenters. You can have the latest technology used to make your event successful, like lighting drones, but if the presenter of the event is not able to engage your guests, it will have a negative effect on your event.
2. They keep the guests engaged
Keeping the audience energized and engaged can be a difficult task for most people, but not for an expert event host. The right MC ensures that the crowd is always engaged by:
- Giving structural pauses between sessions, especially if the content is information-heavy and lengthy
- Roaming around the crowd to encourage everyone to donate money, participate during auctions, and buy raffle tickets
- Creating a logical flow between different topics, simplifying the event and conveying the message to the right audience
- Controlling chatter or hovering near table groups to avert signs of tuning out
3. They keep the event running on schedule
People have different commitments, and events that run late can annoy and inconvenience the guests, which can cause your event to leave a bad impression on your audience. Delays are sometimes inevitable, but the MC can come up with something to get the event back on track.
For instance, the running order can be shuffled, or the different segments can be shortened if the gathering is behind schedule. Likewise, if the event is progressing ahead of schedule, the MC fills time to keep the crowd engaged until everything is ready.
When to Hire
In any industry, organizing an event is inevitable. Hiring a professional MC is imperative instead of using someone within your organization. Here are the different types of events that can benefit from the expertise of a professional presenter:
● Product launches
If you are promoting a new product or service, a professional MC can help attract potential investors and customers to your event. This reputable industry expert can endorse your new offering in a way that aligns with your objectives, maximizing brand awareness and sales. The MC can also make sure that the event addresses everyone’s desire to know more about the new product.
● Awards ceremonies
Giving rewards to your employees is an excellent way to motivate them to always be at their best and maintain loyalty to your organization. An experienced event host is capable of entertaining the crowd with apt comments, insights, and jokes that suit the occasion. Their hosting style can create a celebratory tone to keep the audience engaged.
● Business conferences
Corporate conferences are educational, which often include interactive gatherings with debates and discussions among expert speakers. A host with refined facilitation skills and excellent industry knowledge will make these meetings more productive and organized.
● Fundraising events
Fundraising events are often hosted at an elegant venue. Ticket prices can be high, so make sure that the audience can maximize what they have paid for.
The MC will ensure that the guests are always engaged and comfortable throughout the event. Also, they must be capable of motivating the crowd to make donations and participate in auction biddings by mingling with and engaging the crowd.
How to Hire
Finding the best presenter who fits your event is crucial. Here are tips to make sure that you hire someone whose hosting style and personality fits your event’s vibe.
● Understand the audience demographics
The audience demographics are vital when choosing a presenter. Factors to consider are the crowd’s age, ethnicity, industry, and values. These elements will influence the needs and interests of the audience and determine how well the host will connect with them.
● Ask for references
If you have attended an engaging event, take note of who the MC is. If not, ask the event organizer about the presenter’s contact information. If you know or have experienced how the MC carried out an event, you will have an idea of how your own event will turn out.
● Clarify the event’s goal
Be very clear about the purpose of your event. Make sure that the MC knows why you are holding the event, who the audience is, and how the guests can benefit from it. This way, the presenter can develop a strategy and program that fits your company’s goal and audience.
● Consider HEART
Make sure to hire an MC who creates memorable memories and uses lots of HEART: Humor, Encouragement, Attitude, Reliability, and Team Spirit.
- Humor – An experienced MC knows when to crack a joke. Choose a clever host who can keep the guests feeling great throughout the event. The humor must appeal to everyone and call for participation and must be personalized for your audience, fun, and not offensive.
- Engagement – Your MC should know how to make the guests feel involved and create moments of engagement.
- Attitude – Confidence is a crucial attribute to look for, but you don’t want someone arrogant to host your event. The best attitude refers to being enthusiastic and grateful. The MC must be connected to the vibe you want for your event.
- Reliability – The knowledge and skills of a presenter are useless when they arrive late or suddenly cancel on you. Choose an MC who shows up early and prepared. Also, a professional event host wants to meet you personally, check the room and professional audio equipment, brief the other speakers, and make you feel comfortable.
- Team Spirit – There is no “I” in an event. Its success will depend on how one party works with another. Nothing beats partnering with an excellent master of ceremonies. This professional acts as the orchestrator or ringleader, bringing out the best in every speaker and highlighting everything about the occasion. Team spirit can also be portrayed by encouraging the crowd to congratulate other speakers and leading by example.
The master of ceremonies has several duties – behind the scenes, during the event, and even after the gathering. They keep the guests engaged and energized by interacting with them. To fill time, they can even tell appropriate stories and jokes to ensure that there will never be dull moments. But not all MCs are created equal, so make sure to choose wisely who to work with. Aside from knowledge and skill, look into their attitude as well. If you haven’t used a presenter before, now is the time to beef up your game. Hire the right MC and make your event even better.
