One of the easiest ways to hire a master of ceremonies (MC) is to list down recommendations from friends and associates. You can narrow down the list by meeting with the candidates and asking them a few important questions, which may include their availability for your event date and talent fees. You may be able to throw in a few more questions such as the candidate’s experience in events that are similar to yours, fields of expertise and if they have any references.
These questions will get you to a good start when interviewing candidates to host your next event. However, it is even more important for you to keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for these five essential qualities of a brilliant MC.
1. Voice Quality
You can’t acquire this one quality through practice. While some may be able to improve on their voice quality with a few speech techniques, nothing beats a natural crystal clear voice. A voice that registers well with and without amplification is a plus. A good voice quality should sound so clear that you could almost distinguish each spoken syllable separately. By just having a good speaking voice, it will be easier for an MC to grab the attention of an audience. It will be helpful if the MC can provide you with any of their uploaded videos and audio recordings for you to have a better idea of how their voice registers via the audio system.
2. Speech
Having a good voice is one thing, and being able to use it properly is another. Observe how the MC speaks and expresses themself. Do they enunciate their words and phrases well? Can you understand the words coming from them clearly? Do they articulate their thoughts with ease? If you are impressed by this and the previous quality, then you already have a strong MC candidate for your next event.
3. Sense of Humor
Sense of humor is a must-have for all MCs. They can use it to keep an audience interested, engage them, reel them back in if their attention drifted off and even influence them. A good MC should have an ample repertoire of jokes and one-liners, but an exceptional MC should be able to come up with jokes on the fly.
4. Ability to Improvise
Many things may not go as planned during an event. The sound system may act up, some guest speakers may cause the audience to lose interest or an unruly audience member may disrupt the program. It is in these situations where one can distinguish easily between a good and an excellent MC. A skilled MC will be able to keep their composure should anything unexpected occurs and can spin it to make the event more colorful. You’ll only be able to observe such a skill if the MC can provide you with videos and audio recordings of their hosting gigs.
5. Experience
Experience in hosting a similar event, as mentioned earlier, should earn the MC some good points. If the MC has also been in the business for a number of years, it is a good indication that they are good at what they do.
It would be a bit of a stretch to find an MC that excels in all of the qualities mentioned above. However, an MC with the right mix of any the qualities should be able to host your event well and make a significant contribution to its success.
