Top Tips for Answering Questions After A Presentation
August 12, 2022
What are the top tips for answering questions? How do you answer questions after your presentation? How do you run a presentation question and answer session? Techniques for dealing with presentation questions. How can you prepare for questions after a presentation? How can you best respond to questions?
Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball
Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London. Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page.
Why is answering questions after a presentation important?
For many people, handling presentation questions is the scariest part of presenting.
Taking questions after a presentation gives you the chance to clarify points, engage with the audience and showcase your expertise. It also allows you to address concerns and correct any misunderstandings. Answering questions well can leave a lasting, positive impression.
How should I prepare for presentation questions?
Answering questions becomes much easier if you prepare properly. So how do the best presenters answer challenging questions effectively?
Preparation is key. Anticipate likely questions and practise answering them. Consider potential challenges or critical points that may need extra explanation. Have some key facts and examples at hand to back up your answers. Being well-prepared will make you feel more confident and less likely to be caught off guard. See the tips below.
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 for answering questions will help you shine:
Ten tips how to respond to questions effectively
Answering questions after a presentation is as important as delivering the content itself. A well-handled Q&A session can strengthen your credibility, engage your audience, and leave a lasting positive impression. Here are some best practices to help you navigate this critical part of public speaking.
Let’s review each tip in turn:
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 Presentation Questions Confidently Tip #2. Have the mind-set of a teacher
A question is not an exam test. If you are asked a question, it’s 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.
What if I don’t know the answer to a question? It’s perfectly fine to admit if you don’t know something. Be honest, but offer to follow up after the presentation with more information. For example, say: “That’s a great question, I’ll need to check the details and get back to you.” This shows you’re professional and committed to providing accurate information.
Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Presentation Q&A Coaching
At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching business people to improve their business communication skills for over 15 years. Our coaching is fast and effective. We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups. Call us today to learn more.
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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. Like this you’ll learn how to handle questions during a presentation.
Answering Presentation 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.
How do I handle difficult or critical questions? Stay calm and don’t get defensive. Listen carefully to the question, and take a moment to think before responding. Acknowledge the person’s concern and provide a reasoned, factual answer. If the question is aggressive or off-topic, politely steer the conversation back to the main topic, saying something like, “That’s an interesting point, but let’s focus on the issue at hand.”
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.
How can I engage a quiet audience during the Q&A? If no one asks questions, you can get the ball rolling by posing your own. For example, say, “One question I often get is…” or, “You might be wondering about…”. This often encourages the audience to follow up with their own 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 than 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 answers. 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.
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 info@benjaminball.com.
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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.
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For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.
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FAQ: How to Handle Questions and Answer Session After a Presentation
1. What should I do if someone interrupts or dominates the Q&A session?
It’s frustrating when one person takes over, but stay calm and professional. You might say: “That’s a great point—I’d love to hear from others as well. Does anyone else have a question?” If they persist, politely but firmly move on: “Let’s circle back to that later—I want to make sure everyone gets a chance.”
2. How do I manage time during the Q&A?
Set clear expectations for the Q&A at the start, like how long it will last or how many questions you can take. When time is nearly up, politely inform the audience that you’ll take one or two more questions. Stick to the time limit to avoid running over.
3. What should I do if someone asks a very complex or long-winded question?
First, thank them for their thoughtful input. Then, simplify it: “If I understand correctly, you’re asking about [summarise in one sentence]. The key point is…” If it’s too broad, offer to follow up: “That’s a big topic—let’s chat one-on-one after to cover it properly.”u give a more focused answer.
4. How do I keep answers concise and on-topic?
Stick to one key idea per answer. If you drift, bring it back with: “To keep it brief, the main takeaway is…” If the question is off-track, gently steer it: “What’s most relevant to today’s talk is…”w up afterwards.
5. How can I leave a positive impression during the Q&A?
– Smile and make eye contact—it shows confidence. – Thank people for their questions—it encourages participation. – End strong: “That’s all we have time for, but I’m happy to chat more individually!”
6. What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
Honesty is better than bluffing. Try: “That’s a great question—I don’t have the exact answer right now, but I’d be happy to look into it and follow up.” Or, redirect to the group: “Does anyone here have experience with this?”
7. How do I handle hostile or aggressive questions?
Stay calm and don’t take it personally. Acknowledge their concern: “I appreciate your perspective. From our findings, [give a neutral, fact-based response].” If they’re argumentative, de-escalate: “Let’s discuss this further offline—I’d like to understand your view better.”
8. Should I repeat the question before answering? When is it necessary?
Yes, if: – The audience might not have heard it. – You need time to think. – You want to clarify a confusing question. – Just don’t overdo it—repeating every question slows things down.
9. How can I encourage more audience participation if questions are slow?
Pause (people need time to think). Ask a leading question: “A common question I get is…” Break the ice: “Who’d like to go first?” (smiling helps!).
10. What’s the best way to transition from the presentation to the Q&A?
Signal the shift clearly: “That wraps up the main content—now I’d love to hear your thoughts. What questions do you have?” Avoid closed questions like “Any questions?” (which often gets silence).
11. How do I handle technical or off-topic questions?
If it’s too niche, say: “That’s a bit outside today’s scope, but I’m happy to discuss it afterwards.” If it’s irrelevant, pivot: “What’s more relevant to our discussion is…”
12. Should I prepare answers in advance? How?
Absolutely! Anticipate common questions and rehearse short, clear answers. Jot down 3 key points for each. If you’re stuck, think: “What’s the one thing I want them to remember?” And practice the toughest questions with a colleague.
13. What body language tips can help me appear confident during Q&A?
Stand tall (no slouching!). Use open gestures (avoid crossed arms). Nod and smile when listening—it makes you seem approachable.
14. How do I gracefully end the Q&A when time is running out?
Give a warning: “We have time for one last question.” Then wrap up: “Thank you all for your great questions—if you’d like to continue the conversation, I’ll be here afterwards.”
15. What should I do if no one asks any questions?
Start the questions yourself: “One questions I was asked earlier…” Asking a poll-style question: “How many of you have experienced…?”
Final Tip:
The Q&A isn’t an exam—it’s a conversation. The more relaxed and engaging you are, the better it’ll go.
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