9 Tips for Handling Public Speaking Questions (part 1)

One of the best methods of getting audience interaction is to have a Question and Answer (Q&A) session at the end of your speech or presentation. But this requires some skill. How you handle questions from an audience can often be the deciding factor as to how your presentation is received. Especially if you're pitching for business, then it's absolutely vital to handle questions well.

Here are some tips on handling public speaking questions:

1. Be prepared for questions – When you write your presentation, think about what you're likely to be asked and what your answer is going to be. Maybe you won't want to answer a particular question there and then, so think about what you'll say to satisfy the questioner.

2. Make it clear at the start – You may decide to take questions as you go or at the end of your presentation. It is more advisable to have your Q&A at the end of your speech so that you do not get interrupted while speaking. Furthermore, an audience won't forgive you for taking half an hour when you were only scheduled to speak for fifteen minutes. Whatever you decide, make it clear at the start and don't change your mind.

3. Never finish with questions – Far better to ask for questions five or ten minutes before the end, deal with the questions and then summarize for a strong finish. Too many presentations finish on questions and the whole thing goes a bit flat - particularly if you don't get any.

4. Listen well – When asked a question, listen and look like you are listening. It may be something you've heard a million times before. Treat the questioner with respect and don't trivialize their point.

5. Thank the questioner – It's only polite and it’s the first thing to do. Also, it shows respect and it gives you a bit more time to consider your answer.

In the next part of this article, I will show you 4 more super ways to handle a Q&A session.