The deciding factor as to how your presentation is received by the audience is how you handle the questions put up by the audience. It becomes all the more important if you are pitching for business.
-
Always be prepared for the questions. When you are preparing for your speech or presentation, think about the questions that are likely to be put up and then prepare your answers.
-
Make it clear in your mind as to when do you want to take up the questions, along with your presentation or at the end of it. Choose whatever suits you but then don’t change, once you have decided.
-
Never end your presentation with questions. Always ask for questions at least five to ten minutes before the end, deal with them and end by summarizing because if you don’t get any questions then the end of your presentation becomes a bit flat.
-
Whenever a question is popped at you, listen to it carefully and do look like you are listening. You might have faced the same questions innumerable times before but remember to treat your questioner with respect and don’t play down their question.
-
Always thank your questioner. It’s polite and shows respect. It also lends you time to ponder upon your answer.
-
Repeat the questions aloud as many of the people in the audience might not have heard and thus it may not make any sense to them. It also makes you look in control and clever.
-
Answer to everyone in the audience and not just to the questioner. Most of the time what happens is, if the questioner is in the front, the speaker ends up having conversation with him/her and excludes everyone else.
-
Always try and keep it simple. By the time you reach the question part of your presentation, most of the audience have become relaxed and thus might drag the session with too many questions.
-
Don’t try to bluff your audience. If someone asks you a question to which you don’t know the answer, simply tell them and assure them that you will get back to them after you have found out the answer.
It might be possible that no one from the audience asks any question which leaves an awkward silence. People might need some time to get what you have said and then ask. But to avoid that awkward silence you may ask some questions to yourself and then head for the summary and closing statement.
