Best Way to Handle Questions and Answers
My friend Rex, a pro speaker, said, Make them laugh, make them cry, leave them on a high.
Unfortunately, many speakers will instead:
Make them laugh, make them cry, leave them with a question/answer session.
What is wrong with this?
- First, The last part of your presentation stands out to the audience. An off topic question may stick out and not your main point.
- Second, your presentation ends on a low note. Question and answers sessions tend to be low energy, not high energy.
- Third, people may be less likely to buy your products. They may be all pumped up by your closing, but after 15 minutes of questions and answers they are ready to leave.
What's the solution?
Best way handle Q & A in Your Presentation
Let's say I am giving a 45 minute talk with questions and answers. I may structure it this way.
30 Minutes Speech – 90% of speech
10 Minutes Q&A
5 Minutes – Final 10% of speech
The final 5 minutes will leave them on a high and they will walk out with my points fresh on their minds.
During that final 10% I will review and then tell a story or two to drive home the main point. Another tactic is to create anticipation for a story or idea in the first 30, and then resolve it in the final 5 minutes.
However you structure your presentation, remember Rex's advice and Make them Laugh, Make them Cry, and Leave them on a High.
