How to Read the Audience as an Emcee
Emcee, also known as the master of ceremony, is the person who makes sure that a staged event runs smoothly. An emcee is responsible to keep the audience intact. He delivers introductory speeches, announces the next item of the agenda and keeps the event moving.
To establish a grip over crowd is not possible until the emcee understands the audience. For that, he must read the audience. If you are able to read the audience then giving them the kind of experience they want won’t be difficult.
Follow these guidelines if you want to read the audience as an Emcee.
Instructions
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1
Know your audience:
The most important thing is how well you know the audience. You cannot decode their expressions until you know things like age group, gender, social standing etc. You should review the guests list and do some research about prominent personalities. Another way to know your audience is to check the venue. This will help you a lot in this process as the audience of a business club will be lot different than the audience of a public event. You can have the idea about the audience by just looking at their vehicles. -
2
Start with a general approach:
You must not go on stage with a predetermined approach. Start with a general approach and you will be able to read the audience by their reactions. You may crack a joke and their mental calibre can be identified by their response. You must be observant to understand their interests. You can lock the attentions by sharing some local news. -
3
Use political or social reference:
Before revealing the topic of discussion or main theme, you should test the audience by giving some hints about it. If you feel some enthusiasm then it means that they will follow you on that track. Do not ever show your cards at once rather start with something mild and wait for their reaction. Have a look at the gathering and determine what kind of people are sitting in front of you. Keep in mind their age, cultural interests, social status etc as these factors will help you in reading your audience. -
4
Add some variety in your interaction:
You must keep them engaged with some personal interaction. However, vary your questions or comments to understand them properly. Keep everything spontaneous as the crowd will respond in a positive way to how you handle the entire situation. Do not break the connection until the last moment.
