How to Hire an MC for Your Corporate Event (Step by Step)

Hiring an MC for a corporate event comes down to six steps: write the brief, shortlist three, hold a preparation call with each, sign a contract that covers the things that go wrong, send a full brief pack, and hand over properly on the day.

I have been on the other side of this process for 19 years, and the events that run well are the ones where the organiser did these steps in this order. If you want to know what a good corporate MC looks like, I have covered the qualities and the warning signs in how to choose the right MC for your corporate event. This article is about the process itself.

Step 1: Write the brief before you search

Most organisers start by asking around for names. Start with the event instead.

Write down four things:

• The event and its format. AGM, conference, product launch, board dinner, award night, town hall.
• The audience. Who is in the room, how senior, how many, and whether there will be regulators, dignitaries or press.
• What the day is for. What you want people to think, feel or do when they leave.
• The budget band. A realistic budget range. If you do not have one, how much a professional MC costs in Nigeria will give you the range.

Add the date, the venue, the expected hours and whether any part of the day is protocol-heavy. A government function or an event with dignitaries on the dais is a different brief, and I have set out what it involves in the MC’s role at a government or protocol event.

Step 2: Shortlist three

Three is enough to compare and few enough to speak to properly.

Ask people who have run events like yours, not just people who have attended them. Event planners, corporate communications teams and venue managers see MCs work under pressure. Look at who hosted events in your sector in the last year, because an MC who already knows your sector’s vocabulary will not stumble over it on stage.

From each MC on the list, ask for two things. A full recording of an event like yours, not a highlight reel, because the reel is edited to hide the delays and the recoveries. And a reference from an organiser of a similar event, whom you can actually call.

Step 3: The preparation call

Speak to each of the three before you decide. Fifteen minutes is usually enough.

A professional will ask you questions. What the event is for, who is in the room, who the speakers are, what the tone should be, what has gone wrong at this event in previous years. An MC who asks nothing and moves straight to the fee is planning to turn up and read the programme.

You should ask a few things too; Which similar events have you hosted, and what went wrong at one of them? What does your preparation for this event look like? What do you need from us, and by when? Will you moderate a panel if we need it, and have you done that before?

Step 4: The proposal and the contract

Ask for a written proposal from your first choice. When I receive an enquiry through my booking form, I review it personally within 24 hours and my team sends a proposal covering pricing, deliverables and logistics for that specific event. Whoever you book, the proposal should be that specific.

Before you sign, check the contract covers these:

• The hours included, and how overrun is charged.
• What preparation is included: calls, script or running-order review, rehearsal.
• Travel and accommodation, included or billed separately. My own rate card excludes both, and excludes VAT, so ask what each quote actually covers.
• The deposit, when the balance is due, and what happens if the date moves or the event is cancelled.
• What the MC will wear and whether there is a dress requirement from your side.
• Whether the MC may be photographed and filmed, and whether the recording can be used afterwards.

If the contract is vague, the argument happens on the event day, in front of your guests. Also, I would advise you to pay the deposit and lock the date. A good MC on a peak date will not hold it on a promise.

Step 5: The brief pack

Once booked, send the MC everything they need in one pack, at least two weeks before the event. The MC prepares from that pack, so whatever you leave out of it is what goes wrong.

1. The full programme and running order, with times.
2. Speaker names, titles, short bios and confirmed pronunciations.
3. The names and titles of VIPs, dignitaries and board members who will be recognised, in order of precedence if the event calls for it.
4. The company or organisation background and the key messages of the day.
5. Anything the MC must not say or mention.
6. The dress code and the tone you want.
7. The venue plan: stage, microphones, who cues the AV team, where the MC stands.
8. Contact details for the event lead, the AV lead and, where relevant, the protocol lead.

When the programme changes after you have sent the pack, and it will, send the change the day it happens.

Step 6: Rehearsal and the day

For a large conference, an AGM or anything with protocol, arrange a walkthrough or a rehearsal at the venue, ideally the day before. The MC walks the stage, checks the sound, meets the AV team and runs the tricky transitions. For a smaller event, a call the day before covering the final running order is enough.

On the day, one person from your team is the MC’s point of contact. Changes should go through that person.

When to book an MC

Event	Book at least
Standard corporate event: town hall, dinner, launch	4 to 6 weeks ahead
Large conference, AGM, multi-day summit	2 to 3 months ahead
Anything in December, Easter week or a peak wedding season	2 to 3 months ahead
Government or protocol event with international guests	2 to 3 months ahead

Hiring late limits your choice of MC and cuts into the preparation time. If you are planning a corporate event now, my corporate MC page sets out what I do and how to reach me.

Frequently asked questions