Trainer Guide

Showing a New Hire the Hosting Ropes

Thank you for being a Trivia Mafia Host Trainer! Your experience and skill in presenting Trivia Mafia trivia are invaluable, and we hope this guide will assist you in teaching new hosts how to be a good ambassador of our brand, and demonstrating the fun of running a trivia event. Thanks!

Week 1

Before:

Make sure you are familiar with all the updated policies and procedures and be prepared to update the new host with changes that have occurred since the last formal manual update. Technically, using the Answer App is optional, but we ask all hosts to be trained to use it.
You’ll be introduced to the new host via email by Brenna or Mary Kate; check that they have received all of their materials, reviewed the Host Guide, and joined the Host Slack. Encourage them to take notes.

On Site:

Trainer and new host are expected to arrive 30 minutes before trivia begins.
Introduce yourself to the staff and find out where to set up and how to use the sound equipment. If it is a Trivia Mafia PA, go slowly through the set up to teach the new host how everything fits together, and find out if it will be stored onsite after trivia. If it is an in-house system, the staff should be prepared to train you both on how to use it.

When you introduce yourself to the new host, let them know your experience and a little about yourself. Use this introduction time to find out what experience your new host has. Are they comfortable with public speaking, do they have experience talking into a microphone, are they familiar with sound equipment, what concerns do they have? Do they learn best by doing and getting notes after, or observing and then trying it themselves? Use this information to guide your training.

You should start on the mic, and introduce the game as well as the new host. You should present the first round and let the new host present the second. Alternate presenting rounds, and score the first half together, and you will read the answers. Talk about the best ways to keep track of time. Take a picture of them hosting to share on Slack, and find out if we can share it on socials!
For the second half of trivia, have the new host start with round five and alternate reading rounds, with them giving the answers for the second half of trivia. Have them do the scoring and help navigate half points and leniency in general; update the leaderboard, give time for any discrepancies to be raised, announce the winners and end the night as usual making sure to let the teams know that there will be trivia every week on the same day and time. Have the new host take the team photos.

Emphasize the importance of fair and accurate scoring, and the pitfalls of giving unearned points (and the balance of giving half points for humor or nearly-correct answers). Explain how to address a contested answer. Explain what to do if/when there is a tie. Remind them about the Questions email thread, and show them which channels to use in Slack if they need to ask for support/clarification/share stories.

After:

Make sure they understand how to set up and take down the equipment. Encourage them to take pictures and notes of the setup for reference, and for their ICOE. Review the ICOE together if you can!
Show them how to access the Host Feedback and walk them through filling it in. Let them know they will be running Trivia the following week and you will be there to assist them with anything that may come up.

Ask them what what they felt best about, and which elements are causing discomfort/challenges. Let them know you are available for any questions, and the best way to get a hold of you.

Week Two

Before:

Nudge them to review the ICOE form and review the Host Guide prior to arriving for week two. Let them know that you will be working with them to collect information to complete their ICOE.
Let them know when you expect to arrive. The second week may not need the full 30 minutes ahead of start, but never arrive less than 15 minutes before trivia should begin.
Make sure to communicate with the staff regarding any changes or updates since the prior week.
Encourage them! Share your confidence that they’ll do great. Let them know to laugh it off if they mispronounce a word or accidentally skip a question – everyone is there to have fun and we all make mistakes!

During:

This is the new host’s time to shine! They get to kick off the game. Before they hop on the mic, you might have them practice the introduction. They need to say:
- their name
- they are with Trivia Mafia
- it’s going to be so fun OMG
- trivia has eight rounds, four in each half
- the rules are simple: no shouting, no cheating, no teams over eight
- use your noodle, not your Google
- let’s goooooooooo

It may be more helpful for the host to get in the mindset of running trivia on their own if you don’t stay near them as they are presenting, so feel free to move about the cabin and sit in various places to listen. It is very rare that a host can make a mistake that cannot be addressed during a pause between questions or rounds (e.g., speak up/slow down; remember to describe prizes/thank staff/explain Mega Round, etc.) Resist the urge to interrupt them or take over! However, you can offer to run one round or read answers; leave the choice to the trainee. 

If they are struggling, try to give just one or two specific notes, and encourage them to sort things out on their own. Successfully navigating the night will be great for a new host’s confidence in presenting solo!

Take notes and be ready to provide constructive feedback at the end of the night. Check in with teams during the game to see if they have any feedback on delivery/pacing/vibes. Have the new host end the night on the mic, and present prizes and take pictures.

After:

Debrief on what you observed they did well that night, and ask them where they felt a little shaky. Mention any areas for improvement they didn’t touch on and offer tips on how to deal with those in the future. 

For example, if they struggled with pronunciation, encourage them to read all the questions aloud before trivia - whether that be at home before they come out or in their car right before they go in, that often helps. If they struggled with pacing, encourage them to set a timer on their phone, find a good clock in the space, or use their playlist to track time (i.e. if you start a new song after each question, you should read the next question by the time the chorus starts.)

They can also refer back to the Host Guide and the Cheat Sheet for other support. Have them complete the Host Feedback Form and make sure they have all the information they need to prepare their ICOE. They’ll get a reminder email automatically around three weeks after their hire date. 

Once they become comfortable hosting, they can learn by subbing at other sites, and subbing is greatly appreciated by everyone! Ideally they’ll have been a host for six weeks (four weeks solo) before picking up sub shifts, but that’s not a hard rule. Share with them the Sub Form and best practices for getting subs. Make sure they have joined the Host Slack, and encourage them to search Slack and ask questions as everyone is willing to help them out. Point out the channels for subs, answer app, job opportunities, and announcements (but also note the channels for playlists and kickball and stuff).

Most importantly, make sure they are comfortable and have enough confidence to run trivia on their own. If you or the new host have concerns about running trivia solo, that is OK, and you should reach out to Mary Kate and make a plan for the new host’s success.

Thanks for being an awesome guide for a new host!