The Effective Emcee
Your job is to warm the audience and prepare them for the speaker(s). Your part is extremely important to the overall flow of the meeting, but you must remember that you are not the “show.” You should not tell a joke or give a mini-presentation. It is your goal to make the speaker(s) look good.
Smooth introductions that are succinct work in everyone’s favor. Many professional speakers will bring you and/or send you a written introduction. Take time to read it over and check with the speaker on the pronunciation of any of the words that are unfamiliar to you — making notes on the pronunciation. If the speaker(s) you will be introducing hasn’t handed you an introduction, conduct a mini-interview and write down what you plan to say. Just “winging it” or going on and on about how long you’ve known old Joe and what a good guy he is, will give him a disadvantage.
Smooth transitions are a necessity. A proficient emcee realizes the importance of transitions and handles them with ease. When there are two or more speakers and/or other parts included in the program, the emcee must work to keep the mood on an even keel. For example, if the first speaker ended his or her presentation on an emotional note, the emcee needs to bring the audience back to a neutral frame of mind, otherwise the next speaker will start with a disadvantage. Transitions should not be lengthy. They can consist of a positive comment, a quote (have many ready), a short story that relates, or a chance for everyone to stand up and stretch.
It is the emcee’s job to keep the program moving on time. Even though the speaker(s) have been given a time schedule, not every presenter stays within the limit. It will be your responsibility as the emcee to keep everyone on time. Before you start, tell them that you will give them a signal when they have five, three and one minutes left, and stress that the time schedule is important for the success of the program. If they are going way past their time, you might have to gracefully take to the stage. As emcee, keep your comments as short as possible.
Tags: Emceeing, Joke, Proficient Emcee