If you want to gauge how busy the conference business is at the present time, ask the people on stage front and centre for their thoughts. And the two professional emcees we spoke to said they are flat chat.
One of the best in the business, Andrew Klein, says it has been a wonderfully exciting last few years in the post-COVID era, and 2024, from his little corner of the world in Australia, is super busy.
“No doubt economic headwinds always seem to impact consumer confidence but from my perspective, the conferencing world is buoyant,” he said.
“And delegates seem very happy to continue attending in person in healthy numbers, although a few of my speaker community colleagues continue to do a large amount of online work. Bookings for 2025 also looking strong.”
Another professional conference and event emcee, Luke Hannan, is also very busy, recently hosting five events in five days.
He’s already delivered 33 events in 2024, with approximately 57 more filling the rest of the year.
He said because events can be all-consuming and scheduled closely together it’s vital to plan well, be extremely organised and partner well with your key stakeholders.
In-between gigs he even provided some top tips to excel when you have a full schedule that he encourages individuals considering to work as an emcee or in events generally to follow:
- Prepare Fastidiously: My typical run sheet for a one-day event is 30 pages long. These take time to craft with both bespoke introductions and research into the client’s industry and organisation.
- Be highly organised: Checklists, calendar scheduling and great notes matter. When you meet – take great notes and send clear notes, outcomes, and actions ASAP. Don’t sit on the notes too long as the memory will fade.
- Self-care: Gym sessions, nutrition, saunas, and eight hours sleep are vital. Be sure to schedule time for you.
- Love your work: Hosting events is my true calling in life. Every time I take the stage it feels like Christmas morning so be sure you’re doing something you love.
- Embrace the unknown: Schedules will change, the power will go out, speakers will need help. In events we need to manage so much uncertainty. Embrace it and remember that every bad situation is an opportunity to learn and grow.
“These principles have been my north star and help me to delight my clients and their audiences, maintain health, and build my brand within the event industry,” he said.