Knowing how to properly introduce yourself on stage is a must-have skill for any emcee out there. But knowing the right way to do so might be a little tricky.
Key Takeaways
- E – Engage your listeners
- M – Maintain a high level of confidence
- C – Customize your approach
- E – Establish yourself as an expert
- E – Energize the entire atmosphere
Being an emcee isn’t as easy as the pros make it look. And when it comes to emceeing an event, the beginning of your speech is always the hardest!
Keep reading, and I’ll let you know five tips for introducing yourself as an EMCEE at your next event.
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#1. Engage The Crowd
Being an emcee isn’t as easy as it may seem. When you watch the pros on stage, it looks like a piece of cake.
But once you get up there yourself, you realize it’s anything but.
Speaking on stage can be a scary and daunting experience for some. Many people suffer from stage fright, so if you’re used to being overcome with nerves when it’s time to step on stage, you’re not alone!
A great way to gain confidence on stage is by starting off strong.
And to do that, you need to be able to introduce yourself properly.
As an experienced corporate emcee, I’ve gathered some great tips for introducing oneself as an emcee.
So, if you want to start your next speech off the right way, keep reading. I’ll use the acronym EMCEE to share five of my top tips with you!
Prioritizing Audience Interaction
Nowadays, people have much shorter attention spans than they used to. And that just means you’ll need to go above and beyond to captivate your audience during your introduction!
First impressions truly matter. If you want to make your mark as an emcee, you need to prove to your listeners right away that you’re worth it.
The key to presenting yourself properly as an emcee is to focus on engaging your listeners.
After all, this is the perfect (and only) chance for you to capture the attention of the event attendees. And that’s only possible if you truly engage the audience!
Depending on what kind of speech you’re delivering, there are a few different ways to do this.
You can try simple methods, like starting with a powerful statement or an interesting fact. This is a foolproof way to immediately pique the curiosity of the audience and make them eager to hear more.
But a better way to do so is by utilizing things like humor or fun activities. When people feel entertained, they can truly open up and feel engaged with a speaker!
#2. Maintain A High Level Of Confidence
Introducing yourself might seem like a simple task at first. But it can be an uphill battle if you ignore the basics!
Every emcee should be at least familiar with the foundations of public speaking. But one thing that you should be sure to never forget when introducing yourself is confidence.
Fake It Till You Make It!
Even if you’re nervous or a tad unsure about what comes next, you can never lack confidence on stage.
This is the lifeblood of any performer, entertainer, or speaker, and you need to be sure you’re always ripe with it!
Exude confidence through your body language, tone of voice, and overall presentation. This’ll help you establish credibility on stage and gain your audience’s trust and attention.
But confidence is about more than just appearing capable. When you believe in yourself and your abilities, the audience will feel more at ease and be better receptive to what you are going to say!
#3. Customize Your Approach
If you’re expecting to use the same introduction word-for-word for every audience you speak to, you’re in for a surprise.
You can’t treat each crowd exactly the same and expect to pull off a successful intro each time!
The key to presenting yourself properly as an emcee is to tailor your introduction to the specific event and audience.
Be mindful of who you’re talking to and what the event is all about.
No One Likes The Same Ol’, Same Ol’
A personalized and unique message as your introduction is bound to be better than anything else. No one likes to listen to generic speeches!
Just be sure to do your homework.
Research the event, its purpose, and the audience demographics beforehand.
Then, show genuine interest and understanding of the audience’s needs and aspirations. This will help your audience feel more comfortable and at ease with you as the speaker.
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#4. Establish Yourself As A Trusted Expert
A big part of being an emcee is entertaining the room. You need to be able to keep your audience engaged and listening from start to finish.
But that’s not all that goes into it!
Especially for more technical speeches, your introduction should be used to establish yourself as a credible speaker.
To keep it simple, you can start by sharing your background, credentials, experience, knowledge, or any other achievements that would be used to win over your audience.
Keep it concise and relevant to avoid overshadowing the main purpose of the event.
You don’t want to bore anyone!
The goal here is just to assure the audience that you are the right person to guide them through the event. Plus, it’s important for them to understand that you have the necessary skills and expertise to create a memorable experience for them.
#5. Energize The Entire Room!
Your introduction is the first chance for the audience to get a taste of the rest of the evening.
They came to the event to enjoy some energizing entertainment and fun activities, so show them that they came to the right place!
If you start your introduction or speech with a side of boredom and blah, the audience will remember it till the end. And they’ll feel as if they’re about to waste their evening.
The key to having a great intro as an emcee is to energize the entire room. Your listeners should feel sparks of joy and excitement from start to finish.
Set a positive and enthusiastic tone by using things like appropriate gestures and vocal variations.
Be sure to inject energy into everything you say in order to create a vibrant and engaging atmosphere for the event!
It’s a good idea to encourage audience interaction and participation to create a dynamic and thrilling environment. Setting a lively tone from the start will create a positive momentum that will continue until the end.
Wrapping Up
Being an emcee might be challenging, but you’ll be off to a great start if you focus on delivering a great introduction. With these tips in mind, it’ll be easier than ever to do so!
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Adam Christing has been called “The Tom Brady of emcees.” He has hosted more than 1,000 company meetings, special events, gala celebrations, and more. He is the author of several books and founder of CleanComedians.com. For more event tips, follow Adam Christing on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
