Tips for Hiring (Or Being a Master) of Ceremonies

“Keep It Smooth and Simple”

Why does Dick Clark count down to the New Year every year in Times Square? Aside from the fact that people come to expect it, there are many reasons why he has become the legendary “ball dropper” to ring in the New Year. He is recognizable, witty, intelligent, entertaining, carries poise and charm, is good at interviewing and “off-the-cuff” rhetorical questions, and is good looking at any age. But this article is not about Dick Clark.

Trophies2Go admires Dick Clark as one of the great Master of Ceremonies ever; making a ceremony a success from the Miss America pageant to the Emmys. Without the right guy (or lady) as the Awards Presenter or Master of Ceremonies, many a “shindig” goes down in history as a disaster for reasons that are fairly easy to detect. Amateur presenters sometimes cause audience members to be bored to tears and dreading the next ceremony they have to attend. Reasons that these ceremonies are calamities go back to 5 qualities of a good Awards Presenter.

1- Personality: Nobody likes listening to a dull, boring and spiritless speaker. Hire someone who has been in front of the pulpit before and displays a bit of charisma. If you yourself would like to become a master of ceremonies, start small, and work yourself up to the level of company elocutionist. Someone who is able to deliver punch lines and witty statements through conversing with the participants; or an awards host that offers stories and jokes that entertain the crowd is ideal.

2- Experience: As mentioned, ceremonies are not events that need to be documented, thoroughly researched and processed. But they do need to be performed by someone who has been to this rodeo before. Company get-togethers require a speaker or person hired who has been in the position previously. First timers are frequently set-up for immediate failure, even if they are higher-ups in the company.

3- Organization: Coaches have game-plans, players have strategies and Presidents (well most of them anyway) have staffers who organize and often write material for them. There’s no need for you to go hire your own in-house speechwriter, but get a plan in place as to how you are going to conduct your ceremony. Is it going to be fairly structured? Is it going to be a ceremony where things are fairly relaxed and light? Whatever it may be, get organized!

4- Speed: The Master of Ceremonies keeps things flowing at a slightly less than rapid pace. Ceremonies sometimes have the stigma of going on and on and on, but by setting the tone early the audience will get a feel for how the whole thing flows and be much more apt to enjoy the events.

5- Accuracy: It shouldn’t have to be said, but unfortunately it does. The Awards Presenter needs to have eloquence, by saying the names right of the people who receive awards. Botched names are embarrassing so the awards presenter must practice and research prior to the event. There’s nothing that will cause credibility to shrivel quicker than getting a few choice names wrong on the docket for the evening’s ceremony.

These tips on choosing the best Master of Ceremonies are brought to you by Trophies2Go.com; your industry leader for trophies, awards and tokens of appreciation for all of your awards presentations!