At the end of nearly every presentation, there is a time for Q&A. This is the opportunity for audience members to air their questions and for a presenter to clarify and drive home their call to action. While this is a crucial and impactful moment for any presentation if not managed correctly it can quickly become a detriment to the long-term relationship between a presenter and audience.
At Ethos3 we believe that every moment of a presentation is crucial which is why we have put together 4 tips to leading an excellent Q&A.
Come Prepared
Every presenter knows that it is vital to prepare and practice for every presentation. However, many forget that preparing for the Q&A section is equally important. Spend time before each presentation memorizing your statistics and practicing answer questions. This will ensure you are clear and concise while answering live.
Anticipate Questions
A key to great preparation is the ability to anticipate the questions your audience may ask. Walkthrough your presentation and write down 5 questions that you think your audience may ask for clarification on. After you have written these questions down consider beefing up those sections of your presentation while creating a clear answer if the question arises.
Include Visuals
Often presenters spend hours on the visual representation of their content. However, when it comes to Q&A they leave the screen blank. Consider taking the anticipated questions and creating slides that support your answers. This is a great way to show your audience you are prepared and maximize your content.
Speak with Confidence
With all your preparation complete the final key to a great Q&A is your ability to be confident. Confidence will communicate the importance of your content as well as elevate your level of expertise with your audience. While confidence is key it is also important that you do not come across cocky, never speak down on your audience as this can turn them off and lower their connection.
Question and answer sections are a great tool for any presentation. However, they must be executed with excellence. By executing these 4 tips you will not only impact your audience but you will inspire them to action.
Unsure of how to start your next presentation? Contact the team at Ethos3 today to find out how we can help.
