How to conclude a presentation?
Here are a few ways to effectively conclude a presentation:
1. Summarize the key points
Choose three or four points from the presentation and reiterate them. This is a good
way to ensure that your main points are appropriately communicated and that your
audience is walking away with the information that you intended to convey. When
summarizing the key points, give them context and show the audience exactly how they
support your main argument.
2. Echo the core message
Repeating a theme or core message that was mentioned in the introduction can create a
powerful conclusion. To an audience, it can feel like the speaker is coming full circle,
and will signal to them that the presentation is concluding. You can accomplish this in
several ways:
Set up a question during the introduction and finish your speech by answering it.
Conclude a story you started during your presentation. Use the anecdote to show the
core message.
Give your presentation a memorable title and then use the title to conclude the speech.
3. Present a call to action
Provide your audience with clear and specific actions to take now that they are armed
with the information from your presentation. Calls to action should include strong,
active verbs.
4. Use a powerful quote
The key to choosing an effective quote to conclude your presentation is to find one that
is a little more obscure. A famous quote will sound cliché, and your audience will likely
stop listening. You could consider looking for quotes from modern personalities to
ensure that they are fresh to you and your audience. Be sure to choose a quote that
relates to the theme of your presentation and will resonate with your audience.
5. Ask a rhetorical question
Leaving the audience with a thought-provoking question is a great way to ensure that
they will continue to think about your presentation long after it's concluded. Make sure
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that the question applies to the topics covered, and that your audience will leave
thinking about possibilities and opportunities.
6. Tell a story
Anecdotes can bolster a speech's ending. Here are some tips for using a story to
conclude a presentation:
Make sure the story is brief.
Choose a story that relates to the main points of the presentation. Stories about a
customer experience or successful case study are effective.
Make sure the story is relatable and encourages empathy from your audience.
7. Give a visual image
If possible, providing a powerful visual can leave a lasting impression on your
audience. You can combine this strategy with another from this list or use it on its own.
Be sure to leave the image up even after you've concluded your presentation to give
your audience more time to think about the image and the points you made.
If you're delivering a time-sensitive message, you could utilize this strategy by showing
a running timer. The timer will add emphasis to your closing remarks and inspire your
audience to take action.
8. Acknowledge others
Though not an inspiring way to end a presentation, it is sometimes necessary to thank
contributors at the end of your speech. Contributors would be considered as individuals:
9. Use a short, powerful sentence
Leaving an audience with a memorable statement will impress them and grab their
attention. If you're stuck, one way to do this is to utilize the power of three. Combining
information into groups of three makes it more rhythmic and memorable for your
audience. For example, Julius Caesar used this method when he said, "I came, I saw, I
conquered."
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10. Make them laugh
Depending on the subject matter, closing out a presentation with a joke can be a great
way to drive a point home and leave your audience with something to remember. Just
be sure to choose or craft a joke that will echo the main point of your presentation.
Tips for ending a speech
Here are some tips for preparing the ending of a speech:
Avoid ending with a Q&A session
Even if you incorporate a time for the audience to ask questions, avoid ending your
presentation there. You'll want to take back control and offer some closing remarks to
conclude the presentation.
Use a summary or contact slide instead of a "thank you" slide
Thank you slides are inconsequential and do little to enrich the audience's experience.
You can conclude the presentation by saying "thank you," but the slide should display
either a summary of the points made or the presenter's contact information.
Make it clear that the presentation is over
An awkward conclusion can diminish any successful speech. Your closing remarks
should make it clear that the presentation is over. Saying "thank you" is a useful way
to clearly indicate the conclusion of a presentation.
Maintain stage presence even after the speech is finished
If you find yourself waiting for the audience to understand that the presentation is over,
maintain your position and wait confidently. Avoid shuffling papers or fidgeting and
stand perfectly still while smiling at the audience. When the first-person claps, you can
encourage the other members of the audience to do the same by looking directly at the
applauding individual and saying "thank you."
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Additional Points
What is a Presentation?
In the context of business, a presentation is an informative slideshow or speech that a
presenter delivers to an audience. Most are spoken presentations wherein a person
addresses a group, either in person or in a digital meeting room. Some business
presenters use visual aids to enhance their message, while others offer space for
audience interaction or a post-talk Q&A session.
5 Ways to End a Presentation
Well-executed closing statements can linger with audience members in a powerful
way. Try these strategies for making the end of a presentation engaging.
1. End with a compelling story. The story can be from a case study, or it can be
something that is personal to you as the presenter. In either case, lean on an
emotionally engaging narrative instead of statistics or broad generalizations to draw
in your audience.
2. Return to your opening message. Use the end of your presentation to clearly
convey what you consider to be the most important idea of your talk. Use your final
moments to recap the main points of your overall talk, then conclude with the same
message you offered at the very beginning of your presentation to bring your
argument full circle.
3. Ask a question. You can summon your audience's attention by actively
involving them in the last thing you say. Instead of concluding with a statement,
rephrase that statement as an open-ended or rhetorical question for audience members
to ponder after you have left the stage or ended the meeting.
4. Wrap up with exactly three key points. In the same way that the rule of
three works well for establishing a comic rhythm, it can also help you craft a strong
ending. Pick three main points to go out on, and drive them home at the very end. If
you’re using a slideshow as part of your presentation, summarize these key points on
your last slide.
5. Provide next steps and contact information. If you’re presenting a project
kick-off or pitching a new process at your workplace, end with a specific call to action
(CTA). Clearly let your co-workers know what you’re asking of them. Use the final
slide to list key stakeholders’ contact information and the objectives for follow-up
discussions to end your meeting on a high note.
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