Any Questions??

Do you ever finish your presentations with an “Any Questions” slide? Does that always go well? Do you get lots of interesting, relevant questions? Questions that add value to your presentation?

The “Q&A” often closes a presentation or session. It is supposed to provide an opportunity for the audience to ask all the things they didn’t understand or need more information on. Right? Simple, in theory. But in practice, many things can go wrong.

You can get too many questions and struggle to respond to them all or run out of time. Maybe you don’t know how to answer a question. There can be confusion on how questions should be posed. People end up frustrated and you get flustered. You don’t finish your presentation with the sort of impact that you had planned.

So how do you make sure your question and answer session does justice to your message? How do you ensure it doesn’t end up an unfocused mess that undermines the presentation you spent so long crafting?

Preparation is key. By planning in advance, you will be able to ensure the Q&A adds value to your presentation or session. You will keep the audience interested and strengthen your message and credibility.

?“He who is best prepared can best serve his moment of inspiration.”

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, British Poet

Is lack of preparation for the Q&A or discussion holding you back from speaking confidently and getting what you want?

If you want to really rock the Q&A, enroll in the Q&A Mastery short-course here.

Helen von Dadelszen is on a mission to help professionals speak with more confidence. As the founder of Present Potential, she provides practical training on a range of speaking and presentation skills. Originally a "kiwi" she now lives in Switzerland and has recently launched the Present Potential Academy--an online hub providing courses and materials to help professionals unlock their speaking potential.