At the end of a well prepared presentation, speakers are often challenged to maintain the same level of professionalism as they respond to questions from the audience.
While the old adage says there are no Stupid Questions, sometimes it feels as if their are "Stupid Answers", if you are not prepared for the Q & A portion of the program. To keep the close as sharp as the rest of the program, we have compiled a few tips to make the Q&A portion of the program flow as smoothly as the rest of the presentation.
Know Your Material
Leave a couple of useful details out of your speech. This will allow you to present more information when asked questions that require additional information.
Repeat the Questions
When you need more time to prepare your answer to a question you were not expecting, repeat it aloud and look down (pensively) with your hand on your chin for a brief second or two. It's perfectly acceptable to take a moment to think. People want to know that you are a "thoughtful" resource.
Don't Be Afraid to Take Control of the Microphone
If you find yourself wanting to state a new point or discuss a different topic, answer the question briefly, and say what you want to say while you have control of the microphone. If you really don't want to answer the question, use a phrase such as: "That's such a complex subject..." or "You bring up an interesting point, but before I discuss it, I want to talk about ...". Such dodges serve as a springboard to the message you want to leave.
Avoid Going Off on Tangents
Stick to the question at hand. Opening up another topic is easy to do when answering questions. Don't let your answer be the birth of another presentation.
Cap off a great presentation with thoughtful answers to your audience's questions, and you'll leave them with memorable information and a lasting impression.