You only have the first minute to impress

I have learnt this soon enough when I start emceeing.

Just like any news headlines will make people read the news further, as a great emcee, you only have a minute or two to tell people why they need to listen to you. When you are not a reputable emcee yet, and often using the stage as training grounds, you will encounter mistakes and people will not listen anymore. But a great opening will help you gain respect first and when mistakes happen, people tend to accept. If your opening is bad, most of the time people will not listen.

So, how do you make an impressive opening!?

Example 1:

In Malaysia, we have multi culture and language. Learning another language well could be a good opening. I am a bangsa Malaysia but my parents are from Chinese descendants. Being a Chinese, if you can speak very fluent Malay is an added advantage. If you can do even better, it is a great opening.

During my initial emceeing - as I used Malay most of the time due to functions with government and with government officials, I often open with a verse or two of the Malay pantun. What more is self written pantun (poems). The first minute of reciting the poems is already enough to awe the audience and gain consequent respect.

Example 2:

After some time, I want to be really a bangsa Malaysia.... I have learnt and can speak a little Tamil since school days but I do not know what to say as opening for emceeing.

In one of the walkabouts with Dato Sri Ong Tee Keat during the candidate's general election rounds with him, we came to an apartment with almost 80% Indians. I quickly grab a close friend there and asked how to welcome people in Tamil. As I spoke, though not too well at that time (being the first time speaking!!), Dato Sri was quick to ask someone next to him if I have spoken correctly. From then on, I have used three languages to address the people in Pandan in all the walkabouts I was emceeing.

My opening often start with

GREAT morning (not good morning - GREAT morning is my standard greetings and it makes people feel great, too)

Salam sejahtera dan salam perpaduan

各位来宾早上好！

and then I learnt and perfected my Tamil in greeting the welcome remarks.

Now I even add on "Salamat Datai" and "Kopibosian!" - from Sarawak and Sabah respectively.

By the time I speak Tamil, most of the time I will already receive loud applause and I sometimes need to stop speaking for the applause to carry on. Not to boast but once you show respect to everyone in the hall, you are connecting to people and that's the gist of a great emcee.

Indians, being a little marginalised in Malaysia, seems to respect you better if you can speak their language when you are not an Indian. I have an Indian man looking around for me high and low after an event, just to come say, "Thank you for addressing the Indians, too!"

Do sit down and think of a good opening and make it unique to you!