“A good MC can make an event: they are the glue and the pacesetter, they keep the energy up and
make everyone else’s day so much easier. I always use one if the event really matters.”

DO YOU NEED AN MC FOR YOUR EVENT?

This decision challenges staff who once a year are asked to suddenly become event managers. This short article aims to point out the real role of an MC and how a good MC can make a real difference.

WHAT SHOULD AN MC DO (Minimum!)

• Set out the order of the event at the start.
• Calm the room and get their attention to make sure that a guest takes the floor to a quiet, attentive audience, especially if the speaker is not a professional.

  “ OK, thanks folks, I need you to focus on the stage now, thank-you , if I could get your attention….THANK-YOU  LADIES AND GENTLEMEN”. In an inattentive distracted room ‘talent’ should not have to win this battle.

• Introduce any speaker in such a way that the audience will appreciate the person’s purpose and indeed their special qualities:

  “ We are extremely lucky to have with us today someone  extremely talented, the best in their field  and someone whose presence here is a real honour for the rest of us” You cannot let  the guest speaker make these claims about themselves.

• Relieve VIPs from the mundane: drawing raffles, giving bathroom directions, smoking rules, closing times etc.

This is important information but it is undignified content for a CEO or guest presenter.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES A GREAT MC MAKE?

• Work before the event with an organiser to make sure the running sheet ‘works’.
• Uses humour to keep even mundane announcements interesting.
• Gauges the attention span of the room and knows when to speed up or slow down an event, all the while assessing deadlines, catering, the concerns of other speakers and countless other variables.
• Continually acts as go-between managing the audience expectation of content with the content itself; (effectively but not explicitly saying sometimes - “you don’t think you want to listen to this next item but I can assure you, you do!”)
• Some very experienced MCs are good interviewers. They can make an expert who is not a great speaker interesting and relieve, say, a sportsman, from making a poor speech.
• Remember that an expert is probably a bad choice as an interviewer or moderator type MC - one winemaker cannot ask another “exactly what are tannins?” A champion cricketer cannot ask another one “ what is it like to be in the Australian dressing room?”.

SOME MC TIPS

• Don’t say anything important until you KNOW they are listening.
• Avoid scheduling important content while waiters are moving about the room.
• You can only say “folks I need your attention now” so many times.  A three course meal implies a three course presentation.

DO I NEED A PROFESSIONAL MC ?

• Is the event important ? 
• Are there clients present? Can you afford to fail?
• Do you have the experience to set the pace and read the room?
• Are you humorous? No really …..are you?
• Do you want to relax and let someone experienced handle nitty gritty?

WHO CAN DO THIS?

• Get someone who has been referred by someone you trust.
• Be wary of speaker’s bureaux, they will not tell you they have poor talent.
• Do you need a media star? Working with cameras and crew who do what they are told is no preparation for dealing with live audiences. Some are really good but some are just expensive because they are famous. Check!