By James A. Baker · Founder, Baker Communications
First of all, let your audience know at the very beginning of your presentation that there will be time for questions at the end. Now you are committed to take questions and they will be less likely to interrupt or distract you during your formal remarks.
When your program is completed, pause for 10 or 15 seconds to let the full impact of your message sink in, then hold your hand high in the air, flash a big smile and say, “Now, who has the first question?” There is a big difference between this approach and, “Are there any questions?” The latter can come across almost as a dare, while the former is an enthusiastic invitation to keep the conversation going.
