How do you improve your performance with audience interaction?

Despite whatever we get taught at school, success in life is not about us, it’s about our ability to understand and provide for those we serve. Knowing your target market, what they want and what they will pay for whilst combining it with your very best products and services that reflect what you love is the key. Then you just have to optimize your business models. Sometimes we are too close to ourselves to make difficult decisions about this process. Maybe through innocence, ego or inexperience. A great mentor will fast track your results and add clarity to your adventure.

I found my greatest success and happiness as an emcee when I learned to celebrate others. At a corporate holiday party, we are celebrating the achievements of the employees. We are there to celebrate their fiscal achievements as well as their emotional achievements including unity, growth, togetherness, creativity, perseverance or whatever that company culture prizes most. It's a major shift in attitude and perspective as a performer to think about every experience as a chance to be a cheerleader for someone else, an opportunity to make someone else the hero, and to use our performances to uplift and celebrate the people and ideas that matter most to our audiences.

Preparation is the key to success. Nothing original about that but it has always worked for me. You have to not just know the product, service, or company you represent but you have to know and monitor the audience. Staying engaged with your audience and reading their responses to what you say helps you know how to customize, adapt, and tailor your delivery and even your tone. I love educating through entertaining, so my approach is always rooted in making people think and laugh. People tend to remember things that are funny and when you connect with them through laughter, they pay attention to what you say. Get your audience involved in the conversation, the payoff is rewarding for you and the audience!

Arrive 2 hours early to see the room. What about the chair arrangement? Semi-circle is great for enhanced audience interaction, promoting visibility and engagement. 45 minutes before the event starts, be there truly for the audience. Welcome attendees personally, delve into conversations about their backgrounds, identify common ground, and grasp individual needs, setting the stage for continued acknowledgment throughout. In your introduction, incorporate the names of those you've met and maintain consistent eye contact with everyone. Ask a straightforward, inclusive question within the first minute to encourage participation. This thoughtful approach, coupled with deliberate seating arrangements, ensures a dynamic and engaging event.

Consider using live feedback tools like digital surveys. These are great for real-time insights. Imagine you're hosting an event and want to know the crowd's interest. Just send out a quick survey to their phones. Questions like "What are your thoughts on this topic?" or "Should we explore this further?" get you direct feedback, so you're not just guessing the audience's mood. If the survey reveals they're not into the current topic, you can smoothly switch to something more engaging. It's a dynamic way to ensure your content resonates, showing the audience you value their input and keeping your event on point. This approach turns your presentation into an interactive experience guided by audience feedback.

Interaction and Engagement as an Emcee is important. We must go beyond introduction and transitions and do "Audience Activation Activities" which is how I reinforce a speakers main point or illustrate the vision or mission of the event in a tangible way. These usually involves props and volunteers from the audience.

At the Best Events Awards gala in Rome, we introduced a QR code element. Attendees scanned it, answering the question "What makes an event unforgettable?" Their responses, displayed on the big screen, formed a word cloud – "People," "Atmosphere," "Inclusivity." The word cloud later turned into a piece of art generated by AI. Beyond technology, co-host Sandy and I engaged directly with the audience, using handheld mics to collect stories about unforgettable events from various sections of the crowd. This personal approach fostered a deeper connection. We ensured frequent interaction, incorporating audience engagement every 20-30 minutes throughout the two-and-a-half-hour gala. Thanks to that, people felt included and not overwhelmed.

In our keynotes for large halls, we first get people moving vocally. Once enough excitement is generated, we encourage people sitting next to each other to practice as a duo. The interaction then becomes pleasantly informal, ensuring that questions, comments, and enjoyment continue until the end, as well as achieving high scores.

Always have a plan of engagement! Once you know the audience you can plan what you're going say and do. Your plan might change if you're the first or last speaker. I spoke to a group of educators once. They had a full day of speakers and workshops. I was the last on the agenda. I could feel the energy was low in the space. So, I decided to sing the first part of "This is how we do it" as an introduction to what I was speaking about. Everyone perked up because it was so unexpected. While I had a plan of what I wanted to communicate, I also had to be flexible and pivot in order to get my points across. So, have a plan but also be aware of your audience. You just might have to mix things up.

The difference between a good MC and a great MC is the one who connects better with the audience. Ensuring that constant interaction either by way of pulling, getting into answer questions, or even to encourage them to participate in whatever the event is, is very important. Emceeing is never a one way traffic event, it is always an interactive session and that is the main idea of having an MC.

Treating the audience as a live, breathing and intelligent entity is a must. I love to use interactive web tech Mentimeter with the audience on their handheld devices to run full questions, polling and word clouds during keynotes and emceeing. It brings people to life properly and engages them. Conferences must be more about dialogue and not just monologues!

I love to invite audiences to get out of their heads and into their feelings. I invite them to dance, breathe, shake their bodies and-literally- shimmy to each other. This encourages them to open their hearts and minds to the content that is delivered and to feel more connected to other members of the audience.

Your iPhone can be your friend. If a speaker says something that is interesting or I would like to comment on, I will do a quick search on the topic seeking either further info on the topic or maybe a quote - better if humorous - around the topic.

Some practical tips (In chronological order) - *Very important* Maintain eye contact throughout your presence (meaning you only shift between audiences) to keep audiences feeling engaged and included, manufacturing a personalised conversation (but on a wide scale). - Based on your observation & (their) body language, choose a member(s) from the audience you fairly confidently can identify who would be comfortable to be called out. Bring out a real time relevant conversation that is inclusive of the rest of the crowd's social engagement (in other words; don't leave out the crowd!). Additionally, use (crowd relevant) questions. - Say something outrageous (but tie it in relevantly) every once in a while to keep audience on their toes.

In my experience, there are three kinds of people in any audience. Some are not engaged with what you are saying; some are listening to and internalizing your words and some are moved to want to contribute their own take on what you are saying. As an Emcee you want to tap into these three constituencies. To those who are not engaged, I would call one of them out and say " John Smith sitting over there, will agree with me that ......" To those who are internalizing what I am saying, I would maintain marginally longer eye contact with a few of them; To those who are bubbling to say something to enhance your speech - I would ask them for a short answer to a question without allowing them to make a mini speech.

1. Walk between the crowd if it's big . 2. Focus on small groups by giving direct eye contact, by this you cover everything. 3. Don't over show your enthusiasm, always limit it to the situation.

In my experience, never expect your audience to behave in a particular way of your choice. You need to start with a prepared plan of how you wish the program to go on and they observe the audience and understand their reactions. Based on that you need to manage them, for instance if that is a school student audience then they might be talkative or uninterested children, based on that you have to change your tactics such that you are able to maintain a decorum which the management wants you to keep such as if you want to make the room silent, don't just yell at the audience but tell them passively (then again its based on your audience observations, you can't explain a young audience such as at a childrens party, then the tactics will differ

Managing the audience effectively is a crucial aspect of being a successful emcee. Establish control from the start - begin the event with a confident and positive demeanor, and clearly communicate expectations for audience behavior. Then, set the tone right. Gauge the audience's mood and adjust your energy level accordingly. Most importantly, handle distractions - address disruptions or distractions promptly and diplomatically. Use humor or redirection to diffuse tense situations. Remember that effective audience management involves a balance between being authoritative and approachable. An emcee who can connect with the audience, maintain control, and adapt to different situations will contribute significantly to the success of the event.

Monitor social media channels for mentions, comments, and trends related to your brand. Actively respond to comments, acknowledging both positive feedback and concerns. Social listening provides valuable insights and demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.

Even if you are the speaker, it doesn't mean you should always be right. So listen to the audience, reply cautiously. If you don't know...tell you don't know...but in a funny way

One important thing to know regarding interactions is to be impulsive about your audience feedback. Try out your prepared material and understand the audience reaction to it. Donot just go as you planned like a robot if the audience is not vibing to your material, read the room and update your strategy so that it becomes more impactful and relatable to the audience and repeat again. The key is to observe your audience on the go. I have had functions where i just went prepared and just spoke like a robot. The management asked what happened you are so static. I got the feedback and i changed my strategy and instantly there was a change in the energy of the room.

Foster a sense of community among your audience. Encourage discussions, user-generated content, and collaborations. Create dedicated spaces, such as forums or social groups, where your audience can connect with each other.

Here is what I learned. You are going to know how the audience feels about you in the moment. If they are responsive and the energy in the room is high, that audience is your's. If you find that people are chatting while you are talking, you do not have them. I was asked to host an awards ceremony in Florida once. I found out that my predecessor allowed the event to go on longer than the audience wanted. Right after I was introduced I told the audience, "This ceremony is my train and I'm the conductor. I always bring my train into the station on time." The entire room applauded and I knew I had them for the rest of the night. Connect with your audience. Listen to your audience. Feel the energy of your audience. Stay engaged.

Genuinely and authentically enjoying yourself as you host an event is critical to ensure a memorable and meaningful experience for all. Appreciating the audience’s presence and making personal connections is critical. Regardless of you a new or a very experienced emcee, you can planned in advance how to make the connections by knowing your audience and the program. Building connection with the audience through the games and activities allows you to be relatable with the rest of the audience as well. Emcees should also allow room for improvisation for connections to take place on the spot!

Before an event, I team up with the organizers to grasp the audience's interests, setting the stage for a personalized experience. During the event, I engage the audience directly, asking for feedback or a show of hands, making them active participants in the narrative. This approach not only energizes the atmosphere but also provides real-time insights into what captures their attention. Adapting my content on the fly based on these cues ensures the experience stays engaging and tailored. This strategy of preparation and interactive engagement enhances the connection, making each performance a learning opportunity for continuous improvement.

Stay present and be there! You learn BEST when you PLAY! Focus on the present moment rather than worrying about potential mishaps or future segments. Staying in the moment allows you to enjoy the experience as it unfolds.

For a start check the programme schedule. It is often the case that conference or event organisers schedule out the programme of events but may overlook allowing time for an emcee to introduce speakers, highlight H & S housekeeping etc etc. So communicating with the event planner can allow you some time to make sure you get to introduce yourself to the audience, which in turn helps them feel more comfortable interacting with you.

Make it clear that you want a response, make it clear how to respond. And make it easy to respond. For example, if you ask a series of questions, no one will know if they’re rhetorical or which one to answer. If you want people to interact by a show of hands, for example, model the response by raising your hand.

In my many years as an Emcee, Master of Ceremonies or a Host I believe you must always be able to read the audience that you stand before. Command the stage with a calm, cool, jovial yet charismatic spirit that shares your knowledge of self, the topic(s) at hand and especially the town that you are in to simply be likable and relatable.

Take time off! After each event, reflect on what went well and areas for improvement. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning can make being an emcee a fulfilling experience. Do reach out for feedback from the stakeholders too!

Always be prepared with your material and ready for any sudden changes that might happen. Never show your confusion (if there is any) on the stage, always be confident, if you speak wrong, speak it confidently and they get it corrected in style. I had a situation where i had announced the next performer but when the time came they were not ready and i had to on spot make a change without making it awkward. From that experience I'd say that when doing these changes try not to make that tacky or too on the nose but at the same time not very cringy. Keep it simple yet elegent.