How to Be a Good Master of Ceremonies

Posted by Unknown Posted on 06.29 with No comments

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Steps

1
Know your event. These instructions apply to all types of ceremonies, from graduations to bar mitzvahs to celebrity roasts. The key to being a good MC is confidence. Knowing what's going on (and thus what you should talk about) is everything. There's nothing more embarrassing than announcing to 100 people that Joe Blow is about to juggle bowling balls, only to have Jane Doe come out singing a song.
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2
Establish your contact well in advance of the event day. Your contact will tell you the schedule and order of events, allowing you to be prepared. Your preparation will let you focus on interacting with the crowd, instead of trying to be entertaining, and figure out what's going on at the same time.
3
Smile constantly. Smiling shows the crowd that you're at ease and having a good time. You want them to be at ease and have a good time, so you've got to set the example. If need be, imagine in advance several happy or funny scenarios. Play out these scenarios in your head while you're talking to the crowd. Remember the old speech class advice - imagine everyone in the crowd is in their underwear. Your light-heartedness is sure to rub off.
4
Don't forget your main job is to talk to the crowd. You're keeping them informed about the ceremony, and giving the talent or featured individual time to prepare to go onstage.
5
Study your lines. Usually people have lines before they do the actual thing. So study them so your mind won't go blank during the show.
6
Don't stop when you mess up. Sometimes people say the wrong things when they're talking because they're nervous. Don't stress and move on.
7
Try to be funny. Nobody likes a dull host! Try to laugh sometimes and crack a joke once in a while.
8
Stare at something or think of something that makes you "less" nervous. Stare at the wall or a clock and talk to them to make you less nervous.
9
Slow down with your words. If you talk too fast it can lead to stuttering and people watching you can't understand what you say. So slow down when you are talking
10
Ask questions that people might answer. Especially younger crowds with answer "yes" or "no" if you ask a question. It keeps them focused and they won't get distracted.