Handling questions
Buying time, checking the question, and saying "I don't know" well.
10 minutes · A free lesson from Presentations and numbers
Questions after a talk
Welcoming
- Good question.
- Thanks for asking that.
Checking
- Just to make sure I understand — you're asking about the cost?
Buying time
- Let me think about that for a moment.
- That's a big question — let me take the most important part.
Not knowing
- I don't have that figure with me, but I'll send it to you this afternoon.
Say it out loud (30 seconds): Someone asks a question you cannot answer: "How much will this cost next year?" Respond professionally.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: You do not know the answer to a question. What sounds most professional?
- A confident guess
- “I'll check and get back to you by Thursday.”
- “That's not my problem.”
Show the answer
B: “I'll check and get back to you by Thursday.” — Nobody expects you to know everything. Guessing is what sounds unprofessional, so check and follow up.
Quick check: Which phrase checks the question?
- “Good question.”
- “Next.”
- “Just to make sure I understand — you're asking about the cost?”
Show the answer
C: “Just to make sure I understand — you're asking about the cost?” — Checking first means you answer the question that was asked.
Quick check: Which phrase buys you time?
- “Let me think about that for a moment.”
- “I don't know.”
- “Anyway, that's all from me.”
Show the answer
A: “Let me think about that for a moment.” — That's a big question — let me take the most important part works too.