With the return of face to face events this is one thing that I haven’t missed.
During Q&As the event organiser will offer a microphone to the audience member asking the question and a fair number will reject it announcing “I don’t need a microphone”
Well, I’m going to burst your bubble and tell you that you do. And here’s why:
- I’m a professional speaker and quite capable of projecting my voice to a significantly sized theatre and I still use one to save the quality of my voice.
- People fade as they speak. Especially if it’s one of those long questions that involves sharing your life history (don’t do this either; nobody is really interested)
- Your voice mainly travels forwards to it will be fainter for those behind you
- The event organiser will often be recording the event. If you don’t share your question via the microphone that is hooked up to the AV deck the speaker will have to remember to repeat the question “for the tape”
- Those wearing hearing aids will set them to a particular position for the best sound reception from the microphone. Use it in order to be accessible.
Also remember that the slot for Q&As is often limited so:
- Keep it brief
- Ask a question; don’t make a statement
- Ask yourself if it will really help the rest of the audience.