When we envision a professional speaker, we often think of the keynote role. The keynote speaker is the first speaker at an event, setting the tone for the day.
But there is another speaking role that we forget: the emcee or host. They are the actual first speaker on the stage, introducing the keynote, opening and closing the event. They set the tone. Are they polished? Funny? Serious? Based on how the emcee kicks things off, the audience knows what to expect.
The host or emcee introduces all the other speakers, makes announcements and guides the audience through the day’s program. They are responsible for the event moving smoothly and for stepping in if there are any delays, changes or special announcements to make. Unlike the featured speakers, the emcee may have been involved in planning meetings with the event team, so they are more aware of the overall schedule, not just their part of the day. A great emcee can make the event organizer’s life much easier by being aware of expectations and the event’s goals and acting accordingly.
An emcee or host role is a coveted speaking opportunity. Speakers often seek it out because it’s high visibility, frequently a compensated role and deeply embedded with the event organizers, an underappreciated way to cement an important relationship.
Positioning yourself as primarily an emcee has both similarities and differences to positioning yourself as a speaker. If you are seeking emcee roles, you need all the attributes of a speaker, as well as organizational and time management skills and the ability to think on your feet. The best emcees have a healthy ego but also know when to put it away for the sake of the show.
Are you looking to get into the emcee game?
Know thyself and position thyself accordingly. You might not be the right emcee for a corporate event or a conference, but just right for that festival or big party, or vice versa. Build your emcee brand and showcase your personality. List emcee/host on your website and speaker profile pages. Talk about the tone of the events you are best suited for. Share photos and video clips of yourself hosting onstage.
You’ll want all the same basic tools that a traditional speaker has – testimonials, video, speaker one sheet, website or online profile, bio and headshot. Add in some action shots and emcee-specific photos and video. Make sure your speaker resume calls out your emcee or host experience.
Establish relationships with the event planners and notify those you have worked with previously as a speaker that you now also offer emcee services.
Understand the business side of emcee work. You are not just showing up “day-of”. You have responsibilities beforehand, including:
- Pre-event meetings and briefings
- Prep, including scripting, timed practice and rehearsals to ensure things run on time
- Coordination with the event team, AV team and speakers.
Practice and grow.
The best emcees remain calm and collected under pressure. Improv training is great for thinking on your feet and being able to roll with unexpected changes. (Take an improv class or two to understand the basics but know that advanced improv training and understanding should be an ongoing process.) The more emcee experience you have, the more you will have seen and figured out how to deal with things like:
- The speaker going over their time or finishing early.
- AV issues – mics that don’t work or slides that don’t advance.
- Misspelled or tough-to-pronounce names
- Missing biographies or introductions
The best emcees have a plan for each one of these issues. The most efficient emcees likewise have repeatable systems and templates for everything from their opening and closing remarks to sponsor thank-yous and audience engagement.
With practice, you too can add host and emcee duties to your speaking repertoire.
