leading the perfect q&a in any presentation
TRANSCRIPT
OF ALL POSSIBLE PRESENTATION ELEMENTS OPENING, STORIES,
DEMONSTRATIONS, CLOSINGTHE Q&A HAS THE TENDENCY TO MAKE EVEN WELL VERSED SPEAKERS LOSS CONTROL
& FALL FLAT
ONE COMMON FEARTHAT CAUSES MANY PRESENTERS TO DREAD THE Q&A SESSION
IS THE FEAR OF UNKNOWN QUESTIONS
IT CAN BE EMBARRASSING IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, SO ONE APPROACH IS TO ‘PLANT’A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED, OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL FEEL MORE AT EASE ASKING THEIRS
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PLANTSOME QUESTIONSIN THE AUDIENCE
IT CAN BE EMBARRASSING IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, SO ONE APPROACH IS TO ‘PLANT’ A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON AUDIENCE MEMBERS YOU KNOW. ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED, OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL FEEL MORE AT EASE ASKING THEIRS
LOOKAT YOUR
AUDIENCE3
PLANTSOME QUESTIONSIN THE AUDIENCE
IT CAN BE EMBARRASSING IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, SO ONE APPROACH IS TO ‘PLANT’ A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON AUDIENCE MEMBERS YOU KNOW. ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED, OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL FEEL MORE AT EASE ASKING THEIRS
ACKNOWLEDGE THE QUESTION AND QUESTIONER WITH EYE CONTACT AND THEN INVOLVE THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE WITH YOUR RESPONSE THROUGH EYE CONTACT ALSO
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LISTEN TO THE ENTIRE QUESTION BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO ANSWER. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND THINK ABOUT YOUR RESPONSE.
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LISTEN TO THE
QUESTION,SUMMARIZE IT &
THEN VERIFY THAT YOUR RESTATEMENT
ADDRESSES THE QUESTIONER’S
CENTRAL CONCERN.
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BE SURE TO RETURN TO YOUR QUESTIONER AND CHECK WITH THEM THAT THE ANSWER IS SATISFACTORY WITH A QUICK,
'HAS THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION?'.
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BE ASSERTIVE AND DEFLECT THEIR QUESTIONS OFFLINE. GIVE OTHER AUDIENCE MEMBERS A CHANCE TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS.
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THERE'S NO QUICKER WAY TO DESTROY YOUR POSITION AS THE EXPERT IN THE ROOM THAN THROUGH LONG, WAFFLING, UNINTELLIGIBLE ANSWERS TO SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
BECONCISE8
IT IS WORSE TO MAKE UP AN ANSWER THAN IT IS TO HONESTLY ADMIT YOU DON’T KNOW.
Ex. “That’s a good point, but I would have to put some more thought into my answer” is much more effective than bashfully apologizing.
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END WITH A SUMMARY, OR ONE TO TWO SENTENCES REITERATING
YOUR MAIN POINT
THANK THE AUDIENCE FOR THEIR USEFUL COMMENTS, AND THEIR
ATTENTION AND THEN BE SEATED.
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