Audience Participation

Audience participation is not only an effective way to reinforce learning, it’s associated with higher levels of engagement, which may translate into higher satisfaction and understanding. Consider the following audience participation options:

1. Volunteer Exercise: Invite a member of the audience to participate in an exercise or role-play.
2. Audience Survey: Surveying the audience—for example, “Raise your hand if . . .”—allows you to assess the needs and temperament of the audience and fine-tune your speech accordingly.
3. Question: Asking a leading question of the audience like, “What is your biggest hurdle when preparing for employee performance reviews?” allows a speaker to surface ideas or problems and challenges to be addressed during the speech.
4. Q&A: A variation on the question technique, time for a question and answer period at the end of the speech allows attendees to clarify open points. Make sure you anticipate likely questions and are prepared with answers. Thorough audience analysis will help you anticipate both the content and the level of sophistication of the questions you might get.
   
    To overcome initial audience reluctance, you can plant questions, prompt with frequently asked questions, or draw from questions submitted in a pre-session survey.
5. Partner Exercise: Pair audience members to practice a technique learned or test learning with a think-pair-share or other collaborative learning exercise.
6. Small Group Exercise: Best used for brainstorming solutions or to generate relevant questions for deeper learning or more specific applications.
7. Written Exercises: Asking attendees to take notes or complete written exercises—answering a self-assessment, identifying goals, taking a quiz, or filling out a worksheet.

You may notice that these techniques are all pretty straightforward. You should avoid using audience participation plans that are too unusual—like asking your audience to sing, to mime their morning routine, or to hug the person next to them. Such techniques are as likely to alienate your audience and lessen your credibility as they are to enhance your speech.

Pay attention to how your audience participates and their reaction to the option(s) you select from above. How the audience engages with your activity can tell you about what they have retained from your speech, what they could still be curious about, and how interested they are in your overall topic.

A key consideration when incorporating audience participation is maintaining control. To avoid having an exercise deteriorate into chaos or a question turn into an extended digression, set clear expectations and enforce the ground rules. If you ask participants to do a partner or small group exercise, clearly communicate the process and timeframe. Let participants know how long an exercise will last and tell them when to begin and when to stop. Allow enough time for participants to get value from the exercise but not so much time that some groups become bored or distracted.

Responding to Questions

Imagine yourself as a sales executive pitching a new product. During the Q&A session, an investor raises a difficult question about existing competition. How you handle this inquiry could make or break the deal. This scenario exemplifies the significance of effectively responding to audience questions. The following approaches to handling questions will prepare you for answering questions in a way that keeps your audience engaged:^[1]

1. Listen: Don’t jump to conclusions and start framing a response before the attendee finishes stating the question. Knowing that the questioner is likely thinking on his or her feet, consider both the content and intent of the question.
2. Understand: Paraphrase the question to confirm understanding.
3. Communicate & Involve: To involve the entire audience and minimize the risk of an extended dialogue with the questioner, restate the question so all can hear and feel a part of the conversation.
4. Respond: Direct your answer to both the questioner and other audience members. Keep your response focused and confirm that you answered the question.

You may decide to limit the topics open for discussion or defer questions that are outside the scope of your talk. You might open a Q&A with a limiting phrase such as, “Are there any questions on the four techniques I’ve presented?” Or you could postpone a question with a response indicating that the question falls outside of the stated purpose for your speech and a softening statement such as, “I’d love to discuss that with you at another time, feel free to email me.” As with audience participation during the speech, it may be worth establishing and communicating a time limit for individual questions and the overall Q&A session.

Q&A sessions can easily be derailed if the speaker (or moderator, depending on the format of the event) doesn’t moderate question-askers well. If a speaker turns back to the questioner and says, “Did that answer your question?” it can lead to unwanted dialogue if the questioner says no or decides to elaborate. Make sure you are prepared to politely move on from the initial questioner so you don’t end up in a dialogue situation.

Responding to audience questions appropriately demonstrates your knowledge, credibility, and ability to engage with them. It is important to listen carefully, acknowledge the questioner, and consider paraphrasing the question asked for clarity. Then take a moment to gather your thoughts before responding, aiming for a concise, relevant, and thoughtful response. If you’re unsure about a question, it’s acceptable to admit it and offer to follow up with more information later. Additionally, be mindful of your body language and tone, maintaining professionalism and openness throughout the exchange. Always express gratitude for the question and the opportunity to address it, as this fosters a positive rapport with your audience.

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