38- Become a Pro at Presentation Q&A
How you respond to questions from the audience is just as important as preparing, delivering, and closing a great presentation. When someone has a question, make eye contact and stand so that you are squarely facing them when they speak. This shows that you are genuinely interested in hearing the question and answering it.
Most untrained people will try to quickly answer the question and move on to the next one. A better response is to first show appreciation to the person asking the question and then take a few moments to be sure you understand the question. A simple acknowledgement such as, “That’s a good question,” can put the questioner, and the audience, at ease while giving you time to think of the best and most complete answer. Next, if the question was unclear, ask questions to clarify, and then repeat the question to the person asking it to confirm you understood correctly. You can use a simple phrase such as, “So what you’re asking is (fill in the blank)?” Look for positive confirmation such as a “yes” or head nod before continuing. If you don’t receive positive confirmation, re-phrase the question until you do. This step ensures that you are answering the proper question and provides extra time for you to think of the answer.
When you are sure that you understand the question, look back at the rest of the audience and repeat it. Again, use a simple phrase such as, “The question the woman in front just asked is (fill in the blank).” Continue by answering the question. At the end of you answer, go back to the person who asked the question and confirm that they are satisfied by saying, “Did that answer your question?”
While you can predict many of the questions you will be asked by brainstorming during your preparation phase, it is impossible to predict all of them. If you are asked a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t fake it! Nothing will derail a presentation more quickly than a presenter giving false information because they don’t know what else to do. In this case, confirm the question, let the person know you don’t know the correct answer and commit to getting back to them in a specific amount of time. When I present to a group, I bring my notebook with me to the front of the room so that I can write down these specific questions if they occur. Once I understand the question I respond with, “I am not sure the answer to that question, but I will look into it and get back to you tomorrow.” Providing this type of honest response enables you maintain the audience’s respect.
Up until this point, it is assumed that you will have time during the presentation to answer questions. However, some events do not allow time for speakers to respond to questions during their presentation. If you find yourself in this situation, simply explain to the audience how they can get in touch with you later to ask their questions. If you plan to be available after the presentation you can let people know they can find you at a specific location when you are finished. Some people may not be comfortable asking their question in person, or may think of it after you’ve left the stage, so it is also recommended that you let people know how to contact you in the future. For this reason, you should always leave business cards somewhere that people are able to pick them up if the situation allows for you to do so. A simple close to your questions could be, “I will be at the back of the room to answer additional questions, or you can email me at (fill in the blank with your email address.” If you are using a paper or electronic presentation tools such as Prezi, Power Point, or a flip chart, you should display your contact information (name and email at a minimum) in front of the audience as you answer questions so they can write it down for future reference.
Now that you are able to better respond to audience questions, we’ll focus in the next blog on how to use your body and voice to engage your audience throughout your presentation.
