Even after you’ve given a great presentation, a tough Q & A session can deflate your confidence.  But when the questions get difficult, you can still keep your cool and come out looking more knowledgeable than ever if you follow these public speaking tips to conquer a tough question and answer session:

1. Listen.  Listen to the entire question before answering.  This shows you are courteous and care about the concerns of the people you’ve given your information to. 

2. Repeat or Rephrase the question.  This ensures that everyone in the room knows what the question was.  It also gives you a chance to get clarification or neutralize someone’s negative wording.

3. Engage the whole room.  If you direct your entire answer to the questioner, they could ask question after question, holding up the presentation and potentially trapping you.  Answering to the entire group gets other people involved and keeps you from getting stuck.

4. Be honest.  If you don’t know the answer, say so.  It’s better to find the answer later than to make a mistake.

5. Return to your conclusion.  After the Q & A section is done, go back to the conclusion of your presentation.  This lets you end on a positive note and gives you the last word.

To learn more, check out my video blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6niJtEZtuY

Make Every Presentation Great,

Sheri Jeavons

Virtual Communications Coach

You’ve always wanted to give a stellar presentation, but your fear of public speaking is making that goal difficult to achieve.  Never fear!  Behaving confidently is more important than actually feeling confident.  Keep the following tips in mind to appear more confident during your next presentation:

1. You are the expert.  When you feel nervous, remember that you are knowledgeable and capable in this area; otherwise you wouldn’t be giving a presentation on it!  Remembering that you’re the expert will help you feel and look more confident.
2. Use power words.  Make active word choices that tell your listeners you are decisive and motivating.  Instead of saying your company’s service is good, say it is unparalleled. 
3. Stand straight and tall.  Good posture is a simple way of making yourself look poised and confident.  It also helps open up your ribcage which allows you to take deeper breathes to calm you down.
4. Project your voice.  Speak to the person in the back row.  Slightly increasing your vocal volume will make you sound definite and self-assured.  If no one can hear you, they won’t think you are powerful or dynamic.

These tips will help you appear more confident to any audience.  

Tell me about your presentations. What do you do to appear confident… even if you have butterflies in your stomach.

Make Every Presentation Great,

Sheri Jeavons

Virtual Communications Coach