Do you every worry that your presentation skills are less than stellar? Have you ever seen bored faces looking back from the audience when you present too many stats and charts? Chances are you have fallen into the trap that faces many presenters; namely relying too heavily on sharing data. Data is valuable for sure. But too much of a good thing is just that; too much of a good thing. Some presenters create too many slides filled with statistics, graphs and charts then bore their audience by droning on about them for too long.
Asking a question is one of several powerful techniques that will help you overcome any concerns you have that your presentations are too dull and dry. Moreover, the use of a range of questions can bring interest and energy to a presentation that keeps the audience engaged. How can questions work well? How does the speaker use questions that get audiences engaged? Are there different types of questions that should be considered? Read on to learn more about how to use questions effectively next time you stride up to the podium.
Ask For a Show of Hands
Interactivity is an important part of keeping an audience engaged. Getting people to take an action is a valuable step of adding more interaction to your presentation. Start with something simple by asking your audience to make a show of hands if they agree with a statement. For example, when Joe was giving a talk on Work Life Balance to his peers, he asked the crowd “How many of you have struggled to find your ideal level of work life balance during the past month?â€. By asking the audience to make a show of hands if they agreed with his statement, he quickly gained buy-in for the topic and got the audience engaged in the presentation session.
Ask Rhetorical Questions
A rhetorical question can also be used to change up the flow of conversation in a presentation. What is a rhetorical question? Well it’s essentially a question where you are not expecting an answer. The question may be one that literally does not have an answer, or it may have an obvious answer that helps make a point. Imagine a CEO talking about an impending merger between two companies.  If the plans are all in place but staff are raising concerns and complaints, he might ask a rhetorical question such as – “Is Failure Really an Option Here?â€Â Clearly, the rhetorical question helps make the point that the group will need to find a way to persevere through obstacles to get to the other side – success.
Ask for Examples
Keep your crowd engaged by asking them to share examples that are relevant to the messages you are presenting. Periodically asking for examples not only allows for different voices in the conversation (especially helpful if your voice is monotone), but also allows for a two way discussion. By requesting examples, you the speaker will get a better sense of how to fine-tune your remarks to be more helpful to the folks in the room.   And the more you get the audience thinking and sharing, the higher their level of engagement will rise – and that’s a good thing.
Â
Ask for Concerns
Have you ever seen a sour look on someone’s face when you are presenting? It’s possible that your messages are missing the mark, or not addressing real concerns. So once you’ve warmed up the crowd, feel free to ask them what concerns they have. For example, let’s say you are speaking to co-workers about a new Flextime Policy and how it will be implemented. Ask the group their questions or concerns about the policy and how to put it in place. It’s better to get their concerns on the table and handle them, as contrasted with leaving them to fester unattended.
Ask “Why is this Important to You?â€
One of the most powerful questions a speaker can ask is “Why Is This Important to You?â€. The best time to ask the question is when a series of facts have been shared, and it would be helfptul to the crowd to tie the ideas together by reinforcing how the messages all support the underlying point. Not only does the speaker ask the question, their job is to ensure it also gets answered aloud for everyone to hear. You can ask an audience member to answer the question, or you can answer it yourself. Either way you are helping to connect all the dots for the audience, emphasizing why you are sharing data, how it ties to your broader message, and more importantly how it will impact their life.
By asking a range of dynamic questions frequently throughout your presentation you will ramp up the engagement factor as you speak. Your audience will get understand your topic better through examples, and will feel that their concerns have been addressed. They will get more involved and animated as you tie the dots together. Moreover, you will help people understand why your message is important to them. So ask questions – it’s a good thing!