"To be a Successful Live Host, One Needs to Sense the Pulse of the Audience" Says Shamoly Khera

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | February 12, 2020 | Promo Feature

Shamoly Khera

Shamoly Khera is an International TV Presenter & Live Events MC with multiple TV shows to her credit. Her TV shows as the lead Host has aired on Zee TV Middle East, UTV Stars, TLC India, Viacom US, Viacom UK, MBC Bollywood. Shamoly Khera’s Live Events clientele includes prestigious names like Femina, Forbes Indian Achievers Awards, Kelvinator Women Achievers Awards, Private corporates in India, UAE. Here is an exclusive interview with Shamoly Khera where she shares her experience, opinions, and insights on the LIVE Events industry.

Tell us about your journey from being a television presenter to a public speaking coach. How do you think you help people become a better speaker?

The transition has been very natural. I have been in the field of Television & Live presenting for 10 years now and the experience gathered has been put together to share this knowledge as a Public Speaking Coach. While I was busy hosting & anchoring, I realized during my interactions that there are many out there who live with the fear of public speaking day in and day out and that can really hamper their reach. That's when my academy 'Speak To Inspire' was born - so that more people speak in a manner that they inspire their listeners to action. Being able to express yourself in the most authentic manner is a crucial piece of making professional success in his field. With my experience, and with the strategies I have used so far as a professional speaker and presenter, I can relate to every person who deals with this issue and has helped transform many individuals into successfully kick-starting their speaking journey.

What is the amount of research and practice you put into the sessions?

A lot of study and research goes into understanding people's internal motivation and behavior patterns. Why we do what we do, what holds us back from expressing, how the human mind can overcome limitations - these are some of the basic nuances that need to be unfolded when working with a person. Most of my sessions are tailored according to the participant's personality as every person has different learning styles. How to use your body language to your advantage, how to be confident on stage, how to establish a deep connection with your audience - these are some of the things we reveal during our Public Speaking sessions.

As a LIVE artist, what are the challenges you face while talking on stage?

Being a Live Presenter has its adrenaline rush and its challenges. To be a successful Live host, one needs to sense the pulse of the audience and adapt his or her style accordingly. What language is the audience responding to best, what tone do they appreciate - these are the finer aspects that a host with a good Emotional Intelligence can gather. Getting an audience energetic and equally excited for the event, and motivating them to make their presence felt is my prime goal at events. I also believe that the role of a live host is incredibly important in making a show run smoothly - he or she needs to be extremely aware of the aim of the organizers for the event and make it a part of his goal for the evening - the audience should feel like the most important part here!

I have multiple stories of hosting some challenging events. I remember one such corporate event in Abu Dhabi where the organizers had instructed me to conduct the event in English and in a formal tone. It was an award function for a corporate company with Indian owners and more than half were south-Asian employees. Half an hour into the event, I sensed that the audience was a little uptight. One of their MD's was called for a welcome note - he opened in Hindi in the most casual manner possible, and there was an uproar among the same dull lot! I immediately went to the organizers and shared that this event will be much better received if conducted in the language that the audience is comfortable in and in a more casual manner. Luckily the organizers cooperated and there on, it was on the most successful corporate events they had conducted for this company.

I remember another incident where I was interviewing Mr. Amitabh Bachchan for his upcoming release "Shamitabh". During his interview with other journalists, I noticed that Mr. Bachan disliked it when his co-actors would be asked how it felt to work with Mr. Bachchan - being modest as he is - he preferred that the other actors be treated with equal credibility. I noticed this concern and during my interview, I asked Mr. Bachchan how HE felt to be working with the talented Dhanush and Akshara Hasan. Mr. Bachchan immediately appreciated it and acknowledged how happy he was to be asked this question. A good host has got to be really aware of every emotional shift in their audience or interviewee!

In your opinion, how has the LIVE Events industry evolved over the years?

I think this is the most dynamic industry to be a part of! With the acceleration of social media and screen scrolling generation, events have become the true real-life requirements for brands to connect with their audience off screens. Unlike most products and companies that have started venturing online, events is one industry that will only grow in scale as it still has the 'touch feel believe' aspect. Brands will continue to hold events to stay relevant and organizers are only getting adept at conducting them because of growing demand and competition.