Are you going to be a master of ceremony at a conference, awards night, product launch, seminar series, concert, wedding or similar event?

What a wonderful honour, but a daunting one! It isn't always as easy as it seems.

There are a lot of duties involved and a great number of practical aspects to pay attention to.

You are not just there to boost your ego, watch the clock, or to give announcements.

You are there to help the audience feel engaged with, and feel informed about, everything that is happening.

How brilliant are you? Your career could be influenced by your success or failure in an MC role.

Here are 5 tips to help you be a brilliant MC.

MC tip 1: Know your role

It is the prime responsibility of the master of ceremonies to:

• Keep the event flowing.

• Keep the energy and enthusiasm of the audience high.

• Help the audience feel welcomed.

• Help the speakers feel appreciated.

• Help the sponsors feel proud to be involved.

• Smooth over problems that arise so people don't know or don't worry.

• Keep the event to time no matter what happens.

• Ensure everyone knows what is happening.

• Do whatever is possible to help the organiser make it a great event.... and this is only part of it.

MC tip 2: Welcome the core groups

Help the audience to feel welcomed. Identify the core groups in your audience and welcome each one. It isn't sufficient just to say, 'Welcome to you all ...'. It is not a genuine, heartfelt welcome.Instead, welcome specific individuals and specific groups, not just by title but with relevant information. For example, you might say, 'To those of you who've travelled all the way from Newcastle and fought your way through the fog, a big welcome'.

MC tip 3: Be confident in keeping to time

In advance decide how, as the MC, you will let people know when their time is up. Then do it! Do not be scared, it is your job.

It is important to make sure your system of timing is very clear, easy for the speakers to follow and known by everyone involved.You are there, as the master of ceremony, to keep the time. Therefore keep the time. You will annoy the audience if you don't, and that puts a bad taste over the whole event.

MC tip 4: Keep everything flowing smoothly

It is often your MC role to mastermind the entire occasion. Thus, you need to know exactly what is to happen when, where and with whom.I recommend developing a minute-by-minute timing schedule for the event, well in advance. This needs to include all the minor components and times for all the MC duties.

So often I've been given a speaking time that's not accurate, e.g. I'm told I'm speaking from 10am - 11am. I prepare a 60 minute presentation. I end up speaking from 10.10 - 10.50, twenty minutes less! This is because the MC has announcements to give, awards to present, the introduction and thank you to give, and to draw the raffle - and no time for these has been allocated.

Get the details of the timing right. Include the time it takes to get on and off the stage, for the MC to make announcements, for the housekeeping notices, for the thank-yous and introductions ... everything.

MC tip 5: Generate enthusiasm

Motivate the audience to want to hear the next speaker or performer. It is your role to inspire them. Don't just read out a biography word for word, it can leave the audience bored, flat or only mildly interested.Instead, explain to your audience the benefits they are going to gain from listening to a speaker, or hearing a performer, so that the audience is enthusiastically paying attention. Make the introductions personal and relevant. Connect the speaker to the audience.Don't just say, 'And now I'd like to introduce our next speaker, Dr Evelyn Jolly, who is an Associate Professor in Environmental Management from Cambridge University, and she is going to talk on, 'How as a society we can improve our environment'. Please welcome ...'.

This does not excite the audience, does it? Instead, find something new to say, find something different to say, find something enthusiastic to say that the audience can connect with.

Want to know more?

You'll find a great many more practical tips in: 'The beginner's guide to being a brilliant master of ceremonies'. It has already sold in over 80 countries world-wide. Click on this link to find out more: 'The beginner's guide to being a brilliant master of ceremonies'.

Also, I have a website devoted entirely to how to be a brilliant master of ceremony. It includes lots of free articles and extra tips including on wedding speeches and speeches for corporate MCs: http://www.masterofceremonies.info