If you ever act as an MC for events, ask yourself if you’re guilty of making this extremely common mistake….hint – 9/10 MC’s I see at conferences do it.
It’s time to rethink how you introduce speakers as an MC.
There’s one mistake I see a lot of event MCs make and to be fair, it’s one I made myself early in my MC career. It’s the “read the bio word-for-word” introduction. You know the one, the MC stands on stage, looks down at their notes, and reads a speaker’s bio line by line, every comma, every award, every publication, every city they’ve ever spoken in, until the audience has glazed over and the speaker looks like they’d could just get on with it.
The problem? It’s lazy, it’s boring, and it doesn’t serve anyone. Yet the vast majority of MC’s do this time and time again.
I learned this the hard way.
Years ago, I was MC’ing an event and did exactly that, I read a speaker’s bio straight from the script, thinking I was being professional. The speaker took the stage, smiled, and said something like, “Well, that was… terrible.” He was right. Completely. He schooled me in front of the entire audience, but positioned his criticism to say pretty much every MC does what I just did, so don’t feel too bad.
But he was 100% correct. It was a wake-up call and I’m eternally grateful to him for calling me out.
A great MC isn’t just a timekeeper or a name reader. You’re the bridge between the audience and the speaker. Your job is to set the tone, to build anticipation, and to frame the person who’s about to walk on stage so the audience can’t wait to hear from them. This doesn’t happen from reading out an overcooked and boring speaker bio (and by the way, speakers we can help by not providing dull and boring bios).
These days, when I MC, I make it my mission to bring a speaker to life. I do a little homework. I watch a few minutes of their talks, read a recent article they’ve written, maybe even chat to them backstage. Then I build an introduction that connects the dots, who they are, why they matter, and why this audience in particular should care.
Here are a few simple ways to get what you need to make that happen:
1. Reach out to the speaker before the event. Find out more about them, what they’re passionate about, what they’re working on right now, what they really want the audience to take away. A short chat or email exchange will give you plenty of material to make your introduction personal and authentic.
2. Watch them in action. A quick look at a YouTube clip or a past talk will give you insight into their energy, humour, and natural rhythm.
3. Read their website or latest article. Pick up one key line or story that shows their personality or credibility.
4. Chat backstage or before the event. Ask what they’re most passionate about or what message they most want this audience to remember.
5. Check with the organiser. They often know why the speaker was chosen and what part of their story connects to the event theme.
6. Find a human hook. Something that makes them relatable — where they’re from, a quirky hobby, a defining moment.
7. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Think about what would make you excited to hear from this person. The best introductions are built from empathy, not ego.
And here’s the real secret: the intro isn’t about you, and it’s not even really about the speaker. It’s about the audience. Your job is to give them a reason to lean in.
If you want to be a great MC, remember this, your introduction is the spark that lights the stage. Do it with care, with curiosity, and with respect for everyone in the room. When you take the time to elevate someone else, you elevate the entire event. Like most things in life, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing extraordinarily well in my view.
Cheers,
Andrew
