You can’t be so confident in your regular material that you blow off the emcee role as “easy” or “a cake walk.” Being an emcee really is a big deal, and you need to approach the role as such.
When it comes to effectively emceeing an event, you need to do your homework. No wonder so many emcees do an average job at best. Such a mindset does not give the role of emcee the respect it deserves. Unfortunately, many people believe that anyone can emcee an corporate event – that the funny guy at the office can handle the role or that any entertainer can jump in and do it. All in all, it’s a stressful role, and you have to pull it off with ease. You have to be able to cut or expand your planned material on the fly, often based on circumstances you have no control over, such as a last minute agenda change or technical problems. Think about it…as the emcee, you set the tone for the entire event. Being an effective master of ceremonies requires a distinct skill set. If you think being a corporate event emcee is no different from a regular performance (or that any “funny guy” at work can do it), think again.