If you’re an experienced emcee, you know that just “winging it” isn’t an option. From corporate conferences to company retreats, having a plan to captivate and engage your audience is essential. If you’re not fully prepared to step on stage, your time in the spotlight is bound to end in awkward and nervous fumbles. One crucial element to that plan? Knowing how to write a script.
Key Takeaways
- S – Storytelling and personal anecdotes
- C – Creativity and authenticity
- R – Relevance
- I – Interaction and humor
- P – Preparation and planning
- T – Tone and delivery
Striking the perfect balance between humor and wisdom takes practice. But if you want to energize and “wow” the audience, you need to know how to make your emcee script stand out.
Keep reading, and I’ll share six ways you can make your emcee SCRIPT leave your audience entertained and wanting more!
See Related: 9 Types Of Corporate Events And Why You Need An Emcee For Each Of Them
#1. Storytelling And Personal Anecdotes
One of the hardest things you can do in life is speak in front of a crowd. It’s one of the most common fears there is!
Perhaps you struggle with stage fright like 73% of the population, or you’re up against a particularly difficult audience. Regardless of your unique challenges, being able to take command of your script to engage an audience can be a difficult task.
However, nearly any event won’t be complete without someone to run the show. There needs to be a speaker on stage to ensure everything runs smoothly while keeping the audience entertained and happy.
This person is known as the master of ceremonies, or emcee/MC for short.
What Does An MC Do In An Event?
A master of ceremonies is just that. This speaker is the one who will be the expert on the upcoming event, being able to do everything from making timely announcements to giving a warm welcome to the guests that arrive.
So, what are the true duties of an emcee?
Here are some basic responsibilities that almost all emcees need to know how to handle before stepping on stage. An emcee will
- Kick off the event and establish a welcoming atmosphere
- Introduce special guests and other speakers involved
- Represent the organization hosting the event
- Establish the event agenda and go over house rules
- Make transitions and ensure activities run smoothly
Of course, this list isn’t exhaustive. The duties of an emcee often vary from gig to gig, and any speaker needs to approach each and every event in a unique manner.
As a professional corporate emcee, I’ve learned that the best way to make any emcee event a success is by tailoring your to-do list to the event itself.
You can’t walk into any gig and expect it to be a sort of copy-and-paste kind of deal! Approaching each event with a fresh mind and a new set of expectations will help you make the event a success.
The Foundation Of Any Great Emcee Script
If you’re going to be emceeing an event, you’re likely wondering how you can make your script stick.
Though the hardest parts of an emcee’s job happen on stage, you still need to do your due diligence beforehand in crafting the perfect emcee script.
Opening a speech can always feel like the hardest part. You walk on stage, met with the apprehensive faces of your audience members, and you only have the first few minutes to create great first impressions.
So, how can you make your script truly sell?
The key to delivering a great script starts with one of the oldest ways to communicate – storytelling.
Storytelling has been used since the beginning of mankind as a way to share information and stories with those around us.
From the ancient Greek myths and legends of thousands of years ago to the reels you see on your social media today, storytelling has always been an important way for people to connect with those around them. So, use this power to your advantage!
Weaving a compelling narrative that captures your audience’s attention will help you connect with their emotions while keeping them engaged. It’s best to use a tale that will both resonate with your audience and set the premise for the event.
Regardless of what route you take, don’t be afraid to share some hilarious or inspirational stories from your own personal life to build rapport and garner trust.
#2. Creativity And Authenticity
The meat and potatoes of your speech largely depend on the event you’re speaking at and the topic you’re speaking on. But there are some things that never change, regardless of the topic of discussion.
Any emcee script you write should always be filled to the brim with creativity and authenticity. Infuse your script with originality and innovation, incorporating unique elements that will help make the event and your script memorable.
It’s important to write a script that is unique to your audience. They won’t be interested in hearing a speech that sounds repetitive, boring, and reused.
#3. Relevance
In the journey to write a unique and memorable speech, don’t forget to maintain relevancy. There’s nothing more off-putting than an emcee script that has practically nothing to do with the event itself!
For example, it wouldn’t make sense to emcee a marketing convention with an opening speech about the history of automobiles. Instead, be sure to tailor your script to the specific event and audience.
Your script should successfully address the interests, needs, and expectations of the audience so that your script has maximum impact.
#4. Interaction And Humor
If your script is boring and lackluster, it’s not going to leave anyone impressed. If your audience feels like they’re just listening to another lifeless speech, they’ll just stare at the clock till your time is up!
Instead, you need to harness the power of audience interaction and humor in order to make your script stand out.
There’s nothing better than laughter and engagement when it comes to igniting a crowd of people!
The Power Of Audience Interaction
If you want your audience to truly buy into what you’re saying, you need to rely on interaction. It’ll ensure your listeners stay engaged and open to what you’re saying.
Encourage audience participation and interaction throughout the event, such as through Q&A sessions, polls, or group activities.
Bonus: 6 Company Outing Ideas You’ll Want To Book With A Corporate Emcee
#5. Preparation And Planning
The bulk of the MC’s role happens on stage. From reacting to unforeseen situations to facilitating group activities, most of the time, you need to think on your feet.
Luckily, a lot that goes into creating the perfect script happens behind the scenes. That means you’ll have plenty of time to hone and craft your speech before you face your unforgiving audience!
However, knowing how to write a script isn’t as easy as it may seem. And unfortunately, plenty of emcees make the mistake of waiting till the last minute to start to get their script together.
No matter what, don’t make that mistake!
Invest time in thoroughly researching and planning your script. You can’t expect it to be fantastic if you don’t take the time to make it so.
All the time you put into writing your script beforehand will help you ensure that you can deliver a well-structured and organized presentation.
It’ll be easy for your audience to notice if your script was haphazardly thrown together, and that won’t look good for you.
The thing to keep in mind here is that a lot goes into writing the perfect script. It takes practice to get good at scriptwriting!
However, there is one thing that will save you every time, regardless of how experienced you are.
And that thing is starting way in advance.
Running out of time is the one thing that will kill your speech before you even step on stage. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to write your script. You never know what might go wrong in this critical phase and lead to you starting all over!
#6. Tone And Delivery
Though actually writing your script is incredibly important, even the most well-written scripts won’t land if they aren’t delivered properly.
A big part of being a good emcee is knowing how to successfully deliver a presentation. After all, what is a speaker if they can’t take command of the words they say?
However, this is much easier said than done. It can take a long time for a speaker to be able to truly master the art of tone and delivery.
Keeping Your Audience Engaged From Start To Finish
Your voice itself is a powerful thing. Though the actual words you say are important, how you deliver them is even more crucial.
While you’re speaking, you need to pay attention to things like your tone, voice modulation, and body language. While you might overlook some of these aspects, your audience won’t, and they’ll easily be able to tell if you’re nervously swaying or speaking uncomfortably.
Feel free to use things like humor, enthusiasm, and energy to successfully captivate and engage the audience. That’s something that’s hard to resist!
Wrapping Up
The moment is almost here. You’re about to step on stage and open an event in front of a live crowd!
The only way to make that moment truly shine is if you are able to flawlessly execute and deliver a killer script. And luckily, you spent plenty of time preparing and curating the perfect lines beforehand.
You’re all ready to go!
With these six tips and tricks in mind, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to come armed with the perfect script. Just follow the acronym SCRIPT, and you’ll be golden!
Keep Reading: 8 Fun Virtual Team Activities To Treat Your Employees To This Summer
—
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.
