Want to be a superstar at your next presentation? Take lots of questions.
That will allow you to tap into what I call “The Matador Effect.”
Let me explain.
Who gets paid the most at a bullfight?
The Matador! Why? Because he’s the one who stands in the ring and responds to the bull’s angry thrusts, dodging and waving his cape until the bull finally succumbs. He’s the one who stands up to the risk and, if successful, wins the admiration of the crowd.
A presenter who handles Q&A well is a lot like a good Matador. Like the Matador, the speaker must respond to all the thrusts and parries from the audience, defending her conclusions and her data.
To be sure, it’s a tricky business answering all the questions effectively. But, as with the Matador, if you do it well, there’s a huge payoff. People will be inspired by your skill and will buy into your position.
Of course that means you have to prepare for the questions. There’s no secret here. You have to write down all the possible questions that you might expect.
When I was practicing law, we would prepare for a court appearance by writing down all the questions we would expect from the judge or opposing counsel. We found it quite easy to predict virtually all the questions.
Henry Kissinger, the former Secretary of State, once started a press conference by saying, “Does anyone have questions for my answers?”
There’s someone that knew how to prepare for questions. He was a true Matador.
Joey Asher
Joey Asher has worked with thousands of business people helping them learn how to communicate in a way that connects with clients. His new book 15 Minutes Including Q&A: a Plan to Save the World from Lousy Presentations” is available now. He is also the author three previous books including “How to Win a Pitch: The Five Fundamentals That Will Distinguish You from the Competition”, “Selling and Communication Skills for Lawyers” and “Even A Geek Can Speak.”