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Public speaking: how to handle questions and answers from the audience

His speech is polished and his delivery is flawless. The audience laughed in all the right places and even shed a tear. You’re ready to pat yourself on the back for a job well done, but wait. . . there are still questions and answers.

Audience members are talking, but no one can hear them. Someone asks a question that is completely off topic and you get nervous trying to think of an answer. The event organizer calls time, the presentation is over, and suddenly you don’t feel so good about it after all.

How can you use the question and answer period to your advantage, to further enhance your message and end your presentation with a bang instead of a whimper? Read on for tips on how to keep your message on brand, even after the presentation has run its course.

Point 1: If you don’t know the answer, say so

Many of us are embarrassed to admit that we don’t know something, especially when we are supposed to be the experts on the stage. However, pretending to know the answer to a question is not the solution.

You can always assume that there are one or two people in the audience, maybe more, who have a good understanding of your topic. Those people might know the answer to the question you’re making up an answer for. Pretending to know the answer only hurts your credibility and makes people wonder if something you said was correct.

Don’t risk it. First, anticipate the questions the audience will ask. Prepare ahead of time for the most obvious questions, but also be ready for any challenging or controversial questions.

If you still have a question that you don’t know the answer to, just confess it. Say, “I’m not sure how to answer that. I’d like to look into it and get back to you later.”

This is also a great way to invite the audience to participate. If you don’t know the answer, ask your audience! There are likely to be a couple of people who can respond, and allowing your audience members to share their insights benefits the entire group.

If there is no one in the room who can answer the question, ask for the person’s business card so you can follow up as soon as possible. And don’t forget to do it.

Indicator 2: Always repeat the previous questions

Sometimes you’re speaking in a large room, using a microphone, but audience members don’t have microphones to ask their questions. They might hear your questions, but the audience members sitting behind them probably won’t.

Repeat each question that is asked, to ensure that everyone in the room hears it. This seems like an obvious point, but in reality, it doesn’t feel natural for most people to repeat questions and is often neglected.

If there are more than 40 people in the room, you can be sure that not all of them will hear the questions. For smaller audiences, use your discretion; you may want to ask the audience if they heard the question before deciding whether to repeat it.

Tip 3: Do not end the presentation with questions and answers

The best way to ensure that your audience leaves with your powerful closing ringing in their ears and your message reaching their brains is to end your presentation after the Q&A.

Depending on how much time you are given for your presentation and how many questions you anticipate, you may choose to insert the question and answer period up to fifteen minutes or half an hour before the end of your talk.

Let your audience know that after the questions and answers, you will conclude your presentation with some closing remarks. That way, not everyone will get up and leave after the questions are over.

You now have the ability to refocus attention on your main points and tie up loose ends, instead of ending up with a potential off-topic question chosen by your audience. She also has more control over the timing of her presentation, knowing exactly when to end the questions and answers to conclude her talk concisely.

Be sure to tell the event organizer about your plan. If this is the person who will time you and perhaps thank you at the end of your speech and provide further feedback to the audience, you don’t want them to think you finished early and it’s time to move on.

Planning your question and answer period as carefully as the rest of your presentation will ensure that your audience walks away with exactly the message you want for them, and this time you’ll really earn that pat on the back.