q&a session after presentation

How To Navigate Your Presentation Q and A Session Like A Pro

Table of contents.

Presentations are a pivotal part of professional life, an opportunity to share knowledge, influence decisions, and showcase expertise . But what truly separates the pros from the rest of the pack is not just the delivery of content but also their ability to master the art of the post-presentation Q&A session.

In this article, we’ll delve into strategies, tips, and insights that will empower you to confidently face any audience, tackle tough questions, and leave a lasting impression as a presentation maestro.

Is A Q & A Session At The End Of A Presentation Required?

A Q&A session at the end of a presentation is a common practice in many professional settings, including business meetings, academic lectures, and conferences. It provides the audience with an opportunity to seek clarification, engage with the speaker, and delve deeper into the topic discussed.

How Important Is Moderation In Your Q & A Session?

Moderation is highly important in a Q&A session, and its role cannot be overstated . Effective moderation ensures that the session runs smoothly, maintains a respectful and productive atmosphere, and maximizes the benefits for both the presenter and the audience.

Here Are A Few Tips On How To Moderate

Give audience members instructions on how to participate.

Encouraging audience participation as a moderator is vital for a successful Q&A session or discussion. Start by c reating a friendly and open atmosphere, setting clear expectations, and using open-ended questions that invite thoughtful responses. Actively engage with participants, ask follow-up questions, and acknowledge their contributions to foster a sense of inclusivity.

Rotate attention among panelists or presenters, promote written questions for larger or online sessions, and be patient, allowing participants time to formulate their thoughts. Summarize key points made by the audience and connect them to the main topic to reinforce the value of their contributions. Seek feedback at the end of the session to continually improve your moderation skills and enhance audience engagement.

Use a Moderating Tool To Improve Efficiency

Utilizing moderating tools is an excellent way to enhance the efficiency of discussions and manage interactions in online or live events. These tools typically offer features like question management, chat monitoring, and participant engagement tracking. To maximize their effectiveness, start by familiarizing yourself with the tool’s interface and capabilities before the event.

During the presentation or discussion, actively monitor incoming questions or comments, addressing them in real-time or queuing them for later. Use features like chat moderation to maintain a respectful and on-topic conversation, ensuring that disruptive or inappropriate content is promptly dealt with. Additionally, track participant engagement metrics to identify trends and areas that may need additional attention. By harnessing the power of moderating tools, you can streamline your role, keep the discussion on track, and create a more efficient and productive environment for all involved.

Prepare To Collect Unanswered Questions

You also need to be prepared to collect unanswered questions that you might not get to during the allotted time you have to present, have a system in place for noting down questions that couldn’t be addressed during the session, either submitted through digital tools or manually written, ensuring they are organized and ready for follow-up or future discussions. Make sure you have a clear and concise call to action in your presentation to achieve this.

Things To Think About Before Running Your Q & A Session

When running a Q&A (Question and Answer) session, there are several key considerations to keep in mind: Preparation, timing, audience engagement, question prioritization, complex questions, and audience diversity . Below, we will get into a few of these.

Let Your Audience Know In Advance When The Session Will Start

It’s essential to communicate the start time of the Q&A session to your audience effectively. By clearly indicating when the Q&A will begin, whether it’s at the end of a presentation or at a specified time during an event, you help attendees anticipate and prepare their questions. This proactive communication ensures that the Q&A session runs smoothly and that participants are ready to engage in meaningful dialogue when the time comes, enhancing the overall event experience.

Briefing Your Audience On The Format

At the beginning of the session, set clear expectations for audience participation. Explain the format, timing, and how questions will be received (e.g., raising hands, using a chat feature, or submitting questions in advance).

Leave Enough Time To Field Questions

Leavin g dedicated time during your presentation for a Q&A session is crucial as it allows for audience engagement, clarifications, and deeper exploration of topics, enhancing the overall impact and effectiveness of your presentation.

Stick To The Time Limit Allotted

Sticking to the time allocated for a Q&A session is of paramount importance as it respects both the audience’s and the presenter’s schedules. It ensures that the event remains organized, preventing sessions from running over and causing inconvenience. Efficient time management in a Q&A also allows for the inclusion of as many questions as possible within the allotted period, maintaining the engagement and interest of the audience. Additionally, adhering to the schedule demonstrates professionalism and consideration for attendees, making the entire event more enjoyable and productive.

Tips On How To Answer Questions In The Session

Navigating a Q&A session effectively is an art that requires both expertise and finesse. It’s not only about providing accurate information but also about engaging with the audience, addressing their queries thoughtfully, and managing the flow of the discussion. In the following tips, we’ll explore strategies for answering questions during a Q&A session that will help you enhance your presentation and foster a constructive and informative exchange with your audience.

Make Eye Contact With The Audience Member Asking The Question

Making eye contact with the audience member who is asking a question is crucial as it conveys attentiveness, respect, and a genuine connection, fostering a more engaging and interactive Q&A session.

Research Suggests Taking A Brief Pause Before You Answer

This momentary pause allows you to gather your thoughts, ensuring that your response is well-considered and accurate. It prevents rushed or impulsive answers, particularly to complex or sensitive queries, and demonstrates a sense of thoughtfulness and confidence to the audience.

Moreover, the pause offers your guests an opportunity to absorb the question fully and mentally prepare for your response. This moment of reflection can enhance clarity and comprehension, making the exchange between you and your audience more meaningful and effective. Ultimately, by incorporating a deliberate pause before answering questions, you not only improve the quality of your responses but also convey professionalism and a genuine commitment to providing valuable information. This article dives even deeper on the importance of a brief pause before answering a question.

Take A Pause And Call The Geeks. We Can Help!

1-888-206-9525

Make Sure You Understand The Question Asked Before Answering

Your confidence and expertise in the subject matter also matter. Check out our article to help guide you in being a better presenter . If you are well-prepared and knowledgeable about your topic you will easily be able to understand the questions being asked.

Additionally, knowing when you are being asked an irrelevant question, or a thoughtful question, is a key tool in helping you move through your Q&A’s. Be sure to hear what your audience is asking, and for any irrelevant questions, keep your answers short and move on to any potential questions that will bring your guests back to your key messaging.

Always Keep Cool, Calm And Collected

Maintaining a sense of calm during a Q&A is essential as it allows you to think clearly, respond confidently, and manage unexpected challenges or difficult questions effectively. It also helps create a positive and reassuring atmosphere, which can enhance your credibility and the overall experience.

If You Don't Know The Answer, Be Honest!

Being honest when you don’t know the answer to a question during a Q&A session is vital because it builds trust with the audience, maintains your credibility, and opens the door for future opportunities to provide accurate information.

Feeling Like You've Got Your Presentation Q and A Covered? Awesome!

You are now fully equipped to run a Q&A and moderate effectively! You’ve learned the importance of clear communication, timing, creating a welcoming atmosphere, and using pauses for thoughtful responses . You understand the value of being honest when unsure of an answer and the role of audience engagement and moderating tools. These skills will enable you to confidently navigate Q&A sessions for productive and engaging interactions with your audience.

Are You Ready To Make The Right Impression In Your Next Presentation? If So, Let's Talk

Make an impression that lasts with your next presentation. Use our presentation design service that will not only save you time and money, but create powerful sales tool that will make the right impression, first time around.

If you’re ready to begin working with award winning designers that have an established reputation, contact Presentation Geeks today by clicking the button below.

Author:  Content Team

Related posts.

FREE PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.

Subscribe for free tips, resources, templates, ideas and more from our professional team of presentation designers.

How to Facilitate a Successful Q&A Session

A Q&A session has the potential to be the most important part of your company meetings.

It’s a way to give employees a voice – a chance to ask questions to leadership and raise any concerns.

On the other hand, Q&As allow leaders to connect with employees at scale and in turn, create trust within the company.

Hybrid work has made this more important than ever.

Especially at larger online meetings such as all-hands and town halls, there aren’t many opportunities for employees to speak up and be heard.

In this article, we’ll show you how to design and facilitate a successful Q&A session at your hybrid company meetings.

What you’ll learn:

What is a Q&A session?

Why is q&a important, how to set up and facilitate a q&a session at your meeting.

Let’s dive right in.

Q&A (Questions-and-Answers) sessions are formats that allow audiences to ask questions to the speakers. Q&As originate in the events industry, where short Q&A blocks are typically held after each speaker slot to engage the audience and give them a chance to ask the speaker additional questions.

Q&A sessions have also found their way into companies. Many companies made Q&A sessions a regular part of their all-hands meetings or town hall meetings to allow for a communication flow between their employees and leadership.

Others, like Slack , Facebook , or IBM run standalone “Ask Me Anything” sessions with their CEO and executives.

Running a Q&A session is important because it helps bridge the gap between employees and company executives. When done over time, this builds a trusted and transparent culture and promotes inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

Effective internal communication Since hybrid work has made interactions between employees and leadership even more scarce, Q&A sessions provide an important avenue for effective internal communication.

Transparency & Trust Open Q&As help leaders keep healthy two-way communication with their staff, which is an important factor for employees to trust their leaders .

Diversity & Inclusion By opening a forum for employee questions, companies give their employees a voice and support diversity of thought and opinion in the workplace.

Read also: Employee interaction is the tip of the meeting iceberg

Below, you’ll find the best practices that will help you pull off a successful Questions-and-Answers session at your company meeting.

Or would you rather watch a video? Here you are:

1. Include Q&A directly in your agenda and dedicate enough time to it

Make the Q&A section a fixed part of your all-company meeting agenda to keep a regular communication flow with your employees. Running regular Q&A sessions will also help you keep an eye on the overall atmosphere in your organization and detect any changes or patterns.

Also, make sure to dedicate a substantial amount of time to the Q&A part. Only then will you create a meaningful discussion with your staff.

A rushed Q&A session may fail to hit the mark, and even backfire – your employees may feel as though leaders don’t care about their questions and concerns.

• At Slido, we allocate one-third of our all-hands meeting agenda to the Q&A – out of a 90-minute meeting, we spend 30 minutes answering questions from our teammates.
• At Google, a Q&A makes up one-half of their weekly all-hands meetings called TGIF – they run a 30-minute meeting, followed by a 30-minute Q&A with Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

2. Collect questions from your employees via a Q&A platform

At large company meetings, and especially when run online, it’s impractical to have people ask questions verbally. Not only does it create friction (people unmuting themselves, or jumping in the discussion), but it also isn’t inclusive of those who aren’t comfortable with speaking up.

By using Slido Q&A , you can allow everyone to ask questions asynchronously in advance at a time that suits them best, no matter what their timezone.

All they have to do is simply type their questions in the app (they can even stay anonymous) – and you’ll run more organized Q&A sessions.

Plus, you will have all the questions in one place. During the Q&A, you can display them on the screen and make it easier for your team to follow the discussion.

💡 Tip If your company’s new to Slido, give it a proper introduction among your employees. Explain to your employees how they can join your Slido event and send their questions in.

3. Start collecting questions from employees in advance

Allow your employees to submit their questions even before the meeting. They will have more time to think their questions through and your leaders will have an opportunity to check the questions before the meeting and prepare more elaborate answers.

For example, we share a link to Slido Q&A with our colleagues about a week before the all-hands meeting.

You can share a link to your Slido event via:

• Slack Share a link to Slido Q&A with your colleagues in a dedicated Slack channel
• Calendar Paste the link to the calendar invite, along with a Zoom link, and other important details
• Email Send the Slido link to your colleagues in an invite email and encourage them to submit their questions

💡 Tip By collecting questions in advance, even those who can’t join the meeting in person will be able to ask questions. They will see their question answered when they watch the meeting recording.

4. Appoint a Q&A moderator

To make your Q&A even more effective, have a dedicated person to moderate the discussion. What actually works really well is running your Q&A session as a natural conversation.

Have your moderator read each question out loud and assign it to a concrete person to answer it. This will take your Q&A session from one to 100 and will be much more engaging for your audience to watch and listen to.

A good Q&A moderator will also help keep the discussion organized and relevant by grouping similar questions together, or following up on some of the questions to get the best answers.

💡 Tip Especially with larger meetings, it’s handy to appoint someone to review the incoming questions , archive duplicate questions or those already answered, and highlight the current questions.

5. Keep reminding people to ask questions

Even if you’ve collected some questions in advance, a good practice is to give your employees a gentle reminder at the beginning of the meeting so they don’t forget to ask questions.

Have your moderator encourage people to keep sending their questions throughout the meeting and repeat the call to action by the end.

Our all-hands moderator, Juraj Holub, often does this trick: After a block of business updates, he prompts people to take a moment, think of what they’ve just heard, and then submit a question should they have one.

6. Use upvotes to keep the discussion relevant

‘Question upvotes’ is a fantastic feature that allows employees to influence which questions will get answered with priority. They can simply give a question a thumbs up to upvote it if they think it’s relevant. You can even enable downvotes that allow them to do the very opposite – send the question down.

It’s a great way to keep the discussion relevant and to the point. Also, it allows employees to express their support for certain questions or topics, even if they don’t want to ask a question themselves.

💡 Tip Shortly before the end of your Q&A, ask your employees to open Slido and go through the submitted questions once again and upvote them.

You can say something like: “We have time for two more questions, please go ahead and upvote your favorite ones so we’ll get to answer the most relevant ones.”

7. Tackle the unanswered questions after the meeting

If you’ve run out of time and there are still many questions left unanswered, don’t let them disappear.

Answer them in writing, include them in your internal newsletter, or record a video and share it with your teammates afterwards.

Here are 8 tips on what to do with unanswered questions after your all-hands meeting.

A great Q&A session is usually a combination of thoughtful preparation, masterful moderation and skillful use of interaction technology. And, naturally, an intelligent and curious audience population. Use the tips above to make your next Q&A a success.

Improve your Q&A with Slido.

Get just a single email per month with our best articles.

5 Slido Activities to Build Psychological Safety In Your Team

At the center of a working environment with high levels of trust is the magic ingredient: psychological safety.  If you’re...

Why Leaders Should Run Employee Ask Me Anything Sessions

An Ask Me Anything (AMA) session is an opportunity for your team to ask questions and feel heard. It gives...

The Top 80+ Poll Question Ideas to Ask Your Online Audience

Whether you’re running a meeting, hosting a training, webinar, or speaking at an event, polls are your best friend. They...

15 Tips That Guarantee A Productive Q&A Session

Conferences and events often include question-and-answer sessions as an integral presentation component or as standalone segments. These Q&A sessions allow audiences to delve deeper into specific subjects or pose questions to individuals they might not typically have access to.

Hosting a successful Q&A session may not always be a cakewalk. It requires the moderator or emcee to manage the time effectively, structure the session strategically, encourage active participation from the audience, and much more. Let’s delve into the tips for hosting a successful Q&A session.

Table of Contents

• What is a Q&A session?
• 15 Tips to host a successful Q&A session 2.1 Define Clear Objectives 2.2 Structure the Session 2.3 Undergo Thorough Preparation 2.4 Concise and Clear Responses 2.5 Enhance with Visuals 2.6 Encourage Active Management 2.7 Facilitate Effective Moderation 2.8 Focus on Relevance 2.9 Nurture a Positive Atmosphere 2.10 Guidance for Off-Topic Questions 2.11 Inclusive Participation 2.12 Facilitate Dialogue 2.13 Balanced Question Selection 2.14 Adaptability to Challenges 2.15 Effective Closure and Follow-up

Challenges Faced During a Q&A Session

Key takeaway, what is a q&a session.

A “Question and Answer Session,” or “Q&A Session,” is when a presenter interacts with an audience by answering their questions. Hosting a Q&A session is very important from the point of view of engagement, as participants stay engaged through interactive conversations that keep them interested and focused.

It can also help participants understand the discussed issue as they can ask questions to understand complex subjects better. It also ensures personalized learning, as asking tailored questions makes the information more relevant to the person’s requirements.

Furthermore, it promotes problem-solving as these Q&A sessions address issues and provide immediate, useful answers. Q&A sessions help people engage with the content and learn more effectively.

15 Tips to Host a Successful Q&A Session

While we know Q&A sessions and why they are so important, let’s look at a few tips to help you conduct a successful and effective Q&A session. This section below will contain tips for each stakeholder- presenter, moderator, audience, and organizers. We hope these tips help each of you achieve your goals at the conference, enhance attendee engagement, and improve your interaction with the audience. 

For the Presenter-

Here are a few pointers that a presenter should keep in mind for a successful Q and A session-

1. Define Clear Objectives

First, clearly define the objectives for a successful Q&A session. This means outlining the specific goals and expected outcomes. This clarity creates the foundation for a concentrated and deliberate relationship. Stating these goals can guide participants and shape the conversation’s direction. To do so, follow these steps:

• Choose the main goals you hope to achieve during the Q&A session. Are you hoping to exchange information, solve issues, or generate creative ideas?
• Create straightforward statements that convey each purpose. Use language that is easily understood by your intended audience. 
• Before the session starts, inform the participants of the goals. This provides background and aids in establishing expectations.
• Maintain a direct connection between the objectives and the session’s central theme.

2. Structure the Session

Plan how the discussion will go and what will be discussed for a good Q&A session. This strategy helps more people participate, keeps things organized, and makes the session impactful. This is how you do it:

• Begin by outlining the session’s goal, objectives, and any participation rules.
• Establish the speaker’s credibility by briefly outlining their expertise or history. 

• You can begin with quick opening comments that establish the tone for the Q&A.
• The majority of the session should be devoted to questions and answers. The speaker can discuss multiple topics while emphasizing their significance to the main theme. 
• Give each question a time restriction to guarantee a detailed discussion. This will save time on certain topics.

3. Undergo Thorough Preparation

Preparing well for a Q&A session is important. It helps you gain a thorough understanding of the topic so that you can effectively tackle the questions after the presentation. For tips, check out our article on Public Speaking Techniques to Leave a Lasting Impression. 

If you are a presenter and are wondering how you prepare for the presentation like a pro, we have a few techniques explained ahead for you that will help you in the process:

• Firstly, consider what your audience is interested in, what they know, and their history when responding. That will help you prepare accordingly. 
• Secondly, you need to understand the topic of discussion to answer effectively and fully. 
• While preparing the presentation, think about the questions the participants might ask and plan smart answers beforehand. This is crucial to establish your credibility as a moderator. 
•  Track new advancements in the field to stay updated with the latest information. This will help you tackle any challenging questions that may come your way. 
• As you prepare your key points, find important details, examples, stories, or statistics to improve your replies. Doing so will add credibility to what you have to say. To get more interesting ideas to make your presentation successful, read our article, “ 17 Impactful Persuasive Techniques to Become a Master Public Speaker .”  
• Also, remember to simplify complicated concepts while answering the audience, as you don’t want to lose their attention along the way.

4. Concise and Clear Responses

Speakers should always keep their responses short, clear, and focused on the problem when answering questions. Before organizing the Q and A session, you should also thoroughly research and prepare for the session’s main theme. 

In an excerpt from the 2016 Japanese textbook called “NIG Method for Scientific English Presentation by Tatsumi Hirata, Todd Gorman, and Yash Hiromi’’, the authors discuss how to interpret certain questions under various circumstances. According to the journal, this practice guarantees the participants receive correct information while avoiding needless discussions or confusion. This is how you can do it:

• As soon as a question is asked before replying, take the time to comprehend the question thoroughly.
• Address the questions using facts, figures, and substance. This shows your preparation for the topic. Avoid technical jargon that may mislead people. 
• Summarize key points separately if the question is open-ended and long.
• You can also use analogies to simplify some difficult topics. 
• Try to avoid repeating the same material in multiple ways.
• Inquire whether the participant understood your response or if they want more clarity.

5. Enhance with Visuals

A research paper published in May 2023 in Multimedia Tools and Applications, titled “ The Influence of Product Digital Visual Presentation on Purchase Willingness: effects of Roundedness Axes and Degree,” explores how different shapes and colors in a presentation affect one’s attention. These responses to stimuli make one focus more on the screen. Pictures, charts, graphs, or slides can reportedly make a Q and A session more understandable. These visuals show concepts, statistics, or ideas. Visual aids make complex content easier to understand. They add depth, clarity, and interest. This is how you do it:

• Choose graphics that directly support the presentation’s contents.
• Put clear, uncluttered graphics that are easy to understand.
• Turn statistics or data into aesthetically appealing charts or graphs.

• To show concepts, procedures, or scenarios, use visuals or diagrams.
• Avoid using too much text in your presentations, as it can make the screen look cluttered; instead, concentrate on visual depiction.
• You can use colors to emphasize and distinguish different aspects or use specific colors and shapes to highlight specific information. 
• For your participants to understand everything thoroughly, explain every visual depiction from your presentation.

While we are on the topic of presentations, you should also check out The Gazebo- B2B speakers directory. If you’re a speaker or want to be one, join our Gazebo Speaker Community by filling out a small Google form . Once you’ve made your profile on this platform, you can also upload your presentations and creations with fellow community members and expand your connections.

For the moderator-

For a Q and A session to be successful, a moderator must consider these key pointers carefully-

6. Encourage Active Engagement

To get more people involved in a Q&A session, it’s important to empower them. Participants should feel encouraged to ask questions and share their views. This active engagement raises the session’s depth and richness. So as a presenter, you can adhere to a few important ways, as mentioned below- 

• Begin the meeting with a kind and welcoming introduction that invites participation.
• To establish the tone for the conversation, prompt participants to ask questions.
• Start with a few icebreaker questions to establish rapport and show openness. It is extremely important to ensure that everyone feels welcome and at ease asking questions.
• Let people share their thoughts and stories about the subject by giving them the floor open for their words.

• Invite participants to ask follow-up questions to dive deeper into specific aspects.
• You should also encourage participants to answer each other’s questions and explain further to promote interaction.

7. Facilitate Effective Moderation

The moderator should ensure a balanced and productive conversation during a Q&A session by managing its flow and dynamics. A good session runs smoothly, involves people, and gives everyone value. 

Here are a few steps to effectively moderate your session: 

• Introduce yourself at the beginning of your session. Include your background and expertise on the topic and explain how you can moderate that session for your current audience. 
• Before the session starts, explicitly announce your session’s participation criteria to your audience. This ensures courteous and helpful conversations.
• Give each question a specific time limit to keep things on track and maintain a good pace.
• Explain the session’s rules in the beginning. Make sure to inform them beforehand that you can step in as a moderator if some queries take too long. This needs to be practiced so everyone can have a turn to speak.
• Use transitional statements to move between queries. 
• Maintain a neutral and respectful demeanor, especially when dealing with potentially contentious issues.

8. Focus on Relevance

As a moderator, you must ensure that the questions and their replies are related or always circle back to the session’s main theme to keep it relevant. Using this method helps everyone stay focused and get the most out of the session. Follow the instructions below to make the most out of your session:

• Encourage participants to ask any queries that they have about the main topic of discussion.
• If a question deviates from the major issue, gently steer it back to the right topic.

• As a moderator, if you are dealing with a large volume of questions,  prioritize the ones that are closely related to the subject.
• Allow for larger debates about the core issue while remaining on topic. This helps in audience engagement and promotes open discussion about the theme. 
• Politely acknowledge fascinating questions that are outside the scope of the present discussion that’s going on.  And if you choose to answer them, tie your responses to the main subject to foster relevancy.

9. Nurture a Positive Atmosphere

Participants need to feel comfortable and respected to make a Q&A session positive. It’s important to encourage them to ask questions and share their ideas. Promoting optimism increases involvement and leads to a fruitful and courteous debate. Use the following actions:

• Start with a friendly introduction to set a positive tone from the beginning and make your participants feel comfortable. 
• Recognize the significance of each participant’s questions, regardless of how complex their query is, and try to answer it with much poise and factual accuracy. 
• Provide positive comments or expressions of thanks for smart or thought-provoking inquiries.
• To create a respectful environment, answer with courteous words and a considerate tone. Use statements like- “That is a wonderful question,” | “I appreciate your curiosity,” and similar statements.
• If you have disagreements or confrontations among participants, you should handle them politely.
• When meeting in person, remember to make eye contact, use friendly body language, and have a positive attitude.
• Thank the participants for coming and for their interest in the session topic.

10. Guidance for Off-Topic Questions

During a Q&A session, make sure to redirect participants who ask unrelated questions politely. To keep the session helpful, redirect the debate and focus on the theme. To ensure that your sessions don’t derail and provide maximum useful outputs, follow the steps below:

• Begin by recognizing the question and its importance to the participant.
• Transition politely by announcing the session’s main focus. This needs to be practiced as many times as needed during the session. 
• First, determine a link between the off-topic query and the main theme. Then, as a moderator, show genuine interest in the off-topic inquiry, even if you can’t answer it completely.
• Return the discussion to the core topic and explain to your participants why you did that. 

• Toward the end of the session, provide resources that can answer the off-topic queries raised by your participants during the session. 
• If the participant requires further help, encourage them to contact you directly.

11. Inclusive Participation

As a moderator or organizer, you must create an inviting and respectful environment for diverse participants to engage in a Q&A session. This method encourages more diversified and interesting sessions that benefit all participants. To do this, follow these steps:

• Begin with an introduction that emphasizes the importance of different points of view. This will ensure that all your participants feel included and are encouraged to participate freely. 
• Choose a language that will not alienate any group of participants. It is important to make everyone feel comfortable consistently and included in the discussion. 
• Create an opportunity for every individual to express themselves. If needed, highlight a few participants with different backgrounds and who have some expertise related to the topic. 
• Ensure that both in-person and virtual participants have equal opportunities to engage.
• Recognize that involvement styles might differ (verbal, written, etc.).

• Allow participants to ask questions either in person or virtually. Check out some Conference Tools to help organizers and participants with this experience.

12. Facilitate Dialogue

Promoting meaningful conversations between participants is extremely important in a Q&A session. This strategy goes beyond simple conversations. It creates an atmosphere where participants build on each other’s ideas and discuss with each other. Below mentioned are some steps you can practice to implement meaningful discussions: 

• Encourage attendees to react to one another’s questions or remarks.
• Pose questions that inspire a variety of perspectives and in-depth replies. Then, open the floor for such discussions to ensure maximum engagement. 
• Connect replies from one attendee to another one’s query to establish a continuous dialogue among participants.
• Address opposing ideas respectfully and facilitate meaningful debates.
• Encourage participants to go into depth about certain topics by allowing follow-up questions.
• Share relevant experiences as a presenter and open the stage for attendees to discuss their inputs as well. 

For the audience-

Audiences are the most integral part of a Q and A session. For your audience to be satisfied, remember the following points while planning the Q and A session-

13. Balanced Question Selection

In a Q&A session, choosing a mix of questions that cover different views, topics, and difficulty levels is important. As per an article published in 2016 by  Nielsen Norman Group ( a collaboration of all world leaders), questions can be of two types: Open-Ended and Close-Ended. The report’s authors advise to pose more open-ended questions to uncover more insights. They also advise attendees to fine-tune their questions and assess whether they can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” If they can, rephrasing them to explore the “how” and “what” aspects in greater detail is highly encouraged. Having said that, there are situations where one may need to restrict response options, such as when free-form or write-in answers are not practical or manageable. 

Here are a few things to remember before selecting a mix of questions to ask the speaker/panelists.

• Before the session, review submitted questions to ensure a fair mix.
• Include questions that touch on many facets of the major subject to cover multiple themes, such as factual, conceptual, and application-based questions.
• Choose questions that are appropriate for both beginners and experts.

• Ensure your questions include a wide range of demographics, experiences, and points of view. And tailor these questions to the demographics of your participants. 
• Combine simple questions with ones that need more in-depth answers.
• Include questions on recent advances in the field.
• Incorporate questions that are widely relevant, as well as those with unique subtleties.

For the organizer-

A successful Q and A session hinges on the organizer keeping in mind various crucial aspects, as outlined below-

14. Adaptability to Challenges

An organizer can face challenges throughout the conference and should always have a backup plan for it. The most important quality to possess during a challenge is – Flexibility.  Flexibility means handling problems and tough questions gracefully during a Q&A session. This method shows how well you handle challenges, stay calm, and make participants happy. To do it, follow the instructions below:

• You should prepare contingency plans for any potential problems. To know more about such problems, keep reading this article. 
• If a problem emerges, change the session schedule to accommodate it.
• Redirect questions that are outside the topic of the session.
• Address complicated or delicate issues courteously and respectfully.
• If the first format fails, try a new mode (e.g., Q and A panel, open forum).
• The moderator should respond to negativity with positivity and positive replies only.
• Even during difficult conversations, maintain respect and professionalism.
• Adapt and enhance any upcoming conferences or sessions based on the feedback provided by your participants.

15. Effective Closure and Follow-up

You must end the discussion meaningfully to close and follow up well in a Q&A session. Also, give participants chances to join in later or get more information. This conclusion ensures that participants have the option to continue learning. Here’s how to efficiently end a session:

• Recap through all the important points and ideas addressed throughout the discussion.
• Thank your attendees for their participation, questions, contributions, and engagement.

• Include any upcoming relevant seminars, workshops, or events that may interest your attendees.
• Invite attendees to provide comments to enhance future sessions. Read our article on Conference Feedback to help you plan your next event .
• Share your contact information with the participants if they have any extra inquiries.
• Share social media handles or details for any community related to the conference agenda. This will encourage the attendees to continue their conversations. 
• After the session, make any recording or a summary of the discussion available to the participants. 
• Thank all your attendees personally for their presence through follow-up emails.
• Always end a discussion using a motivational or uplifting statement. This ensures that the overall conversation ends on a positive note/

Once you know how to plan a successful session, remember that issues can still arise during Q&A. These may include:

• Time Management: Balancing time while dealing with a myriad of questions can result in hastily finishing off the questions. Hence, the moderator should be affluent in managing their time while dealing with each question. 
• Irrelevant Questions: Off-topic questions might derail the conversation from the session’s main point. This can also lead to a waste of time. That’s why you should always gently veer back the whole discussion to the main theme.
• Limited Participation: Encouraging all guests to ask questions might be difficult, as answering each query requires a lot of facts and examples to be presented. So, as a speaker, you should encourage the participants to share their stories and experiences while answering each other’s questions. 
• Sensitive Topics: Q&A sessions tend to reveal sensitive discussions among the attendees. There is a famous saying by Albert Einstein –  “Curiosity has its own reason for existing,” which implies having to deal with all kinds of curious brains and their questions civilly.  

• Volume of Questions: These sessions can be challenging because of the overwhelming number of questions. Handling these many questions can lead to difficult decisions, such as skipping a few questions politely or addressing them later with another query related to the main theme. 

To have a successful Q&A session, you must navigate challenges well. This means being a good moderator, preparing in advance, and being adaptable.

Knowing how to interact with your audience in a productive Q&A session is a powerful way to communicate and share information. Use the 15 techniques in this guide to make your next Q&A more engaging and productive.

When you use these techniques in your Q&A sessions, you’ll see a change from a regular conversation to a memorable dialogue. The impact of this dialogue will stay with your audience for a long time, even after the session ends. Engaging in positive Q&A sessions helps build connections, enhance learning, and leave a lasting impression.

For the latest information about the event’s industry, visit our site- Eventible .

How to Write a Successful Event Sponsorship Letter: Tips and Best Practices with Templates

Top 5 IT Events from Q1 (Jan to Mar) 2023

Related posts, everything you want to know about virtual event planning in 2024, in conversation with nick borelli, marketing director at zenus, 20 different event networking apps to look out for in 2024.

Comments are closed.

Alison Bensch

Senior director of global events, cloudinary, proudest of.

In both cases, we had to figure out how to take what are historically in-person events and translate them into engaging virtual experiences with a team of just two in-house event marketers, counting myself.

ImageCon is our flagship customer summit. In 2021, more than 1,700 people across 107 countries registered for the two-day event, which included 20 virtual sessions designed to help retailers unleash the full potential of their visual media.

Our hosted event series included about 8 virtual events across North America and EMEA markets. To drive up attendance and engagement, we hosted unique virtual cooking and mixology classes, wine tastings, tequila pairings, and more, with celebrity chefs and bartenders such as Marcus Samuelsson, Julio Cabrero, and Amanda Freitag.

Rockstar Mode

ImageCon was a success, in part, because we secured high-quality speakers and focused on providing true value to attendees by creating sessions to optimize their usage of the Cloudinary platform to improve their business. We featured customers in the content by doing customer spotlights. We also improved the production level of the summit by partnering with an agency.

I am proud we were able to pull off a high-quality event of this scale while managing 30 other events for the year.

Prior to the pandemic, our hosted event series consisted of in-person dinners and intimate happy hours. We wanted to recreate these virtually, without making them feel like webinars. We succeeded, in part, because we invested in high-quality talent to attract participants and create fun, memorable moments we probably could not have pulled off in-person.

We also took pains to make the events as easy as possible to attend, for example, by mailing guests meal kits or drink kits with everything they needed to participate. Of course, everything was branded, right down to the salt and pepper. We know our attendees’ time is precious, so we encouraged them to involve their family and were sure to include enough food and/or drink to share.

After the experience, we broke out into small groups, allowing people to network with peers and Cloudinary team members, who led discussions on relevant industry topics. Thus, attendees topped off a great culinary or cocktail experience with valuable learnings that could help their business. In fact, I see us continuing with some of these virtual events even after we have resumed in-person ones.

Our on-demand event content is now a powerful sales enablement tool for our sales team, who share session recordings with prospective customers, as well as existing ones who are considering adding on a new capability. We will continue to measure the performance of this content.

For the hosted events, we evaluate success by measuring pipeline acceleration. So, we consider where event guests are in their consideration process before attending the event. We use the event, and event follow-up, to help move the prospect or customer to the finish line. We usually see prospects who engaged in marketing campaigns were more likely to close, and close faster, than those who did not attend an event.

While this is harder to measure, we know our event series keeps the Cloudinary brand top of mind and deepens our relationship with customers. We document the positive feedback we receive from attendees and sales reps for internal use and marketing purposes.

Survivor Mode

Another challenge was creating an event strategy against a backdrop of so much uncertainty. I have seen industry colleagues invest resources in planning in-person events, only to have to rejigger in the final hour. I made the decision from the onset of the year to plan for virtual events, given our small team and resources. This allowed us to create more effective and engaging virtual events from the start and maximize our budget.

Nothing beats in-person events, and I am excited to be moving forward with these in 2022. But I plan to continue with digital and hybrid events, as well, for a number of reasons. When done right, they can be more memorable than in-person ones, and certainly more convenient. They also allow me to engage people across a wider geographic region (all of Europe for example or across the US), which leads to cost-savings and unique and widened interactions for our attendees.

Annie Yuzzi VP

Global corporate events and experiences, sumo logic, bethany roskin murphy, director of global events, drift, charlene kate ditch, founder, charlene kate events, gabrielle d., global events director, automation anywhere, gerilynn marburger, director, global events, hewlett packard enterprise, hollie ashby, senior manager, cxo and third party events, palo alto networks, lindsey cohen, director- event marketing, snyk, ceo & chief event strategist, liz king events, nicola kastner, vice president, global head of event strategy, sap, rachel russell, field marketing manager, even, samantha calle, associate director, xandr, margaret shaeffer, head of field marketing & events, linearb, traci depuy, head of global events, salesforce, dale rickert, global conference head of greentech festival, matthew lin, head of marketing, beetc, emilie watrob, head of event marketing, zs, katherine leong, director, corporate events, gainsight, sr. director, marketing technology (brand and events), salesforce, karim youssef, creative director, dpw, elizabeth thomas, head of global events, elastic, gerry schneider, vp events at wearedevelopers, director, global events at hewlett packard enterprise, mike kalyan, event and seminar marketing manager, shrm.

LOVE EVENTIBLE?

Disclaimer: If you choose to provide us with your email address or any other personally identifiable information, we will use it only to send you our newsletter or respond to your query.

Unsupported browser

This site was designed for modern browsers and tested with Internet Explorer version 10 and later.

It may not look or work correctly on your browser.

• Presentations
• Public Speaking

7+ Tips for Handling a Q&A Session in 2024

You've prepared your presentation and delivered it flawlessly. But there's one more hurdle to get through before you can declare the event a success: the presentation questions and answers session, or Q&A. 

It's the time when your audience gets to ask questions, and sometimes you've got no idea what they're going to ask. So, how can you wrap up your presentation in style? In this guide, I'll share tips and expert advice on responding to questions after a presentation, so you can nail the Q&A session.

Why People Worry About the Q&A

Even seasoned public speakers can be terrified by the thought of the question and answer session in a presentation. You may believe that your audience should be a part of your presentation but still be worried when it's time to invite questions from the audience. One reason for this is the lack of control. After all, as the presenter, you've got no idea what audience members are going to ask. 

The tutorial below will help you overcome other fears about public speaking you may have:

Another concern about taking questions in presentations is that you won't know the answers. If you're new to public speaking, taking questions can be even more nerve-wracking. Some presenters feel they're not good at improvising and will be floored by unexpected questions. Overall, presenters worry about looking silly in front of the audience. There are tips for handling all those issues in this guide. 

Why You Should Include a Q & A Section in Your Presentation

So, why is it important to include a Q&A session? There are several benefits to inviting questions from the audience at the end of your presentation. For a start, your audience should be a part of your presentation if you want to make your session more interesting and engaging. Taking feedback questions for a presentation is one way to do this. 

A Q&A session is a great chance to connect more with your audience and complete the process that you've started with the presentation. Most presentations are concise, and don't cover everything to avoid boring the audience. So, responding to questions gives you another chance to showcase your expertise by expanding on points made in the main presentations. 

Another great thing is that a lively question and answer session in a presentation tells you that people are interested in what you've got to tell them and engaged with your topic. 

Public Speaking Trainer  Gary Genard says:

"Too often, speeches have the feeling of a monologue, delivered through a one-way dynamic to a polite but anesthetized crowd of onlookers. The back-and-forth of Q & A should feel more comfortable to you AND your listeners. Best of all, when you’re conversing about a topic you truly care about, all of your best qualities as a speaker will emerge."

The Q&A is excellent feedback for a presenter and gives you the confidence you need for future presentations on your topic. And a good Q&A shows your expertise.

Wondering how to invite questions at the end of a presentation? Use a questions image for your presentation and leave it up when you've finished presenting the main content. 

I'll talk more about creating your Q&A slide later in this article, but the following guide is a good starting point:

How to Prepare for Questions After a Presentation

Presentation questions don't have to take you by surprise. As a presenter, there are several tasks you can do in advance, so you're ready for anything your audience throws at you. Here are some tips to help you handle presentation questions:

1. Know Your Topic

One of the best preparations is to know your topic inside out. If you're an expert on the subject you're presenting on, there's little that can faze you.

2. Know Your Audience

When preparing to invite questions from the audience, research is key. If you know who you're presenting to, tailor the information to their interests. This same research will also help you figure out what might be coming up in the Q&A.

3. Hold Back Some Information

Your presentation question session will be easier if you've got some new information left to share. If your presentation is concise, you'll have useful data that didn't make the final cut. Some of this can help you answer your audience's questions.

4. Prepare for the Most Likely Questions

Responding to questions with a little preparation. Go through your presentation and try to see where audience members might want clarification or extra insight. Do a little more research so you've got supporting statistics on hand. Check to see if there's a related topic that might follow naturally from something you present.

Content Strategist and Founder of Write Minds, Jacob McMillen  says:

"My biggest fear heading into my first Q&A was that the audience might not ask interesting followup questions, so I could keep the discussion moving. I overcame this fear by spending a bit more time than was probably necessary preparing for the session and thinking through what I'd say if it was left to me to fill dead space."

5. Lead Your Audience 

Related to that, you can subtly invite questions from the audience by giving them a teaser. This encourages them to ask a question about information you've already prepared. For example, if you use a surprising or interesting fact, it's almost certain someone will ask for more information.

6. Decide When to Respond to Questions

There's no set time frame for responding to questions. As the presenter, it's completely up to you when to run a question and answer session for your presentation. There are two options:  

• Let people ask questions throughout your presentation.
• take all questions at the end. 

Each method has pros and cons.

If you go with interactive questions for your presentation, and take them throughout, it's easy to tell when your audience is engaged. That's affirming, and you also won't have to remember to come back to a topic later. But taking questions throughout can also interrupt both the flow of the presentation and your train of thought. That can make it harder to follow for your audience.

If you take presentation questions at the end, then you can focus on delivering the best presentation you can, without worrying about interruptions. That makes it less interactive during the presentation itself. But it means both you and your audience can easily follow the issue you're presenting.

Amma Marfo , Professional Writer, Speaker and Trainer, says:  

"If the topic is one where understanding is needed to move forward (e.g. if I've shared a framework or am building layers of knowledge), I'll take questions throughout. If it's less essential that all points are understood to move forward, I'll hold until the end.

I find myself asking for questions throughout more and more on digital/virtual events, because it's a means to ensure that participants are engaged. These questions can take the form of "what questions do you have?" (preferred to "any questions?" because someone might hedge if they think no one else has questions), or can show up in the form of polls, thumbscales (thumbs up if you feel good about this, thumbs down if you feel bad), or even share an emoji if I feel confident that the audience will universally know how to do so on their device :)"

A good middle ground, especially for a longer presentation, is to take questions at specific times. For example, if you're making several main points, you could have a brief Q&A after each of them. 

Whichever you choose, you can signal your audience that it's time for questions by adding a Q&A slide to your presentation. Include:

• the presentation title
• the word "questions"

Many premium presentation themes include a well-designed questions image for your presentation.

7 Tips on Responding to Questions

Ready to invite questions at the end of your  presentation? Here are some tips on handling your Q&A session:

1. Listen to the Presentation Questions

Handling questions in presentations starts with listening. Listen to make sure you understand what the audience member is asking.  Don't be afraid to ask the person to repeat the question if you think you've missed something. This is also a good way to get more thinking time.

2.  Acknowledge the Questioner

Acknowledge the questioner, even if it's simply by saying: " that's a good question. " This makes your audience member feel good and buys you a little time to think about your response.

3. Empathize With the Audience

Audience members want to know you empathize with their concerns. If you know your topic, you'll understand WHY they're asking a particular question, and can use that as a lead in to your response.

4. Promise to Follow Up

Every now and then you get a question you really can't answer on the spot. There's no need for terror. Simply let the questioner know that you'll follow up afterwards and do it as soon as possible after the presentation. That may even be a good time for some self-deprecating humor, as experts recommend in the following article:

5. Get Some Help

You don't have to answer all questions in presentations yourself. If there's an expert in the audience who's likely to have relevant information, call on that person. Even better, if you know the list of attendees, give that expert some advance warning. Either way, it'll make your Q&A even more useful for your audience.

6. Stay in Control

If an audience member starts to ramble, don't be afraid to rein them in. Gently interrupt and clarify to keep the session relevant, interesting, and on-topic for the rest of your audience. Jacob McMillen says:

"Staying on topic is really just about spending more time on the things you feel are "on topic" and less time on that things that aren't. If the audience member tries to dive into something that I don't want to take about, I just give a relatively brief answer that communicates I'd prefer to move on, and then when I'm answering something I do want to talk about, I really dive in and take some time to give a comprehensive answer."

7. Have Someone Monitor the Chat

If you're presenting online, then taking questions can be slightly more complex. Often, people use a chat function to post questions during the presentation. It's essential to have someone monitor the chat so you don't miss anything

There are more tips on virtual presentations in our remote meetings guide:

Finally, summarize your presentation at the end of the Q&A. This lets you leave your audience with the core message you want to get across.

How to Respond When People Disagree

Interactive questions for presentation sessions are all well and good, but what happens if an audience member strongly - and vocally - disagrees with what you're saying. A good way to handle disagreement is to:

• Acknowledge the question.
• Clarify to make sure you understand the questioner's perspective.
• Identify where you agree (hopefully you'll agree on some points).
• Explain why your perspective is different - and why - on issues where there's disagreement.

Amma Marfo has this to say about handling disagreements:

"For me, it depends on if the disagreement is grounded in information or ideals. If it's an informational dispute, I try to cite sources and encourage others who may know of additional information to share it. Those tend to be easier because there's a theoretical right answer.

The challenge is if the dispute is ideological (or, ideological masquerading as informational). When those kinds of disputes arise, I state my position and try to hold there. If it escalates to where I can tell the person wants to be heard or "heard out," *and the argument is a good faith one*, I refer them to another way to get in touch. Let's continue this over email, or perhaps a phone call.

I don't entertain bad faith arguments, especially if they're grounded in denying the humanity of people - racism, sexism, -phobias or bigotry - and will typically move the conversation along for the sake of time."

How to Create a Winning Presentation

To create a presentation that gets attention, consider using a premium presentation template from Envato Elements. Premium templates are well-designed and well-supported. They can also save you time when creating presentations, and help you achieve a great look even if you don't have strong design skills. 

If you want a great-looking template for your next presentation, Envato Elements has an offer you won't want to miss. Download as many presentation templates as you want, all for one low price. If you only need a single presentation questions template , consider the options at GraphicRiver, where you can get attractive presentation templates for a questions and answer session for one-off use.

Here are some cool templates to use the next time you're taking presentation questions:

Learn More About PowerPoint Presentations

To learn more about using PowerPoint for presentations, check out the following guides:

Prep for Your Presentation Q&A Session Today

As we've seen, the Q&A session doesn't have to be a nightmare. With the right preparation you can handle presentation questions efficiently and respectfully while still coming across as the expert. Don't forget that you can create an eye-catching presentation with premium templates from Envato Elements. You can also get appealing presentation templates for one-off use from GraphicRiver. Start creating your next presentation today!

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Don’t Dread the Q&A After Your Presentation

You can manage a fear of public speaking by thoroughly rehearsing your presentation. But what about the part of the talk that is less in your control: the question-and-answer period? Don’t worry, there are several things you can do to prepare. First, change your mindset, and develop an appreciation for the conversation. Follow-up questions mean […]

You can manage a fear of public speaking by thoroughly rehearsing your presentation. But what about the part of the talk that is less in your control: the question-and-answer period? Don’t worry, there are several things you can do to prepare. First, change your mindset, and develop an appreciation for the conversation. Follow-up questions mean that people want to engage with what you have to say. Think about the types of things that audience members might ask. Put yourself in their shoes: How will your message impact their job? Practice responding with appreciation, such as “Thank you for raising that.” If you’re asked a contentious question, start your answer by focusing on where you and the audience member agree. This makes the person feel seen and connected to you. If you’re asked a question out of left field, respond with curiosity. Ask follow-up questions that help you understand what they’re getting at and where they’re coming from. If you’re still scratching your head, you can go back to expressing appreciation. A response like “I’m not sure about that, but thank you. I’ll look into it and get back to you,” will always work.

Source: This tip is adapted from “How to Nail the Q&A After Your Presentation,” by Caroline Webb

Partner Center

Presentation | Persuasion | Public Speaking | Strategy

Use these 13 tips to master the art of q&a.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

Q&A is like unchartered territory – unpredictable and full of surprises. It’s a double edged sword, either reinforcing your message or undermining it. One wrong move and you may lose the credibility you’ve worked hard to build as a speaker.

Many speakers – even seasoned ones – are intimidated in this area but who wouldn’t be? You can’t know the questions that will be coming your way. It’s one thing to talk to a crowd but another when it’s a two-way dialogue taking place.

Q&A sessions are not just a matter of conveying the message – it’s also receiving on your end as well – which makes sense why so many can get stage fright , and possibly a break a cold sweat just thinking about it. Naturally, it happens to most people that may not have gone for presentation skills training, but it’s more common than you think.

Either way, whether you love or hate it, Q&A sessions are an essential tool. It makes your talk a subject of conversation and a way to connect with your audience. With a bit of preparation, research and determination , you can leverage on the Q&A session to help elevate your talk and reinforce your credibility as a speaker.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help ensure your Q&A sessions are as smooth-sailing as possible:

1)    Q&A Objectives

A good Q&A session is more than just an allocated time slot for your audience to ask random questions.

The purpose of a Q&A like any presentation, speech or pitch needs to have a clear objective that meets the goal at the end of the day. That means making it evident of the direction you want the session to go.

If you do make use of a moderator, a good one would already be guiding your session to the desired direction easily.

2)    Hold a briefing session before the event

It is vital that you brief everyone before your presentation so they are prepared which in turn, can provide the best experience for your audience.

Clarify any issues, questions or instructions from the people working behind the scenes such as stage managers and moderators before running through the event program so everything is in place and running smoothly.

3)    Dedicate enough time

This is something you should establish earlier on in the planning stages of your session. Timing for a Q&A session depends on your set up. If your Q&A session will be conducted after your presentation, then a good 15 minutes should be given. However, if it is a team presentation, then the time given should be extended to ensure each presenter gets a chance to answer the questions as well.

Speakers often focus their efforts into the presentation and leave the remaining time allocated to a Q&A session. This means the audience can only answer one or two questions at best. This compromises further engagement with the audience.

To further engage your audience and strengthen your credibility as a speaker, the Q&A session should match the length of the presentation. You can even consider switching it the other way round where your presentation is short and sweet followed by a longer Q&A  

4)    Prepare questions beforehand  

“Over prepare then go with the flow” – Regina Brett

It doesn’t hurt to over prepare – after all it’s the backbone of success. To ensure you’re not caught off guard or flustered over the questions the audience may ask, think of a few to anticipate beforehand.

Make it a habit to write down these questions down especially the tough or controversial ones before rehearsing your answer. Run a mock session with your trusted and reliable colleagues, friends or family to ensure your answers are well thought of and don’t offend your audience.  The evaluation and feedback given from the mock session is key to helping you improve as a speaker.

But, if there are a lack of questions asked during your presentation, don’t shy away from initiating first. Not only do you avoid awkward silences, it also helps to kick start the discussion and inspire more questions from the audience.

5)    Engage a strong moderator

If you need someone to moderate your Q&A session, then it’s important to choose a good moderator as they can help boost the effectiveness of your Q&A. Ultimately, the role of the moderator is to bridge the gap between the audience and the speaker. Hence, they need to be someone who is comfortable with being on stage, able to handle pressure and facilitate the conversation – not join in or control it.

A good moderator ensures the purpose of the session is intact, is able to guide the questions back to the main topic of the session as well as prevent the session from being hijacked by a troublesome audience member. Make sure to take these considerations in mind when finding a good moderator.

6)    Collect Questions Ahead of the Event

Throughout the event, you can start collecting questions before and during your speech. This is helpful in several ways. You as the speaker will be able to plan how to address these questions. The moderator will be able to guide the session better.For the audience, they’re able to ask questions that truly matter instead of scrambling to think of one that may not be useful to them or you. It’s a win-win situation.

One of the ways to collect questions beforehand is using Mentimeter or Kahoot . Both are polling tools where you or your audience can set questions or provide input via a mobile phone or any other device connected to the Internet.

7)    Use the right tools and equipment

Are you planning on having your audience ask their questions vocally or online? Either way, make sure that these tools are able to function with ease during the session itself.

If you’re making use of a microphone, ensure the volume of the microphone is loud enough that even the audience from the back are able to hear the questions asked loud and clear. If you’re facilitating the questions online, then make sure the Wi-Fi or internet is strong so you can receive their questions easily.

8)    Pause

It’s not life or death situation if you need a moment to think before answering a question. Sometimes, answering too quickly may make you seem defensive to the audience so it’s okay to take a few seconds to indulge the question. Not only that, answering instantly may wind up making you stumble over your answers which in turn makes them doubt your credibility. Worse, you may even make the mistake of answering nothing related in your haste.

Although it may be awkward to pause due to the silence, your audience won’t think badly of it. In fact, they will appreciate that you took the time to process their questions. You’ll also look more genuine and authentic as a speaker – not a scripted, monotonous robot.

9)    Reduce filler words

Although not everyone is graced with speaking fluently in front of an audience, constantly saying ‘um’, ‘well’, ‘you know’ and ‘uh’ will do little to establish your credibility as a speaker. These filler words will also annoy your audience when used repetitively.

But what you can do is reduce using these fillers when speaking. Make it a habit to pause so you can gather your thoughts before you speak. Better to take a few seconds to speak in a cohesive manner than instantly speaking, stumbling over your words.

10) Get straight to the point

Often times, speakers beat around the bush when answering questions during Q&A. It may or may not be intentional as there are other factors that can cause the speaker to answer the questions in a long-winded manner.

For instance, they may not have listened closely or they may not have not known how to answer the question and decided to change the topic. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Beating around the bush will only compromise your credibility as a speaker.

So before you answer a question, make sure to listen carefully. Then, make sure to give a short and straight forward answer.

This brings me to my next point.

11) Confirm that you’ve answered the question

After answering a question, always make sure you clarify if you have truly answered it. Throughout the Q&A session, make it a habit to ask if you’ve answered the question or if your answer was clear. It shows you care and that their needs are being met.

12) Don’t get thrown off by the awkward or random question

Elon Musk mentions that even the most well-prepared and organised presentation can go haywire if the speaker is confronted by irrelevant, random and awkward questions.

If you’re lucky, you won’t encounter this. Nonetheless, it’s still important to be prepared to face it and answer as professionally as possible before tying it back to the topic.

This may take a few tweaks here and there especially when It comes to mastering how to handle awkward questions. With that being said, even if the questions asked are not related, answer it honestly anyway. It may end up being the answer you are most remembered for.

One example is Former President Bill Clinton who encounters being asked a totally random question: “Boxers or Briefs?”. Although the question was puzzling and did not tie with his speech, he answered anyway.

Here’s a video of Elon Musk calmly tackling random and awkward questions after his presentation:

Notice how most of the audience members in the video ask long-winded questions. Elon Musk does not harshly tell them off but firmly says “No essays, only questions” to bring them back on track.

13) Learn How to Handle a Tough Audience

Of course most of the questions asked by the audience are sincere. Their intentions are never to hurt or bring malice upon the speaker.

But sometimes, we are faced with audience members who ask questions intended to make themselves look smarter, put the focus on them or, make the speaker look dumb and undermine their credibility

Whatever the purpose is, there many ways to come out unscathed when handling a tough crowd . Despite so, always make sure to be the bigger person. Answer all their questions with professionalism and keep your emotions in check.

Ending the Session

And we’re nearing the end! You’re almost done so make sure to end the session off strong.

Summarise in one or two short sentences encompassing the message of your talk and always make sure to thank the audience for their time and attention – even if they were a tough audience.

Always be humbled by the audience’s presence even if the talk did not go as plan. This sincerity in turn, may keep your audience coming back for more – or at least leave a long lasting impression on them.

Summing It Up 

The best Q&A sessions are ones where you provide your audience with a voice and a safe space for interaction. Not just for the sake of having one.

It all boils down to one purpose: to enhance their learning experience after your presentation or speech.

With that being said, Q&A sessions are only one of the many factors that help you craft an impressive presentation . Make sure to put in the same amount of effort and dedication to planning and executing your presentation as well, and you’ll definitely have a presentation with that ‘wow’ factor.

Don’t forget to implement the 13 steps mentioned to help maximise your Q&A session’s potential and added value. Remember to:

• Prepare yourself and others
• Know your objective the the Q&A session
• Brief others of your plan
• Delegate enough time
• Anticipate and prepare questions that may be asked
• Ensure you have a strong moderator
• Make use of the right tools to enhance your session
• Pause to ensure your point sinks in
• Do not rush and stumble on your words, reduce filler words
•   Don’t beat around the bush
• Ensure if you’ve answered the questions properly
• Don’t get thrown off by awkward questions
• Learn to handle a tough crowd

Let us know and comment down below if it worked for you!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

You may also like….

Zia Zaman: How a World-Class Speaker brings Storytelling, Experimentation & Empathy into Business

by Kai Xin Koh

Any businessperson understands the value of selling and the art of storytelling. They are indispensable and inevitable, yet only a few have truly...

How to Compress PowerPoint Presentations in 2023 : Complete Guide For Mac and Windows

by Eugene Cheng

Imagine this - it’s late at night and you’re finishing up your last few slides for your big presentation tomorrow. You’ve done your final check and...

Making Your Best PowerPoint Presentation – The Ultimate Guide

Think back on all the presentations you have ever sat through. Which presentation comes to mind immediately, and why was it so particularly...

Sign Up for Winning With Stories!

• First Name *
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• Call: +44(0)20 7226 1877
• Email: [email protected]
• My basket ({{$root.cartInfo.count}})

Q&A Techniques for a Perfect Question and Answer Session

How to run ‘part two’ of your presentation for maximum audience engagement

Learn These Q&A Techniques for the Perfect Informal Question and Answer Session

There are many presentation techniques that enhance the value of your Q&A sessions, but the most important is to treat them as part two of your presentation and prepare as much as possible.

If part one is the formal delivery using speaker-support slides , then the Q&A is an informal follow-up session in which further content is delivered in the form of answers to questions. For example, clarifying points, going into further detail, and alleviating any concerns.

With that in mind, here are our top ten presentation techniques for preparing and hosting a perfect Q&A.

Give Advance Warning

A Q&A session with no questions can feel a little awkward, but there are presentation techniques you can use to encourage interaction. For example, if you provide advance warning of a Q&A session at the start of your presentation, then it encourages the audience to make mental notes about things they could ask.

Another presentation technique is to kick off the Q&A session by asking “Who has the first question?” This creates an expectation that there are questions out there and can encourage someone to put their hand up.

Treat Questions Equally

Avoid saying “Good question” as it infers you are grading audience members on the quality of their input. This can stifle questions from those who have more basic queries about something they didn’t quite understand. If they leave the room without clarification, then your presentation may not have achieved its objective.

Make it clear that all questions are welcome. If one really stands out, simply say “Thank you for asking that question.”

Repeat the Question for Everyone

Look at the person as they ask their question and then repeat it back the question to the whole room so everyone has the necessary context for your answer. This also gives the impression that the question was asked by the whole audience and provides an opportunity for the originator of the question to correct you if you misheard or misunderstood.

Before you answer, don’t forget to use another important presentation training technique – the well-timed pause .

Answer Questions to the Room

One of the most important presentation techniques is to address the entire audience with your answer so everyone benefits from the information. Equally, avoid the temptation to move towards the person who asked it. Continue to stand where you are so everyone in the audience feels equal.

Eye contact is another essential skill to learn. Check out our presentation tips on how to use the power of eye contact to enhance audience engagement .

Give Concise Answers

Lengthy responses can make the audience feel like they are back in the formal part of the presentation again. Always deliver answers as concisely as possible, but with enough detail to ensure everyone understands.

Bear in mind that the person asking the question may be the only one who wants to hear the answer. If you feel someone would benefit from further information, then suggest they come and see you after the Q&A.

Check Your Response

After delivering an answer, ask if it was satisfactory. This confirms you helped the person who asked the question and provides an opportunity for a follow-on question if time allows. However, never allow more than two questions in a row so the Q&A session remains a fair and balanced opportunity for everyone.

Kick Off with a Question Yourself

If no one has any questions, it can help to prepare a few of your own to get the ball rolling. For example, you could say:

“A question I’m often asked is…” or “You might be asking yourselves…”

Answer your own question, and then open the floor to others again. You can even strategically word your answer to raise a logical follow-on question.

Kicking off the Q&A session yourself shows you have passion for the subject, which is one of the seven laws of presentation skills . 

Answering Loaded Questions

Loaded questions are one of the toughest challenges of Q&A sessions, but some simple presentation techniques can prevent them from derailing you or undermining your confidence .

The purpose of a loaded question is often to corner you into a specific answer that makes you look incorrect, morally wrong, or simply unprofessional. The person asking the question often has an agenda, and their aim may be to discredit you or what you are saying.

One of the best presentation techniques for this situation is to defuse the question first. For example, if someone asks

“What are you doing with all the money you make from the price increase?”

You could defuse it by saying that you understand their frustration. Then rephrase their question into a less emotionally charged format such as

“I believe what you’re asking is: why such a sudden price increase?”

If the person is unsatisfied with your rephrasing, it may be better to ask them to come and talk to you after the Q&A so you can address their concerns directly.

If a loaded question is off-topic, then don’t be afraid to politely say

“Actually, that question doesn’t quite fit the context of this discussion.”

Dealing With Speech Makers

Sometimes the person asking the question simply wishes to make a point. This is okay for short points, and you can simply thank them for their comment and move on to the next question.

Occasionally, you may encounter someone who wishes to make a speech themselves, but this is unfair to those who have genuine questions.

Presentation techniques for this situation include waiting for the speechmaker to pause or take a breath, and then interrupting with

“Thank you very much for your comment. Next question?”

Then quickly look to the other side of the room and point to the next person with a question. In most cases, the speech maker will be unsure whether you interrupted them deliberately or genuinely thought they had finished.

Prepare, But Be Prepared to Say “I Don’t Know”

Take time to prepare for both parts of your presentation. For the Q&A session, look at the content of your formal delivery and think about the questions it might raise. If your presentation feels comprehensive, it can even be useful to reduce the level of detail in one or two sections to make them logical areas to explore in the question & answer session.

Once you have anticipated questions, prepare concise answers but never use notes or slides to deliver them as you don’t want it to seem rehearsed. The audience may even think the person asking the question was planted by you.

Finally, it is perfectly acceptable to say that you don’t know the answer. Feel free to provide a useful opinion, but make sure the audience knows you are unsure. Alternatively, simply note down the question and say you will follow up with an answer.

If you have any anxieties about answering questions, we have many other presentation techniques to help you .

This article was originally contributed by Stephen D. Boyd

Question and Answer Techniques

Impact Factory runs

Open Presentation Skills Courses

Tailored Presentation Training

Five-Day Immersive Presentation With Impact Workshops

and personalised

One-to-One Presentation Coaching

for anyone who is interested in

Q&A Techniques

Related articles.

What Tools and Software to Use to Create the Best Work Presentations

• Presentation

Explore popular tools for different experience levels and budgets.

Mastering a Virtual Stage: How to Give Career Boosting Virtual Presentations

• Remote Working

Stay ahead of the crowd by mastering the art of virtual presentation.

Choosing a Presentation Skills Training Provider

A lot depends on selecting the right presentation skills training course provider.

Discuss your requirements

If you like what you've seen, please call us on +44 (0)20 7226 1877 or click the button below to contact us via our contact form.

Privacy Overview

350 Top Q&A Questions to Expect for Any Presentations (Save Them Now!)

Zhun Yee Chew

Preparing the slide content is nothing compared to dealing with daunting questions during the Q&A session of a presentation. Sometimes, if we are not lucky, we will face a tough crowd with even tougher questions that may leave us feeling challenged on the spot. And none of us likes the awkward moment of not being able to provide a satisfactory response to the audience.

Answering Q&A questions is a skill that everyone can master with the right resources and the right amount of preparation. You’ve searched, and we have them for you.

In this article, you will find more than 300 Q&A questions that are most commonly asked in a wide range of presentation occasions. Save them so you can be ready for even the most unexpected questions in your upcoming presentations!

What Are Q&A Questions?

Q&A questions, short for “Questions and Answers”, are inquiries posed by an audience or participants to the speaker or presenter during the Q&A session of a presentation . This Q&A segment typically follows a presentation, a talk or a lecture, providing the opportunities for the audience to seek clarification, ask additional information, or understand the speaker’s perspectives.

The whole point of Q&A sessions is to make the presentation more interactive and foster engagement . It’s a chance for the audience to pick the speaker’s brain and get a better understanding of the subject. 

What Are the Different Types of Presentations?

Business Presentations:

• Sales pitches
• Quarterly or annual reports
• Performance reviews
• Project proposals/updates
• All-hands presentations

Academic  Presentations:

• Lesson presentations
• Conference/research presentations
• Classroom quiz games

Training Sessions:

• Employee training
• Onboarding sessions
• Skills development workshops

Public Speaking:

• Motivational speeches
• Commencement addresses

Informative Presentations:

• How-to presentations
• Demonstrations
• Informational sessions

Social Events:

• Celebration speeches
• Team-building activities
• PowerPoint nights
• Presentation games

Technology Presentations:

• Software launches
• Product launches

Crisis Management:

• Crisis communication
• Emergency response briefings
• Contingency plans

Virtual Presentations:

• Online conferences

Different presentations involve different audience types, and the nature of questions posed can vary significantly based on presentation formats and occasions. However, the core of a successful and engaging presentation remains constant – ensuring  interactivity in a presentation  and transforming it into a two-way street through Q&A questions and adding interactive elements or using interactive tools in your presentations.

Academic Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for lecture presentations.

• Can you provide more examples for the concept/theory you just explained?
• Are there any common misconceptions about this topic that we should be aware of?
• What are the main differences between this and [related topic]?
• Can you explain the steps involved in [specific process] in more detail?
• What are the current research trends or developments in this field?
• How does this concept connect to what we learned in the previous lesson?
• Are there any alternative approaches to solve the problems here?
• Can you recommend additional resources or readings?
• Can you provide some tips for studying this material effectively?
• Are there any real-world examples where this concept has been successfully applied?
• What are the most common mistakes students make when working on assignments for this topic?
• Can you explain the significance of this concept in the context of future careers?
• What are the ethical considerations associated with the topics we are discussing?
• Are there any current debates or controversies related to this topic?
• How does this topic connect with interdisciplinary subjects or other courses?
• Can you share examples of how this concept might be used in different industries or professions?
• Can you summarize the key takeaways of today’s presentation?
• Can you discuss any historical or cultural context that influences this topic?
• How might this information be relevant to current events or societal issues?

Q&A Questions for Academic Conference Presentations 

• How did you decide on the research question or topic for your study?
• How did you select your sample or participants, and how representative is it of the broader population?
• Can you explain the methodology you used in your research and why you chose that approach?
• What are the main findings or key results of your study?
• How do your findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge in your field?
• Can you discuss any limitations or challenges you encountered during your research?
• What implications do your findings have for practitioners in the field?
• Can you elaborate on the theoretical framework that guided your study?
• What ethical considerations did you address in your research, and how were they managed?
• How did you validate the reliability and validity of your research instruments or methods?
• How did you address potential biases or confounding variables in your research?
• How do your findings compare to previous research on the same or similar topics?
• Can you discuss any unexpected or surprising results that you discovered during your study?
• How did you handle data analysis, and what statistical methods were employed in your study?
• What alternative explanations or interpretations of your data did you consider?
• How does your research contribute to addressing specific gaps in current knowledge?
• How did you control for potential confounding variables in your research design?
• What recommendations do you have for policymakers based on your research findings?
• How does your study relate to other recent or ongoing research in the same area?
• Are your findings generalizable to different populations or settings?
• How did you ensure the rigor of your data analysis and interpretation?
• What role did collaboration play in your research, and how did you handle disagreements within the research team?
• Can you share any unexpected challenges you faced during the research process?
• How might your findings be applied in a practical context, such as in industry or education?
• How did you establish the validity of your conclusions in light of potential bias or subjectivity?
• What potential areas for future research did your study uncover?
• Can you discuss the relevance of your research to current global or societal issues?
• How did you handle any limitations in available resources or funding for your research?
• What key takeaway message or lesson would you like the audience to remember from your presentation?

Q&A Questions for Student Presentations

• Can you elaborate on the research process you used to gather information for your presentation?
• Can you discuss the process of selecting and organizing the visual elements in your presentation, such as charts or graphs?
• How did you decide on the topic or key elements to include in your presentation?
• What challenges did you encounter while preparing for your presentation, and how did you overcome them?
• What did you learn about the topic that surprised you during your research?
• Can you explain the significance of your topic or its relevance to the course content?
• Can you discuss any alternative perspectives or counter-arguments related to your topic that you considered?
• What sources did you consult to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information presented?
• Can you explain the connection between your topic and current events or real-world applications?
• Can you share any specific examples or case studies that support the points you made in your presentation?
• Can you elaborate on any implications or applications of your findings beyond the scope of your presentation?
• Can you discuss any ethical considerations related to your topic that you addressed in your presentation?
• How might your presentation contribute to the understanding of the broader course themes or objectives?
• What aspects of the presentation are you most proud of, and what would you do differently next time?

Q&A Questions for Project-Based Lessons

• What is the main goal or objective of this project, and how will our work contribute to it?
• Can you provide more details about the criteria for success in this project?
• How will our progress be assessed, and what are the key milestones or deadlines?
• Can you clarify the roles and responsibilities of each team member in the project?
• Are there specific resources or materials that we should use or reference for this project?
• Can you provide examples of successful projects from previous classes or students?
• Are there specific presentation or communication requirements for showcasing our project?
• What opportunities for feedback and revision will be available throughout the project timeline?

Business Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for sales pitches.

• What makes your product or service different from competitors in the market?
• Can you provide some specific examples of companies or clients who have successfully used your product/service?
• How does your product/service address specific pain points or challenges that customers commonly face?
• Can you share some success stories or case studies related to your product/service?
• How does your product/service integrate with existing tools or systems our company uses?
• What kind of support or training is provided to customers after they purchase your product/service?
• Can you explain the implementation process and how quickly we can expect to see results?
• Are there any customization options available to tailor the product/service to our specific needs?
• What kind of ongoing maintenance or updates does your product/service require?
• How do you ensure the security and privacy of our data when using your product/service?
• Are there any limitations or restrictions we should be aware of when using your product/service?
• How often do you release updates or new features to your product/service?
• Can you explain the scalability of your solution and how it can grow with our business?
• What is your company’s roadmap for future developments or enhancements to the product/service?
• What is the typical return on investment (ROI) that your customers experience after implementing your product/service?
• How do you handle issues or challenges that may arise post-purchase?

Q&A Questions for Work Presentations

• How does your proposal align with our company’s overall goals or strategic objectives?
• What potential challenges do you foresee in implementing this plan, and how do you plan to address them?
• Can you explain the specific roles and responsibilities of each team member involved in this project?
• What kind of timeline are you envisioning for the different phases of this project?
• Have you considered alternative approaches to achieve the same goals, and if so, what are they?
• What resources, budget, and manpower will be required to execute this plan successfully?
• How do you plan to measure the success or effectiveness of this project?
• Are there any potential risks associated with your proposal, and what mitigation strategies do you have in place?
• Can you provide examples of similar projects that have been successful in the past, either within our company or in other organizations?
• How will you keep stakeholders informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle?
• What kind of collaboration and communication tools do you plan to use to keep the team connected?
• Are there any dependencies or external factors that could impact the timeline or success of this project?
• Can you explain how this project aligns with current industry trends or best practices?
• What are the potential roadblocks or obstacles you anticipate, and how do you plan to overcome them?

Q&A Questions for Performance Review Presentations 

• Can you highlight specific projects or tasks where you feel you excelled?
• How have you demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to take initiative?
• Have there been any instances of conflict or difficult situations, and how did you handle them?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of since our last performance review?
• Where do you think you could have performed better, and what challenges did you face?
• How well do you think your current responsibilities align with your career goals?
• What new skills or responsibilities would you like to take on in the next year?
• How have you found the feedback and communication within the team or organization?
• How well do you feel you have contributed to team projects and collaborations?
• Are there ways we can enhance teamwork and collaboration within the team?
• Is there anything we can do to support you better in your role?
• What additional resources or training do you think would benefit you in your role?
• What motivates you in your work, and how can we ensure your continued motivation?
• What steps can we take to help you achieve your long-term career goals?

Q&A Questions for Annual/Quarterly Report Presentations

• How did specific projects or initiatives contribute to the overall success or challenges outlined in the report?
• What challenges or obstacles did the team face during the reporting period, and how were they addressed?
• Are there any unexpected or significant changes in the industry landscape that may affect future performance?
• What steps were taken to mitigate risks and uncertainties identified in the previous reports?
• Can you discuss the budgetary implications of the results presented in the report?
• How did the team adapt to changes in customer preferences or demands during this reporting period?
• How do the results align with the long-term strategic objectives of the organization?
• Can you discuss any feedback or concerns received from clients, customers, or stakeholders mentioned in the report?
• How did internal collaborations or cross-functional teamwork contribute to the outcomes presented?
• What initiatives or projects are planned for the upcoming quarter or year in response to the findings in the report?
• Can you elaborate on the return on investment (ROI) for specific marketing or promotional activities mentioned in the report?
• How do the current results compare to benchmarks or industry standards for similar organizations?
• Can you discuss any changes or improvements in operational processes that were implemented during the reporting period?
• Can you provide insights into any potential areas for improvement or focus in the coming reporting period based on the data presented?

Q&A Questions for All-Hands Presentations

• What are the key priorities and goals for the team in the upcoming quarter/year?
• Can you provide more details about the recent changes in team structure or leadership?
• How will recent industry trends or developments impact our team’s strategies moving forward?
• Can you discuss the reasoning behind recent policy changes or updates within the team?
• How will the team address challenges identified in recent performance reports or feedback?
• Can you provide insights into the budget allocation and resource planning for the team?
• How will the team adapt to changes in technology or tools that may affect our workflow?
• What professional development opportunities will be available to team members in the coming months?
• Can you share updates on recent achievements or milestones reached by the team?
• Can you discuss the team’s approach to fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace?
• What strategies will be implemented to maintain team morale and motivation?
• Can you elaborate on the team’s strategy for managing workloads and preventing burnout?
• How will the team address any challenges related to communication?
• What steps will be taken to recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements in the future?

Public Speaking Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for motivational presentations.

• How did your background or experiences shape your perspective on the topic you discussed?
• How can individuals or communities apply the ideas you shared in their own lives or work?
• What impact do you hope your work will have on the future of [your topic]?
• How has your perspective on [your topic] evolved throughout your journey, and what lessons have you learned?
• How do you suggest we, as individuals, can contribute to or support the goals you outlined in your presentation?
• What advice do you have for someone who wants to get involved in or pursue a similar field or project?
• What are the common misconceptions or misunderstandings about [your topic] that you’d like to address?
• How can the audience stay informed or engaged with ongoing developments in your field or topic?
• Can you share personal experiences where you overcame significant obstacles and found motivation in [an area]?
• What advice do you have for dealing with [a personal issue]?
• How do you handle setbacks and failures in [an area]?
• What daily habits or routines do you recommend for sustaining long-term motivation?
• How can individuals at various career stages benefit from the insights you shared?
• Can you share examples of successful individuals who have been a source of inspiration for you?

Informative Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for youtube or online webinar presentations.

• How can I access the recording of this webinar for future reference?
• Can you recommend any additional resources for further learning on this topic?
• How does this information apply to different industries or professions?
• How do you suggest we adapt these concepts to our specific organizational context?
• How can we stay updated on new developments or research in this field?
• Can you suggest strategies for overcoming resistance to change when implementing these ideas?
• What role does ongoing professional development play in mastering the skills you discussed?
• How can individuals without a background in this field apply the principles you discussed?
• Can you explain the potential challenges or common mistakes people might encounter when trying this on their own?
• How do you foresee the future trends or developments affecting the subject of this webinar?
• Can you recommend specific tools or software that would enhance our implementation of these strategies?
• What are some key indicators of success when implementing the strategies you discussed?
• Can you discuss any industry standards or benchmarks related to the topics covered in this webinar?
• What would be the first step you recommend for someone looking to implement these ideas in their organization?

Q&A Questions for Demonstration Presentations

• Can you clarify the purpose or goal of the demonstration?
• What specific steps are involved in the process you just demonstrated?
• Are there alternative methods or tools that can be used for this demonstration?
• How long does it typically take to master this skill or process demonstrated?
• Are there any safety precautions that should be considered?
• Can you provide tips for troubleshooting or overcoming obstacles in the demonstrated activity?
• How does this demonstration apply to real-world scenarios or practical situations?
• Are there variations or advanced techniques related to this demonstration that you didn’t cover?
• Can you share examples of successful applications or projects that used the demonstrated technique?
• How does this demonstration align with current trends or innovations in the field?
• What feedback or suggestions do you have for individuals attempting the demonstrated task for the first time?
• Can you discuss any modifications or adaptations that may be necessary for different skill levels or abilities?

Training Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for training workshops.

• Can you provide more examples or practice exercises to reinforce the concepts you just covered?
• Are there any additional resources or recommended readings for further learning on this topic?
• Can you explain the specific steps or strategies for applying what we’ve learned in a real-world context?
• How often is this training updated to reflect changes in industry standards or best practices?
• How can we track our progress and measure the effectiveness of this training?
• Are there opportunities for practical application or hands-on exercises to reinforce the learning?
• Can you discuss any potential challenges or common difficulties participants might encounter during the training?
• Can you provide insights into how this training aligns with current trends or innovations in the industry?
• How will successful completion of this training impact our professional development or career advancement?
• What kind of ongoing support or resources will be available to participants after completing the training?
• Can you explain the relevance of each module or section of the training to our specific roles or responsibilities?
• Can you discuss any case studies or success stories related to individuals who have completed this training?
• Can you outline the specific skills or competencies participants are expected to gain by the end of the training?

Creative Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for brainstorming presentations.

• How did you arrive at the ideas presented during the brainstorming session?
• Can you provide more context on the criteria used to evaluate and prioritize the proposed ideas?
• Are there specific goals or objectives that the brainstormed ideas aim to achieve?
• How do the ideas generated align with the overall vision or mission of the team or organization?
• Can you discuss any potential challenges or constraints that may impact the implementation of these ideas?
• What steps will be taken to further develop and refine the selected ideas from the brainstorming session?
• How will the team decide which ideas to prioritize or move forward with?
• What role do you see each team member playing in the implementation or development of these ideas?
• What steps will be taken to test or prototype the most promising ideas before full implementation?
• Are there any potential synergies or connections between the different ideas presented?
• Can you discuss the anticipated impact or outcomes of implementing these ideas on the team’s objectives?

Q&A Questions for Creative Work Showcase Presentations

• What inspired your creative concept or idea?
• Can you discuss your creative process and how you generated or developed your ideas?
• How did you overcome creative blocks or challenges during the project?
• Can you share any unexpected twists or turns that occurred during the creative process?
• What influenced your choice of colors, themes, or visual elements in your presentation?
• Can you discuss any alternative concepts or ideas that you considered before finalizing your creative work?
• How did you decide on the overall tone or mood of your creative piece?
• Can you discuss any specific techniques or tools you used to bring your creative vision to life?
• How do you balance originality with meeting the expectations or objectives of the project?
• Can you elaborate on the symbolism or deeper meaning behind certain elements in your creative work?
• How did you ensure your creative work aligns with the intended message or purpose of the project?
• Can you share any unexpected challenges you encountered while executing your creative ideas?
• What advice do you have for others looking to enhance their creativity or embark on similar projects?
• Can you discuss any future plans or developments related to your creative work?

Q&A Questions for Portfolio Presentations

• How did you curate or select the pieces included in your portfolio?
• Can you discuss the overarching themes or concepts that tie your portfolio together?
• What criteria did you use to determine which projects or works to include in your portfolio?
• Can you provide insights into your creative process for one of the featured projects?
• How do you believe your portfolio reflects your growth or evolution as a professional or artist?
• Can you discuss any challenges you encountered while working on specific projects in your portfolio?
• What inspired the overall design and layout of your portfolio presentation?
• Can you share any feedback or critiques you received during the creation of your portfolio?
• How do you handle showcasing both personal and professional work in your portfolio?
• How do you stay updated on current trends or techniques in your industry, and how does this influence your portfolio?
• Can you elaborate on any technologies or tools you used to create or present your portfolio?
• How do you handle showcasing a diverse range of skills or talents in your portfolio?
• How do you balance consistency with variety in the presentation of your portfolio pieces?
• Can you provide insights into the decision-making process behind the visual and aesthetic choices in your portfolio?

Subject-Based Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for history presentations.

• Why is it important for us to study this particular historical period or event?
• Can you provide more context on the social and cultural aspects of the time you discussed?
• Are there any alternative perspectives or interpretations of the historical event you presented?
• How did political or economic factors contribute to the events you covered in your presentation?
• Can you discuss the impact of this historical period on contemporary society or global affairs?
• How do historians generally view or interpret the significance of the events you discussed?
• Can you elaborate on any controversies related to the historical topic you presented?
• Can you discuss any parallels or connections between the historical events you covered and current events?
• Can you elaborate on any lesser-known or overlooked aspects of the historical topic?
• What were the main causes and consequences of the events discussed in this lesson?
• How did global events or other regions influence the events in this specific historical context?
• Can you share more details about the key figures or individuals involved in the historical events?
• Can you discuss any social movements or cultural shifts that occurred during this time?
• Were there any controversies or debates among historians regarding the interpretation of these events?
• What primary sources or historical documents can we explore to gain a deeper understanding of this time?
• What lessons or insights can we draw from the mistakes or successes of the past?

Q&A Questions for Geography Presentations

• Can you explain the significance of the geographical features discussed in this lesson?
• What are the cultural or societal aspects that make this geographic area unique?
• Can you discuss the environmental challenges or changes occurring in the region you shared?
• Are there any connections between the geography of a region and its cultural practices or traditions?
• How has human activity impacted the natural landscapes and ecosystems in the region?
• Can you provide insights into the economic factors shaping the geography of the area?
• How do political boundaries or geopolitical factors influence the geography of the region?
• Can you discuss any current or historical conflicts related to the geography you presented?
• Can you share examples of how globalization has impacted the geography you discussed?
• How does the geography of the area influence migration patterns and population distribution?
• Can you discuss any challenges or opportunities related to urbanization in the region?
• Can you provide examples of how transportation infrastructure shapes the geography of the region?
• How do the geographical features discussed impact the local economy and lifestyle?
• Can you discuss the role of sustainable development in shaping the geography of the region?
• How does the geography of a region impact the availability and distribution of resources?

Q&A Questions for Science Presentations

• How does this scientific theory or principle apply to real-world situations?
• Can you provide examples of experiments or demonstrations that illustrate the principles being taught?
• How do current advancements or research in technology influence our understanding of this science?
• Can you provide examples of how this scientific concept has been applied in various industries?
• Can you share insights into any ongoing or future research related to the subject of the lecture?
• Can you elaborate on any potential interdisciplinary connections between this science and other fields?
• How do you see the future developments or advancements shaping the field of science you discussed?
• Can you discuss any recent advancements or breakthroughs in the field related to your presentation?
• What experiments or studies have been conducted to support the information presented in your topic?
• Are there any unanswered questions or areas of uncertainty in the scientific understanding of this topic?
• Can you discuss the importance of peer review in the scientific process?

Q&A Questions for Social Science Presentations

• Can you provide some background information on the topic?
• Can you explain the significance of any statistical analyses or data presented in this studies?
• How might cultural or societal factors influence the interpretation of the findings?
• Are there any primary sources or case studies used in the lesson to illustrate these social science concepts?
• What are the alternative opinions or perspectives that one should consider for this topic?
• How can we critically evaluate bias in the research?
• What are the roles of globalization or international perspectives in this topic?
• Why is [a perspective/opinion] the case?
• What are the potential objections for [a perspective/opinion]?
• How does the topic of this lesson relate to broader social issues or current events?
• Are there any conflicting theories or perspectives within the field related to this lesson’s content?
• Can you explain the practical implications of the theories or concepts covered in this lesson?
• How do the concepts covered in this lesson contribute to a deeper understanding of human behavior or society?
• What are some potential criticisms or limitations of the theories presented in this lesson?

Q&A Questions for Art and Design Presentations

• How do different artistic techniques contribute to the overall aesthetic of the piece?
• Can you explain the cultural or historical influences behind the art or design style being taught?
• How can personal experiences or emotions be expressed through art and design?
• Can you provide examples of famous artists or designers who are known for this particular style or technique?
• How does the use of color, shape, and composition impact the visual impact of the artwork or design?
• Are there any contemporary or modern trends in art and design that relate to the topic of this lesson?
• How does the art or design being taught relate to broader movements or styles in the art world?
• How can art and design contribute to social or cultural change?

Fun Presentation Q&A Questions

Q&a questions for powerpoint night  presentations.

• Do you remember the time when we [shared a memorable adventure or experience]?
• What’s your favorite memory from our past travels together?
• If we were to plan a group vacation, what destination would you suggest for our bucket list?
• What’s one place you’ve always wanted to visit that we haven’t explored together yet?
• What’s the most spontaneous or unplanned adventure we’ve had?
• What’s our favorite inside joke?
• If we were to create a time capsule representing our friendship, what would you include in it?
• What’s the craziest or most unexpected thing we’ve ever done together?
• What’s your go-to travel snack or comfort food?
• What’s a shared goal or dream destination you’d like to achieve with the group?
• Can you recall the first time we met, and what was your initial impression of me?
• What’s a skill or talent of mine that surprised you when you first discovered it?
• If our group had a theme song, what do you think it should be and why?
• If we were characters in a movie, how would you describe our dynamic or roles?
• What’s a shared goal or aspiration that you think our group could work towards together?
• What’s your favorite thing about our friendship that you cherish the most?
• If we had a group motto or slogan, what do you think it should be?

Q&A Questions for PowerPoint Games

• What are the rules of the game?
• How long is the expected duration of the game?
• Are there any specific materials or equipment needed to play the game?
• Can you explain the objective or goal of the game?
• Are there any hidden surprises in the game that players might not immediately notice?
• Any secret tips for success in the game?
• Are there any special prizes or incentives for winners of tonight’s games?
• How is the game scored, and what determines the winner?
• What happens if there’s a tie in the game?
• Are there any variations or optional rules we should be aware of?
• Can you explain the order of play and how turns are determined?
• Are there penalties or consequences for certain actions during the game?
• Can participants form teams, or is the game strictly individual play?
• Are there any restrictions on player movement or interaction during the game?
• Can you provide examples of common strategies or tactics used in the game?
• How is cheating or rule violations handled in the game?
• Can you recommend any strategies for newcomers or first-time players?

Feedback Q&A Questions

• What specific aspects of the presentation do you think were most effective?
• Can you provide suggestions for improving the clarity of certain points in the presentation?
• How well do you think the presenter engaged with the audience during the presentation?
• Were there any areas where you felt the presentation could have been more engaging or interactive?
• Can you offer insights into the pacing of the presentation and whether it was appropriate?
• What are your thoughts on the visual elements, such as slides or graphics, used in the presentation?
• Were there any technical issues or challenges that affected your experience during the presentation?
• Can you provide feedback on the overall organization and structure of the presentation?
• Were there any moments in the presentation that you found particularly memorable or impactful?
• Did the presenter effectively convey the key messages or takeaways of the presentation?
• How well did the presenter connect with the audience’s level of understanding or familiarity with the topic?
• Can you discuss any specific examples or anecdotes that resonated with you during the presentation?
• Were there any instances where the presenter could have provided more context or background information?
• What are your thoughts on the presenter’s use of language, tone, and overall communication style?
• Can you suggest ways in which the presenter could improve audience engagement or participation?
• Were there any aspects of the presentation that you found confusing or difficult to follow?
• Can you share your overall impression of the presentation and whether it met your expectations?
• What recommendations do you have for the presenter to enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of future presentations?

Closing Thoughts

With more than 300 Q&A questions to help you with your preparation, you can save so much time thinking and anticipating the questions your audience may ask during the Q&A session of your presentation. Now, you can focus on what matters most – acing your presentation! 

BONUS: Lazy to create PowerPoint presentations from scratch? Try these  11 top-rated AI PowerPoint generators (they’re free!), as well as these  4 ways to use ChatGPT to create PowerPoint presentations . 

About Zhun Yee Chew

Try classpoint for free.

All-in-one teaching and student engagement in PowerPoint.

Supercharge your PowerPoint. Start today.

500,000+ people like you use ClassPoint to boost student engagement in PowerPoint presentations.

how to give the perfect presentation

Giving a presentation – q & a strategies, how to use the q & a session to your advantage.

Most presentations include a short question and answer session, which is a positive way to invite the interaction of your audience. During your introduction, inform the audience when they may ask questions. You may choose to accept questions throughout your presentation or at the end. Answering questions from the audience can help you to summarize the information, stress your main points, clarify any misunderstandings and reinforce your recommendations. More important, it can make you more likable, allow you to connect at an informal level with your audience, and enable you to maintain your leader/expert role.

Answering Different Types of Questions

Questions from the audience tend to fall into three categories: good questions, difficult questions, and unnecessary questions. Making a comment about the question before you begin the answer will give you some time to think.

From your point of view as a speaker, good questions enable you to reinforce and elaborate on your message to the audience. You could begin your response by saying, “That’s an excellent question.” Difficult questions are those which are confrontational. They are designed to embarrass you, challenge you, confuse you or discredit you. If you don’t know the answer, you might say, “I’m afraid I don’t have that information with me.” If you prefer not to answer, you could say, “I’m afraid I’m not in a position to comment on that.” Unnecessary or irrelevant questions are those which ask about information you have already given. Point this out by saying something like “I think I answered that earlier.”

Staying in Control

Your objective is to maintain as much control of the question-and-answer session as you did of the formal presentation. You are the one who decides how many people to call on. You are the one who chooses how much detail to provide in your response. You are also the one who signals when the question-and-answer session comes to an end.

Start by listening carefully to the question and nod to show that you understand and are paying attention. Be patient if the questioner asks you to clarify something that you have already explained at depth during your presentation. Even though you may feel you explained this point clearly, there may be some misunderstanding among audience members. Don’t roll your eyes or sigh in exasperation when you hear a question. These are insulting signals. Instead, after the questioner has finished speaking, say you’ll be happy to clarify the point. Otherwise, explain politely that you have already done so.

Always repeat the question. This has several benefits. First, it brings the attention of the audience back to you, rather than the person asking the question. Second, in a large room, the question may not have been heard by everyone. Your repeating it allows each person to know what you are going to talk about. Third, it gives you time to think of how to answer. Remember to stay on track and answer the specific question. If one person tries to ask several questions, explain that you could speak privately afterwards but for now, you’d like to give more people a chance to ask questions.

Maintaining Visual Control

• Adopt a comfortable position, where you can look at all sections of the audience.
• Use eye contact techniques.
• Use walking patterns to focus and refocus the attention of the audience.

Maintaining Verbal Control

• View the question and answer period as an opportunity to reinforce your major points.
• Listen to the intent of the message, instead of the tone.
• Keep your answers brief so as not to appear to be defending yourself.

Remember that a speaker is judged from the moment he or she enters the room until the last question is answered, so be polite, helpful and professional in answering questions.

At times, I’ve faced difficult technical questions after a presentation for which I have no answers.

What can I do to avoid losing my credibility if I HAVE NO ANSWERS!!??

There are many things you can do:

Tell the person you do not have the information available at this time, but will get back to him / her with it as soon as you get it. Then, make sure you do.

Explain that you are not the technical expert but that you will provide the contact info for the right person.

Answer part of the question and ignore the rest.

Explain that the question will take time to answer, so you will get back to him / her by email later.

About Presentation Prep

Being able to speak in public can change your life! Presentation Prep is your complete, free guide to delivering speeches, lectures, and presentations more successfully and confidently. Whether you're a native English-speaker who suffers from public speaking anxiety, or a non-native speaker who needs guidelines for presenting to international audiences, this site will give you everything you need. Presentation Prep is written by Rebecca Ezekiel, an experienced corporate trainer who specializes in the areas of communications, presentations, and cross-cultural skills. Her online English language training videos are watched by millions of students worldwide.

10 Ways to Prepare for a Live Q&A Session

• Event Planning , Leadership Techniques , Tips

It’s hard feeling connected to your co-workers and employees while working remotely, especially if you aren’t used to it. But there are a lot of ways to make the most of business meetings throughout the week. One of those tricks? Q&A sessions.

Live Q&A sessions are great to have after a meeting — whether in-person or online — because they help your employees feel engaged and ensure they understand the topics brought up.

A Q&A session following a meeting or a Q&A session after a presentation to clients or customers makes listeners feel heard and creates a sense of connection to the topic.

‍ Meeting Pulse is a live audience platform that’s all about engagement. We understand the importance of making your team or audience feel involved, included, and valued . That’s why we want to give you a bit more insight into hosting an online Q&A session.

But first, let’s explore what a live Q&A session is a little more.

‍ Related: Town Hall Meetings: How to Engage Your Audience

Why Should You Host an Online Q&A Session?

Okay, first thing’s first: Q&A stands for “questions and answers.” To host a live Q&A session, you need to utilize a live streaming platform that allows the audience to respond , like Zoom or Google Hangouts. Then, you need to reply to their questions. That’s it!

Of course, there are nuances to properly hosting a Q&A session and things to do to make it more impactful, inspiring, and engaging. We’ll get into that, but let’s take a closer look at why you should take the time to organize a live Q&A session :

• Increase employees’ interaction and keep their attention.
• Address employees’ questions directly.
• It allows the company to address concerns or questions.
• Provides leaders and CEOs a platform to connect with their company and team.
• Receive valuable feedback from your team.

Interaction

During this time of social distancing , many people have grown bored with Netflix and have instead started looking for ways to connect with other people online. That’s led to Twitch reaching its highest numbers of all time .

That’s because watching streamers includes interaction. There’s a chat, the streamer responds — sometimes they even let followers play games with them or win prizes. This train of thought can be utilized in business meetings as well.

A live Q&A session allows you to boost your interaction with your employees in real-time. You’ll learn valuable information while also building trust and loyalty within the company since they’ll feel heard and appreciated.

Having the chance to communicate will also ensure they are invested in the meeting and won’t become as distracted.

During the coronavirus pandemic, there’s a lot less time to have face-to-face conversations with your employees, so they can sometimes feel disconnected. This is a chance to interact with them in real-time, while also making sure everyone is on the same page .

‍ 54% of remote workers in 2019 (before COVID-19) felt disconnected from the company. That number has probably increased. Q&A sessions ensure that you can make those personal connections with employees and teams . They’ll appreciate you taking the time to answer their questions and concerns directly and personally.

When Should You Host a Live Q&A Session?

While having online meetings is vital when face-to-face discussions and meetings can’t happen; it’s still important to limit the number of meetings you have. A study by the Harvard Business Review revealed that 65% of managers felt that meetings kept them from completing their work.

‍ 71% said meetings are unproductive , and 64% said meetings “come at the expense of deep thinking.” Perhaps even more important, 62% of managers felt that meetings miss opportunities to bring teams closer together .

So while meetings shouldn’t take over your workweek, the meetings you DO have should focus on building teams and connecting everyone. That’s why Q&As are so important — and that’s why every meeting should end with a Q&A session.

Time of Day

When hosting a Q&A session, you want to pick the most optimal time to have the most people present. But the best time is different for everyone. The best thing to do is ask the employees who are participating in the meeting what time of day works best for them. Find out when they are most productive and let them work during those times, if possible.

A recent study found that employees are their most productive in the mornings during the first few days of the week. So it might be best to hold off your meeting until afternoon on Wednesday, using the Q&A as a mid-week check-in.

‍ Related: Interactive Online Meeting Ideas

How to Prepare for a Q&A Session

Planning and leading a Q&A session is harder than you might think. Here are a few quick tips on how to host a live Q&A session successfully:

• Practice ahead of time: In almost any situation, practice makes perfect . Practice receiving and answering questions on the spot. Understand how to thank someone for a great question and, if you can manage it in a live session, refer to them by name in your answer.If you can, practice your presentation with a friend or colleague, and have them direct questions towards you that you may have a hard time answering during the Q&A. ‍
• Consider possible questions: Consider questions you’re likely to receive so that you can brainstorm about the best answers . Try to look at things from your audience’s perspective to see what they are expecting to take out of the Q&A.‍ Confident and concise answers can go a long way. Remember to stay brief when you respond — don’t let your answer turn into a speech. ‍
• Tackle difficult questions gracefully: In a live Q&A session, anything can come up at any time. Prep a cover-all response to address odd or inappropriate questions that don’t fit the bill. For example, you might say, “That’s a great question, and although I don’t feel it’s appropriate to answer at this time, I’d be happy to address it one-on-one after the session.”You can also try and guide their question into something more relevant to your Q&A. ‍
• Tell the audience in advance: Give the audience a chance to come up with some quality questions by letting them know there will be a Q&A time with the help of MeetingPulse’s live question and answer session software platform . Besides soliciting better questions, it lessens the likelihood of long periods of awkward silence. You can even ask them to submit questions ahead of time! ‍
• Define ground rules: Let the audience know how to conduct themselves appropriately. Perhaps you want audience members to give a particular type of introduction before they speak — or use technology in a certain way. Let them know; this provides the session with structure and helps to maintain order.

• Plant questions: Consider queuing some questions in advance if you’re using an audience response system — or consider preparing a member of the audience so that they are ready to ask relevant questions of silence ensues. Whether it’s used during or at the beginning, prepared questions can help sessions to run smoothly . ‍
• Avoid debates: If a question is charged, inappropriate, or provocative, don’t engage in a debate. Avoid dramatic dialogues — as it’s disrespectful to the audience and reflects poorly on the presenter. Simply dismiss the question with a vague answer, or let them know that it is not relevant, and move on to the next participant. ‍
• Consider moderation: If you are hosting a large event, it might make sense to have someone on hand who can go around the audience to take questions. A moderator can also filter through questions to ensure that the questions that make it your way are appropriate and worthwhile . ‍
• Watch the time: Have a clock or timer within view during the session. Do your best not to go over time, even if there are quite a few questions. Ensure that your presentation is short enough that you will have plenty of time during the Q&A session.Try to plan for at least 25% of the allotted time to answer the audience’s questions. ‍
• Try not to point at the audience: Although pointing is common, it’s not the best approach as it can be perceived as overbearing or rude. This is especially true when you don’t know how the person asking the question feels when it comes to speaking in front of large crowds; try to make them feel as comfortable as possible .Use your eyes to single out audience members and describe who you intend to speak to next rather than pointing at them.

Tools to Use for Q & A

Do you need to quickly create a Q&A session for an upcoming meeting or event? The MeetingPulse audience response system makes setup a snap.

If you’re already a user or if you’ve signed up for our free trial via the page below, you can have a new question and answer session up and running in a matter of seconds!

To create a question and answer session using our audience engagement & response system , simply sign in and create a new meeting. Then, emulate the steps demonstrated in our 15-second instructional Q&A session video below. By default, the Q&A toggle is on, so literally all you have to do is name and run your meeting!

The toggle on the main page in the video above determines whether questions and other features, like polling, are on or off for your meeting.

Additional toggles on the “Questions” page (not shown in the video) are available if you’d like to tailor the type of Q&A session you will be conducting. The default is an unmoderated session that will take place during your meeting, but you can specify if you’d like a moderated or unmoderated session to run either during or before your meeting.

Lastly, start your meeting! This entire process can happen in 15 seconds with our simple, intuitive audience response system. It’s that easy! Now you know how quickly you can create a Q&A session using our browser-based audience response system.

If you’d also like to learn how to set up a poll in 25 seconds with our audience response system, visit our post about quick polls .

If you haven’t yet signed up for the MeetingPulse free trial, consider it. We are happy to provide you with free access to create and run polls , surveys, pulses, raffles, and Q&A sessions.

Thanks to our simple audience response system, anyone can have new Q&A sessions up and running in no time!

During the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of employees can feel detached from their company. Many are new to remote work and are used to having the opportunity to talk with you and their co-workers face-to-face.

A live Q&A session during an online meeting can help them feel connected to you and the company while also allowing them to clear up any questions or concerns.

If you’re looking for an interactive meeting tool that engages your employees, contact Meeting Pulse today .

‍ Related: Avoiding Online Meeting Burnout

‍ At MeetingPulse , we provide real-time survey and polling software that runs in any browser, so you’ll never need to download an app. Anyone can easily participate using their mobile device or computer via a short link.

The MeetingPulse audience response system was developed with simplicity in mind and offers a wide array of customizable options to fit your interactive meeting needs.

Please contact us for more information on our audience response system or click on “Keep Me Posted” on our blog page to receive blog updates and our free e-book.

Get started with MeetingPulse today!

Share this article on your socials, latest posts.

The Benefits of Language-Inclusive Meetings and Events

Understanding the Pain Points of Language Barriers  at Your Meeting and 7 Tips for Breaking Them Down with Technology

There’s only one way to determine if customers are satisfied – ask them

Proactively Managing Employee Engagement, Development, and Satisfaction

Blog categories.

• Audience Response Tools
• Best Practices
• Employee Engagement
• Event Planning
• Hybrid Events
• Leadership Techniques
• Meeting Prep
• Organizational Development
• Uncategorized

To make MeetingPulse a seamless addition to your meetings, we offer custom themes. You can use your own logo and your colors in Attendee View as well as Broadcast View. Your company name can also be included in the webpage’s title. Your meeting can also have its own domain. This is great if you are going to promote your meeting offline. For example, you could use “acme2022.com” instead of “meet.ps/acme-all-hands”.

Live Product Tours

Weekly Product Tour Every Wednesday

• Success Stories
• Integrations
• Help center
• Cvent Marketplace
• Connect with Zapier
• Trust Center
• System Status

• Speech Writing
• Delivery Techniques
• PowerPoint & Visuals
• Speaker Habits
• Speaker Resources

Speech Critiques

• Book Reviews
• Browse Articles
• ALL Articles
• Learn About Us
• About Six Minutes
• Meet Our Authors
• Write for Us
• Advertise With Us

Leading the Perfect Q&A

A great Q&A session – one that adds value to your presentation – requires planning and thoughtful contributions from both the audience and the speaker.

Q&A from Audience Perspective

From the perspective of audience members, Gretchen Rubin offers ten tips for asking questions from the audience :

Wait for the microphone, if there is one. Pause for silence – don’t talk over a chattering crowd. Don’t make excuses for yourself. This is tiresome and unnecessary. Don’t address speakers by their first names. Some people will disagree with me, I’m sure, but this always strikes me as affected and inappropriately familiar, unless the mood of the presentation is extremely casual. Don’t be long-winded. Plan it out. This will help you avoid being long-winded. Don’t ask double question. Give other people a chance. If appropriate, say a little about yourself. Just a little. Speak up. Nothing’s more frustrating to the audience than not being able to hear a question. Remember: you’ll be happy that you asked a question. I’m one of those people who rarely asks a question at such an occasion. I never spoke in class in law school. But whenever I do participate, I feel more engaged and enjoy myself more. I’m working on speaking up.

Though it isn’t always the case, let’s assume that your audience has read and followed Ms. Rubin’s excellent advice. If so, then the audience will fulfill their half of the Q&A contract. What can you do as a speaker to ensure a great Q&A?

Before the Q&A

• Plan for a Q&A. Too often, speakers fill their entire allotted time with their (formal) presentation. The consequence is that the Q&A session either doesn’t happen (everyone loses) or it is forced to run overtime (audience members may be hungry, irritated, or have to leave). Budget for the Q&A when you plan the presentation. Cut material as necessary to ensure you allow time for the Q&A.
• Be prepared. Anticipate the questions that will be asked. Look at your presentation objectively, and use your audience analysis to predict their questions. When appropriate, prepare a few “extra” slides (perhaps the ones that you cut out of your final formal presentation) that will assist in addressing questions during the Q&A. If you have presented the material before, the questions you have received in the past are likely to come up again if you have not altered the core presentation.
• Announce the Q&A. Some speakers welcome questions throughout a presentation; most speakers, however, prefer to handle questions near the end. If you fall into the latter group, don’t leave your audience wondering if there will be a Q&A. Announce this early, and you will accomplish two things: (1) Your audience is reassured that they will have a chance to pose questions and (2) Your audience is encouraged to start thinking of questions.
• Encourage questions. When you announce the Q&A session, be positive. “I look forward to addressing your questions” rather than “At 10:45, we’ll have the obligatory fifteen minutes for questions.” At certain points in your presentation, you may also want to encourage questions. “Does anyone have any questions about this process?” or “If anyone has questions or comments about this process, please bring them forward in the Q&A session.”

“ Budget for the Q&A when you plan the presentation. Cut material as necessary to ensure you allow time for the Q&A. ”

During the Q&A

• Restate the question, perhaps in your own words. Doing this provides two benefits. First, you increase the likelihood that the audience has heard the question. Second, you increase the likelihood that you understand the question before you proceed to answer it.
• Don’t assume everyone in your audience has the same background knowledge about the question that you do. No audience member wants to hear a response like “Yes, John, the ___ strategy would be appropriate for a company like yours because…” if they don’t know which company is being referred to or what kind of company it is. Share any contextual knowledge you have so that the audience better understands the question as well as your answer. A better alternative would be “[setting the context] John is the CEO of Frodo Solutions, a consulting company which helps small businesses with ___. [now, addressing the question] Yes, John, the ___ strategy would be appropriate for a company like yours because…”
• Give your full attention to the person asking the question. Show them professional courtesy by listening to their entire question before beginning your response. If you interrupt, the message you are sending is “I’m not really interested in your question. I’m more interested in talking…”
• Keep the questions on topic. Too often, presenters will say “This is getting off topic, but the answer is…” and then proceed to bore most of the audience. It is better to say “That’s a great question, but a little off topic. Let’s discuss that offline.” Use the same approach if you are asked a question that would just take too long to adequately answer within the time allotted.
• Don’t let a single person dominate the Q&A. Maybe they are a heckler with an intent to disrupt, or maybe they just feel that all of their questions need to be given priority. In either case, be assertive and deflect their questions offline. Give other audience members a chance to ask their questions.
• Be truthful. If you don’t know the answer, then say you don’t know the answer. Don’t lie. Don’t mislead. Don’t tap dance around the question for two minutes giving your sales pitch without ever addressing the question. Don’t risk your integrity to avoid embarrassment. Acknowledge that you don’t know the answer. Consider asking your audience if anyone has the answer.

After the Q&A

• Invite follow-up questions. Stick around after your presentation, or make yourself available at a later time. Provide contact information. Your goal is to leave no question unanswered.
• Don’t end your presentation with your last Q&A response. This is generally a weak conclusion, especially if the last question/answer was negative or neutral. Save your concluding words (and perhaps your final slides) for after the formal Q&A.

Some speaking opportunities do not allow for a full Q&A session (e.g. the 60-second elevator pitch). However, the majority of presentations are enhanced by the inclusion of a productive Q&A session. Do your part, and trust that the audience will do theirs.

What have I missed? Please share your tips for leading a great Q&A session. 🙂

Other Q&A Resources

• David Greenberg: How to Master the Question-And-Answer Session
• Speaker’s Bank: Top 10 Tips for Handling a Question and Answer Session

Please share this...

This is one of many public speaking articles featured on Six Minutes . Subscribe to Six Minutes for free to receive future articles.

Image credit: lusi

Add a Comment Cancel reply

E-Mail (hidden)

Subscribe - It's Free!

Similar Articles You May Like...

• Q&A Tips from Toastmasters International President
• 10 Phrases Savvy Speakers Never Say
• How to Manage 8 Tough Personas in a Group Discussion
• How to Lead a Discussion Group
• How to Plan a Great Group Discussion
• How to Ace the Impromptu Speech

Find More Articles Tagged:

Love your Q&A tips. It would be extremely useful for training sessions too. Keep it up Andrew!

Yes, these tips apply to many “audience interaction” or “audience participation” scenarios.

Great information! Your point “Don’t end your presentation with your last Q&A response” – is one I stress to new leaders.

Again, thanks for the tips.

Excellent tips here, Andrew.

Here are two more: 1. Prime the pump! Sometimes no one wants to be the first to ask a question, so ask the first one yourself! Say, “One of the questions I’m typically asked is. “…”

2. When starting the Q&A, don’t say, “Do you have any questions?” Some may interpret that statement to mean they weren’t listening or didn’t understand the message. Better to say, while raising your hand high in the air, “What questions to you have for me?”

Thanks for the Post!

You can also provide index cards for audience members so they may write down their questions as they come up and suggest that they provide their contact information so you can answer them in the event time does not permit during your session.

Recent Tweets

RT @dnewman: Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — Samuel Jay Smith Sep 30th, 2010

RT @dnewman: Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — Sean V. Bradley Oct 1st, 2010

RT @dnewman Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — J D Ebberly Oct 9th, 2010

RT @JDEbberly: RT @dnewman Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — Kevin Loker Oct 9th, 2010

RT @dnewman: Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — Stephanie Scotti Oct 12th, 2010

RT @dnewman: Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — KarlaScott Oct 12th, 2010

Tips for leading the perfect Q&A: http://bit.ly/bhKgRX #speaking — David Newman Nov 30th, 2010

Speakers: Leading the Perfect Q&A http://t.co/tLFfpCDU via @6minutes — Fred E. Miller Dec 14th, 2011

Speakers: Leading the Perfect Q&A http://t.co/tLFfpCDU via @6minutes — Sheldon J Harber CFP Dec 14th, 2011

Leading the Perfect Q&A http://t.co/lhWwixd1Uf via @6minutes — @tgillihan Aug 24th, 2015

5 Blog Links

The Public Speaking Blog » You At The Back. Yes, You… (How Do You Manage An Effective Q & A Session?) — Feb 14th, 2008

8 tips for encouraging questions in your presentation : Speaking about Presenting — Nov 26th, 2008

The 25 Essential Presentation Skills for Public Speaking | David Edgerton Jr — May 6th, 2010

10 Ways Your Presentation Skills Generate Career Promotions | www.inextworld.com — May 26th, 2012

How to Handle Questions during your Presentation | Moving People to Action — Mar 25th, 2013

Featured Articles

• Majora Carter (TED, 2006) Energy, Passion, Speaking Rate
• Hans Rosling (TED, 2006) 6 Techniques to Present Data
• J.A. Gamache (Toastmasters, 2007) Gestures, Prop, Writing
• Steve Jobs (Stanford, 2005) Figures of speech, rule of three
• Al Gore (TED, 2006) Humor, audience interaction
• Dick Hardt (OSCON, 2005) Lessig Method of Presentation

Books We Recommend

Six Minutes Copyright © 2007-2022 All Rights Reserved.

Read our permissions policy , privacy policy , or disclosure policy .

Comments? Questions? Contact us .

Home Blog Business How to Moderate Question-and-Answer Sessions in Your Presentation

How to Moderate Question-and-Answer Sessions in Your Presentation

An unconventional question is the one thing that can ruin the presentation you’ve been preparing for. Picture this, you are in the middle of a talk, and someone from the audience shoots a query like a stray bullet. Now, you’re scratching for answers, and your credibility is in maximum exposure.

Questions play a significant role in enhancing the overall effectiveness of a presentation as it allows you to assess the audience’s understanding of the content you presented and engage with them on a deeper level. You don’t want to dodge the queries. Including a well-structured Q&A session within your presentation is vital.

This article explores how to moderate question and answer sessions effectively and how you can prepare for them.

Why Is Question-and-Answer Session Important?

So, why is it important to include a question-and-answer session in a presentation?

Dale Carnegie sums up the importance of questions in various aspects of life in his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People . “Questions are the key that unlocks doors of opportunity and locks out doubt and uncertainty,” he said.

Let’s look at the above quote through the lens of a presenter and break down the benefits that can turn out from a stressful Q&A session.

It provides clarification. During a Q&A session, participants can seek clarifications on any unclear points or misunderstandings. This allows presenters to address any misconceptions by providing additional information or context.

It allows you to overcome objections. Your audience may have concerns or doubts about your arguments. Use the Q&A session to listen to your audience’s concerns and address them directly. You may build trust and win over some audiences.

It demonstrates your expertise. A well-handled Q&A session can showcase your expertise and knowledge on the topic. By providing accurate and thoughtful responses to questions, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, further reinforcing your credibility and authority.

It provides you with a different perspective. Through the questions asked during a Q&A session, you can gain insights into your audience’s perspectives. This will help you understand the audience’s needs and plan future presentations or business strategies.

Real-Life Scenarios for Q&A Sessions

Business Presentations. Q&A sessions are commonly used in business presentations , such as sales pitches and investor meetings. This allows you to address any concerns or objections of unconvinced prospects and help them arrive at a buying decision.

Training or Workshops. Q&A sessions are often included in training sessions or workshops, where participants may have questions about the material being taught or need further explanations. Q&A sessions can foster active participation, encourage learning, and provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on concepts or practical applications.

Public Speaking Engagements. Q&A sessions are often included in public speaking engagements, such as conferences, seminars, and webinars. In these scenarios, the Q&A session allows the speaker to interact with the audience, address their concerns, and provide additional information.

Town Hall Meetings. Q&A sessions are often included in town hall meetings or open forums, where employees or stakeholders can ask questions to leadership or management. This allows for transparency, communication, and engagement with the audience, addressing their concerns or feedback.

A question and answer (Q&A) session can be helpful in various business scenarios, but it’s not mandatory for every presentation. Consider the nature of your presentation (is it complex?) and your audience’s needs and time constraints.

How to Prepare for a Q&A Session

Identify Potential Questions That May Come Up

The groundwork you do for your presentation, such as doing the research and preparing the PowerPoint template , pretty much prepares you for the potential questions that may arise during the big day.

In the planning phase of your presentation, you conduct research and gather relevant information on your topic. This includes identifying key points, data, statistics, and references you will present. Assuming that you don’t skip any of the background work, you’re on your way to answering questions confidently during the Q&A session.

Of course, you also have to consider the background of your audience. What are their demographics or their level of familiarity with the topic? This understanding will help you anticipate their questions and tailor responses that resonate with their perspective.

Establish Clear Guidelines for Questions

It is important to set ground rules on how you would like to address questions to ensure a smooth-sailing presentation. At the beginning of your talk, discuss the flow of your presentation, including when you’ll be entertaining queries from the audience.

If you want them to keep their questions at the end of the discussion, say so and allocate an ample time for Q&A. You should also establish clear guidelines on how they should ask their questions (e.g., raise their hand, submit in writing).

Some presenters would specify topics or areas they are willing to discuss. However, it is dangerous to come across as controlling or restrictive and may negatively impact the dynamics of the presentation.

In a sales pitch , for example, the goal of a Q&A is to build rapport and trust with the prospects. Dictating what questions they can ask may not align with the principles of customer-centric selling.

Encourage Pre-Session Questions

Encourage attendees to submit questions beforehand through email, a designated online platform, or in person. Doing so will provide you with valuable insights into your audience’s specific needs and expectations. It will also help you proactively address their concerns during your presentation without waiting for the Q&A segment.

Collect Questions During the Presentation

Attendees may forget their questions if they have to hold onto them until the Q&A session. Instead of saving all the questions for the end of the presentation , you can actively encourage the audience to submit questions during the presentation itself.

There are several ways to collect questions throughout the presentation. One common approach is to use a live chat or Q&A feature in virtual presentation platforms.

Another approach is to use audience response systems or polling tools, such as Mentimeter, Slido, or Poll Everywhere, allowing the audience to submit or vote on existing questions during the presentation.

The presenter or moderator can then periodically review the incoming questions and pick the most relevant to address in the Q&A.

Best Moderation Practices During Q&As

Choose the Right Time to Open the Floor to Questions

If your presentation is interactive and encourages audience participation, you can pause at certain points and invite questions from the audience. This approach can help keep the audience engaged and address immediate clarifications or concerns.

On the other hand, if you dedicated time to questions at the end of the presentation, you can announce when the Q&A portion began. A Q&A slide in the background may also help to set the mood. 

Listen to the Whole Question

When moderating a Q&A, listening to the whole question actively is important. If you interrupt the participant before they finish their question, you risk misinterpreting them and missing important details. Jumping to conclusions or assumptions can lead to inaccurate or incomplete responses and may not fully address the participant’s concern.

The best practice is to give your undivided attention to the participant delivering the question and pause to come up with a thoughtful answer. This will also allow you to seek clarification to complex or ambiguous questions.

Keep Responses Succinct and On-topic

When addressing a question, keep it focused and brief. Avoid long-winded explanations or excessive details that go beyond the scope of the query.

The technique here is to structure your response in a logical and organized manner. For instance, you can start by restating the question, followed by your key points and some tangible examples.

Afterward, return to the questionnaire and ask if you can address their concern.

Redirect Irrelevant or Inappropriate Questions

It’s not new to encounter questions from the left field during Q&As. As the presenter, you can refuse to answer irrelevant questions.

However, if you think the questioner is genuinely curious, you may seek clarification to understand their perspective better. You may say along the lines of, “That’s an interesting question. Could you please provide more context or clarify how it relates to our current topic?”

If you still find the question irrelevant, you can politely decline to answer it. You can say, “Thank you for your question, but it seems unrelated to our presentation’s topic.”

Regardless of how you respond, it’s important to maintain professionalism and avoid being dismissive or confrontational.

Dealing With Aggressive or Hostile Participants During Q&As

Sometimes, one audience member will aggressively shoot up their hands to criticize and attack your presentation. And often, you cannot dismiss them. Remember, you must control this situation while still being diplomatic, no matter how tempting it is to push back aggressively.

A good tip from psychology professor Susan Fiske is to focus on what they’re saying rather than how they’re saying it. Avoid getting defensive or reacting emotionally to their tone, as it may escalate the situation.

When addressing their concern, start setting the common ground – mention where you agree. For example, you could say, “I appreciate your perspective on this issue, and I agree that…”

Let’s use this in a mock-up scenario.

Audience member: “I don’t think your marketing strategy will be effective; it’s too costly and doesn’t align with our target audience.”

Thank you for sharing your perspective. I appreciate your input on this issue, and I agree that cost-effectiveness and alignment with our target audience are critical considerations in our marketing strategy. The proposed strategy is based on market trends and consumer behavior data and has the potential to yield positive results. We value your input in helping us optimize our strategy, and I would be happy to discuss this further.

By actively acknowledging and expressing agreement, the speaker made the unconvinced audience feel heard while reassuring them that the marketing strategy had been carefully planned.

As you can see, a well-structured and effectively moderated question-and-answer (Q&A) session can greatly enhance the overall effectiveness of a presentation. By preparing for potential questions, setting clear guidelines, encouraging pre-session questions, and collecting questions during the presentation, you can be better equipped to handle questions from the audience.

Use the moderation tips we’ve provided in this article, so you can confidently navigate Q&A sessions and maintain your credibility with your audience.

Like this article? Please share

Presentation Skills Filed under Business

Related Articles

Filed under Google Slides Tutorials • June 3rd, 2024

How to Make a Venn Diagram in Google Slides

Learn how to represent Venn Diagrams in Google Slides using three different methods to create them. A step-by-step guide for Google Slides users.

Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • June 3rd, 2024

How To Insert a Calendar in PowerPoint

Get the most out of calendar templates for PowerPoint by learning how to insert them into your presentation projects. A step-by-step guide for inserting and customizing the calendar template to your style.

How to Hide a Slide in PowerPoint Presentations

Discover how to quickly hide a slide in PowerPoint presentations by following one of these two methods. Print settings for hidden slides listed as well.

Leave a Reply

The Art of Question & Answer: Handling Audience Questions Like a Pro

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation , Public Speaking

If you have ever given a presentation , you might know how witty and challenging a question-and-answer session can get. Not knowing the answer to a question can be quite unnerving and leave a bad impression even after a fabulous presentation. This blog will help you bridge that gap before your next presentation. We will talk about how to maintain your composure as you deal with questions and also the different types of difficult questions one can face.

Why should I have a Question-and-answer session?

Having a Question and Answer (Q&A) session serves multiple valuable purposes. It transforms one-sided communication into a two-way exchange, turning lectures or speeches into engaging discussions. This interaction not only enhances audience engagement but also promotes collaboration and the collective building of knowledge. Historically, great questions have driven innovation and change, such as Isaac Newton’s curiosity about gravity. During a Q&A , encouraging audience participation by inviting questions and making eye contact with various attendees creates a sense of connection and keeps the session lively, much like a talk show host engaging their audience. 

Including a question and answer (Q&A) session after your presentation holds numerous advantages and is a pivotal aspect of engaging with your audience effectively.

Let’s delve into these reasons:

1. audience engagement and participation: .

Inviting questions at the end of your presentation allows your audience to actively participate, transforming your session into an interactive experience. As Albert Einstein aptly put it, “The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

2. Addressing Confusion and Skepticism:

 Your presentation might leave some audience members perplexed or unconvinced. Before you begin, it’s vital to gauge your audience’s understanding. As Aristotle noted, “Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion.” Q&A provides an excellent opportunity to clarify doubts and bolster your argument.

3. Expanding on Your Message: 

Often, time constraints force you to condense crucial information during your presentation. Q&A, however, empowers you to elaborate on your points, share practical examples, and address any opposition, creating a more comprehensive understanding. This aligns with Robert Frost’s sentiment: “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.”

4. Fostering Natural Interaction: 

Effective public speaking thrives on interaction. Audiences seek speakers who communicate openly and naturally. Q&A brings a conversational and relatable dimension to your presentation. As Maya Angelou wisely said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

5. Challenging Your Expertise: 

The unpredictability of Q&A keeps you on your toes. You must be well-prepared and nimble to handle a variety of questions and objections. Eleanor Roosevelt’s words resonate: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face.”

How do you answer Questions effectively?

Handling a question-and-answer session effectively requires preparation, communication skills, and adaptability. Whether you’re conducting a Q&A session as a speaker, presenter, or moderator, here are some tips to help you manage it effectively:

1. Preparation is Key:

Know your audience: Research your audience’s demographics, interests, and knowledge level. Tailor your responses to their needs and expectations. Imagine you’re hosting a Q&A session about pets. Knowing your audience means finding out if they’re mostly cat lovers, dog enthusiasts, or perhaps reptile fans. This helps you tailor your answers to their specific interests, like offering dog training tips for dog lovers and habitat ideas for reptile enthusiasts.

Anticipate questions: Develop a list of potential questions that might arise during the session. This can help you prepare concise and informative answers. If you’re giving a presentation about a superhero movie, anticipate questions like “Who’s the main villain?” or “What are the special powers of the hero?” Prepare concise answers to these common questions to keep the audience engaged.

Review your material: Revisit your presentation or discussion content before the Q&A session. This will help you recall key points and examples that may be relevant to questions. For Ex: You’re a teacher conducting a Q&A after a science class. Before the session, review your notes on the periodic table. This ensures that when a student asks, “What are the noble gases?” you can confidently explain their properties.

2. Set Expectations:

Clearly explain how the Q&A session will be structured. For example, inform the audience whether questions will be taken throughout the session or only at the end. Mention any time constraints.

Let the audience know if you have topics you’d like to cover or all questions are welcome. 

For example: Think of a cooking class where you’re the instructor. Before starting, inform your students that they can ask questions anytime during the class. This sets the expectation that it’s an interactive learning experience.

3. Active Listening:

Give the questioner your full attention. Make eye contact, nod to acknowledge understanding, and avoid interrupting.

Repeat or rephrase the question if needed to ensure clarity and show that you are actively engaged with the questioner.

Imagine you’re a detective in a mystery novel. When a witness asks, “Did you see the suspect?”, listen attentively, nod to acknowledge, and ask follow-up questions to gather all the details. This demonstrates active listening.

4. Take a pause

Before answering any question there is a key aspect that makes you look smart and composed- “The Pause.” The Pause is where you gather your thoughts and prepare your answer in a gist. You decide how to answer the question and tackle it swiftly. If you perhaps don’t know the answer, what is the best way to say you will get back with an answer, and so on? You can get a firm grip on your audience as they wait for you to speak and then speak with utmost clarity, that is the power of Pauses. 

5. Be Concise and Clear:

Answer each question briefly and directly. Avoid going off on tangents or providing excessive background information.

Use plain language and avoid jargon that might confuse the audience. Suppose you’re explaining how to play a video game. Instead of going into a lengthy backstory, say, “To win, you must collect all the magical crystals and defeat the dragon boss.” This clear and concise explanation keeps players engaged.

6. Stay Calm and Confident:

If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it gracefully. Offer to research or follow up later, and don’t try to bluff your way through.

Maintain a calm and composed demeanor even in the face of challenging or critical questions. Focus on addressing the question, not the tone.

This is also where your preparation becomes your backbone and provides you the confidence to deal with your audience. 

Also, I want you to remember that knowledge is very vast- The more you gain knowledge the more you realize how little you know! Do not worry about admitting that you don’t know an answer, you can provide whatever information you have and later get back to them when you do find one.

7. Manage Time:

Allocate a specific amount of time for the Q&A session and communicate this at the outset. Stick to the schedule to ensure you cover all planned topics. If necessary, prioritize questions based on relevance or importance.

Think of a soccer coach during a practice session. Allocate specific time for different drills and stick to the schedule. This ensures that all aspects of the game are covered within the session.

8. Field Diverse Questions:

Encourage a wide range of questions, including those that challenge your viewpoint or prompt discussion. This diversity can lead to more engaging and informative sessions.

For Example: In a book club discussion, encourage members to ask questions about various aspects of the book, from plot details to character motivations. This diversity of questions leads to a more engaging conversation.

9. Moderate Effectively:

As someone who has to give direction to the discussion, try to maintain control of the session and ensure questions are relevant to the topic and audience. Politely redirect or filter out off-topic or inappropriate questions.

Give everyone a chance to ask questions, and manage time to allow for a variety of voices to be heard.

Pretend you’re a radio DJ taking calls from listeners. If someone goes off-topic, gently steer the conversation back to the music or topic of the show to maintain a cohesive experience.

10. Encourage Feedback:

After the Q&A, ask the audience for feedback on the session’s effectiveness. This can help you improve future sessions and tailor them to the audience’s needs. 

Example: After a group art project, ask each participant what they liked and what could be improved. This feedback helps everyone learn from the experience and create better art in the future.

11. Follow-Up:

If you promised to provide additional information or research an answer, do so promptly after the session. This demonstrates your commitment to addressing the audience’s needs.

12. Reflect and Improve:

After each session, take time to analyze what went well and what could be improved. Consider seeking feedback from colleagues or mentors to refine your Q&A skills for future engagements.

Can I answer a Question with a Question?

Many a time we think is it disrespectful to answer a question with a question, or perhaps even condescending? However, answering a question with a question can be an effective communication technique when used thoughtfully, but it’s essential to be mindful of the context and tone to avoid coming across as disrespectful or condescending. 

Consider, for instance, a scenario where someone asks, “Do you know where my keys are?” Responding with, “Have you checked your coat pocket?” instead of a direct “yes” or “no” can be helpful. However, if someone in a team meeting asks, “How do we solve this problem?” replying with, “Well, what solutions have you considered?” can encourage collaborative problem-solving. So, while answering a question with a question can be a valuable tool for prompting critical thinking or guiding discussions, it’s crucial to gauge the situation and intent to ensure it’s used appropriately.

Types of Difficult Questions:

Often times in presentations we don’t get softball questions that are easy to handle but rather some sort of pushback. The audience tries to gauge your authenticity or simply disagrees with you. These are what we call Difficult questions. They are inquiries that pose challenges beyond their surface. They require careful consideration, provoke thought, or test one’s knowledge, often demanding more than a simple yes or no answer. Handling difficult questions effectively is a skill that involves not only providing accurate responses but also managing the dynamics of the discussion and the emotions of those asking. In this exploration, we’ll delve deeper into these challenging types of questions, dissect their nuances, and offer strategies for responding adeptly and constructively.

1. When You Don’t Know the Answer:

• Challenge: It’s common to face questions to which you don’t have an immediate answer, especially in complex or unfamiliar topics.
• Example: In a technical presentation, someone asks a highly technical question beyond your expertise.
• Admit it gracefully: Acknowledge that you don’t have the answer, but express your willingness to find it.
• Offer a partial answer: Share what you do know or suggest possible resources or experts to consult.
• Follow up: Make a commitment to research and provide a comprehensive response after the session.

2. Too Many Questions at the Same Time (Machine Gun Questioning):

• Challenge: Some audience members may bombard you with multiple questions all at once, making it difficult to respond coherently.
• Example: An audience member asks, “How does this technology work, and what are its applications? Can you explain its impact on the industry?”
• Politely request clarification: Ask the person to specify which question they’d like you to address first.
• Address one question at a time: Break down the multiple questions into individual responses to maintain clarity.
• Control the pace: Politely request that questions be asked one at a time to facilitate a more organized discussion.

3. Audience Member Makes a Statement and Tries to Take Over:

• Challenge: Some individuals may attempt to dominate the Q&A session by making lengthy statements or challenging your expertise.
• Example: An audience member insists on sharing their own knowledge and experience, seemingly to undermine your credibility.
• Acknowledge their input: Politely thank them for their perspective and acknowledge their knowledge.
• Redirect the focus: Gently guide the conversation back to the topic or the question at hand.
• Set boundaries: Establish ground rules for the Q&A session at the beginning, emphasizing that questions should be concise and relevant.

4. Emotional Questions Driven by Anger:

• Challenge: Emotionally charged questions, often stemming from anger or frustration, can be challenging to handle without escalating tension.
• Example: An audience member confronts you with anger about a controversial topic you’re discussing.
• Stay calm and empathetic: Maintain composure, listen attentively, and acknowledge the person’s emotions.
• Avoid confrontation: Refrain from responding with defensiveness or aggression, as it can escalate the situation.
• Reframe the question: Politely ask the person to rephrase their question in a more constructive and specific manner.

5. Off-Topic Questions:

• Challenge: Sometimes, audience members ask questions that are unrelated to the topic of your presentation or discussion.
• Example: In a business presentation on marketing strategies, someone asks about your personal hobbies.
• Politely redirect: Acknowledge the question but gently steer the conversation back to the main topic.
• Offer to discuss later: Suggest discussing off-topic questions after the session to avoid derailing the current discussion.

6. Provocative Questions:

• Challenge: These questions are designed to provoke a reaction or create controversy.
• Example: During a political debate, someone asks a loaded question aimed at stirring up emotions rather than seeking a constructive answer.
• Stay composed: Maintain a calm and respectful demeanor when responding, regardless of the provocation.
• Address the core issue: Focus on the underlying topic or concern within the provocative question rather than getting drawn into the emotional aspect.

7. Incomprehensible Questions:

• Challenge: Some questions are poorly phrased or unclear, making it challenging to discern the intent behind them.
• Example: An audience member asks a question with convoluted language and vague references.
• Seek clarification: Politely ask the person to rephrase or clarify their question to ensure you understand it correctly.
• Paraphrase and respond: Restate what you believe the question is about, and answer based on your interpretation. The person can then confirm or correct your understanding.

8. Condescending Questions:

• Challenge: These questions are posed in a belittling or patronizing manner, often implying that the person asking believes they know better.
• Example: An audience member asks, “Do you even understand the basics of this topic?”
• Maintain professionalism: Respond with professionalism and confidence, avoiding any temptation to match the condescension.
• Address the question’s substance: Focus on providing a well-informed and concise response to demonstrate your expertise.

9. Overly Technical Questions:

• Challenge: In technical or specialized discussions, questions may become overly complex, making it challenging for a broader audience to follow.
• Example: A highly technical question filled with industry-specific jargon is asked in a general audience setting.
• Simplify the response: Offer a simplified explanation or analogy to make the answer accessible to a broader audience.
• Offer follow-up resources: Suggest additional reading or resources for those interested in delving deeper into the technical details.

Handling these challenging question scenarios effectively requires a combination of good communication skills, patience, and tact. Remember that the goal is to maintain a productive and respectful dialogue with your audience while addressing their concerns and inquiries.

People Also Ask:

Why is it important to know how to take the audience’s questions when you are presenting.

It is crucial to know how to handle audience questions when presenting for several reasons. Firstly, audience questions signify engagement and interest in your topic, making it an opportunity to further connect with your audience and demonstrate your expertise. Secondly, addressing questions allows you to clarify any misunderstandings or provide additional context, ensuring that your message is well-received and understood. Moreover, handling questions effectively helps you maintain control over the presentation’s flow, ensuring that it stays on track and doesn’t deviate too far from your intended message. Lastly, audience questions can provide valuable feedback, enabling you to gauge the audience’s comprehension and adapt your presentation in real time if necessary, leading to a more successful and impactful presentation overall.

Who is responsible for answering questions from the audience at the time of the presentation?

The responsibility for answering questions from the audience during a presentation primarily falls on the presenter (most likely You). You’re the one who’s been preparing and practicing your presentation for weeks, months, or maybe even years. You’re the guru on the stage, the oracle of information. When those curious souls in the audience raise their hands or type away with their burning questions, it’s your time to shine. You get to flex your brain muscles and give them answers that will make their heads spin (in a good way, of course). It’s your duty to facilitate a productive Q&A session by actively listening to each question, providing thoughtful and accurate responses, and ensuring that the discussion remains relevant to the topic at hand. However, in some cases, especially during larger presentations or panel discussions, a moderator or facilitator may assist in managing the question-and-answer

In conclusion, mastering the art of Q&A, and handling audience questions like a pro, is a skill that can transform any presentation, discussion, or public speaking engagement. By understanding the diverse types of questions that may arise and adopting effective strategies to address them, you can create an interactive and engaging dialogue with your audience. From riddles that stimulate creativity to emotionally charged inquiries that demand empathy, each question offers a unique opportunity to connect, educate, and inspire. 

Remember, the key to success lies in active listening, clear communication, and maintaining composure, even in the face of challenging questions. Whether you’re a speaker, presenter, moderator, or simply someone engaged in a meaningful conversation, the ability to navigate difficult questions with finesse not only enhances your credibility but also fosters a more enriching and enlightening exchange of ideas. So, embrace the art of Q&A, and with practice and patience, you’ll continue to refine this valuable skill, ensuring that your interactions with your audience are both memorable and impactful.

To learn more about how to conduct presentations and improve your communication skills in the workplace you can try our coaching program here .

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

Crisis Leadership 101: Cultivating Empathy While Exercising Authority 

Lost Voice? Here’s How to Recover Sore Throat and Speak Again

7 Keys to Emcee Like a Pro: Unlock Your Hosting Potential

• [email protected]
• +91 98203 57888

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

6 Simple Ways to Handle a Q&A Session at a Conference

Conference presentations offer an ideal forum to share your work with other researchers and receive feedback. They can take many forms, including short or full papers, round-table or panel discussions, workshops, and poster presentations.

While organizing a conference , it is critical to prepare for a Q&A session that will accompany your presentation. Providing effective answers in your Q&A session will engage your audience, further demonstrate your expertise, and ensure that you leave a lasting impression. In today’s article, we will look at some ways you can make sure that you always have an effective Q&A session at every conference presentation you give.

What is a Q&A Session?

A Q&A session is generally a specific amount of time set aside at the end of your presentation for the audience to ask you questions directly. These may be about specific points that you addressed in your presentation, but they might also be about related research, recent news, or the background of your subject material. The toughest part is that you never quite know what to expect!

This may be one reason why  even experienced presenters and researchers dread the Q&A portion of a presentation. But think of the Q&A session as a chance to engage with the audience and clarify anything your presentation may have skipped or touched on briefly. It is also a great way to hear new points of view and identify weaknesses or gaps in your work.

How to Hold an Effective Q&A Session

Fortunately, there are some pointers you can follow to make sure you have an effective Q&A session at any conference presentation . Here are a few tips to ensure your next Q&A session is a great one.

– Be prepared for some potential questions. When you work on your presentation, prepare for your Q&A session at the same time. Identify areas for potential questions based on your background research, and draft some answers in advance.

– Set time limit . The Q&A session doesn’t have to be a free for all! State clearly that this is the time for questions, and that time is limited . Don’t let people talk endlessly or give their own “mini-presentation”.

– Start the discussion. If asking for questions results in silence, you can ask and answer your own question to start things off. “One thing many people ask me is…” is a good way to begin. This also allows you to direct the flow.

– If you don’t know, say so . It can be nerve-wracking to stand on a stage and be asked a question you don’t know the answer to. But don’t worry! If you don’t know something, say it is beyond the scope of your research, or that you are still working on gathering enough data to be able to answer that question. It’s much better to say you don’t know than to try to fake your way through.

– Include the group . Don’t limit your answer on the person who asked it- you are presenting to a group. Paraphrase the question and shift your gaze to include the entire audience. This will keep others engaged.

– Validate dissent . If someone disagrees with you, don’t fight with them. Acknowledge them, and respond with something like “my research has produced different results” or “Thank you for your opinion. I know there are different schools of thought on this issue- let’s move on.”

Remember that this is an opportunity to share your research with interested people! Try to relax and have fun.

Do you have any other tips for giving effective Q&A sessions? What has worked for you? Let us know in the comments below!

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Reporting Research

Academic Essay Writing Made Simple: 4 types and tips

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say, and nowhere is this more evident…

Ensuring Academic Integrity and Transparency in Academic Research: A comprehensive checklist for researchers

Academic integrity is the foundation upon which the credibility and value of scientific findings are…

• AI in Academia

AI vs. AI: How to detect image manipulation and avoid academic misconduct

The scientific community is facing a new frontier of controversy as artificial intelligence (AI) is…

• Diversity and Inclusion

Need for Diversifying Academic Curricula: Embracing missing voices and marginalized perspectives

In classrooms worldwide, a single narrative often dominates, leaving many students feeling lost. These stories,…

• Career Corner
• Trending Now

Recognizing the Signs: A guide to overcoming academic burnout

As the sun set over the campus, casting long shadows through the library windows, Alex…

7 Steps of Writing an Excellent Academic Book Chapter

When Your Thesis Advisor Asks You to Quit

Virtual Defense: Top 5 Online Thesis Defense Tips

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

What would be most effective in reducing research misconduct?

90 Questions to Ask After a Presentation

Have you ever found yourself mulling over a presentation, wishing you had a treasure trove of questions to uncover the speaker’s insights and wisdom fully?

The right question isn’t just a follow-up; it’s a key that unlocks a deeper connection with the topic. This guide is designed to arm you with a curated collection of inquiries that will enhance your understanding, invite valuable discourse, and help you to apply what you’ve learned.

Let’s dive into the art of the post-presentation conversation and transform every ending slide into an opportunity for continued learning and engagement.

Table of Contents

Clarifying Understanding

• Could you elaborate on the main thesis of your presentation?
• What inspired the topic of your presentation?
• Can you summarize the key points you’d like us to take away?
• Is there an aspect of your presentation you think deserves deeper understanding?
• How does your presentation relate to current trends or issues in the field?
• Were there any counterarguments or challenges to your points that you didn’t mention?
• In what way does your presentation build on or differ from existing research?
• Could you clarify the methodology behind your study or findings?
• How would you explain the significance of your findings to a layman?
• Is there a particular slide or section you can revisit for further clarification?
• Could you give an example that illustrates your point about [specific detail]?
• What were the assumptions underlying your analysis or argument?
• How do definitions used in your presentation compare to industry-standard ones?
• Can you clarify the statistical significance of your data?
• Where might we find more information on this topic if we wish to understand it better?

Digging Deeper into Content

• Can you expand on how your findings compare to similar studies?
• How might emerging technologies impact the relevance of your findings in the future?
• Are there ethical considerations linked to your presentation topic?
• What are the limitations of your research, and how can they be addressed in the future?
• How can your research be applied in other fields or industries?
• In what ways do your findings challenge conventional wisdom?
• Could you walk us through the process of how you collected your data?
• How would different theoretical frameworks affect the interpretation of your results?
• What unanswered questions remain after your presentation?
• How do you expect the discussion on this topic to evolve in the next five years?
• What are the implications of your findings for policy or practice?
• How does cultural context play into the outcomes of your research?
• Can you discuss any relevant case studies that connect to your presentation?
• What follow-up research would you recommend based on your work?
• In your research, what was the most surprising discovery you made?

Gathering Practical Applications

• How can we apply your research findings in our everyday work?
• What steps can organizations take to implement your recommendations?
• Can you suggest tools or resources for applying the insights from your presentation?
• How might your research influence day-to-day decision-making?
• Could you provide a real-world example where your findings have been put into practice?
• What are the short-term and long-term benefits of applying your findings?
• Who stands to benefit most from the practical applications of your research?
• Are there certain industries or sectors where your findings are particularly relevant?
• How will applying your findings change existing systems or processes?
• What are some common obstacles to implementing your research, and how can they be overcome?
• How do you recommend staying up-to-date on applications in your research area?
• Can you suggest partner organizations or groups that are working on applying these concepts?
• What measures can be put in place to evaluate the efficacy of applying your research?
• How do you foresee your findings impacting future innovations?
• What action can individuals take to support the practical application of your research?

Providing Constructive Feedback

• I found [specific point] very compelling; have you considered expanding on this?
• Your presentation makes a strong case for [topic]; how could it be enhanced with additional data?
• I noticed [aspect] during your presentation; could this be a point for further refinement?
• The visual aids were helpful; have you thought about using more interactive elements?
• The section on [specific area] was very informative; how can it be made more accessible for beginners in the field?
• In terms of delivery, would you be open to exploring other formats for your presentation?
• Your research draws important conclusions; how else might you support them?
• The pacing of your presentation was effective; could you use a similar approach to emphasize other key points?
• Given the complexity of your topic, have you considered a follow-up session or workshop?
• What additional resources or readings would you recommend to enhance our understanding of your topic?
• Your narrative was engaging; might there be a way to incorporate more storytelling?
• How might audience participation be facilitated in future presentations to enhance understanding?
• Were there alternative viewpoints you debated including in your presentation?
• How did you decide on the structure of your presentation, and what could be changed to improve it?
• Is there a component of your research that you feel requires more visibility or discussion?

Fostering Engagement and Discussion

• What questions do you have for the audience that might help further the discussion?
• How can the audience keep the conversation going outside of this presentation?
• Are there forums or networks where this topic is actively discussed?
• Could you propose a thought experiment or hypothetical scenario for us to consider?
• How can we encourage more interdisciplinary dialogue on this subject?
• What common misconceptions should we address to clear up understanding?
• In your opinion, what are the most controversial aspects of your topic?
• How can we contribute to the body of research or thought around this subject?
• What role can non-experts play in the discussion of these findings?
• Can you suggest a way to create a community or collective around this area of research?
• How would you like to see this information shared or disseminated?
• What would be an ideal outcome of the discussions that stem from this presentation?
• Are there collaborative projects or initiatives we could start as a result of your findings?
• Would you be interested in hosting a series of discussions to delve deeper into certain aspects?
• How do you suggest we handle differing opinions or debates that arise from your topic?

Exploring Next Steps and Actions

• Based on your research, what should be our immediate action?
• What are the first steps to be taken for those who want to delve deeper into this topic?
• Who should be contacted or involved in further development of this topic?
• Are there upcoming events or conferences where this topic will be featured?
• What can we do as individuals to further the research or findings you presented?
• How can we best track the progress and development in this area?
• What practical steps would you recommend for a follow-up study or project?
• Could you outline potential obstacles we might face in advancing this topic and how to overcome them?
• Are there policy changes or advocacy needed to move this conversation forward?
• How can the general public be engaged in the action steps related to your findings?
• What are the most critical areas for immediate exploration or action?
• Is there a need for collaboration with other disciplines to advance this topic?
• How can educators integrate your findings into their curriculum or teaching?
• What funding opportunities should be looked into to support further research?
• How can we measure the impact of the actions taken as a result of your presentation?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i provide feedback on the presentation style as well as the content.

Yes, but always aim to be constructive and polite. Feedback on presentation style can be as valuable as feedback on content.

What should I do if my question isn’t answered during the Q&A session?

If time runs out, try approaching the presenter afterward or sending a follow-up email with your question.

How can I encourage a discussion rather than just a Q&A session?

Ask open-ended questions that invite the presenter or audience members to share thoughts and perspectives, thus fostering a more interactive dialogue.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—a comprehensive guide to quenching your intellectual curiosity and contributing valuable insights after a presentation. From uncovering the nuances of presented content to setting the stage for future collaboration, asking these questions ensures that no stone is left unturned.

Remember, the journey of understanding and exploration doesn’t end with the closing slide; it’s merely the beginning. Now, go forth and turn those questions into conversations that matter!

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

As you found this post useful...

Share it on social media!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Bea Mariel Saulo

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

Guide for Handling Questions after a Presentation

October 19, 2017 - Dom Barnard

The questions at the end of a presentation can be terrifying for many speakers as they can’t be controlled and are hard to prepare for. However, questions form an important part of the presentation for the whole audience as they allow for clarification and consolidation of learning.

The presenter can enhance the usefulness of the question and answer session by treating it as a formal part of the presentation that requires as much careful planning and control as the delivery of the core material.

Identify possible questions and scope in your preparation

The background work that you undertook whilst planning your presentation is the key to handling questions effectively and understanding what  type of audience  you’ll be faced with. If you have defined a focus for your presentation and have explored this thoroughly in your research and planning, you are more likely to be able to confidently respond to questions.

When planning your presentation, you will need to prepare prompts for questions that are open and straightforward, for example saying “That’s the end of my presentation. I’ll be taking questions for the next 10 minutes”.

You might also want to define topics for discussion before taking questions, by stating the areas you’re willing to field questions in. Your preparation will help you identify topics you are not confident with and want to avoid in the questioning.

Set some rules for asking questions

At the start of your presentation, make it clear when you would prefer to deal with questions – as you go along or at the end of the presentation.

Some speakers prefer questions to be raised as they arise during the presentation. The advantage of this approach is that any misunderstandings can be dealt with immediately. However, there is also a danger that the question will disrupt or distract the speaker, or that questions are raised that would have been covered later in the presentation.

If you leave questions until the end, plan to leave plenty of time for questions so that the audience doesn’t feel rushed.

Framework for responding to questions

Answering questions under pressure can make you say things you shouldn’t have – the nerves can force you to give an inappropriate response. In your panic you might have misinterpreted the question or given away company information that was sensitive. Use the following framework to help you respond effectively to your audience.

Practice answering AI-generated questions on your speech or presentation with  VirtualSpeech .

1. Listen to the whole question

You don’t have to answer a question immediately. Pause for a few seconds,  actively listen  to all parts of the question and think about the best way to answer.

Frequently questions can change direction at the last moment, particularly if the questioner is thinking on their feet. This can throw you if you have already started to prepare an answer. Remember that questioners will frequently try to make a point whilst asking their question – it’s therefore important to both hear the content of the question and try to decipher the questioner’s intention.

2. Understand the context

If you are worried that you haven’t understood a question, ask them to clarify what they mean. Check for confirmation by paraphrasing the question back to the questioner – “You want me to list the improvements of X?”.

3. Involve the whole audience

It is important to remember that even though you are taking a question from one member of the audience, you are still responsible for the interest of the other audience members. This is particularly important in large groups as the audience will become bored if the presentation descends into a series of one-to-one discussions.

To involve the rest of the audience, make sure the whole audience has heard and understood the question by repeating it or paraphrasing it to the audience.

4. Respond concisely

When you reply to a question, direct your answer to both the questioner and other members of the audience. Try to keep your responses as focused as possible, leaving space for other questions. To avoid going into too much detail, check back with the questioner to see if you have answered their query – “Does that answer your question in enough detail?”.

We’ll cover different ways to respond in a later section.

5. Allow follow-up questions via email

You can also encourage your audience to ask questions after the event has finished by providing your email address. This shows a high level of respect for your audience and implies that the topic still has much further scope for enquiry.

Two good resources for handling questions

• What’s the art of answering a tricky question?
• Dodging the Question

Practice Answering Questions

Practice answering questions after your presentation using a 4 step process. Learn More

Options for answering the question

There are five possible choices depending on how well you understand and can answer the question. It’s okay to say that you don’t know the answer to something. This can add to your credibility instead of trying to waffle through an answer you don’t really know.

If you have a good answer for the question from the audience, go ahead and answer it in a short and clear message.

Ask a question back the audience member, such as “Can you clarify what you mean by that”. You can also attack the question if it is not related to the issue, factually inaccurate, personal or based on false assumptions. Be careful with this method.

Ask the question back to the audience or pass it to another panel member if possible. If suitable, another technique is to imply the question has been asked already, with you stating you don’t want to cover old ground.

Tell the audience member you will talk to them after the event. This gives you more time to think of a good answer and there is less pressure to give a perfect answer.

Or mention that that point is coming up in a slide.

This involves answering the question but changing the subject. You can also give a partial answer or give a negative answer, saying that something else will happen instead.

Avoid answering questions that fall outside of the remit of your talk: “I’m afraid that really falls outside of my objectives for today’s presentation. Perhaps we can resume discussion of that particular point later?”

Diagram Explained : Once you receive a question, you’ll have a few moments to think about it and reframe it in a way that makes sense to you. This will give you five choices on how to react – you can answer, reflect, deflect, defer or change the scope of the question. Once you’ve answered concisely, you can then follow up to check if the person asking the question is satisfied and then continue with the presentation.

Strategies to use when struggling to answer

Here are some strategies to use when you are struggling to answer the question posed to you. For more information, read this article on  Dodging the Question .

• Acknowledge the question without answering it – “That’s a good question, let’s consider the impact by looking at…”
• The question fails to tackle the important issue.
• The question is based on a false assumption.
• The question is factually inaccurate.
• The question is too personal or objectionable.
• Decline to answer. Refuse to answer on the basis that it is not your area of responsibility or it is sensitive company information – “You will have to ask [name] because I wasn’t involved in that particular project.”
• Partial answer
• Start to answer but change the subject
• Negative answer. You state what won’t happen instead of what will happen
• Answer a similar question
• State or imply the question has already been answered – “We’ve already covered that topic”

Things to avoid

When handling questions and answers, you will still need to be as professional as you have been for the main delivery of your presentation. There are some common dangers to avoid.

Answering the question you wished you’d been asked

A common trick played by politicians, this strategy ignores the precise nature of the question and uses a predetermined answer to the broad topic area. If handled poorly, this technique is very obvious to the audience and frustrating to the questioner.

Giving a lengthy response

This is the process whereby you make a lengthy response, including all the information you’d left out in planning the main presentation. Your unplanned response will be unstructured and rambling, so keep things focused and brief. If you find yourself rambling, ask them to talk to you after.

Passing the blame

Passing the blame to others comes across as weak and evasive. If an idea from the audience is a good one, acknowledge its value. If it isn’t, make a polite rebuttal and move on.

Defensive answers

Occasionally, questions can really put you on the spot, but it is important to remain calm and in control. An aggressive or defensive reply will be seen as weakness on your part and will spoil the effect of an otherwise successful presentation.

Handling difficult questions

It is important not to start responding to a difficult question before you have thought about the answer. Repeating the question and asking for clarification will help create some space for your thoughts.

Sometimes you will need to think about a question for a moment before responding. You may be able to buy a little bit of thinking time to help focus your response. Useful strategies include searching for an appropriate visual aid to help focus your response or simply pausing for a moment or two to think. For even more time, suggest that you’ll come back to the topic later (but don’t forget to do this).

7 myths when answering tough questions during presentations

Sometimes questions are too difficult to answer. Don’t worry about admitting that you don’t know something or haven’t considered an alternative approach. An enthusiastic “That’s an interesting idea, I’d not thought of that” is much more positive than a mumbled “I don’t know ”. Remember that a presentation is a two-way process and it is important to show that you are learning from your audience as well.

Finally, you can come across a questioner who disagrees strongly with your argument. Although this can feel very awkward, remember that you are still responsible for the whole audience and that you cannot allocate all of your question time to one individual.

If you feel that you have answered the initial question, announce that you will move on and suggest that you might continue discussion after the presentation. If the questioner persists, assert your position calmly by saying “I’m afraid I need to move on”.

You can read more on this topic here:  Responding to questions effectively (PDF)

• Newsletters
• Best Industries
• Business Plans
• Home-Based Business
• The UPS Store
• Customer Service
• Black in Business
• Your Next Move
• Female Founders
• Best Workplaces
• Company Culture
• Public Speaking
• HR/Benefits
• Productivity
• All the Hats
• Digital Transformation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bringing Innovation to Market
• Cloud Computing
• Social Media
• Data Detectives
• Exit Interview
• Bootstrapping
• Crowdfunding
• Venture Capital
• Business Models
• Personal Finance
• Founder-Friendly Investors
• Upcoming Events
• Inc. 5000 Vision Conference
• Become a Sponsor
• Cox Business
• Verizon Business
• Branded Content
• Apply Inc. 5000 US

Inc. Premium

How to Actually Handle Q&A Sessions After a Presentation Like a Pro

A bad q&a session can be the death of an otherwise great presentation. here's how to keep it alive..

It was one of my first presentations and though it wasn't my best, it wasn't horrible. That is until they opened it up for questions.

Though it only lasted about 10 minutes, that single Q&A session took 10 years off my life. Everything that could have gone wrong , did. I walked out of that presentation embarrassed, frustrated and most importantly, determined never to make those mistakes again.

An interactive Q&A period following a presentation is common practice however, can be detrimental if not handled correctly. Whether you're presenting in a board room or at a luncheon here are three ways a Q&A session can go sour and how to handle it like a pro.

Scenario Number 1: They ask a bad question.

I know your first grade teacher told you there are no stupid questions , but unless you're talking to a room of first graders, this old adage doesn't hold up. Q&A sessions frequently get thrown off track by bad questions. Sometimes the question is unrelated to the overall topic. Sometimes it's a question so specific, the answer is only relevant to the person asking it. Sometimes, the question is so long and rambling, it's hard to know what the person is actually asking. Worst of all, some questions are asked with the intention of stumping the presenter.

It's what you, the presenter does about the bad question that matters most.

In this scenario, restate the bad question, but not verbatim. Instead, paraphrase it in a way that honors the asker and allows you to give an answer that will keep the discussion on track.

Lastly remember, at the root of many bad questions is not necessarily the desire for an answer, but rather an audience member's desire to be heard.

Scenario Number 2: You don't have the answer.

This is the main reason my Q&A went so badly that day. A woman in the back of the room stood up and asked a question to which I did not have an answer. I'm not even sure I understood the question.

What I wish I would have done was: 1. Confidently asked her to repeat the question. 2. If I still didn't know the answer, tell her I didn't know the answer.

Instead, I pretended I understood what she asked and then talked nervously in circles for what felt like a lifetime. After several minutes of mumbling, I tried to cover up my incompetence by saying, "Did that answer your question?" I was hoping she'd nod and smile and spare me further misery but alas, her questions continued.

This disaster was my fault and could have been avoided entirely.

Should someone ask you a question you don't know the answer to, honesty is the best policy. Thank them for their question, apologize you cannot give them the answer at this time and as a bonus, offer to find the answer and follow up with them once you have it.

Scenario Number 3: The never-ending question.

One of the greatest enemies to a Q&A session is the never-ending-line-of-questioning. The scenario looks like this:

The person asks a question. You give a satisfactory answer. But the person wants more and asks another question. You repeat your answer and maybe add in something additional. You attempt to move on... But the person refuses to let it go and keeps asking for more.

Engaging in this back and forth is appropriate if the asker simply needs clarification on your initial answer. However, if the exchange pursues for more than one volley, your presentation is being hijacked.

In this scenario, once they ask the question, you answer, they ask again and you clarify your next sentence should be, "I am happy to discuss this with you personally afterwards." This response stops the volley without disrespecting what might be genuine curiosity.

While memories of that first crash-and-burn Q&A still haunt me, now that I know how to handle it, I (usually) enjoy Q&A sessions. I find audience questions often reveal answers I didn't know I had and give audience members insights they are excited to hear.

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

Privacy Policy

How to Answer Questions After A Presentation – 11 Tips

August 12, 2022

How do you answer questions after your presentation? For many people, handling questions is the scariest part of presenting.

Answering questions becomes much easier if you prepare properly. so how do the best presenters answer challenging questions effectively, answering presentation questions is a real skill.  and it’s a skill you can learn.  over the last 15 years we’ve coached thousands of people to be brilliant at presentation questions and answers. , do please call us and we’ll tell you about our presentation coaching – it’s fast and good value., having coached executives for critical presentations for nearly 15 years, we recently asked our team of experts for their top tips., whether you are a business executive or from the c-suite or just want to improve how you present, these ten tips will help you shine when you answer questions:, ten steps for answering questions after a presentation., 1. listen to the question fully 2. think like a teacher 3. remember, every question is different 4. think, all questions are good questions 5. use each presentation question is an opportunity 6. it’s more then just what you say 7. prepare your answers properly 8. avoid unanswerable questions 9. end your answer strongly 10.avoid question traps 11. extra question answering tip.

Let’s review each tip in turn:

To Answer Questions Tip #1. Listen to the question!

Take a mental step back when you hear a question.

• What’s really being asked?
• What’s behind the query?
• Is there a hidden agenda?

Don’t be tempted to think of the answer as soon as you hear the start of the question. Instead be an active listener. You may need to clarify the question before answering. If you are not certain what you are being asked, you may answer the question you want, rather than the question they asked. And as you listen, you will learn something . Most questioners are looking for something specific.

How to clarify the question you are asked If you are not 100% sure what you are being asked, then use one of these question clarification techniques. 1. Repeat the question back and rephrase – then check that’s what they want to hear 2. Ask a question 3. Ask them to repeat the question. 4. Apologies, and say you did not understand, could they please repeat.

Answer Questions Confidently Tip #2. Have the mind-set of a teacher

A question is not an exam test . If you are asked a question, its because someone wants to know something. Your job is to help them understand. Whatever is on their mind, how can you help them?

So, put yourself in the role of a teacher. You have presented on a subject you understand, and you have a someone who wants to know more. Your can inform, educate and perhaps even entertain. If you do it right, you will look good in the eyes of the questioner and in the eyes of the audience. Enjoy the prospect of helping people when you answer questions.

Answering Questions Tip #3. Every question is different

We can never know what’s going on in the minds of the audience. That means each person in the audience will see you differently. For some, it will be about protecting their own interests, for others it may be about gathering more information.

And people have their own style – from super soft to nail hard . You’ll have to assess where they are coming from, what they re looking for and how they think. The best way to answer questions is to listen and learn from the comments they make and the questions they ask.

Contact us now for a free consultation

Answering Questions Tip #4. There’s no such thing as a stupid question

It may sound stupid to you, but every audience question is aimed at understanding something. Don’t assume that you know what the person really wants. Perhaps they don’t understand – or perhaps they are testing how you react (yes, some people do this!). So treat every question with respect, consideration and then use it as an opportunity to help the audience understand better.

Presentation Questions Tip #5. Every question is an opportunity

If you are properly prepared for your presentation, then you will have key messages to get across. Use your answers to reinforce, restate, or reframe your messages.

Beware of feeling challenged by tough questions . You do not want to look defensive of uncertain. Instead, like a teacher, you want to help your questioner and perhaps help the audience see the world the way you see it. One powerful piece of advice is Show, Don’t Tell. Use stories , examples and illustrations to bring your business to life when answering tough questions.

Answering Questions Tip #6. How you answer questions is as important as what you say

As we said before, your meeting is not an exam. It’s more like a meeting of minds. So work out what the other person believes and is feeling. How can you do this?

You could ask probing questions, such as:

• Does what I’ve just said explain it?
• Do you want to know more?

For more hypothetical questions you could explore what they believe: “And what do you think?” The more it feels like a conversation rather then a quiz, the more likely you’ll be successful.

Give Great Answers Tip #7. You must prepare

We have seen too many people turn up to presentation Q&A sessions unprepared. By contrast, successful presenters and management teams prepare to answer questions with the intensity of an elite athlete.

After all, you want to be seen at your peak when presenting.

There are three best practice techniques for preparing your Q&A:

• List the tough questions you may be asked – especially the ones you don’t want to be asked. Work out answers to these in advance, decide which should be answered before the Q&A by incorporating it into an earlier part of your presentation, and which will wait for the Q&A.
• Select who in your team will respond – You will feel more confident and, if the questions do get asked, you will be properly prepared.
• Bring in a fresh perspective . Get someone outside the organisation to identify new questions you may get asked – and get the outsider to listen to your answers to the tough questions. A neutral third party (like Benjamin Ball Associates ) can give you insight and expose the weaknesses in your arguments and answers.
• Stress-test your answer s. Spend time as a team firing questions back and forth. Then review how you answer these. Keep at this until you have got it right. The more you prepare, the more natural you will sound.

For important presenting events, we frequently spend many hours preparing teams with tough questions, video review and rehearsals. Just like elite athletes, you only build muscle strength with practice.

Answering Questions Tip #8. Don’t try and answer impossible questions

There are some audience questions you cannot answer. If you learn our approach of Question Triage (a technique for classifying questions up front) you can spot these a mile off. Then you can use proven techniques to get yourself back to safe ground and onto a topic that you can talk about with confidence.

Presentation Question Answering Tip #9. Finish strong

Audience question sessions often end flat. Frequently, people feel pressured to finish quickly, especially if time is short. This is a mistake.

Never miss this opportunity to reinforce your important messages while also showing that you have listened to what the other person has said. Even a strong 30-second summary at the end will show that you have listened. This can also highlight what they need to hear.

Tough Question Tip #10. Beware the last question trap

AKA the Columbo moment. If you are a child of the ‘70s you may remember the TV series Columbo .

The bumbling detective always finished his interview with a suspect and, as he walked away, would say “Just, one more thing….’  With that one line he caught the suspect off guard and got the information he needed.

How to answer questions confidently

Top tips for answering questions confidently

What To Do Next to Better Answer Presentation Questions

I f you’d like to improve how you handle tough questions, please give us a call.

We’d be happy to discuss ways we can help you. For example, we run extensive Q&A rehearsals to build skills and increase confidence. You’ll find that working with our experts is a small investment that can deliver amazingly high returns. We offer short, intensive coaching sessions.

To discuss how you can improve your next presentation question session, please call Louise Angus on 020 7018 0922 or email [email protected] .

Transform your presentation skills with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too .

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.” Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice of leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East to improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level with Benjamin Ball Associates.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email [email protected] to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

Or read another article..., how to scale your business – 8 low cost ways.

How do you scale a business?  This is one of the big questions…

How to Make A Compelling Financial Presentation

Writing financial presentations is not easy. Typically, You have a lot of information…

How to Create a Winning Elevator Pitch – Top 11 tips

If you need to give a short pitch – an elevator pitch –…

Strengthen Your Leadership: 8 Top Leadership Development Courses

If you are a leader, strong communication skills are key to your success….

Contact us for a chat about how we can help you with your presenting.

What leaders say about Benjamin Ball Associates

Ceo, plunkett uk.

"Thank you so much for an absolutely brilliant session yesterday! It was exactly what we were hoping for, and you did an incredibly job covering such a range of issues with 4 very different people in such short a session. It really was fantastic - thank you!"

James Alcock, Chief Executive, Plunkett UK

Manager, ubs.

"Essential if you are going to be a spokesperson for your business"

Senior Analyst, Sloane Robinson

"Being an effective communicator is essential to get your stock ideas across. This course is exactly what's needed to help you do just that!"

CEO, Blast! Films

“Our investment in the coaching has paid for itself many times over.”

Ed Coulthard

Corporate finance house.

“You address 95% of the issues in a quarter of the time of your competitor.”

Partner International

“Good insight and a great toolbox to improve on my presentations and delivery of messages to not only boards, analysts and shareholders but to all audiences”

CEO, Eurocamp

“We had a good story to tell, but you helped us deliver it more coherently and more positively.”

Steve Whitfield

Ceo, ipso ventures.

“Ben did a great job on our presentation. He transformed an ordinary set of slides into a great presentation with a clear message. Would definitely use him again and recommend him highly.”

Nick Rogers

“Moved our presentation into a different league and undoubtedly improved the outcome and offer we received.”

Let's talk about your presentation training needs

+44 20 7018 0922, [email protected], our bespoke presentation coaching services, investor pitch coaching, executive presentation coaching, public speaking training, executive media training, new business pitch coaching, privacy overview.

🎁 Disc. 25% off for sevice special on Before Holiday Program Today! 🎁

#startwithpower

Our designers just create something for you. Show your love with downloading their works for free.

• Presentation Skill

Question and Answer Session: The Most Important Elements of a Presentation

Ulfah Alifah

• Published on April 26, 2021

Table of Contents

Question and Answer Session After Presentation Is Important

Cory House, speaker and Microsoft MVP, posted polling on his Twitter account. The polling is about whether a question and answer session after the presentation is needed or not.

Most of his followers voted for taking questions from crowds (64%). But in his article in Medium, Cory stated that he belongs to the minority. He prefers to chat after the presentation than provide a q and a section. Q and A are so common that speakers do it by reflex. When they’re done talking, they say, “Any questions?”. All too often, this is a mistake, as Cory said in his article in Medium.

According to Gary Genard, “There’s a group of people who actually can’t wait for a Q and A session because at last, they can have a true discussion with his audience.” No wonder Q and A is, as he calls it, a “forgotten avenue of audience persuasion!” Do all of the above with style and skill, and you’ll go a long way toward strongly bolstering your authority and credibility with your listeners.

So, from those statements, people are still curious and ask whether a question and answer session after a presentation is valuable or not. So, let’s analyze the pros and cons first.

Pros of Question and answer session

You can also invite questions during speech sessions. Questions during the talk break up the monotony of one person talking. They’re much more likely to be focused and applicable. They take less time because the context is already set. And, since the person asking the Question understands they’re cutting into your speaking time, they typically keep their question brief.

It’s your chance to clarify your argument – Challenging yourself to summarize essential information into a too-brief presentation period most of the time. Because Q and A appear audience-controlled rather than a speaker-controlled plus, it allows you to expand your argument while responding directly to your listeners “off the clock.” The atmosphere created should feel more relaxed while giving you greater scope to deepen your audience’s understanding.

Q and A is more conversational and natural than a one-way speech- All effective public speaking is  informal. Audiences want speakers to communicate with them honestly, openly, and in everyday language. The back-and-forth of Q and A should feel more comfortable for you and your listeners.

Your presentation may have confused some audiences by making them understand Q and A. Therefore, Q and A are your golden opportunity to continue, inform, and convince at last as you terminate your presentation. Remember that presenters who handle themselves with style and confidence in the rough-and-tumble of Q and A may win over some listeners for the first time! To understand your audience better even before you start speaking.

Whichever you pick, there is one thing you must do: A good speech is a performance. Like any performance, it should end decisively . Preferably with a thoughtful, rehearsed, and memorable finish. For better or worse, people remember the ending most clearly.

Cons of Question and answer session

Sitting in Silence is No Fun- Sometimes, the speaker forgets to repeat the question asked. Unless it’s a small room, much of the crowd can’t hear the question. So much of the room is temporarily unlinked, waiting for an end to the question they can’t hear. During this time, many attendees are looking at their schedules and wishing they could politely leave.

But, if you’re presenting in a hall, on stage with such a crowd, you better understand that not everyone is interested in asking a question. Cory House suggested in his article to chat after instead. Before closing, you can say, “I’m happy to take questions. Please come up and chat”. Often many people come forward, and we chat as a group. Provide your contact info at the end so attendees can email or tweet later. You can also often offer a 5–10-minute retrospective out in the hall immediately after the session. This way, you set people free to leave as soon as the structured talk is complete.

The entire crowd is held captive until they’re dismissed – Until the speaker says “thank you” to release the public, everyone is stuck listening to other people’s questions about whether they like it. If an attendee has no questions, they should feel free to go. Forcing the entire crowd to sit through other people’s questions is a waste of their time.

Four types of Questions and answer your presentation needs

When hearing the phrase “presentation Q&A,” the first visual that appears to mind likely includes a presenter calling on members of the masses. They raise their hands in expectation of receiving an answer to an inquiry. The role of questions and the act of questioning during a presentation is much more expansive. So, here are the four questions you should add to your next presentation:

1. Rhetorical Questions

You’re probably thinking, “but doesn’t a rhetorical question imply that you won’t receive a response?” And you are correct. But you are also missing the bigger picture. A rhetorical question puts your audience in the right frame of mind to consume your message. After you read or hear a rhetorical question, your curiosity is piqued. Your brain becomes anxious to discover the answer and get some closure. And if a presenter is really in tune with their audience, they can readily close the gap and furnish the information wanted by all in attendance.

Presentation Tips:

If you want to maximize the result of your content, ask multiple rhetorical questions in a row – each one more specific or more monumental than the one before. Alternate your pacing if you’d like to create an urgent and persuasive tone.

2. Interactive Questions

An  article by the Harvard Business Review detailed four different types of advice-giving and receiving: discrete advice, counsel, coaching, and mentoring. A presenter will probably deal with the first 2 – discrete advice and counsel in a presentation situation. Perhaps the best use of an exciting question for polling would be for a subject where you weigh options or try to figure out how to deal with a circumstance—hoping to get feedback on the idea behind a new product offering? Form a question and find out from the consumers themselves.

To spur audience engagement, inject a poll or two into your presentation through LiveSlides , where you can embed polls into your PowerPoint or Keynote deck. Use a poll question to express an interest in audience members’ opinions and cultivate credibility by relaying the results to support one of your main points.

3. Temporal Questions

Sometimes, if delivered precisely, a question can facilitate the visualization of your message for your audience while also grounding it at a specific time. In Ron Paul’s final speech to the United States Congress, he asked a series of “What if?” questions to illustrate the current problems with the country’s foreign policies, as well as provide a vision of a world where his fears aren’t addressed – a robust storytelling structure for a presentation narrative.

Consider opening your next presentation with a question that creates a path for the rest of your content. For example, suppose you are a small-town barber who landed a job cutting celebrities’ hair like Adam Levine’s. In that case, you might start your presentation with this question: “What if I told you that I never wanted to follow my dad’s, grandpa’s, and even great-grandpa’s footsteps and become a barber? What if I never went through the traumatic experience that shaped who I am and how I work today?” The temporal Question effectively builds suspense and defines the setting – the time and place – for the story.

4. Guiding Questions

Using questions to direct the story and broader plot and the thought process of listeners can increase message retention by strengthening connections and invoking curiosity. According to a study by researchers at Washington University, students who asked conceptual questions performed better on tests. On top of enhancing their critical thinking skills, they also retained the information collected through detailed questions.

Carve a break into your presentation and include a slide or two with some questions to garner audience input. Ensure that the Question is relevant to a topic recently discussed and select wording that aligns with the tone of the presentation while also being best able to stimulate the responses you implore. You can do this by using positive or negative terms within the question construction or using the passive tense to use the active. When attempting these strategies, switch up the question format and structure to determine which option best fits your narrative.

Why do people worry about the Question and answer itself?

Even seasoned public speakers can be terrified by the thought of the Question and answer session after presentation. You may believe that your audience should be a part of your presentation but still be worried when inviting questions from the audience. One reason for this is the lack of control. After all, as the presenter, you’ve got no idea what audience members will ask.

Another concern about taking questions in presentations is that you won’t know the answers. If you’re new to public speaking, taking questions can be even more nerve-wracking. Some presenters feel they’re not good at improvising with surprising questions. Overall, speakers worry about looking stupid in front of the audience. There are tips for controlling all those issues in this guide.

Why you should include a question and answer section after presentation

So, why is it essential to include a question and answer session after presentation? There are several benefits to inviting questions from the audience at the end of your presentation. For a start, your audience should be a part of your presentation if you want to make your session more exciting and engaging. Taking feedback questions for a presentation is one way to do this. Yet there are at least four additional reasons why you should love Q & A, or at the very least look forward to it:

Reason 1: Your presentation may have confused some audience members or left them unconvinced

Let’s understand your audience better even before you start speaking. Remember that rhetoricians who handle themselves with style and self-confidence in the rough-and-tumble of Q and A may win over some audiences at first sight! In such cases, Q and A is your golden chance to either continue, inform or convince at last as you conclude your presentation.

Reason 2: It’s your chance to clarify your argument, give examples of your solution in action, or overcome opposition

Most of the time, you feel challenged to cram essential information into a too-brief presentation period. Because Q and A appear audience-controlled rather than speaker-controlled, it allows you to expand your argument while responding directly to your listeners “off the clock.” The atmosphere created should feel more relaxed while giving you greater scope to deepen your audience’s understanding.

Reason 3: Q & A is more conversational and natural than a one-way speech

All effective public speaking is  interactional. Audiences want speakers to communicate with them honestly, openly, and in everyday language. Too often, speeches have the feeling of a monologue, delivered through a one-way dynamic to a polite but anesthetized crowd of onlookers.

Reason 4: Q & A demands your absolute best

Let’s face it: A question-and-answer period is a tremendous challenge. You can practice your presentations regularly since you can never know what queries and objections may come your way when inviting your listeners to respond.

A Q and A session is a great chance to connect more with your audience and complete the process that you’ve started with the presentation. Most presentations are concise and don’t cover everything to avoid boring the audience. So, responding to questions gives you another chance to showcase your expertise by expanding on points made in the main presentations.

Another great thing is that a lively question and answer session in a presentation tells you that people are interested in what you’ve got to say to them and your topic.

Public Speaking Trainer  Gary Genard  says:

The Q and A is excellent feedback for a presenter and gives you the confidence you need for future presentations on your topic. And a good Q and A shows your expertise.

How to prepare for questions after a presentation

Presentation questions don’t have to take you by surprise. As a presenter, there are several tasks you can do in advance, so you’re ready for anything your audience throws at you. Here are some tips to help you handle presentation questions:

1. Hold a briefing session before the event

Ensure that everyone is informed and ready for your event by having a briefing session beforehand. In this briefing, you should invite the speakers or presenters, moderators, and people working behind the scenes, such as stage managers. You can make sure that everyone is prepared for the event and iron out any issues, thus providing the best experience for your audience. Here you should run through the event program and establish any time limits or rules before the event.

2. Enough time

It is easy to think of the Q and A as an afterthought, although it is anything but! Don’t give in to the temptation to get caught up in the flow of your presentation and go over speaking time. You will get more information in a more digestible format during Q and A. Moreover, consider not bunching all your Q&A time to the end, but plan for some interactive Q and A sessions throughout your speaking time (see tips 6 & 7 below!) Budget 25% of your total time for the Q and A sessions at an absolute minimum.

3. Stick to the time limit

As well as making sure that you have enough time for questions, make sure that you stick to that time limit. If you find many questions left, consider continuing the conversation online and let your audience know that they can do this by following a specific hashtag. This way, you can stay respectful of people’s time while allowing everyone to have their questions answered.

4. Great moderator

If you need someone to moderate your Q and A session, choose your moderator carefully. The role of the moderator is to be the connection between the audience and whoever is answering the questions. They ensure that the questions are appropriate and that the event moves forward and doesn’t get stuck on a particular question.

The moderator should be someone who likes being on stage, can improvise under pressure, and isn’t scared of leading the conversation but not controlling it. If you are the moderator, make sure that you are prepared and briefed all involved in the event. Remember, a great moderator facilitates the conversation and doesn’t join in or take over.

5. Know your topic

If you’re an expert on the subject you’re presenting on, and there’s little that can faze you. One of the best preparations is to know your topic inside out. Q and A sessions transform the presentation from a pointless exercise in lecturing to a natural and fruitful learning experience.

a. When presentations are interactive , audience members are significantly more likely to pay attention, stay engaged, and stay tuned in.

b. question and answer session after presentation shows how others perceive your work

c. Question and answer session after presentation allows you to get more information about your product or topic.

Building question and answer session after presentation into your talk fundamentally changes the dynamic between you, the speaker, and the audience — in a good way. We, as speakers, sometimes forget that the point of the presentation isn’t to let us talk. It is to create an exchange of views and information.

6. Know your audience

When preparing to invite questions from the audience, research is vital. If you know who you’re presenting to, tailor the information to their interests. This research will also help you figure out what might be coming up in the Q and A.

7. Hold back some information

Your presentation question session will be more accessible if you’ve got some new information left to share. If your presentation is concise, you’ll have valuable data to make the final cut. Some of this can help you answer your audience’s questions.

8. Prepare for the most likely questions

Content Strategist and Founder of Write Minds,  Jacob McMillen , says:

Responding to questions with a little preparation. Go through your presentation and see where audience members might want clarification or extra insight. Do more research so you’ve got supporting statistics on hand. Check to see if there’s a related topic that might follow naturally from something you present.

9. Lead your audience

Related to that, you can subtly invite questions from the audience by giving them a teaser. This encourages them to ask questions about the information you’ve already prepared. For example, if you use a surprising or interesting fact, it’s almost sure someone will ask for more information.

10. Decide when to respond to questions

There’s no set time frame for responding to questions. As the presenter, it’s entirely up to you to run a question and answer session for your presentation. There are two options:

a. Let people ask questions throughout your presentation.

b. Take all questions at the end.

c. Each method has pros and cons.

If you go with interactive questions for your presentation and take them throughout, it’s easy to tell when your audience is engaged. That’s affirming, and you also won’t have to remember to come back to a topic later. But taking questions throughout can also interrupt both the flow of the presentation and your train of thought. That can make it harder to follow for your audience.

If you take presentation questions at the end, you can focus on delivering the best presentation without worrying about interruptions. That makes it less interactive during the presentation itself. But it means both you and your audience can easily follow the issue you’re presenting.

Amma Marfo , Professional Writer, Speaker, and Trainer, says:

A good middle ground, especially for a more extended presentation, is to take questions at specific times. For example, if you’re making several main points, you could have a brief question and answer session after presenting them.

You can signal your audience that it’s time for questions by adding a Q and A slide to your presentation. Include:

a. The Presentation Title

b. Your Name

c. The Word “Questions”

Many premium presentation themes include the image of a well-designed question for your presentation.

11. Use the right tools and equipment

Although the above tips will already get you a practical question and answer session after presentation session, tech can help you knock it out of the park.

Use software that interacts with your audience. Collecting and fielding questions a cinch. Instead of a mic, invest in tools that allow everyone to submit a question via mobile devices. This used to be done via a system called clickers. Clickers were clunky, expensive, and required maintenance.

Currently, you can invest in a software package that will allow your audience to submit questions or answer a poll on their mobile devices. Because these systems allow your audience to answer a question in real-time, you can poll and show them the results, sparking real conversation and idea-building. The cost (to you or your company) is minimal; the engagement benefits are enormous.

12. Don’t start a debate – facilitate that afterward

You might find that some audience members want to engage in a discussion during these types of events, especially around controversial topics. The presenter and the moderator should avoid indulging in such meetings during the actual session as they take up time and are often only interested in debating.

13. Keep some slides in reserve specifically for Q&A

Have you ever written a presentation and found that some slides do too much detail and detract from the presentation flow? Could you not throw them out? Keep them on hand for the Q and A sessions. When a question comes up more in-depth, pull out your prepared slide and look like an absolute ace for having the information ready!

14. Neutralize trouble with openness

When you receive a relevant, thoughtful question that allows you to talk about your product, answering it is easy. But what if you get an irrelevant question, a meandering one, or, worse, a hostile one? Even these challenging situations can be turned to your advantage.

a. Thank the person asking the question regardless. This is especially effective for neutralizing hostile questions posed because the asker is showing off. By thanking them for the new perspective, they’re providing and promising to look into their perspective in the future. This shows your openness without giving up your authority.

b. If possible, pivot irrelevant questions toward something else that you want to address in your question and answer session after presentation but have not had a chance to. One technique for doing that is to rephrase the question: “If I understand right, the question is…” and then pivot toward the Question you want to answer. Also, it works for situations when you can’t quite hear the question, the asker has a strong accent, or you’re just unsure what they’re asking!

c. Prep an answer for odd and inappropriate questions that allow you and the asker to save face. For example, you might say, ‘That’s a great question, and although I don’t feel it’s appropriate to answer at this time, I’d be happy to address it one-on-one after the session.’

All of these strategies reinforce your authority in the room. Others in the audience will be able to tell that the Question is irrelevant or hostile. And they will appreciate your poise in handling such questions effectively.

15. Leverage anonymity

Another positive aspect of using software with your Q and A session is enabling people to either ask questions anonymously (when they submit them before the talk) or provide their opinion anonymously (when they vote in a real-time poll). Because the input is anonymous, there’s no risk or judgment from peers or bosses, and people feel liberated to pose great questions.

16. Democratizing discussion

Using  live Q and A software for your software means that you are no longer locked into using Q and A at the end of your talk.

Instead, you can deploy questions before, during, and after your talk to create a feedback system that will deliver maximum insight and exchange for you and your audience. You can:

a. Ask your audience to submit their questions ahead of time. Although you’ll get some unrelated questions, this is a great way to go outside your head and figure out what your audience wants to know.

b. Allow your audience to vote on the submitted questions. By letting people upvote their favorites, you will end up with a list of priority questions ahead of time.

c. Rewrite two or three of the submitted questions as a multiple-choice poll; administer the votes in the beginning and middle of your talk.

d. After each mini-poll, ask audience members to discuss results in minor (5-7 persons) groups before bringing the room back together.

Just make sure to keep it short and direct! e. Put your closing remarks after the Q and A. Whether you have one Q and A session at the end or intersperse questions, polling, and discussion, delivering your closing remarks after the Q and A reasserts your control of the information and allows you to underline the conclusions of the discussion.

As you can see, the Q and A session is not something to fear but a vital tool for making sure your presentation gets its point across. The more well-developed, active, and engaged your Q and A session, the more successful your overall presentation

Tips on responding to questions

Ready to invite questions at the end of your presentation? Here are some tips on handling your Q&A session:

1. Listen to the presentation questions

Handling questions in presentations starts with listening. Listen to make sure you understand what the audience member is asking. Don’t be afraid to ask the person to repeat the question if you think you’ve missed something. This is also an excellent way to get more thinking time.

2. Acknowledge the questioner

Acknowledge the questioner, even if it’s simply by saying: “that’s  a good question. ” This makes your audience member feel good and buys you a little time to think about your response.

3. Empathize with the audience

Audience members want to know you empathize with their concerns. If you know your topic, you’ll understand why they’re asking a particular question and can use that as a lead-in to your response. Consider what you would ask at the end of your talk if you were in their shoes. Think about three common themes that come up in the Q and A:

What’s the downside for them?

What would your audience see as the biggest obstacles to doing or acting on what you’ve talked about? Be ready to show you recognize their concerns, even if you don’t have a simple answer to the problem.

What else do they care about right now?

Perhaps they’re trying to implement a new strategic plan or busy building relationships with external stakeholders. Think ahead about how your material might link to those broader issues.

What happens next?

People have a built-in desire for clarity about certainties in a changing situation. You might not have a crystal ball, but you can probably say something about the next step that flows from your presentation.

Considering your audience’s perspective helps you stay calm by reminding you that you’re dealing with human beings, not enemy combatants.

4. Appreciate the conversation

Recall that questions are good. Your head is less likely to be on the defensive — which means you’ll be more likely to bring your best self to show. Besides, reframe the question and answer session after the presentation as a rewarding conversation that signals healthy action. Two specific things to try:

• At the moment after speaking, as the first person puts their hand up or opens their mouth to speak, tell yourself silently: “Aha, good — they’re interested!” • Start your answer by appreciating the Question. Try something like “I appreciate you raising that,” or “Thank you, that’s an important topic.”

The second of those approaches gives you an extra moment to think about your reply and make your audience feel valued.

5. Answering different types of questions

Questions from the audience tend to fall into three categories: good questions, challenging questions, and unnecessary questions. Commenting on the Question before you begin the answer will give you some time to think.

6. Staying in control

Start by listening carefully to the Question to show that you understand and pay attention. Be calm if the questioner asks you to explain something you have already defined in depth during your presentation. Don’t roll your eyes or sigh in anger when you hear a question. These are insulting flags. Instead, after the questioner has finished speaking, say you’ll be glad to clarify the point. Otherwise, you need to tell me that you have already done so politely.

Remember to stay on route and answer the precise question. If one person tries to ask some questions, explain that you could speak personally afterward, but you’d like to give more people a chance to ask inquiries for now.

Maintaining visual control

a. Adopt a comfortable position where you can look at all sections of the audience.

b. Use eye contact techniques.

c. Use walking patterns to focus and refocus the attention of the audience.

Maintaining verbal control

a. View the question and answer period as an opportunity to reinforce your significant points.

b. Restructure difficult questions so you can answer them to your advantage.

c. Listen to the intent of the message instead of the tone.

d. Keep your answers brief so as not to appear to be defending yourself.

Remember that a speaker is decided from when they enter the room until the last Question is replied to, so be polite, helpful, and professional in answering questions.

7. Start with an agreement

Sometimes a person asks a question because they disagree with you. This can be an incredibly fragile moment to manage because disagreement all too easily puts people’s brains into protective fight-or-flight mode . To help both think openly and constructively, start your response by focusing on where you consent. Follow these steps ( adapted from game theorist Anatol Rapaport ) to defuse tension:

a. Briefly playback your perception of their view. “If I understand you right, you feel….”

b. Outline wherever you agree. “We’re aligned on much of this. We both think that… and….”

c. Home in on where your primary disagreement lies. “The one place we differ is….”

d. Tell what’s developed your point of view. “The reason for my viewpoint is that….”

We saw this done well by a senior manager in a tech company challenged by a colleague on her ambitious timeline for a new product launch.

8. Parry with curiosity

You can’t prepare an answer for this sort of unpredictable Question. But you can be ready with a helpful state of mind: curiosity. Learning is inherently rewarding to our brains , which is why asking a question of your own can be just enough to get you off the defensive. For example, you might say:

a. “Can you tell me more about what’s driving your question?”

b. “That’s intriguing — is this something you’ve experienced yourself?”

c. “Is there a specific reason for your concern on this?”

And if you’re still left scratching your head after that gambit, go back to the first strategy above and appreciate the horizon-broadening input.

9. Promise to follow up

Now and then, you get a question you really can’t answer on the spot. There’s no need for terror. Simply let the questioner know that you’ll follow up afterward and do it as soon as possible after the presentation. That may even be a good time for some self-deprecating humor.

10. Get some help

You don’t have to answer all questions in presentations yourself. If there’s an expert in the audience who’s likely to have relevant information, call on that person. If you know the list of attendees, give that expert some warning. Either way, it’ll make your Q and A even more helpful for your audience.

11. Stay in control

If an audience member starts to ramble, don’t be afraid to rein them in. Gently interrupt and clarify to keep the session relevant, engaging, and on-topic for the rest of your audience. Jacob McMillen says:

12. Have someone monitor the chat

If you’re presenting online, taking questions can be slightly more complex. Often, people use a chat function to post questions during the presentation. It’s essential to have someone monitor the chat so you don’t miss anything.

Finally, summarize your presentation at the end of the Question and answer session after presentation. This lets you leave your audience with the core message you want to get across.

13. Encourage a shy audience

What if no one has a question? Sometimes you just need to give it a few more seconds; eventually, the nervous energy in the room should be enough to get someone to raise his hand.

If not, you need to determine if there’s really no interest or if people just need a nudge to get started. Here are a few ways you can encourage participation and get the Question and answer after presentation off and running:

• Have a plant in the audience. If you suspect you’ll have a shy audience on your hands, you can ask a colleague in the audience to start the Question and answer after presentation with a question prepared in advance.

• Bring up a common question that you believe will interest listeners based on your experience or your research about your audience.

• Take a poll. Ask the audience members to express their opinions or share experiences about an issue you addressed in your presentation.

How to respond when people disagree

Interactive question and answer session after presentation are all well and good, but what happens if an audience member strongly – and vocally – disagrees with what you’re saying. An excellent way to handle disagreement is to:

• Of course, you need to acknowledge the Question.

• The questioner’s perspective understanding.

• Identify where you agree (hopefully, you’ll agree on some points).

• Must know why your perspective is different – and why – on issues where there’s disagreement.

Amma Marfo has this to say about handling disagreements:

Here’s how to make the most of Q and A

There are four rules on how to craft great Question and answer session after presentation that mesmerize your audiences, and the first things are that you need to:

1. Set the rules at the opening

a. Tell the audience when and how you will handle questions at the beginning of your presentation.

b. Unless you’re giving a formal speech to a large audience, it’s best to take questions throughout your talk, not just at the end.

c. You could save Q and A for specific times during your presentation, like at the end of each major section.

d. Whatever you decide, let the audience know.

2. Field questions fairly

a. Listen to the Question before rushing to answer it.

b. Find out what the person wants to know without getting hung up on how they ask the Question and without embarrassing them.

c. Correct factual errors or misunderstandings immediately.

d. Defuse loaded questions with humor, if possible.

e. If necessary, repeat the Question in a summary fashion so everyone can hear it.

f. Give all audience members a chance to ask questions.

3. Answer questions tactfully

a. Use your answer to reinforce or clarify your main idea. Don’t give a new speech.

b. Answer the Question as directly as possible without being abrupt.

c. Begin by speaking directly to the person who asked the question. Then turn to someone in another part of the room, so you don’t get caught in a one-on-one dialogue.

d. Be respectful at all times, even when–or especially when–you disagree.

e. Keep your sense of humor.

f. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Offer to get back to the person with the answer. Or, if appropriate, ask the audience for their insights.

g. When a question requires a lengthy answer, give a summary, admit there’s more to be said, and offer to discuss it later with the person.

h. Retain control of the presentation, decide when to end the discussion, and move on.

4. End the Q&A with a summary

a. Don’t end your presentation simply by answering the last questions and saying, “Thank you.”

b. Answer the last question. Then wrap up your presentation with a one or two-sentence summary.

See also: 12 Presentation Design Principles Every Non-Designer Needs to Know Introvert vs Extrovert Presenter, Which One Are You? Top Tips To Help Plan Your Marketing Presentation 7 Color Schemes Inspiration for PowerPoint Great Design Team Management Tips to Avoid Your Work Exhaustion

Prep for your presentation Q&A session today

After presentation, accepting question and answer sessions is effective in a small group, like in a class or a meeting room. This way, everyone can pay attention to the Question, give feedback if needed, and the speaker can answer directly without repeating the Question. The one who is still confused can engage with the Question and make them more interested in the topic.

There is no dilemma that a question and answer session after presentation is needed to build communication with the audience. It is necessary and requires different treatment depending on the situation and how many crowds attend your presentation.

Let’s visit RRSlide to download free PowerPoint presentation templates with many categories. But wait, don’t go anywhere and stay here with our Blog to keep up-to-date on all the best pitch deck template collections and design advice from our PowerPoint experts yet to come!

More Articles

RRGraph Design Signs CSR Partnership, Starting from Poverty Reduction to Land Ecosystems Preservation

RRGraph Design Signs CSR Partnership, Starting from Poverty Reduction to Land Ecosystems Preservation This is …

5 Ways of Using Your Digital Presence to Grow Your Business in 2023

Increasing visibility is among the main aims of businesses in today’s chaotic markets. In this …

Simple Ways to Make Your Office Run Smoother

Running a successful office is no easy feat. With so many moving parts and people …

Reliable place to create PowerPoint slides.

• Testimonial

Marketplace

• All products
• Subcription

Office Address

Simpang L.A. Sucipto Gg. 22A No.85, Malang 65126

+6281 334 783 938 [email protected]

Business Hours

Monday – Saturday 07:00 – 18.00 WIB GMT+9

People Also View

• 30+ Best PowerPoint Template for 2021
• 50+ Best Pitch Deck Template by Top Startups
• How Much Does It Cost for PowerPoint Presentation Services?
• How to be PowerPoint Experts?

© 2021 by RRGraph Design. All rights reserved.

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Product Delivery Policy

Join our community

You will receive monthly tips, stories, and exclusive freebies!

12 virtual presentation tips to get your audience’s attention

Delivering an effective virtual presentation is no easy task. 

Whether it’s for pitching to potential clients or discussing project goals with your team, you’ll have to compete for your audience’s attention and ensure your message gets through.  

In this article, we’ll cover the top 12 virtual presentation tips and best practices for your next virtual meeting. We’ll also look at some of the key benefits of virtual presentations.

This article contains: 

(Click on the links below to jump to a specific section)

• Research your Audience Well in Advance
• Be Vigilant with Technical Checks
• Embrace the Use of Technology and Visual Aid Tools
• Start with an Agenda in Mind
• Reduce and Eliminate Distractions
• Stick to Short, Punchy Sentences
• Interact with your Audience
• Pace Yourself and Plan for Delays
• Incorporate Back-Up Systems
• Allot some time for Q&A Sessions
• Know When to Stop
• Reach Out for Feedback and Reflect
• 3 Useful Benefits of Virtual Presentations

Let’s begin! 

12 practical tips for your next virtual presentation 

Virtual presentations can be intimidating for someone just starting out with them. 

But don’t worry. 

Here are some practical tips and best practices to ace your next virtual presentation. 

1. Research your audience well in advance

With virtual presentations, you need to do a little more research than you’d usually do. It’s best to know your audience and their expectations from the presentation. 

For a webinar or similar events, you can create a registration page or an electronic submission form a week in advance. 

Collect general information about who’s attending the event; ask questions about what they expect to gain from the meeting, or if they have any pressing questions. 

If you’re giving an office presentation, you can set an agenda for the concepts you’ll be covering. For example, think about what your keynote will be.  

Seek input from team members about your presentation structure and prioritize the action items that need to be addressed. If possible, send your meeting agenda in advance and have your managers/seniors glance through the key points. 

2. Be vigilant with technical checks

You cannot control an unexpected power-cut or internet connectivity issue no matter how much you prepare. So, your best bet is to be super precise with technical checks. 

Here are some things you should consider: 

• Is your camera working? Can the audience see you clearly?
• Do you have a proper mic and speaker installed? 
• Are you well-versed with the tools you’ll be using? For example, can you switch between google slides or enable screen sharing? 

These are some questions you should ponder over.

Most importantly, make sure you have solutions for any last-minute technical glitches. Prepare to have a backup or appoint someone who can handle the IT. 

3. Embrace the use of technology and visual aid tools 

The entire concept of a virtual presentation is based on the premise of technology. So naturally, you want to make good use of as many tools as possible.

You can use Canva to create a Canva QR code , Microsoft Powerpoint, Google slides, etc., to create an interactive presentation . 

You can also integrate your virtual meeting software with various tools for better audience engagement during the presentation. For example:

• Tools like Zoom , WebinarNinja, etc, let you conduct virtual polls and quizzes during video conferencing.
• You can also use a tool like Poll Everywhere to create word clouds in real-time. 
• Online game tools like Kahoot are great for creating group quizzes.
• Zoom or ClickMeeting can be useful as a whiteboard tool .

Another advantage of being well-equipped with the right tools is having better control over your audience. Virtual presenter tools can help with audience engagement. You can also monitor any distractions and eliminate them. 

For example, virtual presenters can mute an audience member due to disturbances or pin an important comment for everyone to see.

4. Start with an agenda in mind

In virtual meetings, if you do not start out with an agenda in mind, you’re setting yourself up for distractions. 

A good rule of thumb is to prepare a chronological list of things to be achieved during the presentation. What’s the most important concept you need to cover? Take notes, and make sure that all your other points transition back to your main concept and flow with the structure. 

Next, try to simplify your data points. Use visual imagery, gifs, videos, or animations to attract attention to the key points. 

Define the outcomes of your presentation, and set a time limit for each goal. For example, if the schedule has four points in total, don’t spend more than 30 minutes on each. 

5. Reduce and eliminate distractions

A remote audience is always multitasking between work, so there are bound to be some distractions. 

You can brief your audience about these best practices to minimize distractions: 

• Everyone stays on mute while the presenter is speaking.
• Instead of directly interrupting the host, people can ‘raise’ their hand on the virtual platform if they wish to speak.
• Request your audience members to limit any distraction on their end. This could be due to background noise, kids, pets, social media, or another family member.

Apart from this, make sure that you run technical checks and prepare for any possible problems. For example, close down all unnecessary tabs if you’ll be using screen sharing features. 

On your part, your chats will probably be filled with queries, doubts, or suggestions while you’re interacting with the audience. Instead of getting side-tracked by these chats, it’s a good idea to let a colleague or co-host moderate them for you.

6. Stick to short, punchy sentences 

When explaining concepts to a remote audience, you should always stick to shorter, more humorous sentences. That’s because most audiences often tune out after 10 minutes . 

Especially in a remote work environment, you have to capture and re-capture your audience’s attention while talking. Shorter sentences are easier to understand. But if it’s your first time being a virtual presenter, you can try these tips: 

• Maintain eye contact with the audience (through the webcam).
• Use appropriate hand gestures , facial expressions, and body language. 
• If possible, the person presenting should stand up. Set up your webcam accordingly.
• Ensure that your lighting is bright and lively. Make use of natural light for a better virtual background.

Moreover, keep your content prompt and precise. Avoid repetition of points, and do not over-evaluate any concepts. Ideally, do not speak for more than 10 minutes without some form of audience engagement (a story, quiz, or question).

7. Interact with your audience

According to a 2019 Duarte survey , over 68% of people believe that an engaging virtual presentation is more memorable than traditional one-way presentations. 

That’s because virtual users have a very limited attention span. It’s fairly easy for them to get distracted, especially if they have to sit through a presentation without any form of interaction. 

Interacting with the audience also makes you more ‘human’ in their eyes; you become more relatable. You can also plan your interaction activities in advance. 

For example, you can host a quiz or poll or use a whiteboard session every 10 minutes to encourage virtual participation. You can also encourage the use of breakout rooms for audience discussions. 

8. Pace yourself and plan for delays

There are little to no social cues to rely on from your audience in a virtual environment. You’ll need to practice and maintain a good pace to not speed through your presentation. 

Ideally, rehearse with someone virtually. Take notes of any delay in response you may experience or points that come across as confusing to the attendees. 

A remote audience often takes more time to respond. This could be due to technical issues, network delays, or unfamiliarity with the tool. But on your part, you can pace yourself according to your audience. 

For example, you’ll need to incorporate longer pauses after questions or slow down your talking speed for better clarity. These changes can be observed during your practice run so that you’re better prepared for your live presentation. 

9. Incorporate back-up systems

It’s important to plan for a worst-case scenario while presenting virtually, i.e., if you lose access to the meeting or content. In this case, it’s handy to share your presentation material with a co-host or a moderator. 

If you’re giving a video presentation, your co-host can have access rights to the meeting if you accidentally go offline. They can interact with the audience or present the video slides while you go back online. 

It’s also a good idea to be well-versed with your content. If you ever face a delay or glitch in your tools, you can always continue presenting the points with the help of a whiteboard. 

10. Allot some time for Q&A sessions

When conducting a virtual presentation, it’s good to allot a specific time slot for all the doubts and queries. You can do this before or during the event. 

In addition to having your own set of potential questions, inform your audience that you’ll be solving all the queries towards the end of the session. 

This serves two purposes:

• Your attendees can pay full attention to the presentation, knowing that their doubts will be cleared towards the end. 
• You do not get distracted by stopping and answering questions after every concept. 

A Q&A platform like Tribe or BoostHQ can be useful for noting down everyone’s questions. Participants can even ask anonymous questions. This way, all your queries are stored in a single database, and you can run a more organized, distraction-free Q&A session. 

11. Know when to stop 

Knowing when and how to close a presentation is one of the most important virtual presentation skills you could pick up. 

In a virtual event, you are bound to get distracted or carried away, so much so that you may lose track of your points. In that case, you should be precise with how much time you spend on each topic and when you should stop. 

Towards the end of the presentation, it’s more productive to be brief and to-the-point and conclude with an informative synopsis. You should properly summarize the conference proceedings, highlight key points, and create a lasting impression on your virtual audience. 

Here’s how you can do that:

• Prepare a clear and concise closing statement.
• Include a summary of your main agenda.
• Include a call to action.
• Include a powerful quote/message.
• Allow your audience to stay in touch with you. Consider adding a QR Code linked to your business card to your presentation.

12. Reach out for feedback and reflect

When you’re done with your presentation, a great practice is to reach out to the participants or attendees for any feedback. 

If you’re presenting to your office colleagues, you can ask for feedback on your talk. Note down how you can improve, including your content, speech, engagement, or presentation structure.

You can also provide post-presentation support. This could include: 

• Extra materials/data to support the topic you covered.
• A brief recap or summary of your presentation.
• Recordings of the online presentation.
• A link to a survey to note the material you could cover in the next presentations, ways you could improve, etc. 

Now, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of virtual presentations.

3 useful benefits of virtual presentations

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual presentations have been the norm for most organizations and companies. They’re more accessible and can accommodate a larger audience. 

Here’s how you can benefit from an effective virtual presentation. 

1. Higher inclusivity 

Virtual presentations offer more room for individuals to collaborate and learn. 

In a traditional presentation, most of the audience is limited by their geographical location. Only people who can access the location, and manage the time, can attend. 

In contrast, a virtual presentation has no bounds. 

People from all over the world can join in at the same time. It’s also highly accessible for people who otherwise wouldn’t attend physically due to health, childcare, or disabilities. 

2. More flexibility

Virtual presenters often offer recordings of the event for those who can’t attend. Moreover, you can also choose to keep your camera off while still attending. 

This makes it easier to participate in meetings. You also save more time by hosting shorter, more effective presentations. 

3. More economical 

When you’re virtually connecting with an audience, you use fewer resources than regular presentations. Organizers incur fewer electricity/venue costs, while participants have no travel costs at all. 

Virtual presentations also lower the company’s carbon footprint by lowering the number of unnecessary travel trips. They’re a great way to practice sustainable business practices.

Final thoughts

Virtual meetings and webinars often test your public speaking and presentation skills. 

You need to plan your presentation design and slide structure, manage distractions, and effectively deliver the content to the audience. You can also make good use of online presentation software to engage your audience better.

Use the tips and tools we covered here to understand how you can deliver effective virtual presentations today.

View a free demo of Time Doctor

Liam Martin is a co-founder of Time Doctor which is software to improve productivity and help keep track and know what your team is working on, even when working from home.

Hiring flexible staff: Everything you need to know

Top 15 ground rules for your team’s virtual meetings, related posts, navigating proximity bias in the age of remote work, 8 strategies that can help optimize remote team structure, no promotions for dell’s work-from-home employees, how remote work is reshaping ireland, the 10 best countries for remote work in 2023, amc and zoom transform movie nights into meeting days.

Finance Minister Aurangzeb presents Rs18.9tr federal budget ‘in line with IMF guidelines’

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday presented his first federal budget with a total outlay of Rs18.9 trillion, which analysts say is broadly “in line with IMF guidelines”.

Pakistan’s budget for the upcoming year aims for a modest 3.6 per cent GDP growth, and sets an ambitious Rs13tr tax collection target, raising taxes on salaried classes and removing tax exemptions for the rest.

Aurangzeb, during the budget presentation, said that the goal was to widen the tax base to avoid burdening existing tax payers.

(Check our income tax calculator here ).

This year’s budget, like last year’s, is widely considered to be crafted to align with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) requirements to secure another bailout, this time “larger and longer”.

Mohammad Sohail, chief executive of Topline Securities, told Dawn.com after the budget presentation concluded that the budget will help in fiscal consolidation and “is broadly in line with IMF guidelines”.

• Total expenditure estimated to be Rs18.9tr
• Ambitious Rs13tr tax revenue target set for FBR
• Non-tax revenue target of Rs3.5tr
• Aims to secure Rs30bn from privatisation
• Expects debt servicing of Rs9.8tr
• Petroleum levy increased by Rs20 on petrol and diesel , Rs25 on superior kerosene oil, light diesel and high-octane, e-10 gasoline
• Targets 3.6pc GDP growth for 2024/25
• Budget deficit projected at 6.9pc of GDP
• Imports of raw materials used in solar panels, inverters and lithium-ion batteries manufacturing have been zero-rated
• BISP raised by 27pc to Rs592bn

The finance minister thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif as well as various other leaders of the coalition government for their guidance in preparing the budget.

“Dear speaker, I think that despite political and economic challenges, our progress on the economic front in the past one year has been impressive,” Aurangzeb said.

He urged Pakistan to capitalise on a fresh opportunity to revitalise its economy.

“Pakistan has another opportunity to improve itself and embark on the path of economic development. I request everyone not to waste this chance,” Aurangzeb said.

The finance minister hailed the government’s efforts to address economic challenges and pledged to accelerate development under the leadership of PM Shehbaz.

“Before presenting the budget, I want to highlight our journey thus far,” the minister said. “Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, we have pursued a homegrown agenda that has enabled us to overcome current economic challenges and boost the pace of development.”

Aurangzeb acknowledged the challenges faced by Pakistan’s economy, which had been struggling with depleted foreign reserves, a 40 per cent depreciation of the rupee, stagnant economic growth, and soaring inflation that pushed citizens below the poverty line.

He commended the government for securing a crucial nine-month IMF programme in June 2023, which helped Pakistan avoid economic collapse.

“The previous IMF programme was ending, and a new deal was essential to prevent a default. I commend Shehbaz Sharif’s government for their efforts in securing the programme,” he said.

Aurangzeb highlighted the significant improvement in economic indicators, crediting the PM and his team for their efforts. “Inflation stood at 11.8pc in May, a notable achievement considering the challenges. We’re on the right track, and inflation is likely to decrease further in the coming days,” he said.

The minister spoke of a significant turnaround in Pakistan’s economy, with foreign exchange reserves bolstered and international investors showing keen interest in investing in the country.

Key points from tax policy

• Expand the tax base to enhance the tax-to-GDP ratio
• Documentation of the economy through digitisation
• Progressive taxation regime to increase burden on high earners
• Increase in transaction taxes for non-filers
• Protect vulnerable segments from impact of inflation

“Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have been strengthened, and international investors are now seeking opportunities to invest in our economy,” Aurangzeb said, highlighting the improved economic outlook.

He applauded the State Bank’s decision to cut interest rates, citing visible efforts to combat inflation. “The State Bank’s interest rate cut is a significant move, and the efforts to curb inflation are evident. Shehbaz Sharif and his team deserve congratulations for their commendable efforts to turn the economy around,” Aurangzeb said.

“These achievements are not ordinary. As a result of these, the country has exited a difficult time.”

The minister emphasised the need for patience and collective efforts to achieve sustainable economic development, cautioning that progress cannot be accelerated overnight.

Aurangzeb called for prioritising the private sector’s growth, acknowledging its crucial role in revitalising Pakistan’s economy.

“It’s time to give primary importance to the private sector in our economy,” Aurangzeb said.

Aurangzeb identified structural factors as key to addressing Pakistan’s economic imbalance, stressing the need to boost investment, economic output, and exports.

“We’re facing an economic imbalance, but structural factors like investment, economic output, and exports can help address this challenge,” Aurangzeb said, as he outlined a path forward for economic stability.

He said like most modern economies, we also need to keep in mind privatisation and regulatory reforms. The state should limit itself to essential public services only.

“To improve productivity, domestic and foreign investment should be encouraged,” he said.

Total budget outlay

The federal budget for fiscal year 2025 has a total outlay — the sum of expenditures and net lending of funds — of Rs18.877tr, representing a 30pc increase from the previous year’s budget.

Current expenditure

The government has proposed Rs17,203 billion for current expenditure in the FY25 budget, a substantial 29pc increase from the previous year.

Interest payments, or debt servicing, have surged 34pc to Rs9,775bn, consuming more than half of total budget outlay and becoming, like last few years, the government’s single largest expense.

Of that, defence expenditure constitutes Rs2,122bn, 17.6pc higher than last year’s budget, making up 1.71pc of GDP, largely unchanged from last year.

Federal revenue

Pakistan’s total revenue for fiscal year 2025 is budgeted at Rs17,815 billion.

After accounting for provincial transfers of Rs7,438 billion, the net revenue stands at Rs10,377 billion, representing a significant 48.7pc increase from the previous year.

FBR tax target

Aurangzeb highlighted the urgency of tax system reforms, citing Pakistan’s lagging tax-to-GDP ratio compared to other countries.

“The prime minister is closely monitoring the digitalisation of tax policies and FBR’s administrative reforms. Our goal is to broaden the tax net without burdening existing taxpayers,” Aurangzeb said.

The government has set an ambitious tax collection target for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) at Rs12,970 billion, a 38pc increase from last year’s goal.

Mohammad Sohail, chief executive of Topline Securities, says the tax collection target is high, but “we believe that considering new taxation measures, Pakistan may be able to reach closer to the primary and fiscal deficit estimates”.

Aurangzeb expressed the government’s commitment to tackling inflation, a top priority, and noted significant progress in reducing price pressures.

“Inflation had surged to 38pc a year ago, with food inflation reaching 48pc, causing hardships for low-income households. I’m pleased to report that our improved economic strategy has successfully brought inflation down,” Aurangzeb said.

The government has set an inflation target at 12pc for next fiscal year, aiming to rein in prices.

“In May 2024, the Consumer Price Index stood at 11.8pc and food inflation at 2.2pc. We’ve worked tirelessly to bring inflation into single digits and will sustain our efforts to ensure price stability,” Aurangzeb said.

Faisal Mamsa, the chief executive of financial services firm Tresmark, told Dawn.com that inflation projections of “12pc are realistic and achievable”.

“This can imply an average policy rate of 16pc,” Mamsa said.

Fiscal deficit

Psdp allocation.

The government has allocated Rs3,792.2bn for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in FY25, a 40pc increase from last year’s Rs2,709bn.

The total federal PSDP, which includes state-owned enterprises and public-private partnerships, has received a boost with an allocation of Rs1,696 billion, representing a 47.5pc increase from last year’s Rs1,150 billion.

Provincial PSDP allocation, on the other hand, has risen 34.4pc to Rs2,095 billion, up from Rs1,559 billion in the previous year.

‘Hard work needed’

“There is a need for patience and extreme hard work, combined with homegrown corrective plans. The public must work together with institutions to achieve our economic goals,” Aurangzeb said, once again stressing the importance of collaboration and sustained efforts.

Aurangzeb emphasised the need for Pakistan to transition from a government-controlled economy to a market-driven economy, aligned with global standards, to boost exports and foster a savings-and-investment-based economy.

“We must shift from a government-determined economy to a market-driven economy, aligning our economic system with global standards, increasing exports, and promoting a savings-and-investment-based economy over a consumption-based one,” Aurangzeb said.

He highlighted the importance of considering equity and inclusion when implementing economic reforms, urging bold measures to ensure a more equitable economic system.

“When introducing economic reforms, we cannot ignore equity and inclusion. Bold measures are necessary to create a more inclusive economic system,” the minister said.

Earlier, the session commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran and the national anthem.

PM Shehbaz and Deputy PM Ishaq Dar — Aurangzeb’s predecessor — attended the session.

Disgruntled PPP

The session started with a nearly two-hour delay after the PPP voiced reservations on the development allocations and PML-N managed to placate them.

PPP lawmakers attended the session to complete the required quorum, albeit without party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Earlier, PPP leader Khurshid Shah, speaking to reporters, said the party had reservations with regard to the PSDP budget and that the PPP should have been taken into confidence for the budget.

“It was decided that the PSDP for the four provinces would be decided together,” he said while speaking to the media.

“We are in the same boat. If something goes wrong, it would be not just for the PML-N, but for us as well [as allies],” the PPP leader said, adding that the decision to not take part in the speech was to protect their party.

He stated that if his party were taken into confidence then they can have dialogue.

Following a parliamentary party meeting, PPP MNA Shazia Marri told reporters that: “We had two party meetings, one yesterday and another today, to discuss our concerns and recommendations, but they were not addressed.

“Our members have protested the violation of our agreement on PSDP, and we have received no response to our legitimate concerns.”

Following the airing of these concerns, Deputy PM and PML-N leader Ishaq Dar met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his chambers. Shortly afterward, Dar told reporters that the nation would receive “good news [in this regard soon”.

Furthermore, party leader Naveed Qamar nodded in affirmation when asked by reporters whether the party would join the session.

View this post on Instagram

A meeting of the federal cabinet took place to approve the budget. Soon after the government released a photograph of PM Shehbaz signing the budget after it was approved.

As per the government’s tentative plan , a general debate on the budget would start on June 20 and would continue till June 24. The members will take part in the debate and voting on cut motions on June 26 and 27 whereas the budget will be passed on June 28.

A day earlier, the government unveiled the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24, which showed that the economy failed to meet most of its targets set in the previous budget due to challenging conditions. The agriculture sector, however, achieved unprecedented growth .

{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/1837512" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms">

On Monday, the National Economic Council (NEC) — comprising PM Shehbaz, Deputy PM Dar, the four chief ministers and the defence, finance, and planning ministers — approved a Rs3.792 trillion federal PSDP, an increase of more than 47pc compared to the previous FY.

Last week, it was reported that the finance ministry and the IMF were locked in last-minute talks ahead of the budget as the global lender put forward some tough conditions .

The IMF’s key demands include an increase in the tax revenue target, withdrawal of subsidies, taxes on the agriculture sector, increase in levy and taxes on power, gas and oil sectors, privatisation of sick government organisations and units and improving administration, a ministry official was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, economist Sakib Sherani said the budget would be in line with IMF requirements but cautioned, “However, the real problem will be adherence to fiscal austerity and prudence and containment of populism.”

Ahead of the budget presentation, PM Shehbaz also chaired a meeting on the “rightsizing of the government”, the government’s official X account stated .

According to state broadcaster PTV News , a committee constituted for the purpose presented a preliminary report before the premier.

The report, containing short-term and mid-term recommendations, proposed shutting down a few state-owned enterprises, merging several others and handing some to the provinces, PTV News reported.

The committee further recommended that all such posts vacant for more than a year be abolished and that government officials’ “unnecessary travel” be prohibited while teleconferencing be encouraged.

Subsequently, the prime minister formed a high-powered committee to furnish a comprehensive report within 10 weeks on the said proposals.

Agriculture only saving grace in otherwise dismal year

According to the PES, the strong 6.25 per cent expansion in the agriculture sector — said by the report to be the highest in 19 years — drove Pakistan’s GDP growth by an expected 2.38pc in FY2024, recovering from a contraction of 0.21pc in the previous year.

The report said fiscal discipline was maintained, with a fiscal deficit of 3.7pc of GDP and a primary surplus of 1.5pc of GDP. Total revenues, meanwhile, grew by 41pc, driven by non-tax revenues and improved tax collection.

The State Bank of Pakistan, meanwhile, kept a tight monetary policy, with a 22pc policy rate , helping to ease inflation to 26pc from 28.2pc last year.

The current account deficit narrowed by 87.5pc to $0.5 billion compared to $4.1bn last year, and gross foreign exchange reserves increased to $8.0bn.

However, the PES noted a decline in the investment-to-GDP ratio, sluggish large-scale manufacturing , and high public debt.

{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/1839320" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms">

It further revealed that cash-strapped Pakistan witnessed the highest-ever single-year increase in tax exemptions or concessions, surging by 73.24pc compared to the previous year to dole out a record Rs3.879tr.

During the presentation, Aurangzeb hinted at letting “ no sacred cow ” escape without paying due taxes through the budget for FY2024-25. He expressed confidence in beginning the next fiscal year on a stronger note, backed by the IMF’s support.

Speaking less on the performance of each economic sector and their sub-sectors, the finance minister stressed focusing on reforming the revenue system, energy sector, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), reiterating that there were no strategic SOEs.

Budget review: Taxing the taxed … again

Mixed feelings as economy oracles weigh in on federal budget 2024-25

Budget FY25 Calculator : Find out how much tax you will pay on your salary

Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.

Copyright © 2024

NewsKit Publishing Platform

New Silicon Initiative Spring Mini-Kickoff 2024

You’re invited to a special event

Considering VLSI or chip design? Circuit design or computer architecture?

Join Apple and Alabama A&M faculty to learn more about career paths in these exciting fields!

New Silicon Initiative Spring Mini-Kickoff

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

12:00–1:00 p.m. CT

Arthur J. Bond Hall — Auditorium Room 233

Please register beforehand by scanning or clicking the QR code. 

RSVP to Attend

Details will be shared after registering

Following the presentation,there will be networking with Alabama EECS

faculty and Apple Team members for Q&A and discussion

Lead the way