How to MC an event

To be an MC, I asked the masters, Ty Boyd CSP, CPAE and Joe Larson CSP, CPAE back in the mid 80’s.

Here’s what they told me:

1. Prepare well ahead of time and talk to everyone before hand to know what they will share, how long they will take, what AV they will need, etc. Get a feel for them as to speaking ability.

2. Develop a block of material to go with the theme, the titles of the speakers talks and to keep the energy up, without you becoming the whole show.

3. Know every piece of equipment and AV to guarantee their are no problems, it’s part of your responsibility.

4. Put all your notes for each intro and outro on index cards and number then so you can change on the fly. Practice so you don’t really have to have the notes.

5. Plan jokes, segways, stretch breaks into your sections to keep energy up.

6. Practice with any event organizer or show provider for lighting, cueing AV and where presenters will enter and exit from.

7. It’s helpful if you have some material planned in case of a no-show or some short presenters.

8. Refer back to previous speakers when introducing the next speaker. Help to weave a thread so its one continuous event rather than just separate speeches.