The Presentation After the Presentation

Presentation Skills

Most speaking situations really involve two presentations

The formal presentation

and

The question and answer period

Question and Answer

Ensure success with both presentations by using these techniques for the question and answer period.

Allowing the audience to ask questions after your presentation is an excellent way to reinforce your message and to continue to sell your ideas.

In addition, because listeners can ask for clarification, audience members are less likely to leave your presentation with misconceptions about the concepts you delivered.

Because of these benefits, the question and answer period is actually another presentation and vital to most speaking situations.

Question and Answer Techniques

Here are some suggestions to more effectively handle the question and answer period.

Create the right mental set among your listeners by telling them early in the presentation that you will have a question and answer period at the end of your speech.

If you have an introducer, tell that person to mention your willingness to answer questions at the end of the presentation.

People are more likely to ask questions if you tell them at the beginning that they will have this opportunity.

Show That You Expect Questions

This may seem obvious, but if you say

"Who has the first question?"

It creates the expectation that there are indeed questions out there.

Look Expectant

If you look as if you expect a question you increase the likelihood of one being asked.

If no question is asked, "prime the pump"

You can do this by asking your own question.

You just say

"A question I'm often asked is"

You then ask and answer your own question.

Ask For a Final Question

If there are then no questions, you can finish with "Are there any other questions?"

Some of the enthusiasm for your presentation is lost if you have no questions from the audience.

Usually, "priming the pump" will motivate audience members to ask questions.

Look and Look Away

Look at the person asking the question, and repeat it, especially if there is a large audience or if you need a moment to think.

By repeating the question you ensure you've understood what the person asked.

Do not continue looking at the person once you start to answer the question.

You want to give the impression that the question was asked by everybody in the audience.

Continue to stand where you are equally distant from all members of your audience.

Avoid the temptation to move directly to the person who asked the question.

Visually this will help make the rest of the audience feel included.

Reward the Questioner

As you end your answer, look back at the person who asked the question.

Ask them if the answer was satisfactory and offer the opportunity for a follow on question.

Thank them for an excellent question before moving on.

Give Concise Answers

Keep your answer concise and to the point. Don't give another speech.

The audience will be bored if you take too long to answer a question.

And there is always the possibility that the only person interested in the answer is the one who asked the question!

Yes No Explain

If you can answer with a "yes" or "no," then do so.

Then go on to briefly explain why.

This keeps the tempo moving and will help keep the audience's attention.

Loaded Questions

One of the toughest challenges is the loaded question.

Don't answer a loaded question; defuse it before you answer.

Before answering a question such as,

"What are you doing with all the money you are making from increased prices?"

defuse it by saying,

"I understand your frustration with the recent rate increase.

I believe what you are asking is, 'Why such a sudden increase in rates?'"

Then answer that question.

You only get into arguments when you allow yourself to answer the loaded question.

If the person is not satisfied with the changing of the question's wording, tell him or her that you will be glad to talk about it following the question and answer period and move quickly to the next question.

Speech Makers

Sometimes you will have a listener raise his or her hand and instead of asking a question will make an extended comment-or a speech.

This person has no question!

Handle this by waiting for the speaker to pause or take a breath and interrupt with

"Thank you for your comment... Next question?"

Look to the other side of the room and the long-winded speaker is not sure whether you interrupted him or whether you really thought he or she was finished.

Do not allow the person to continue with the "speech" because it will deprive other members of the audience of the opportunity to ask questions.

Don't Evaluate Questions

Avoid saying "That was a great question," or "Good question."

If the next person asks a question and you give no positive adjective, then the person may think you did not approve of the question and that could stifle others from asking questions. If you want to affirm a specific question, simply say,

"Thanks for asking that question."

You want to make everyone feel equally good about asking questions.

Conclusion

Consider having your conclusion after the question and answer period.

This technique allows you to control the end of your time in front of the audience. Instead of the last question, the audience receives your prepared and planned conclusion.

Say,

"Before I make some concluding remarks, who has a question to ask?"

Then when you take the amount of time you want for the question and answer period, go back to your conclusion.

Thus you can end in a positive and upbeat way rather than trailing off with

"So if there are no further questions, I guess that's it."