You may deliver a compelling presentation, but if you aren’t prepared for the Q&A, it can diminish your impact—and your credibility.
Delivering a great presentation takes planning and practice! After all that hard work, you might feel like you’re done. (You can taste success.) But there is another step in preparing for the big day: getting ready for the Q&A.
Planning how you will handle questions ensures that your presentation stays on track and you leave a positive impression.
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when preparing for the Q&A session:
- Think like your audience. If you were in the audience, what would you want to know about your topic?
- Be prepared for the worst. Anticipate the worst questions you might get; the ones you don’t want. Plan a specific response to these questions ahead of time.
- Read the audience. People ask questions to get information, hear themselves talk, and sometimes, to challenge you—the speaker. Before responding, try to figure out the questioner’s motive, and respond accordingly.
When you plan ahead for handling questions, you will be much better prepared to respond with confidence.