In short: Before you say yes to hosting, ask where and when the event is, whether it is live, online or hybrid, who is in the audience and what the running order and timings are. Then ask who introduces each speaker, what the sound, lighting and staging are, who runs the technology and what happens if something goes wrong. Get the answers in writing and check them the week before.
Hosting an event often goes wrong before the first word is spoken. The organiser assumes you know the running order, the speaker assumes you know how to say their name, and the technician assumes someone has told you where the microphone is. This checklist is the list of questions to send before you agree a date.
Before you say yes
Ask for the brief in writing, so you have something to check on the day. If the organiser cannot answer several of these yet, ask when they expect to know.
Get the checklist
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The event itself
- Where is it, and is it live, online or hybrid? In a hybrid event, ask who is watching on screen and whether the online audience can ask questions.
- When does it start and finish, and where do the breaks fall? Take the times from the timed running order.
- What is the event for, and what should the audience leave with? A clear objective tells you what to emphasise in your links.
- Who is in the room, how many are expected, and how much do they already know about the subject?
The speakers and the running order
- Who is speaking, in what order, and for how long? Ask for the timed running order and the name of anyone likely to run over.
- Does each speaker want an introduction from you? If so, ask for their job title, one or two facts you can use and who approves the wording.
- What is the plan if a speaker is late, runs over or drops out? Agree it with the organiser now, well before the day.
Check every fact in each introduction with the speaker, because you are the one reading it out. Write the introduction the MC will read covers the wording.
The room, the sound and the staging
- Is there a microphone for you, and for each speaker? Who fits it, and is it a lectern, handheld or head microphone?
- Where do you stand or sit, and where are the lectern, the screens and the exits?
- How is the stage lit, and is the event being filmed? If it is, who is the camera operator, and do they have the running order?
The technology and things going wrong
- Who runs the slides and the playback, and what is the cue for each one? Ask for the cues in writing so you do not have to guess from the speaker's hand movements.
- Who is the named contact on the day for a technical fault, and how do you reach them without leaving the stage?
- What happens if the video fails, the connection drops during a live stream or the power cuts out? Agree the line you will use to fill the gap.
A worked example
Say you are asked to host a 45-minute panel at a hybrid conference, with three speakers. The first email says "you will introduce the panel". Ask the questions above and you may find that the panel is now 40 minutes, the first speaker is joining from a train, and the only microphone is on the lectern, so you will need to walk to it. Each one is manageable if you know in advance.
Common mistakes
- Accepting from the title alone. The role on an invitation rarely says whether you introduce, moderate, keep time or take questions.
- Learning the stage layout on the morning. Ask for a photograph or a site visit beforehand.
- Reading a speaker's bio word for word. Bios are written to impress. Keep the introduction short and check every fact.
- No named technical contact. The producer is busy. Get a mobile number before the event.
- No agreed ending. Ask how the event closes, who speaks last and what the audience should do next.
If the event is being filmed or streamed, event AV production covers the vision mixing and streaming side of this list. For the wider role, linking speakers, keeping time and setting tone takes the job from the first question to the final thank you.
Related guides
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
What should an MC ask the organiser before an event?
Ask about the purpose, date, start and finish times, venue or platform, audience size and mix, the speakers and their order, and who runs the technology. Ask for the answers in writing, because a verbal promise is easy to forget by the day.
How much preparation does an MC need?
The MC needs the running order, the speaker introductions and the cues agreed before the day. Most of the preparation is asking questions and rehearsing the links out loud, not writing a script.
Should an MC see the venue beforehand?
Where possible, yes. Check where you stand or sit, where the microphone is, how the stage is lit and where the lectern and screens are. For an online event, check the platform and get the producer's contact details.
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