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Is Your Q&A Ending on a Dud? (Hint: The Answer Is Yes)

Event organizers place a huge amount of value on the Q&A, but you have to do it right.

On Stage

Public speaking

Andrew

Davis

Partner, Speaking Business Thought Leader

minute read

Published on

April 3, 2024

Why You Should Avoid the Lame Q&A Ending

Most event organizers love a good ol’ fashioned Q&A.

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It lets their audience feel involved, gives folks a chance to interact, and ensures every attendee has their most burning question answered.

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But there’s one big thing it does that you might not have realized.

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It turns your speech’s ending into a DUD.

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Just think back to the last time you included a Q&A at the end of your keynote. Maybe you spoke for 45 minutes and ended the speech with an expertly crafted story that launched the audience to their feet with a burst of wild applause.

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As audience members gave you a standing ovation, they thought:

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“Bravo! So inspiring! I can’t wait to go transform my life, my business, my organization, etc.”

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Then the applause died away, and you were left standing awkwardly on stage, looking around for an emcee or staff member to rescue you.

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This is what really happens in a post-speech Q&A…

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Adding a Q&A after you finish your speech creates an awkward gap.

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It breaks the magic.

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It takes your audience from an emotional climax (the end of your speech) to an awkward and uncomfortable intermission (while you wait on stage to start the Q&A).

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Then you have to wait for audience members to slowly wander up to the microphone in the aisle to ask their questions.

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Fifteen minutes roll by and many attendees mentally check out. Sure, your speech was awesome, but they don’t have any questions—and that email in their inbox or text on their phone is dying for attention.

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Then the time is up.

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You finish on a very emotional low:

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“All right. I guess if no one has any more questions… I’ll be around this afternoon. Find me and I’ll be happy to chat.”

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You say thank you again. A smattering of weak applause floats up from the crowd. And you wander off stage.

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After all, they already gave you a standing ovation. Do you really deserve another?

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This type of Q&A session is L-A-M-E. But there’s a way to fix it.

Full Transcript

Don't

remove your Q&A.

just move it.

It’s time for a Q&A upgrade.

‍

Am I suggesting you ditch the Q&A completely? Absolutely not.

‍

Event organizers actually place a huge amount of value on this portion of the program. For the average attendee, getting the chance to ask questions of an expert like you is a huge reason why they came.

‍

But ending your speech with a Q&A can be a bit like letting air slowly out of a balloon. It wheezes and struggles along until you’re left with an empty rubber sack of disappointment.

‍

A much better option would be to find a clever way to insert your Q&A within the speech.

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This way, you can end your time on stage with that exciting BURST of energy, noise, and attention.

‍

It keeps your event organizers happy, it gives your audience the chance to ask their questions, and it lets you finish your speech with the perfect pop! you’ve planned and rehearsed.

‍

Here’s how it works…

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Step 1: Rehearse your closing

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For this to work, you need to have rehearsed your speech so well that you know exactly how long your closing takes. And of course, what your closing is.

‍

Maybe you end with one final anecdote, the conclusion of an earlier story, or perhaps the resolution for a curiosity gap you set up in the beginning.

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After spending so much time in rehearsal, you’ll know the close for your speech takes precisely five minutes to perform, for example.

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Step 2: Insert your Q&A here

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When you know how long your closing takes, you’ll be ready to insert the Q&A directly before that segment starts.

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So, if it’s a 45-minute keynote with a 15-minute Q&A and a 5-minute close, the timeline would look something like this:

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25 Minutes: Main Speech

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15 Minutes: Q&A

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5 Minutes: Closing Section

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That way, your closing will actually be the last thing your audience remembers, and you’ll be able to go out with a bang, just like you planned.

‍

Step 3: Create some transitions

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Of course, this only works if you can smoothly transition from one section to the next.

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But it doesn’t have to be complicated. As long as you prepare your audience by telling them in advance what’s going to happen—and making sure you promise you’ll come back to finish the end of your story or reveal the missing puzzle piece—they’ll stay with you and trust the process.

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Once the Q&A is finished, you can expertly transition the audience back to the meat of your message—as you unleash that final story—and end on a high note.

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Take back control of your ending

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There’s one huge reason why this is so important.

‍

You see, when you insert the Q&A into the middle-ish portion of your speech, you’re taking back control.

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You won’t have to rely on a stranger to supply the last question to set the tone for the ending of your performance.

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Sometimes that last question has absolutely nothing to do with the main message you were trying to convey (for instance, I often get asked what it was like to work for the Muppets, which isn’t the best transition to my close).

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When you take back control of your speech’s ending, you can transform the way the audience and event organizer feel about your entire performance.

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Finish your speech the way you rehearsed, and your audience will associate your speech with wild applause and bright-eyed smiles—rather than a low-energy Q&A.

Don't

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Don't

It’s time for a Q&A upgrade.

‍

Am I suggesting you ditch the Q&A completely? Absolutely not.

‍

But ending your speech with a Q&A can be a bit like letting air slowly out of a balloon. It wheezes and struggles along until you’re left with an empty rubber sack of disappointment.

‍

A much better option would be to find a clever way to insert your Q&A within the speech.

‍

This way, you can end your time on stage with that exciting BURST of energy, noise, and attention.

‍

It keeps your event organizers happy, it gives your audience the chance to ask their questions, and it lets you finish your speech with the perfect pop! you’ve planned and rehearsed.

‍

Here’s how it works…

‍

Step 1: Rehearse your closing

‍

For this to work, you need to have rehearsed your speech so well that you know exactly how long your closing takes. And of course, what your closing is.

‍

Maybe you end with one final anecdote, the conclusion of an earlier story, or perhaps the resolution for a curiosity gap you set up in the beginning.

‍

After spending so much time in rehearsal, you’ll know the close for your speech takes precisely five minutes to perform, for example.

‍

Step 2: Insert your Q&A here

‍

When you know how long your closing takes, you’ll be ready to insert the Q&A directly before that segment starts.

‍

So, if it’s a 45-minute keynote with a 15-minute Q&A and a 5-minute close, the timeline would look something like this:

‍

25 Minutes: Main Speech

‍

15 Minutes: Q&A

‍

5 Minutes: Closing Section

‍

That way, your closing will actually be the last thing your audience remembers, and you’ll be able to go out with a bang, just like you planned.

‍

Step 3: Create some transitions

‍

Of course, this only works if you can smoothly transition from one section to the next.

‍

Once the Q&A is finished, you can expertly transition the audience back to the meat of your message—as you unleash that final story—and end on a high note.

‍

Take back control of your ending

‍

There’s one huge reason why this is so important.

‍

You see, when you insert the Q&A into the middle-ish portion of your speech, you’re taking back control.

‍

You won’t have to rely on a stranger to supply the last question to set the tone for the ending of your performance.

‍

When you take back control of your speech’s ending, you can transform the way the audience and event organizer feel about your entire performance.

‍

Finish your speech the way you rehearsed, and your audience will associate your speech with wild applause and bright-eyed smiles—rather than a low-energy Q&A.

Dont

Don't