How To Host A World Class Event

This week I hosted the World Beauty Championship 2017.

20 countries sent 36 teams of make-up artists, hairdressers and supermodels to Dubai to compete for the title, trophies and bragging rights of being the best of the best of their generation.

The stakes were the highest possible.

It was the first of its kind.

The fashion world was covering it, the participants all had huge followings on social media keeping tabs on their progress and commenting on the judging, the decor and the frequent use of selfie-sticks.

So what went wrong?

Nothing.

Why? Because the organizers did their job AND invested in a world class host.

I know this is arrogant of me to say so, but please let me explain the process better and you will understand why I lay claim to that statement...

The Master of Ceremony's job is to make sure that whatever goes wrong behind the scenes, doesn't show up to the audience.

That's why.

If you are putting together a million dollar event with an amazing venue, catering, staging, sound and light, PR, logistics, etc.

Why go cheap on the insurance?

I'm serious.

Your host IS your insurance policy.

In the last 7 days, I have hosted/spoken at 5 similarly world class events.

The others were...

• Arabian Travel Market.
• Seamless Middle East (E-commerce and Retail).
• Vodaphone Regional Awards in Qatar.
• Emaar managers retreat.

Each event was very well put together by the events team, extremely well attended by paying/paid audiences and ran the risk of ONLY being a good event Vs being the best in its class of the year.

So what does a great MC do that a good MC doesn't know about?

Engaging the audience. This isn't just reading a script, this is about 'going on a date' with the attendees and driving home the message that 'You are in safe hands'. Games, ice-breakers, anecdotes, live surveys, impromptu interviews are all essential parts of the tool-kit for a great MC bringing their A-game to a world-class event.

Gauging the energy. Long sessions, intensive sessions and boring sessions are all part and parcel of the international conference. Some speakers nail it first time. Others read their slides out loud. Some turn up having just been made unemployed on the flight over and ask the auditorium for a job mid-presentation (true). Regardless, of what the stage throws at you, you have to clean the audience's emotional palette and prepare the way for the next speaker to deliver their best.

See the delivery of everything from the audience's point of view. You are a journalist and should therefore have an insight into what the attendees want to hear from each speaker. If the speaker doesn't deliver completely, you have to ask tough questions after their presentation. If an audience member starts hijacking the flow with their own agenda (plugging their own business, intimidating the speaker, ranting etc) you have to forcibly, but politely remove their soapbox.

Represent the event. Your job is to MAKE THE EVENT memorable NOT YOU. Fill the gaps selflessly. If you have the audience at fever pitch and the CEO decides to take the microphone and host the rest of the event themselves (yes they do that too), you smile politely, hand over the microphone and stand within support distance waiting to catch them if they stumble and fall like a toddler taking first baby steps.

Work on the event organizers objectives before you begin. Ask for them. There are always standard objectives to consider. Ensuring the conference is actually as good as it claims to be, sponsor mentions, timekeeping, engagement levels, keeping the subject matter on track, social media moments, up-selling products, gala dinners, next years event, brochures, satisfaction surveys etc.

Keep it relevant. There will also be new things to consider too. Recent hostile takeovers, new technology that's worrying decision makers, imminent legal restrictions, travel bans, marketing opportunities, impending wars etc. All these can change the conference overnight and neuter the impact and relevance of a speaker's keynote presentation. If that ever happens then ask them why, what, where, how and who during your question and answer session. You'll be surprised how many of your audience felt the same way, were dying to ask the same question and were overjoyed by the frank and honest answers from your presenter when they are put on the spot.

Be in the moment. Your job is to know what happened in the past, stay in the present and lay track-lines for the future.

Bear in mind, that you may not even be invited to host the event next year. Organizers have an annoying habit of 'experimenting' with a new Master of Ceremony each time to 'keep it fresh'.

It happens.

Don't take it personally.

The top scorer of a football team may sometimes find themselves on the bench because the boss wants to try out 'a new formation'.

If you are a truly great MC, you will welcome the opportunity to look for new conferences during which you can prove your worth.

You are also learning new tricks and pushing your career progression and value/price.

Remember the formula for getting paid is very simple...

It has nothing to do with your looks, your age, your connections, your attitude, your reputation, your past experience or your relationship to the decision maker although all of these can have an influence too.

You only actually get paid because of 2 things:

1. The effect of the job you do.
2. How easily you can be replaced by someone cheaper.

That's it.

My MC team and I have been hosting the MENA region's premium sporting event Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens for 17 years now.

• Are there better entertainers than my team available? Of course.
• Are there people who would happily do my job for free just for the exposure to 50,000 people in the audience? Who wouldn't?
• Are there discussions every year about new and exciting ways to freshen up the event for a new generation with radical changes and current contemporary themes and gimmicks? Absolutely.

So why do the organizers keep bringing us back year on year when the options are so vast?

Simple.

We don't mess up.

Ever.

THAT'S WHAT AN ORGANIZER PAYS FOR AT THEIR WORLD CLASS EVENT.

Certainty.

Want to talk to me about yours?