Category Archives: Business Communication

public speaking

How To be a Good and Effective Emcee?

How To Be a Good and Effective Emcee?
What makes a good MC? 

a-good-emceeWhat does the master of ceremonies do?

Check out a good reference article “How to Be a Good Master of Ceremonies” at Wikihow.

“A master of ceremonies (also known as an MC or emcee) is the official host for a staged event, performance, or party. Normally, a master of ceremonies introduces speakers, makes announcements, and engages with the audience to keep the ceremony agenda flowing as smoothly as possible. While being a master of ceremonies might seem like a daunting task, there are a few ways you can nail your responsibility as MC, and radiate confidence and charisma to keep the ceremony entertaining for all…

Preparing Before The Event
1. Know your event.
2. Know your responsibilities.
3. Know your role expectations
4. Do your research.
5. Stay organized.

During The Event
1. Remain clam.
2. Prepare the opening of the event.
3. Introduce the speakers.
4. Bridge between segments.
5. Be prepared for anything.
6. Close the event.
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“As an emcee, you have to stay in control, even if the unexpected happens.”
“When you are the master of ceremonies (also known as an emcee) of an event, your role is crucial to the success of the program, whether it’s for your company, a professional association or a nonprofit organization. A bad emcee can ruin an event while an excellent one creates a seamless and engaging experience in which speakers feel comfortable and the audience feels included from start to finish…”

Source:  http://www.toastmasters.org/Magazine/Articles/When-You-are-the-Emcee

Here are 12 effective emceeing tips mentioned in the above article:
1. Be clear about your role.
2. Prepare speakers thoroughly.
3. Opening remarks set the tone.
4. Don’t “wing” introductions.
5. Names matter.
6. Titles matter.
7. Staying on time matters.
8. Do an on-site rehearsal.
9. Don’t introduce strangers.
10. Manage the stage.
11. Be prepared for the unexpected.
12. Make sure to follow up.
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Check out the below Youtube videos too.

The Role of a Great Conference MC

 How to be a great MC #1 “Secrets to a Great Introduction”


How to be a great MC #2 “The MC’s Secret Weapon”

How to be a great MC #3 “How to keep Speakers On Time!”

How to be a great MC #4 “Keeping Events on Time!”

How to be a great MC #5 – Panel Discussion

How to be a great MC #6 – Getting Names Right

Practice is the key to helping you improve your communication and presentation skills. Join Toastmasters, Agora Speakers or other public speaking groups to practise your speeches in a friendly environment.

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Common Biggest Public Speaking Mistakes

Biggest Public Speaking Mistakes Speakers Should Avoid…

Fear of public speaking

How come sometimes intelligent, business-savvy top executives end up boring their audiences? It is because they fail to recognize that public speaking is an acquired skill. But giving a short presentation before the right group of people may do more good for your career than spending a year behind a desk.

Here are the 10 Biggest Public Speaking Mistakes as mentioned in an article in the Toastmaster magazine written by Rob Sherman:

  1. Starting with a whimper.
  2. Attempting to imitate other speakers.
  3. Failing to “work” the room.
  4. Failing to use relaxation techniques.
  5. Reading a speech word for word.
  6. Using someone else’s stories.
  7. Speaking without passion.
  8. Ending a speech with questions and answers.
  9. Failing to prepare.
  10. Failing to recognize that speaking is an acquired skill.

For details, please click here.

The following is a video about the Biggest Mistakes Public Speakers Make! 



Here are the Quick Do’s and Don’ts of Public Speaking as mentioned in the above video:

  • Remember to always be yourself.
  • Be polished and well-rehearsed.
  • Don’t use slides with too much information
  • Say something that they haven’t heard before.

Do you suffer from the fear of public speaking? Practice is the key to helping you improve in public speaking. Join a toastmaster club and learn how to speak in public.

You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you live in Singapore.

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How to Persuade

How to Persuade: Proposals and Pitches

speaking tipsWhen presenting a proposal or a pitch, you are trying to do more than simply a speech to inform. Instead, you are trying to persuade.

As stated in the article Proposals and Pitches published by Toastmasters International, there are 4 steps to prepare a pitch:

  1. Determine your purpose.
  2. Analyze your audience and determine its needs.
  3. State your main message and support it.
  4. Urge the audience to take definite action.

For more tips, check out the below youtube video on how to deliver a great pitch.

“The key to delivering a great pitch is your ability to engage, connect and be present. While your ideas may be brilliant, you want to make sure that YOU are the one lighting up the room. “

Practice is the key to helping you improve in public speaking. Join a toastmaster club and learn how to persuade.  You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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Top Tips for Business Presentations and Public Speaking

Top Tips for Your Business Presentations

effective public speakingWhen you’re giving a business presentation or a speech you want to appear natural so as to make the audience feel relaxed watching.

Check out the below Youtube video for speaking tips that will help you put together and deliver clear and compelling talks and speeches.

Remember don’t simply rely on your PowerPoint slides to do your presentations. Get a blank sheet of paper and plan what you’re going to say. And in the very last thing you do is what visual aids to use to help you get your point across. Good opening and closing are very important.

Too often, a speaker loses his audience before he even gets to the core of his speech.
Check out the below video on how to create terrific openings and closings to presentations.

If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club. You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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Presentation Tips on How To Introduce Yourself

How To Introduce Yourself in 3 Easy Steps…

powerful-communicationsHave you wondered how to introduce yourself properly to others during a social gathering or even in a presentation?

The following youtube video will show you an example of giving a self-introduction using an elevator pitch in 3 simple steps.

Try out the three steps described in the video to introduce yourself:

Step 1:  Introduce your name and your company very briefly.

Step 2:  Talk about your specialty or the value that you provide.

Step 3:  Talk about the worst-case scenario that you could encounter that you could help them too.

You can find more tips on self-introduction at the webpage Introduce Yourself.

If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club.

You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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How to Get Thoughts in an Impromptu Speech?

Impromptu speaking is a speech that a person delivers without preparation. How to Get Thoughts in an Impromptu Speech?

Learn how to organize your thoughts in order to give an impromptu speech and do it well with expert tips in this free public speaking video.

Lack of confidence when asked to speak with little time to prepare? Learn how to be spot-on when you’re put on the spot.

3 Powerful Impromptu Speaking Tips

  1.  Stick to the Truth.
  2.  Share from personal experience.
  3.  Practice out loud.

Impromptu Speaking Techniques: How to Speak Without any Preparation! (3 Keys)

Here are some keys to your impromptu speaking success:
1. Less is More
2. Ask Questions
3. Make it Personal
And then the three mindsets discussed going in are:
1. Stay centered no matter what
2. I am going to enjoying this
3. I can’t lose!

Join Toastmasters and find a club that you like to practise your speeches in a friendly environment. You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.

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