Being a quizmaster can be such a fun and lucrative profession. You entertain people, you socialize, you don't have a boss, and you earn a bunch of money in the process. Thousands of people attend trivia nights every week and the popularity of quiz nights continues to grow, with no end in sight. A quizmaster creates questions, entertains the guests and organizes unforgettable quiz nights. If you think this is something you might be interested in, read on.
In order to make a living as a quizmaster, the first thing you need to do is drum up some business. Contact pubs, groups, schools, charities and businesses to let them know that you operate a trivia night business and let them know the benefits of having regular trivia nights. Get yourself a brochure and business cards that explain your business. A website is also helpful. Advertise via social media, in the newspaper, on the internet, and put posters up around the community. You’ll be amazed at the interest this will generate.
Every quizmaster is only as good as his or her questions, and every trivia night can be good or phenomenal depending on the skill of the quizmaster. This is why aspiring quizmasters should have good people skills and use them while running quizzes. Quizmasters should have a knack for understanding what the crowd wants and dictating the pace of the show.
To keep the people coming back for more, good quizmasters should keep up with current events and utilize that knowledge while preparing the quiz. Participants usually like to answer questions about current topics, so staying informed is a huge plus. It is a good idea to get to know the crowd and figure out the types of categories and questions they enjoy, and keep yourself open to suggestions and ideas from your participants.
Every quizmaster should stay organized. Have your audio working if you have an audio round, print out all handouts and picture rounds prior to the event. If you're presenting on the big screen, ensure everything is in working order prior to the start of the quiz. Have a scoring system in place and be clear about the rules. Most importantly, have all your questions prepared ahead of time, and ensure all your answers are accurate. If you don't have time to write your own quizzes, purchase your quizzes from a reliable company ahead of time.  With functional equipment, you can put all your focus on the categories and questions and give them a performance that creates a fun and memorable evening for everyone.
Quizmaster are masters of pace, among other things. Avoid trying to get through everything too quickly, but don’t be too slow either. Finding the perfect balance is the key to being a successful quizmaster. Watch the audience and try to get a feel for how things are going. Are they having fun? Are they being challenged enough? Is there too much time between questions? If they seem confused and uncertain, it is a good idea to slow things down a bit and pay more attention to explanations and descriptions. If they seem to answer the questions quickly and there is a lot of chatter in between questions, it's usually a sign that you should speed things up. Â
There are many perks of being a quizmaster. Being a quizmaster is a fun and versatile job and best suits those who enjoy being around people and organizing events. Entertaining a group of people is very rewarding. You get to know a wide range of people and oftentimes you get to help others raise money via trivia night fundraisers. You can make a great living off being a quizmaster, depending on how many hours you’re willing to put in.
By following the tips provided here, you can make every quiz night memorable and fun for your participants. The best quizmasters are unique and introduce a dose of their own personality in their performance. Relax and enjoy yourself. Listen to the pulse of the crowd and know that the event does not have to be perfect in order to be a success. Should it not go exactly as planned, you'll learn from the experience and improve. There are plenty of people making a living as a quizmaster and you can be one of them.
