good ending to a presentation

30 Examples: How to Conclude a Presentation (Effective Closing Techniques)

By Status.net Editorial Team on March 4, 2024 — 9 minutes to read

Ending a presentation on a high note is a skill that can set you apart from the rest. It’s the final chance to leave an impact on your audience, ensuring they walk away with the key messages embedded in their minds. This moment is about driving your points home and making sure they resonate. Crafting a memorable closing isn’t just about summarizing key points, though that’s part of it, but also about providing value that sticks with your listeners long after they’ve left the room.

Crafting Your Core Message

To leave a lasting impression, your presentation’s conclusion should clearly reflect your core message. This is your chance to reinforce the takeaways and leave the audience thinking about your presentation long after it ends.

Identifying Key Points

Start by recognizing what you want your audience to remember. Think about the main ideas that shaped your talk. Make a list like this:

• The problem your presentation addresses.
• The evidence that supports your argument.
• The solution you propose or the action you want the audience to take.

These key points become the pillars of your core message.

Contextualizing the Presentation

Provide context by briefly relating back to the content of the whole presentation. For example:

• Reference a statistic you shared in the opening, and how it ties into the conclusion.
• Mention a case study that underlines the importance of your message.

Connecting these elements gives your message cohesion and makes your conclusion resonate with the framework of your presentation.

30 Example Phrases: How to Conclude a Presentation

• 1. “In summary, let’s revisit the key takeaways from today’s presentation.”
• 2. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s move forward together.”
• 3. “That brings us to the end. I’m open to any questions you may have.”
• 4. “I’ll leave you with this final thought to ponder as we conclude.”
• 5. “Let’s recap the main points before we wrap up.”
• 6. “I appreciate your engagement. Now, let’s turn these ideas into action.”
• 7. “We’ve covered a lot today. To conclude, remember these crucial points.”
• 8. “As we reach the end, I’d like to emphasize our call to action.”
• 9. “Before we close, let’s quickly review what we’ve learned.”
• 10. “Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to our next steps.”
• 11. “In closing, I’d like to thank everyone for their participation.”
• 12. “Let’s conclude with a reminder of the impact we can make together.”
• 13. “To wrap up our session, here’s a brief summary of our discussion.”
• 14. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to present to you. Any final thoughts?”
• 15. “And that’s a wrap. I welcome any final questions or comments.”
• 16. “As we conclude, let’s remember the objectives we’ve set today.”
• 17. “Thank you for your time. Let’s apply these insights to achieve success.”
• 18. “In conclusion, your feedback is valuable, and I’m here to listen.”
• 19. “Before we part, let’s take a moment to reflect on our key messages.”
• 20. “I’ll end with an invitation for all of us to take the next step.”
• 21. “As we close, let’s commit to the goals we’ve outlined today.”
• 22. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s keep the conversation going.”
• 23. “In conclusion, let’s make a difference, starting now.”
• 24. “I’ll leave you with these final words to consider as we end our time together.”
• 25. “Before we conclude, remember that change starts with our actions today.”
• 26. “Thank you for the lively discussion. Let’s continue to build on these ideas.”
• 27. “As we wrap up, I encourage you to reach out with any further questions.”
• 28. “In closing, I’d like to express my gratitude for your valuable input.”
• 29. “Let’s conclude on a high note and take these learnings forward.”
• 30. “Thank you for your time today. Let’s end with a commitment to progress.”

Summarizing the Main Points

When you reach the end of your presentation, summarizing the main points helps your audience retain the important information you’ve shared. Crafting a memorable summary enables your listeners to walk away with a clear understanding of your message.

Effective Methods of Summarization

To effectively summarize your presentation, you need to distill complex information into concise, digestible pieces. Start by revisiting the overarching theme of your talk and then narrow down to the core messages. Use plain language and imagery to make the enduring ideas stick. Here are some examples of how to do this:

• Use analogies that relate to common experiences to recap complex concepts.
• Incorporate visuals or gestures that reinforce your main arguments.

The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a classic writing and communication principle. It means presenting ideas in a trio, which is a pattern that’s easy for people to understand and remember. For instance, you might say, “Our plan will save time, cut costs, and improve quality.” This structure has a pleasing rhythm and makes the content more memorable. Some examples include:

• “This software is fast, user-friendly, and secure.”
• Pointing out a product’s “durability, affordability, and eco-friendliness.”

Reiterating the Main Points

Finally, you want to circle back to the key takeaways of your presentation. Rephrase your main points without introducing new information. This reinforcement supports your audience’s memory and understanding of the material. You might summarize key takeaways like this:

• Mention the problem you addressed, the solution you propose, and the benefits of this solution.
• Highlighting the outcomes of adopting your strategy: higher efficiency, greater satisfaction, and increased revenue.

Creating a Strong Conclusion

The final moments of your presentation are your chance to leave your audience with a powerful lasting impression. A strong conclusion is more than just summarizing—it’s your opportunity to invoke thought, inspire action, and make your message memorable.

Incorporating a Call to Action

A call to action is your parting request to your audience. You want to inspire them to take a specific action or think differently as a result of what they’ve heard. To do this effectively:

• Be clear about what you’re asking.
• Explain why their action is needed.
• Make it as simple as possible for them to take the next steps.

Example Phrases:

• “Start making a difference today by…”
• “Join us in this effort by…”
• “Take the leap and commit to…”

Leaving a Lasting Impression

End your presentation with something memorable. This can be a powerful quote, an inspirational statement, or a compelling story that underscores your main points. The goal here is to resonate with your audience on an emotional level so that your message sticks with them long after they leave.

• “In the words of [Influential Person], ‘…'”
• “Imagine a world where…”
• “This is more than just [Topic]; it’s about…”

Enhancing Audience Engagement

To hold your audience’s attention and ensure they leave with a lasting impression of your presentation, fostering interaction is key.

Q&A Sessions

It’s important to integrate a Q&A session because it allows for direct communication between you and your audience. This interactive segment helps clarify any uncertainties and encourages active participation. Plan for this by designating a time slot towards the end of your presentation and invite questions that promote discussion.

• “I’d love to hear your thoughts; what questions do you have?”
• “Let’s dive into any questions you might have. Who would like to start?”
• “Feel free to ask any questions, whether they’re clarifications or deeper inquiries about the topic.”

Encouraging Audience Participation

Getting your audience involved can transform a good presentation into a great one. Use open-ended questions that provoke thought and allow audience members to reflect on how your content relates to them. Additionally, inviting volunteers to participate in a demonstration or share their experiences keeps everyone engaged and adds a personal touch to your talk.

• “Could someone give me an example of how you’ve encountered this in your work?”
• “I’d appreciate a volunteer to help demonstrate this concept. Who’s interested?”
• “How do you see this information impacting your daily tasks? Let’s discuss!”

Delivering a Persuasive Ending

At the end of your presentation, you have the power to leave a lasting impact on your audience. A persuasive ending can drive home your key message and encourage action.

Sales and Persuasion Tactics

When you’re concluding a presentation with the goal of selling a product or idea, employ carefully chosen sales and persuasion tactics. One method is to summarize the key benefits of your offering, reminding your audience why it’s important to act. For example, if you’ve just presented a new software tool, recap how it will save time and increase productivity. Another tactic is the ‘call to action’, which should be clear and direct, such as “Start your free trial today to experience the benefits first-hand!” Furthermore, using a touch of urgency, like “Offer expires soon!”, can nudge your audience to act promptly.

Final Impressions and Professionalism

Your closing statement is a chance to solidify your professional image and leave a positive impression. It’s important to display confidence and poise. Consider thanking your audience for their time and offering to answer any questions. Make sure to end on a high note by summarizing your message in a concise and memorable way. If your topic was on renewable energy, you might conclude by saying, “Let’s take a leap towards a greener future by adopting these solutions today.” This reinforces your main points and encourages your listeners to think or act differently when they leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative strategies for ending a presentation memorably.

To end your presentation in a memorable way, consider incorporating a call to action that engages your audience to take the next step. Another strategy is to finish with a thought-provoking question or a surprising fact that resonates with your listeners.

Can you suggest some powerful quotes suitable for concluding a presentation?

Yes, using a quote can be very effective. For example, Maya Angelou’s “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” can reinforce the emotional impact of your presentation.

What is an effective way to write a conclusion that summarizes a presentation?

An effective conclusion should recap the main points succinctly, highlighting what you want your audience to remember. A good way to conclude is by restating your thesis and then briefly summarizing the supporting points you made.

As a student, how can I leave a strong impression with my presentation’s closing remarks?

To leave a strong impression, consider sharing a personal anecdote related to your topic that demonstrates passion and conviction. This helps humanize your content and makes the message more relatable to your audience.

How can I appropriately thank my audience at the close of my presentation?

A simple and sincere expression of gratitude is always appropriate. You might say, “Thank you for your attention and engagement today,” to convey appreciation while also acknowledging their participation.

What are some examples of a compelling closing sentence in a presentation?

A compelling closing sentence could be something like, “Together, let’s take the leap towards a greener future,” if you’re presenting on sustainability. This sentence is impactful, calls for united action, and leaves your audience with a clear message.

• How to Build Rapport: Effective Techniques
• Active Listening (Techniques, Examples, Tips)
• Effective Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace (Examples)
• What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)
• 2 Examples of an Effective and Warm Letter of Welcome
• Effective Interview Confirmation Email (Examples)

• By Illiya Vjestica
• - January 23, 2023

10 Powerful Examples of How to End a Presentation

Here are 10 powerful examples of how to end a presentation that does not end with a thank you slide.

How many presentations have you seen that end with “Thank you for listening” or “Any questions?” I bet it’s a lot…

“Thank you for listening.” is the most common example. Unfortunately, when it comes to closing out your slides ending with “thank you” is the norm. We can create a better presentation ending by following these simple examples.

The two most essential slides of your deck are the ending and intro. An excellent presentation ending is critical to helping the audience to the next step or following a specific call to action.

There are many ways you can increase your presentation retention rate . The most critical steps are having a solid call to action at the end of your presentation and a powerful hook that draws your audience in.

What Action do You Want Your Audience to Take?

Before designing your presentation, start with this question – what message or action will you leave your audience with?

Are you looking to persuade, inspire, entertain or inform your audience? You can choose one or multiple words to describe the intent of your presentation.

Think about the action words that best describe your presentation ending – what do you want them to do? Inspire, book, learn, understand, engage, donate, buy, book or schedule. These are a few examples.

If the goal of your presentation is to inspire, why not end with a powerful and inspiring quote ? Let words of wisdom be the spark that ignites an action within your audience.

Here are three ways to end your presentation:

• Call to Action – getting the audience to take a specific action or next step, for example, booking a call, signing up for an event or donating to your cause.
• Persuade – persuading your audience to think differently, try something new, undertake a challenge or join your movement or community.
• Summarise – A summary of the key points and information you want the audience to remember. If you decide to summarise your talk at the end, keep it to no more than three main points.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

1. Asking your audience to take action or make a pledge.

Here were asking the audience to take action by using the wording “take action” in our copy. This call to action is a pledge to donate. A clear message like this can be helpful for charities and non-profits looking to raise funding for their campaign or cause.

2. Encourage your audience to take a specific action, e.g. joining your cause or community

Here was are asking the audience to join our community and help solve a problem by becoming part of the solution. It’s a simple call to action. You can pass the touch to your audience and ask them to take the next lead.

3. Highlight the critical points for your audience to remember.

Rember, to summarise your presentation into no more than three key points. This is important because the human brain struggles to remember more than three pieces of information simultaneously. We call this the “Rule of Three”.

4. If you are trying to get more leads or sales end with a call to action to book a demo or schedule a call.

Can you inspire your audience to sign up for a demo or trial of your product? Structure your talk to lead your prospect through a journey of the results you generate for other clients. At the end of your deck, finish with a specific call to action, such as “Want similar results to X?”

Make sure you design a button, or graphic your prospect can click on when you send them the PDF version of the slides.

5. Challenge your audience to think differently or take action, e.g. what impact could they make?

6. Give your audience actions to help share your message.

7. Promote your upcoming events or workshops

8. Asking your audience to become a volunteer.

9. Direct your audience to learn more about your website.

10. If you are a book author, encourage your audience to engage with your book.

6 Questions to Generate an Ending for Your Presentation

You’ve told an engaging story, but why end your presentation without leaving your audience a clear message or call to action?

Here are six great questions you can ask yourself to generate an ending for your presentation or keynote talk.

• What impression would you want to leave your audience with?
• What is the big idea you want to leave them with?
• What action should they take next?
• What key point should you remember 72 hours after your presentation?
• What do you want them to feel?
• What is the key takeaway for them to understand?

What to Say After Ending a Presentation?

When you get to the end of a book, you don’t see the author say, “thank you for reading my last chapter.” Of course, there is no harm in thanking the audience after your presentation ends, but don’t make that the last words you speak.

Think of the ending of the presentation as the final chapter of an epic novel. It’s your chance to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Close with an impactful ending and leave them feeling empowered, invigorated and engaged.

• Leave a lasting impression.
• Think of it as the last chapter of a book.
• Conclude with a thought or question.
• Leave the audience with a specific action or next step.

How to End a Presentation with Style?

There are many great ways you can end your presentation with style. Are you ready to drop the mic?

Ensure your closing slide is punchy, has a clear headline, or uses a thought-provoking image.

Think about colours. You want to capture the audience’s attention before closing the presentation. Make sure the fonts you choose are clear and easy to read.

Do you need to consider adding a link? If you add links to your social media accounts, use icons and buttons to make them easy to see. Add a link to each button or icon. By doing this, if you send the PDF slides to people, they can follow the links to your various accounts.

What Should you Remember?

💡 If you take one thing away from this post, it’s to lose the traditional ending slides. Let’s move on from the “Thank you for your attention.” or “Any questions.” slides.

These don’t help you or the audience. Respect them and think about what they should do next. You may be interested to learn 3 Tactics to Free Your Presentation Style to help you connect to your audience.

Illiya Vjestica

Share this post:, leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Training and Development
• Beginner Guides

Blog Marketing

How To End A Presentation & Leave A Lasting Impression

By Krystle Wong , Aug 09, 2023

So you’ve got an exciting presentation ready to wow your audience and you’re left with the final brushstroke — how to end your presentation with a bang. 

Just as a captivating opening draws your audience in, creating a well-crafted presentation closing has the power to leave a profound and lasting impression that resonates long after the lights dim and the audience disperses.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the art of crafting an impactful conclusion that resonates with 10 effective techniques and ideas along with real-life examples to inspire your next presentation. Alternatively, you could always jump right into creating your slides by customizing our professionally designed presentation templates . They’re fully customizable and require no design experience at all! 

Click to jump ahead:

Why is it important to have an impactful ending for your presentation?

10 effective presentation closing techniques to leave a lasting impression, 7 things to put on a conclusion slide.

• 5 real-life exceptional examples of how to end a presentation

6 mistakes to avoid in concluding a presentation

Faqs on how to end a presentation, how to create a memorable presentation with venngage.

People tend to remember the beginning and end of a presentation more vividly than the middle, making the final moments your last chance to make a lasting impression. 

An ending that leaves a lasting impact doesn’t merely mark the end of a presentation; it opens doors to further exploration. A strong conclusion is vital because it:

• Leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
• Reinforces key points and takeaways.
• Motivates action and implementation of ideas.
• Creates an emotional connection with the audience.
• Fosters engagement, curiosity and reflection.

Just like the final scene of a movie, your presentation’s ending has the potential to linger in your audience’s minds long after they’ve left the room. From summarizing key points to engaging the audience in unexpected ways, make a lasting impression with these 10 ways to end a presentation:

1. The summary

Wrap up your entire presentation with a concise and impactful summary, recapping the key points and main takeaways. By doing so, you reinforce the essential aspects and ensure the audience leaves with a crystal-clear understanding of your core message.

2. The reverse story

Here’s a cool one: start with the end result and then surprise the audience with the journey that led you to where you are. Share the challenges you conquered and the lessons you learned, making it a memorable and unique conclusion that drives home your key takeaways.

Alternatively, customize one of our cool presentation templates to capture the attention of your audience and deliver your message in an engaging and memorable way

3. The metaphorical prop

For an added visual touch, bring a symbolic prop that represents your message. Explain its significance in relation to your content, leaving the audience with a tangible and unforgettable visual representation that reinforces your key concepts.

4. The audience engagement challenge

Get the audience involved by throwing them a challenge related to your informational presentation. Encourage active participation and promise to share the results later, fostering their involvement and motivating them to take action.

5. The memorable statistic showcase

Spice things up with a series of surprising or intriguing statistics, presented with attention-grabbing visual aids. Summarize your main points using these impactful stats to ensure the audience remembers and grasps the significance of your data, especially when delivering a business presentation or pitch deck presentation .

Transform your data-heavy presentations into engaging presentations using data visualization tools. Venngage’s chart and graph tools help you present information in a digestible and visually appealing manner. Infographics and diagrams can simplify complex concepts while images add a relatable dimension to your presentation. 

6. The interactive story creation

How about a collaborative story? Work with the audience to create an impromptu tale together. Let them contribute elements and build the story with you. Then, cleverly tie it back to your core message with a creative presentation conclusion.

7. The unexpected guest speaker

Introduce an unexpected guest who shares a unique perspective related to your presentation’s theme. If their story aligns with your message, it’ll surely amp up the audience’s interest and engagement.

8. The thought-provoking prompt

Leave your audience pondering with a thought-provoking question or prompt related to your topic. Encourage reflection and curiosity, sparking a desire to explore the subject further and dig deeper into your message.

9. The empowering call-to-action

Time to inspire action! Craft a powerful call to action that motivates the audience to make a difference. Provide practical steps and resources to support their involvement, empowering them to take part in something meaningful.

10. The heartfelt expression

End on a warm note by expressing genuine gratitude and appreciation for the audience’s time and attention. Acknowledge their presence and thank them sincerely, leaving a lasting impression of professionalism and warmth.

Not sure where to start? These 12 presentation software might come in handy for creating a good presentation that stands out. 

Remember, your closing slides for the presentation is your final opportunity to make a strong impact on your audience. However, the question remains — what exactly should be on the last slide of your presentation? Here are 7 conclusion slide examples to conclude with a high note:

1. Key takeaways

Highlight the main points or key takeaways from your presentation. This reinforces the essential information you want the audience to remember, ensuring they leave with a clear understanding of your message with a well summarized and simple presentation .

2. Closing statement

Craft a strong closing statement that summarizes the overall message of your presentation and leaves a positive final impression. This concluding remark should be impactful and memorable.

3. Call-to-action

Don’t forget to include a compelling call to action in your final message that motivates the audience to take specific steps after the presentation. Whether it’s signing up for a newsletter, trying a product or conducting further research, a clear call to action can encourage engagement.

4. Contact information

Provide your contact details, such as email address or social media handles. That way, the audience can easily reach out for further inquiries or discussions. Building connections with your audience enhances engagement and opens doors for future opportunities.

Use impactful visuals or graphics to deliver your presentation effectively and make the conclusion slide visually appealing. Engaging visuals can captivate the audience and help solidify your key points.

Visuals are powerful tools for retention. Use Venngage’s library of icons, images and charts to complement your text. You can easily upload and incorporate your own images or choose from Venngage’s library of stock photos to add depth and relevance to your visuals.

6. Next steps

Outline the recommended next steps for the audience to take after the presentation, guiding them on what actions to pursue. This can be a practical roadmap for implementing your ideas and recommendations.

7. Inspirational quote

To leave a lasting impression, consider including a powerful and relevant quote that resonates with the main message of your presentation. Thoughtful quotes can inspire and reinforce the significance of your key points.

Whether you’re giving an in-person or virtual presentation , a strong wrap-up can boost persuasiveness and ensure that your message resonates and motivates action effectively. Check out our gallery of professional presentation templates to get started.

5 real-life exceptional examples of how to end a presentation 

When we talk about crafting an exceptional closing for a presentation, I’m sure you’ll have a million questions — like how do you end a presentation, what do you say at the end of a presentation or even how to say thank you after a presentation. 

To get a better idea of how to end a presentation with style — let’s delve into five remarkable real-life examples that offer valuable insights into crafting a conclusion that truly seals the deal: 

1. Sheryl Sandberg 

In her TED Talk titled “Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders,” Sheryl Sandberg concluded with an impactful call to action, urging men and women to lean in and support gender equality in the workplace. This motivational ending inspired the audience to take action toward a more inclusive world.

2. Elon Musk

Elon Musk often concludes with his vision for the future and how his companies are working towards groundbreaking advancements. His passion and enthusiasm for pushing the boundaries of technology leave the audience inspired and eager to witness the future unfold.

3. Barack Obama

President Obama’s farewell address concluded with an emotional and heartfelt expression of gratitude to the American people. He thanked the audience for their support and encouraged them to stay engaged and uphold the values that define the nation.

4. Brené Brown 

In her TED Talk on vulnerability, Brené Brown ended with a powerful quote from Theodore Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” This quote reinforced her message about the importance of embracing vulnerability and taking risks in life.

5. Malala Yousafzai

In her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Malala Yousafzai ended with a moving call to action for education and girls’ rights. She inspired the audience to stand up against injustice and to work towards a world where every child has access to education.

For more innovative presentation ideas , turn ordinary slides into captivating experiences with these 15 interactive presentation ideas that will leave your audience begging for more.

So, we talked about how a good presentation usually ends. As you approach the conclusion of your presentation, let’s go through some of the common pitfalls you should avoid that will undermine the impact of your closing:

1. Abrupt endings

To deliver persuasive presentations, don’t leave your audience hanging with an abrupt conclusion. Instead, ensure a smooth transition by providing a clear closing statement or summarizing the key points to leave a lasting impression.

2. New information

You may be wondering — can I introduce new information or ideas in the closing? The answer is no. Resist the urge to introduce new data or facts in the conclusion and stick to reinforcing the main content presented earlier. By introducing new content at the end, you risk overshadowing your main message.

3. Ending with a Q&A session

While Q&A sessions are valuable, don’t conclude your presentation with them. Opt for a strong closing statement or call-to-action instead, leaving the audience with a clear takeaway.

4. Overloading your final slide

Avoid cluttering your final slide with too much information or excessive visuals. Keep it clean, concise and impactful to reinforce your key messages effectively.

5. Forgetting the call-to-action

Most presentations fail to include a compelling call-to-action which can diminish the overall impact of your presentation. To deliver a persuasive presentation, encourage your audience to take specific steps after the talk, driving engagement and follow-through.

6. Ignoring the audience

Make your conclusion audience-centric by connecting with their needs and interests. Avoid making it solely about yourself or your achievements. Instead, focus on how your message benefits the audience.

What should be the last slide of a presentation?

The last slide of a presentation should be a conclusion slide, summarizing key takeaways, delivering a strong closing statement and possibly including a call to action.

How do I begin a presentation?

Grabbing the audience’s attention at the very beginning with a compelling opening such as a relevant story, surprising statistic or thought-provoking question. You can even create a game presentation to boost interactivity with your audience. Check out this blog for more ideas on how to start a presentation . 

How can I ensure a smooth transition from the body of the presentation to the closing? 

To ensure a smooth transition, summarize key points from the body, use transition phrases like “In conclusion,” and revisit the main message introduced at the beginning. Bridge the content discussed to the themes of the closing and consider adjusting tone and pace to signal the transition.

How long should the conclusion of a presentation be?

The conclusion of a presentation should typically be around 5-10% of the total presentation time, keeping it concise and impactful.

Should you say thank you at the end of a presentation?

Yes, saying thank you at the end of a PowerPoint presentation is a courteous way to show appreciation for the audience’s time and attention.

Should I use presentation slides in the concluding part of my talk? 

Yes, using presentation slides in the concluding part of your talk can be effective. Use concise slides to summarize key takeaways, reinforce your main points and deliver a strong closing statement. A final presentation slide can enhance the impact of your conclusion and help the audience remember your message.

Should I include a Q&A session at the end of the presentation?

Avoid Q&A sessions in certain situations to ensure a well-structured and impactful conclusion. It helps prevent potential time constraints and disruptions to your carefully crafted ending, ensuring your core message remains the focus without the risk of unanswered or off-topic questions diluting the presentation’s impact.

Is it appropriate to use humor in the closing of a presentation?

Using humor in the closing of a presentation can be appropriate if it aligns with your content and audience as it can leave a positive and memorable impression. However, it’s essential to use humor carefully and avoid inappropriate or offensive jokes.

How do I manage nervousness during the closing of a presentation?

To manage nervousness during the closing, focus on your key points and the main message you want to convey. Take deep breaths to calm your nerves, maintain eye contact and remind yourself that you’re sharing valuable insights to enhance your presentation skills.

Creating a memorable presentation is a blend of engaging content and visually captivating design. With Venngage, you can transform your ideas into a dynamic and unforgettable presentation in just 5 easy steps: 

• Choose a template from Venngage’s library: Pick a visually appealing template that fits your presentation’s theme and audience, making it easy to get started with a professional look.
• Craft a compelling story or outline: Organize your content into a clear and coherent narrative or outline the key points to engage your audience and make the information easy to follow.
• Customize design and visuals: Tailor the template with your brand colors, fonts and captivating visuals like images and icons, enhancing your presentation’s visual appeal and uniqueness. You can also use an eye-catching presentation background to elevate your visual content. 
• Incorporate impactful quotes or inspiring elements: Include powerful quotes or elements that resonate with your message, evoking emotions and leaving a lasting impression on your audience members
• Utilize data visualization for clarity: Present data and statistics effectively with Venngage’s charts, graphs and infographics, simplifying complex information for better comprehension.

Additionally, Venngage’s real-time collaboration tools allow you to seamlessly collaborate with team members to elevate your presentation creation process to a whole new level. Use comments and annotations to provide feedback on each other’s work and refine ideas as a group, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded presentation.

Well, there you have it—the secrets of how to conclude a presentation. From summarizing your key message to delivering a compelling call to action, you’re now armed with a toolkit of techniques that’ll leave your audience in awe.

Now go ahead, wrap it up like a pro and leave that lasting impression that sets you apart as a presenter who knows how to captivate, inspire and truly make a mark.

How to End a Presentation The Right Way (+ 3 Downloadable Creative PowerPoint Conclusion Slides)

Ausbert Generoso

Ever been in a presentation that started strong but fizzled out at the end? It’s a common frustration. The conclusion is where your message either sticks or fades away.

But how often have you left a presentation wondering, “Was that it?” A lackluster ending can undermine the impact of an entire presentation. In the digital age, a strong conclusion isn’t just a courtesy; it’s your secret weapon to make your message unforgettable.

In this blog, we’re diving into the art of crafting a powerful ending, making sure your audience doesn’t just understand but gets inspired. Let’s explore the key on how to end a presentation in a way that lingers in your audience’s minds.

Table of Contents

Why having a good presentation conclusion matters.

Understanding why a conclusion is not merely a formality but a critical component is key to elevating your presentation game. Let’s delve into the pivotal reasons why a well-crafted conclusion matters:

🎉 Lasting Impression

The conclusion is the last note your audience hears, leaving a lasting impression. It shapes their overall perception and ensures they vividly remember your key points.

🔄 Message Reinforcement

Think of the conclusion as the reinforcement stage for your central message. It’s the last opportunity to drive home your main ideas, ensuring they are understood and internalized.

📝 Audience Takeaways

Summarizing key points in the conclusion acts as a guide, ensuring your audience remembers the essential elements of your presentation.

💬 Connection and Engagement

A well-crafted conclusion fosters engagement, connecting with your audience on a deeper level through thought-provoking questions, compelling quotes, or visual recaps.

🚀 Motivation for Action

If your presentation includes a call to action, the conclusion plants the seeds for motivation, encouraging your audience to become active participants.

🌟 Professionalism and Polishing

A strong conclusion adds professionalism, showcasing attention to detail and a commitment to delivering a comprehensive and impactful message.

6 Unique Techniques and Components to a Strong Conclusion

As we navigate the art of how to end a presentation, it becomes evident that a powerful and memorable conclusion is not merely the culmination of your words—it’s an experience carefully crafted to resonate with your audience. In this section, we explore key components that transcend the ordinary, turning your conclusion into a compelling finale that lingers in the minds of your listeners.

1. Visual Storytelling through Imagery

What it is:  In the digital age, visuals carry immense power. Utilize compelling imagery in your conclusion to create a visual story that reinforces your main points. Whether it’s a metaphorical image, a powerful photograph, or an infographic summarizing key ideas, visuals can enhance the emotional impact of your conclusion.

How to do it:  Select images that align with your presentation theme and evoke the desired emotions. Integrate these visuals into your conclusion, allowing them to speak volumes. Ensure consistency in style and tone with the rest of your presentation, creating a seamless visual narrative that resonates with your audience.

2. Interactive Audience Participation

What it is:  Transform your conclusion into an interactive experience by engaging your audience directly. Pose a thought-provoking question or conduct a quick poll related to your presentation theme. This fosters active participation, making your conclusion more memorable and involving your audience on a deeper level.

How to do it:  Craft a question that encourages reflection and discussion. Use audience response tools, if available, to collect real-time feedback. Alternatively, encourage a show of hands or open the floor for brief comments. This direct engagement not only reinforces your message but also creates a dynamic and memorable conclusion.

3. Musical Closure for Emotional Impact

What it is:  Consider incorporating music into your conclusion to evoke emotions and enhance the overall impact. A carefully selected piece of music can complement your message, creating a powerful and memorable ending that resonates with your audience on a sensory level.

How to do it:  Choose a piece of music that aligns with the tone and message of your presentation. Introduce the music at the right moment in your conclusion, allowing it to play during the final thoughts. Ensure that the volume is appropriate and that the music enhances, rather than distracts from, your message.

4. Intentional and Deliberate Silence

What it is:  Sometimes, the most impactful way to conclude a presentation is through intentional silence. A brief pause after delivering your final words allows your audience to absorb and reflect on your message. This minimalist approach can create a sense of gravity and emphasis.

How to do it:  Plan a deliberate pause after your last sentence or key point. Use this moment to make eye contact with your audience, allowing your message to sink in. The strategic use of silence can be particularly effective when followed by a strong closing statement or visual element.

5. Narrative Bookending

What it is:  Create a sense of completeness by bookending your presentation. Reference a story, quote, or anecdote from the introduction, bringing your presentation full circle. This technique provides a satisfying narrative structure and reinforces your core message.

How to do it:  Identify a story or element from your introduction that aligns with your conclusion. Reintroduce it with a fresh perspective, revealing its relevance to the journey you’ve taken your audience on. This technique not only creates coherence but also leaves a lasting impression.

6. Incorporating Humor for Memorable Impact

What it is:  Humor can be a powerful tool in leaving a positive and memorable impression. Consider injecting a well-timed joke, light-hearted anecdote, or amusing visual element into your conclusion. Humor can create a sense of camaraderie and connection with your audience.

How to do it:  Choose humor that aligns with your audience’s sensibilities and the overall tone of your presentation. Ensure it enhances, rather than detracts from, your message. A genuine and well-placed moment of humor can humanize your presentation and make your conclusion more relatable.

[Bonus] Creative Ways on How to End a Presentation Like a Pro

1. minimalist conclusion table design.

One of the many ways to (aesthetically) end your PowerPoint presentation is by having a straightforward and neat-looking table to sum up all the important points you want your audience to reflect on. Putting closing information in one slide can get heavy, especially if there’s too much text included – as to why it’s important to go minimal on the visual side whenever you want to present a group of text.

Here’s how you can easily do it:

• Insert a table. Depending on the number of points you want to reinforce, feel free to customize the number of rows & columns you might need. Then, proceed to fill the table with your content.
• Clear the fill for the first column of the table by selecting the entire column. Then, go to the Table Design tab on your PowerPoint ribbon, click on the Shading drop down, and select No Fill.
• Color the rest of the columns as preferred. Ideally, the heading column must be in a darker shade compared to the cells below.
• Insert circles at the top left of each heading column. Each circle should be colored the same as the heading. Then, put a weighted outline and make it white, or the same color as the background.
• Finally, put icons on top each circle that represent the columns. You may find free stock PowerPoint icons by going to Insert, then Icons.

2. Animated Closing Text

Ever considered closing a presentation with what seems to be a blank slide which will then be slowly filled with text in a rather captivating animation? Well, that’s sounds specific, yes! But, it’s time for you take this hack as your next go-to in ending your presentations!

Here’s how simple it is to do it:

• Go to Pixabay , and set your search for only videos. In this example, I searched for the keyword, ‘yellow ink’.
• Insert the downloaded video onto a blank PowerPoint slide. Then, go to the Playback tab on the PowerPoint ribbon. Set the video to start automatically, and tick the box for ‘Loop until stopped’. Then, cover it whole with a shape.
• Place your closing text on top of the shape. It could be a quote, an excerpt, or just a message that you want to end your PowerPoint presentation with.
• Select the shape, hold Shift, and select the text next. Then, go to Merge Shapes, and select Subtract.
• Color the shape white with no outline. And, you’re done!

3. Animated 3D Models

What quicker way is there than using PowerPoint’s built-in 3D models? And did you know they have an entire collection of animated 3D models to save you time in setting up countless animations? Use it as part of your presentation conclusion and keep your audience’ eyes hooked onto the screens.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Design a closing slide. In this example, I’m using a simple “Thank You” slide.
• Go to Insert, then click on the 3D Models dropdown, and select Stock 3D Models. Here, you can browse thru the ‘All Animated Models’ pack and find the right model for you
• Once your chosen model has been inserted, go to the Animations tab.
• In this example, I’m setting a Swing animation. Then, set the model to start with previous.
• For a final touch, go to Animation Pane. From the side panel, click on the Effect Options dropdown and tick the check box for Auto-reverse. Another would be the Timing dropdown, then select Until End of Slide down the Repeat dropdown.

Get a hold of these 3 bonus conclusion slides for free!

Expert Tips on How to End a Presentation With Impact

🔍  Clarity and Conciseness

Tip:  Keep your conclusion clear and concise. Avoid introducing new information, and instead, focus on summarizing key points and reinforcing your main message. A concise conclusion ensures that your audience retains the essential takeaways without feeling overwhelmed.

⏩  Maintain a Strong Pace

Tip:  Control the pacing of your conclusion. Maintain a steady rhythm to sustain audience engagement. Avoid rushing through key points or lingering too long on any single aspect. A well-paced conclusion keeps your audience focused and attentive until the very end.

🚀  Emphasize Key Takeaways

Tip:  Clearly highlight the most critical takeaways from your presentation. Reinforce these key points in your conclusion to emphasize their significance. This ensures that your audience leaves with a firm grasp of the essential messages you aimed to convey.

🔄  Align with Your Introduction

Tip:  Create a sense of cohesion by aligning your conclusion with elements introduced in the beginning. Reference a story, quote, or theme from your introduction, providing a satisfying narrative arc. This connection enhances the overall impact and resonance of your presentation.

🎭  Practice, but Embrace Flexibility

Tip:  Practice your conclusion to ensure a confident delivery. However, be prepared to adapt based on audience reactions or unexpected changes. Embrace flexibility to address any unforeseen circumstances while maintaining the overall integrity of your conclusion.

📢  End with a Strong Call to Action (if applicable)

Tip:  If your presentation includes a call to action, conclude with a compelling and actionable statement. Clearly communicate what you want your audience to do next and why. A strong call to action motivates your audience to take the desired steps.

🙏  Express Gratitude and Closure

Tip:  Express gratitude to your audience for their time and attention. Provide a sense of closure by summarizing the journey you’ve taken together. A gracious and thoughtful conclusion leaves a positive final impression.

Final Thoughts

In wrapping up your presentation, the conclusion serves as the final touch, leaving a strong and lasting impression. Think of it as the last puzzle piece that completes the picture. Ensure your conclusion goes beyond a simple summary, using visuals and engagement to make it memorable. Express gratitude sincerely as you bring your talk to an end, acknowledging the shared experience and setting the stage for what follows.

In these closing moments, aim for more than just a conclusion; create a connection that lingers in the minds of your audience.

About Ausbert Generoso

Try classpoint for free.

All-in-one teaching and student engagement in PowerPoint.

Supercharge your PowerPoint. Start today.

500,000+ people like you use ClassPoint to boost student engagement in PowerPoint presentations.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game New
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• Presentations

Best Ways to Conclude a Presentation

Last Updated: October 4, 2023 Fact Checked

Strategies for Wrapping up a Presentation

Other best practice presentation tips, public speaking advice, how should you end a presentation.

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz and by wikiHow staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A. . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 5,352 times.

You’ve just spent the last hour or so preparing a super thorough and detailed presentation. Now it’s time to add the finishing touches and come up with an attention-grabbing and memorable closer. What strategies can you use to make sure that people really remember what you've said? Keep reading to learn all the most effective methods you can use to conclude your presentation in a way that’ll really stick with your audience. We'll cover different strategies you can mix and match to end your presentation with a bang, then follow up with public speaking tips. Let's dive in!

Things You Should Know

• Bring your presentation to a close by first giving a clear indication that you’ll be wrapping up, followed by a short summary of your main ideas.
• Grab your audience’s attention with a strong call to action and an explanation of what good things will happen when they listen to your message.
• Make your presentation memorable by embellishing it with a powerful quote, a story, or a surprising statistic or fact.
• Get your audience involved by running a poll or survey at the end of your presentation.

• “In conclusion…”
• “In summary…”
• “As I conclude my presentation, let me ask you a question.”
• “This brings me to the end of my presentation today.”
• “In respect of time, allow me to wrap up my last comments.”

• “That brings me to the conclusion of my presentation. If you’re to take anything away from my presentation today, let it be the three Cs of credit that we talked about: character, capacity, and capital.”
• "Above all else, remember the acronym RAM: redesign, application, and management."

• “When you volunteer for this program, you will build your skills and gain valuable experiences.”
• “You will participate in the increased profitability of our company by joining this new program.”
• “Make this company a more inclusive and healthy place to work by taking just a few minutes out of your day to do these small actions.”

• “As the Greek historian Plutarch once said, ‘The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.’ Let’s kindle the fire within our minds and make the changes we want to see.”
• “I’ll leave you today with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt: ‘Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.’”
• “Work hard to inspire not only those around you, but yourself as well.”

• Pair this statistic or fact with a memorable visual, such as an illustrated graph, a video, or a picture. The more visual your presentation is, the more memorable it will be to your audience.

• Another way to go about telling a story is to start it in your presentation’s intro and end it during the conclusion. Your audience will be curious to know how the story ends.

• “What do you think the word ‘success’ means?”
• “How can we make an impact every day through the work we do?”
• “Why do you think people are so afraid of change and questioning the way things have always been done?”
• Asking a question at the beginning of your presentation and answering it during the conclusion is another strategy to consider. Just be sure that you don’t forget to answer this question and accidentally leave your audience hanging.

• “What’s your usual mood during the workday?”
• “Have you ever presented your supervisor with a new idea or suggestion?”
• “Do you see yourself participating in this new program?”

• What they liked and disliked about the presentation
• What improvements could be made
• One memorable thing they took away from your presentation

• Before your presentation, go and talk with some of the audience members. This will give them a chance to warm up to you and can help you feel more relaxed once you get up and start presenting.

• Using hand gestures also shows the audience that you’re in control of the space around you, and makes you appear much more confident and at ease.

Expert Q&A

• Keep in mind that your presentation gives you the chance to be a messenger. Give your audience something meaningful to walk with at the end of your speech. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/worst-ways-to-end-a-presentation-2014-7
• ↑ https://www.washington.edu/doit/presentation-tips-0
• ↑ https://www.wilmu.edu/edtech/documents/the-science-of-effective-presenations---prezi-vs-powerpoint.pdf
• ↑ https://www.mentimeter.com/blog/awesome-presentations/ways-to-end-a-presentation-and-tools
• ↑ https://www.niu.edu/presentations/organize/index.shtml
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/11/02/15-methods-of-every-effective-public-speaker/?sh=3a911bdd3047
• ↑ https://youtu.be/VRJzvJ5XPQI?t=11

About This Article

• Send fan mail to authors

Did this article help you?

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

Get all the best how-tos!

Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter

Like what you're reading?

How to end a presentation in 10 memorable ways

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Michael Lee August 28, 2019

You’ve just delivered a captivating presentation that had people hanging on your every word. Now you need to wrap it up and leave a lasting impression. After all, studies show people have an easier time recalling information presented at the beginning and end. So, you might be asking yourself: “How can I end my presentation in a memorable way?”

It’s common to field questions at the end, but this can make your presentation less memorable and derail your message. If you’re wondering how to end a presentation in a way that will engage your audience, try one of the 10 examples below.

Also, take notes on additional tips and tricks that can help you end your presentation with confidence and style.

1. Tell a compelling story

Offering a compelling story is a powerful way to end your presentation, especially if it’s a personal one. Personal stories help create empathy with the audience, which makes it easier to get your key message across. Also, it is a creative way to summarize your main points and make sure that your message has a personal feel to it.  As an example, health and wellness presenters will often wrap up presentations with a story about a personal health scare and how a change in their lifestyle helped them live a better life.

Try using Prezi — and in particular, the animations — to create a presentation that promotes storytelling and keeps your audience interested. By zooming in and out at specific points, you can visualize your story as you tell it, which will help people remember your presentation. Check out our previous Prezi Awards winners for great examples of visual storytelling in action.

2. Add a call to action

It’s not enough to assume your presentation will make people want to do something. Instead, you should be clear by including a call to action (CTA) at the end of your speech. Keep in mind that the CTA needs to be easily achievable and also relevant to your content. If people need to jump through hoops to do the action, then nobody will bother. Similarly, if you spent the entire time sharing a deeply personal story, then it wouldn’t be appropriate to ask people to buy your product. 

Some examples of captivating CTAs:

“Start your journey towards X today!” 

“Make a change with X!”

“Create a better tomorrow for yourself with X!”

“Sign up now & get exclusive insights!”

When crafting your CTA, think about what is the next step you want your audience to take and why they would want to take it. This way, you can tie an actionable step with compelling reasoning.

3. Drop a surprising fact

You’ve followed the science behind good public speaking and have been able to maintain eye contact with your audience during your presentation. Now consider finishing your presentation with a surprising fact. Facts with statistical numbers work well to engage your audience, and you’ll likely find a variety of facts related to your presentation topic if you search online.

By finishing your presentation off with a shocking number or fact, people will be more likely to remember your presentation. Also, if you incorporate a fact that can create some sort of emotion, whether positive or shocking or else, your presentation will become even more memorable. However, be aware to share something that creates an emotion you want your audience to be feeling. 

Tip: Be careful not to dump a bunch of numbers on the screen. Use the power of visuals to convey complex information in an impactful way. 

4. Share a quote

Using an interesting and relevant quote is a great way to end your presentation. However, to make sure the quote stays with your audience long after they leave the room, choose one they don’t hear all the time. You can ensure your quote is fresh by looking for one from a modern leader or personality rather than one from a historical figure.

Just make sure your quote goes with the theme of your presentation. Additionally, if you can tie the quote back to a personal story, you’ll leave your audience with a better grasp of the key points of your presentation.

Examples of powerful quotes you can leave your audience with:

“Don’t worry about failure. You only have to be right once.” – Drew Houston, co-founder, and CEO of Dropbox

 “Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility.” – Michelle Obama, the former first lady of the United States

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou, writer

5. Use the rule of three

The rule of three is a simple and powerful way of communicating. The idea behind the rule of three is that it’s easier for the audience to remember concepts, ideas, and beliefs when they’re presented in patterns of three. You can find the rule of three almost everywhere you look.

As a real-life example of ending a presentation with the rule of three, Dianna Cohen, co-founder of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, wraps up her speeches on plastic pollution by stating, “We can save our oceans, save our planet, and save ourselves.”

6. Refer back to your opening statement

If you’re wondering how to end a presentation that’s long or includes complicated information, try referencing your opening statement. This is also a good way to signal to your audience that things are coming to a close. By coming back to the opening statement, your audience will have a better understanding of how the different arguments all tie in together, to sum up, the message you are trying to deliver. 

To make it more interesting, you can also try injecting some humor or adding some extra insight to your message. However, don’t just mention your opening statement but also show how your opening statement and the points you raised are linked to the closing argument.

7. Ask a rhetorical question

Just because you don’t want to end your presentation slide with the audience’s questions doesn’t mean you can’t finish your speech with any questions at all. Consider wrapping things up by asking your audience a rhetorical question. The key thing is to make sure the question is a strong one, as you want your audience to think about the question after they leave. 

At the end of your presentation, you can simply add, “is x the right answer to the question? That’s for you to answer.”

With a rhetorical question, your audience will leave your presentation thinking about their answer. Consequently, your presentation will stay in their minds a little bit longer and the question can even serve as a discussion starter later on. It’s a great way to make your presentation more memorable.  

8. Sum it up with a short, memorable statement

Sometimes the best way to end your presentation is with one statement that pulls everything together. To make sure the main points from your presentation stay with your audience, consider how you can condense everything into a short and memorable statement that will stick with people once they leave the room.

Ensure that your statement is relevant and concise. For instance, you can end your presentation by saying, “If you were to remember one thing after this presentation, it’s this … “ Or, “Let’s always … no matter how difficult/great/tragic/amazing it is.”

9. Close with a powerful visual

Sometimes, visuals can say much more than words. If you want to end your presentation with a powerful note, show an image, drawing, short video clip, or another type of visual that ties in with your message. 

Visuals can help your audience retain information. In fact, 90% of the information received by our brains is in visual form. That is why, in some cases, visuals can leave a greater impact than a written or spoken word. 

For instance, if your presentation is about a charity project, you can end your speech by showing a picture of the team that was involved. Also, if you want to create captivating visuals, make sure to check out Prezi Design where you can easily create compelling infographics and reports, and find a wide selection of images, stickers, and GIFs.

10. Thank your audience

A short and sweet way how to end your presentation speech is with acknowledgments and giving thanks. By thanking your audience for listening and paying attention, you will make clear that this is the end of your presentation and that you appreciate their input in whatever way they contributed. You can also acknowledge your team or another person if they have helped you with your presentation or in other ways that tie in with your message. 

Tip: Don’t just simply say “thank you” but truly express your gratitude in your own words. 

No matter how you end a presentation speech, the end goal is to have your audience remember your message. Use Prezi’s visual presentation format to your advantage, and emphasize the importance of your message when you choose how to end a presentation.

Give your team the tools they need to engage

Like what you’re reading join the mailing list..

• Prezi for Teams
• Top Presentations

Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Claim Your FREE Training Module and Get Your Time Back!

How to End a Presentation with Punch (17 Techniques)

• PowerPoint Tutorials
• Presentation Design
• March 5, 2019

In this post you’ll learn 17 different ways for how to end a presentation that you can test out.

Why worry about the ending?

Because how you end your presentation is just as important as how you start your presentation ( details here ).

If you start strong but flounder at the end of your presentation, what feeling are people going to be walking away with?

Not a good one, that’s for sure! That’s why the ending your presentation is so important.

1. Call to action

2. Skip the Q&A at the end your presentation

3. End your presentation with a rhetorical Question

4. Conclude your speech with a story

As you can learn in our post on the best ways to start a presentation ( details here ), emotional listeners retain more information. An emotional story, whether it’s funny, sad, or thought-provoking, is a sure fire way to engage your audience.

If you can, try to tie the beginning and end together with your stories, like Heather Lanier does here:

5. The power of 3 for your conclusion

6. Come full circle at the end of your presentation

• Pose a question which you answer at the end
• Tell a story and either refer to it or finish it at the end
• Repeat the first slide, this work especially well with powerful images or quotes

7. Demonstrate your product

8. End with an either / or scenario

9. End your presentation on a high note

10. A sound bite

11. End with a provocative question

12. Use the title close technique

13. A quick presentation recap

14. End with a powerful quote

15. End with a strong visual image

16. Close with a clear cut ending

17. End your presentation on time

What’s Next?

Related articles, about the author.

Popular Tutorials

• How to Strikethrough Text (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) in Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• How to Make Animated Fireworks in PowerPoint (Step-by-Step)
• Strikethrough Shortcut (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) for Word, Excel & PowerPoint
• How to Create a Flash Card Memory Game in PowerPoint (Like Jeopardy)
• Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working: Solved

PowerPoint Tutorial Categories

• Strategies & Opinions
• Shortcuts & Hacks
• Pictures, Icons, Videos, Etc.
• New Features
• Miscellaneous
• Charts & Data Viz

We help busy professionals save hours and gain peace of mind, with corporate workshops, self-paced courses and tutorials for PowerPoint and Word.

Work With Us

• Corporate Training
• Presentation & Template Design
• Courses & Downloads
• PowerPoint Articles
• Word Articles
• Productivity Resources

Find a Tutorial

• Free Training
• For Businesses

We help busy office workers save hours and gain peace of mind, with tips, training and tutorials for Microsoft PowerPoint and Word.

Master Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Secure Your FREE Training Module and Save Valuable Time!

⌛ Master time-saving expert techniques.

🔥 Create powerful presentations.

🚀 Propel your career to new heights.

We value your privacy – we keep your info safe.

Discover PowerPoint Hacks Loved by Industry Giants - KKR, AmEx, HSBC!

Over 114,880 professionals in finance, marketing and sales have revolutionized their PPT skills with our proven methods. 

Gain FREE access to a full module of our premium PowerPoint training program – Get started today!

We hate spam too and promise to keep your information safe.

SpeakUp resources

How to end a presentation in english: methods and examples.

• By Matthew Jones

Naturally, the way you end a presentation will depend on the setting and subject matter. Are you pitching an idea to your boss? Are you participating in a group presentation at school? Or are you presenting a business idea to potential investors? No matter the context, you’ll want to have a stellar ending that satisfies your audience and reinforces your goals.

So, do you want to learn how to end a presentation with style? Wondering how to end an informative speech? Or do you want to know how to conclude a Powerpoint presentation with impact? We’re here to help you learn how to end a presentation and make a great impression!

How to End a Presentation: 3 Effective Methods

Every presentation needs a great beginning, middle, and end. In this guide, we will focus on crafting the perfect conclusion. However, if you’d like to make sure that your presentation sounds good from start to finish, you should also check out our guide on starting a presentation in English .

Though there are many ways to end a presentation, the most effective strategies focus on making a lasting impression on your audience and reinforcing your goals. So, let’s take a look at three effective ways to end a presentation:

1. Summarize the Key Takeaways

Most presenters either make an argument (i.e. they want to convince their audience to adopt their view) or present new or interesting information (i.e. they want to educate their audience). In either case, the presentation will likely consist of important facts and figures. The conclusion gives you the opportunity to reiterate the most important information to your audience.

This doesn’t mean that you should simply restate everything from your presentation a second time. Instead, you should identify the most important parts of your presentation and briefly summarize them.

This is similar to what you might find in the last paragraph of an academic essay. For example, if you’re presenting a business proposal to potential investors, you might conclude with a summary of your business and the reasons why your audience should invest in your idea.

2. End with a CTA (Call-To-Action)

Ending with a Call-To-Action is one of the best ways to increase audience engagement (participation) with your presentation. A CTA is simply a request or invitation to perform a specific action. This technique is frequently used in sales or marketing presentations, though it can be used in many different situations.

For example, let’s say that you’re giving an informational presentation about the importance of hygiene in the workplace. Since your goal is to educate your audience, you may think that there’s no place for a CTA.

On the contrary, informational presentations are perfect for CTA’s. Rather than simply ending your presentation, you can direct your audience to seek out more information on the subject from authorities. In this case, you might encourage listeners to learn more from an authoritative medical organization, like the World Health Organization (WHO).

3. Use a Relevant Quote

It may sound cliche, but using quotes in your closing speech is both memorable and effective. However, not just any quote will do. You should always make sure that your quote is relevant to the topic. If you’re making an argument, you might want to include a quote that either directly or indirectly reinforces your main point.

Let’s say that you’re conducting a presentation about your company’s mission statement. You might present the information with a Powerpoint presentation, in which case your last slide could include an inspirational quote. The quote can either refer to the mission statement or somehow reinforce the ideas covered in the presentation.

Formatting Your Conclusion

While these 3 strategies should give you some inspiration, they won’t help you format your conclusion. You might know that you want to end your presentation with a Call-To-Action, but how should you “start” your conclusion? How long should you make your conclusion? Finally, what are some good phrases to use for ending a presentation?<br>

Examples of a Good Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that we can increase our annual revenue this year. We can do this with a combination of increased efficiency in our production process and a more dynamic approach to lead generation. If we implement these changes, I estimate that annual revenue will increase by as much as 15%.

The example above shows a good conclusion for a business presentation. However, some people believe that the term in conclusion is overused. Here’s how to end a presentation using transition words similar to in conclusion .

Transition words help your audience know that your presentation is ending. Try starting your conclusion with one of these phrases:

• To summarize

However, transition words aren’t always necessary. Here are a few good ways to end a presentation using a different approach.

• Summarize Key Takeaways : There are two things that I’d like you to remember from today’s presentation. First, we are a company that consults startups for a fraction of the cost of other consultation services. And second, we have a perfect record of successfully growing startups in a wide variety of industries. If anything was unclear, I’d be happy to open the floor to questions.
• Make a Call-To-Action : I am very passionate about climate change. The future of the planet rests on our shoulders and we are quickly running out of time to take action. That said, I do believe that we can effect real change for future generations. I challenge you to take up the fight for our children and our children’s children.
• Use a Relevant Quote: I’d like to end my presentation with one of my favorite quotes: “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

As you can see, your conclusion does not need to be very long. In fact, a conclusion should be short and to the point. This way, you can effectively end your presentation without rambling or adding extraneous (irrelevant) information.

How to End a Presentation in English with Common Phrases

Finally, there are a few generic phrases that people frequently use to wrap up presentations. While we encourage you to think about how to end a presentation using a unique final statement, there’s nothing wrong with using these common closing phrases:

• Thank you for your time.
• I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today.
• I’ll now answer any questions you have about (topic).
• If you need any further information, feel free to contact me at (contact information).

We hope this guide helps you better understand how to end a presentation ! If you’d like to find out more about how to end a presentation in English effectively, visit Magoosh Speaking today!

Matthew Jones

Free practice (Facebook group)

Phone: +1 (510) 560-7571

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Company Home

13 Powerful Ways How to End a Presentation

• Filed under: Featured articles , Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speaking tips , Speech delivery

In my experience, a lot of my public speaking students give much more attention to how they start their speech rather than how to end it. Many of them don’t realize that how you end a speech is of paramount importance, too. After all, the last things your audience hears from you may make the biggest lasting impression.

What are some powerful ways how to end a presentation? There are some proven techniques for ending a presentation, like giving your audience a call to action or using the rule of three. You may also use some lesser-known ways like giving visual imagery or asking them a question.

Now, let’s jump right in!

Table of Contents

How to End Your Presentation in a Powerful Way?

Today, I am going to show you 13 proven tips that I have found highly effective for ending your speech in a powerful way. And when I am done, you will be able to confidently give an ending to any presentation.

#1 Give Your Audience a “Call to Action”

A call to action is not only one of the most common ways to end a speech , but it is certainly one of the most powerful. The type of call to action you will give your listeners is based upon the tone and subject of your presentation.

The first step to planning this type of ending is to know what kind of action you want your audience to take. Then, find a way to tell them to take that action. Don’t just assume people will figure that out on their own; it’s okay to tell them, too.

Are you giving a marketing talk with the intention of selling a product or service to your audience members? Maybe your call to action is to encourage them to become a customer of yours.

Or maybe you are promoting a lifestyle of volunteering and helping others. Your call to action could be telling your audience how they should get involved with charity at a local level. Do you see where I’m going with this?

One common way of doing this is to give your audience two possible actions they could take, and the outcomes of each. First, you should give them a negative action.

This is the thing you don’t want them to do. Elaborate what might happen if they take this action. Then, tell them the action you want them to take, and what positive outcome they may have. Here is an example:

“Let’s say that you decide not to invest in a retirement account today. What will your future look like after age 65? How will you know you will have enough to live on without a retirement account? You could end up still working into your 70’s without the ability to fully retire.

Or, you could invest in your future today. And when it is time for you to retire, you will be able to enjoy those years without worrying about how you will make ends meet. If this is the future you want for yourself and your family, stop by one of our local branches today to talk about opening a retirement account.”

Can you see where we are giving the negative action choice and the positive action choice in the example above? Remember, the positive action choice is the action that you want your audience to take.

#2 End With a Quote

Do you know of a good quote by a trusted source that would help drive your point home? Or do you have a self-written quote you wish to share? Your presentation ending may be a good time to use a relevant quote.

People love quotes , and they provide a satisfying ending. But make sure that your quote is appropriate for the tone and message of your speech .

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

If you give a quote about an unrelated matter, you are no longer delivering a powerful ending. Instead, you may just end up baffling your audience.

If you plan on writing a quote, devote a lot of your speech-planning time to coming up with just the right one. Or maybe you want to give a quote that you have already used on social media, in a book, in a previous presentation, or somewhere else. That is fine, as long as it is relevant.

#3 Give a Quick Summary of Your Message

This is one of the more common methods that I see recommended to the beginners when it comes to ending a speech.

What is the message of your speech? Once you can effectively answer that question, write a brief summary ending that is based on that message.

After all, this is the thing you want your audience to remember most about your presentation. Ending with it will help drill the message into their minds. Don’t leave them walking away, confused about the purpose of your talk.

One easy way you can do this is by setting up a question at the beginning of your talk, and then answering it at the very end. This has the added benefit of keeping your audience hooked throughout your presentation , waiting for you to deliver that answer!

#4 Offer a Visual Image

Visual imagery is incredibly powerful to the human mind. That is why it might be a good idea to show an image to your audience that relates to your point when you are giving your closing.

While this may be easier if you are giving a PowerPoint slideshow during your talk , there are certainly other ways to incorporate this method.

Ask yourself what kind of image relates to the purpose of your talk, and might also be a good thing for your audience to see before they walk out the door? What will help solidify your message in their memories?

#5 Don’t End With a Question and Answer Session

Many good presentations include a question and answer session at some point to allow the audience to ask questions and get answers from the speaker.

And while many speakers usually have a question and answer period after making their main points, they will open up the floor. However, you should not make this the last thing you do during a presentation.

A lot of speakers don’t realize that this sort of ending is not powerful, nor is it memorable . It makes you go off track, and after all those questions?

Well, your audience may lose sight of the purpose of your speech . A negative question from an audience member can also leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth if it is the last thing they hear before they exit.

Don’t get me wrong, it is always a good idea to open the floor up to answer questions from your audience. But after that is done, end the question and answer period to give a proper ending. This will make a much greater, and more positive, impact.

#6 Ever Heard of the “Rule of Three”?

If you’ve attended a lot of public speaking events, chances are that you have heard someone use the rule of three before. But what exactly does this term refer to? There is a whole school of thought that says that our words are more powerful when we present information in sets of threes.

Look up famous quotes , and notice most of them present information in sets of threes. For example, you can say something like, “ Retirement accounts can provide three things for your future: financial stability, peace of mind, and something to fall back on during hard times”.

Three-word slogans or using the same memorable word three times can also both work. You can tailor the rule of three ideology to fit your own specific needs, but the principle remains the same.

#7 Ending With a Story

This tactic may take some extra planning, but it creates a very relatable experience for your listeners. After all, sharing a story with your audience gives a personal touch that lets them feel closer to you when you are speaking.

And if you have read any of my other articles , you know I’m a big fan of storytelling.

When you end with a story, try to make it brief. You don’t want to start something that is going to be long and drawn-out when you are trying to bring everything to a close.

In order to make this method really compelling, be sure to choose a story that is both personal and emotionally compelling. This creates a more powerful impact on your audience.

If you’re looking to take this a step further, I can offer you a more advanced tip. Start your story at the beginning of your presentation, and promise your audience you will get back to it later.

Then, end your speech with the rest of that same story. This will keep them hooked throughout your speech, waiting for you to finish that story!

#8 Have a Unique Tagline? Use it

Not all speakers have a personal tagline associated with them. But if you do have one, you should probably consider using it during your closing.

And what do I mean by a unique tagline? Well, do you have a catchphrase for you or your brand ? Have you coined a well-known saying in the business world or on social media?

If there is a tagline that you consistently use, you should consider using it as an ending for your speech. This helps to both reinforce your message in the short term, and build your brand in the long term.

In between the times that you give public speeches , I recommend that you constantly use this unique tagline as much as you can on social media and in other outlets.

#9 Go Back to the Beginning

Many students are baffled when I tell them to end their presentation by going back to the beginning . But when you think about it, this is a practice that really works.

Did you use a specific hook during your opening? Use that during your closing. Did you open with a quote or interesting fact? Restate it. Do you need to wrap up something that you started at the beginning? Wrap it up.

This can also work in reverse, as a lot of speakers use the content of their ending to decide what their beginning will be. This is why proper planning can help make a speech perfect.

#10 Ask Your Audience a Compelling Question

Many speeches are actually ended with the speaker asking the audience a compelling question that is relevant to the main topic. Because when you ask a question, people are automatically c ompelled to think about the topic in order to give a worthwhile answer.

Plan out a solid question related to your topic that will make your audience members think more in-depth about it.

For example, asking your audience what they think life will be like after retirement without a retirement account will certainly get people thinking about retirement funds.

#11 Don’t be Afraid to Use Humor

Maybe you would rather use a joke instead of a story or quote to end your presentation. Depending on your personality and the tone of your talk, this may actually be the most appropriate approach.

Examples of this include if you are known for your humorous personality, or if your talk is playful and friendly instead of professional and serious.

Humor is a good way to show your audience that you are trying to relate to them on a personal and authentic level. It is also a good feeling when everyone is walking away smiling and laughing. After all, laughter releases feel-good chemicals in the brain!

It almost goes without saying that you should not choose a joke that is sexually inappropriate, or culturally offensive to anyone. While these may seem funny to some of us in our personal lives, you should never use an offensive joke during a presentation.

#12 Plan Your Ending in Advance

If you know me, then you know I am a big fan of planning ahead. Rehearsing, planning and speech-writing can be incredibly effective tools for making sure your presentation is ultimately successful.

And if your speech is not an on-the-spot kind of thing, it should be easy for you to take time to plan the entire thing. This includes giving careful attention to the ending.

You could even take out a piece of paper with a pen, and write a list of possible endings to use . From there, you can make a proper decision. Once you have chosen, start fleshing out your ending plan with more details.

#13 No Matter What, Offer a Clear Sign You’ve Ended

You don’t want your audience still sitting in their chairs long after you’ve finished, uncertain of whether you are done or not.

I am surprised by the number of students I have taught who will walk off stage before making a clear ending. If you want to keep your audience coming back to see future presentations of yours, you have to give a clear and satisfying ending.

This can be tricky to master, but I promise you that it is worth it. Don’t fidget with things, shuffle your note cards, move about awkwardly, or randomly leave the stage.

Give your audience a verbal cue to indicate that you are finished, without sounding generic or cliche. Then, take a strong, confident stance.

And here’s an extra tip…

I want my readers to feel like they are getting all the information they need when they come to my blog. And that is why I am going to give you an extra tip in addition to the 13 that I have given you above.

Picture yourself as part of the audience instead of the speaker. You have just spent the better part of an afternoon of your life listening to a speaker giving a presentation on stage in front of you.

Throughout their presentation, you have listened intently, you took notes, and you applauded at the appropriate times. You even raised your hand and asked that burning question that was in the back of your mind all throughout the first part of the speech.

But before the speaker walks off stage, they take a brief moment to thank the audience members for coming out, listening, asking questions, and staying until the very end.

Whether you realize it or not, this speaker has just made a connection with you.

An important part of giving any speech is making your audience feel valued. That is why you should make sure you always thank your audience after a presentation. I explain to my students all the time that there are many reasons why this is a major key to giving a successful speech.

Without an audience, you would be speaking to an empty room of no one but yourself. Be sure to thank them each and every time.

The Tone Sets the Ending

So, what kind of presentation are you giving?

Clearly define the purpose of your speech long before you even begin or end it. This is important whether you are talking with or without notes .

Are you giving a persuasive speech on behalf of your business with the hopes of gaining more clients? Or is it a commencement speech at a college graduation? Or maybe an impromptu speech?

Obviously, you can see how these two types of talks have two distinctly different tones. It would not look very tasteful if you were trying to sell a product or service during a commencement speech.

And vice-versa, not using any sales techniques during a business speech may not be effective for trying to promote your services.

What kind of ending you should choose?

The tone of your presentation even can be important when you are deciding what to wear. A business talk demands a professional look, while a more casual gig may not.

And the reason I bring up tone is that it is an important part of deciding what kind of ending you should choose. If you’re giving a more informal presentation, then a joke or personal story may be most appropriate.

On the other hand, an incredibly formal, business-oriented company presentation for a room of potential clients may demand a much different kind of ending.

Take a few minutes to sit down and think about the tone of your message. If possible, do it with a co-worker, trusted friend, or mentor.

Try to put your thoughts down on paper so you can better organize them. Then, try to list various appropriate endings that you think you might be able to use for your presentation.

So, how much thought are you giving to your closing statement now? What method of closing do you prefer best? And what have you learned about the tone of your speeches?

After this, you should be able to end your speech with confidence , and send a powerful message to your audience. I have given you tips such as using the rule of three, asking a compelling question, and making sure you clearly mark your ending.

If you have any other tips that you would like to share, feel free to leave them in the comment section below!

Does public speaking cause you to get all teared up? Check out my article about how to give a speech without crying.

Related Questions

What does the term “closing” refer to? The ending to your speech is often referred to as closing. Learning how to give a powerful closing to your speech is just as important as any other part of the presentation itself.

How do I effectively start a presentation? While it may sound like a paradox, you can add information from your written conclusion to your opening statement. Make sure that you have planned a clear ending before you take this approach. This also works in reverse, as many speakers tend to go back to the beginning for their closing.

How do I write a witty closing remark? Don’t force it, or it will sound awkward. After you’ve written a draft, ask a speaking friend or trusted mentor for feedback. Remember what the overall tone of your presentation is before you get started.

Posts about public speaking you may also like

How to write a speech: 20 good and effective tips

Just about a moment ago, you found out that you need to make a speech at an important event in a few weeks, but you

How to deliver a ceremonial speech? A Full Guide

There are certain times in your life that are going to involve ceremony, whether it is getting sworn into a local office, as a school

The top 27 Gadgets for Presentation / Best public speaking accessories

What do you think of when you picture yourself up on stage giving a speech? You may mentally plan out your movements, your mannerisms, and

• Tags: Art of public speaking , Effective speaking , Good speech , Illustrating your speech , Impromptu talk , Making a speech , Prepared speech , Presentation skills tips , Public speaking topics , Speech preparation process , Speech tips , Speech writing tips , Writing a speech

Recommended gear

Best Portable Speakers For The Presentations

Best Video Cameras for Public Speakers

Best rresenter remotes for public speakers

Best Portable Thumb Drives And Hard Drives for the Presentations

Who is janek tuttar.

My name is Janek Tuttar , and I am the founder and author of Speak and Conquer website.

I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

More information about Janek »

Share this post

Hi! My name is Janek Tuttar, and I am the founder and author of SpeakAndConquer.com.

I have been teaching and blogging about public speaking since spring 2007. Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

Send me an e-mail: [email protected]

LEGAL INFORMATION

This site is owned and operated by Janek Tuttar. SpeakAndConquer.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Best teleprompters

Best Computer Mice for the Presentations

Best Laptop Backpacks for Public Speakers

Ace the Presentation

6 Remarkable Ways to End Your Presentation

Before delving in how to end your presentation tips, let me ask you this: Have you ever experienced a speaker or a presentation which went on for long and the speaker abruptly ends on an awkward note leaving the audience hanging with no thank you or closing remark to cue the audience in that the presentation has come to an end? Such presentations end with awkward silence making the speaker himself or herself feel embarrassed.

Situations like this are sadly common and are mostly found within speakers who do not present for a living but were occasionally asked to speak to the crowd. Sometimes in cases like this, we may not really count them or even forgive them for the oversight.  However, it is essential for every speaker to know the importance of planning how to start and end their presentations well.

No matter how well a speech is introduced and well presented, all efforts will go to waste as soon as the presenter ends it badly.  It is crucial to start a topic or presentation on an excellent note, but it is essential you end well as a speaker. The better you finish,  the more the ovation and recommendation you get from your audience. Your closing statements need to be strong and in some cases, stronger than your introduction.

A good introduction will wow the audience and make them pay attention to what you have to say but when you leave them with a weak conclusion that’s most probably what they are going to remember about you. They won’t remember how good your introduction was or the visuals and the jokes you made, but they will instead remember how you left them hanging at the end while some would even forget your presentation altogether based on the poor way in which you concluded your presentation.

It’s not that hard to end your presentation on a high note and wow your audience with your closing remarks and even leaving them yearning for more. Check below six great tips on how to end your presentation with a bang, and I will elaborate on them as I go.

6 Remarkable ways to end your Presentation

1. a call to action:.

There are two ways you can call them to action. You start by letting them see the negative downfalls and consequences that could arise if they do not do it then you finish by making them see the benefits they would gain from it once they take action towards doing it. This is the best method of motivating your audience at the end. End on a high motivation, and you will maximize your chances of sending the audience into action.

2. End with a summary:

One of my favorite ways to end a presentation is to summarize the key points of the speech and then add in the call to action. It allows you to go over what you have been saying since you started in a short form.  Seize the opportunity and make it short but memorable.

Most especially when you made a presentation with so many points covered,  a summary helps you caption it all in a few sentences. Some points that the audience skipped will be brought to their memories again.

Be firm on points you want them to note at the end while making your summaries. Try to put in humor while stating your summary to give them a good impression of you. Also, make sure your summary isn’t lengthy else it loses its purpose of being a summary in the first place. Remember, it’s meant to be short and memorable.

Just as your creativity was vital in starting your presentation,  making sure you are as creative as possible with your final remarks at the end of your presentation is also critical.  Most presentations end with “thank you” or “thanks for listening ” at the end of the slide, but a spectacular presenter or speaker strives to be unique. The more creative you are,  the more respected you will become in the eyes of your audience.

3. The Questioning technique :

Starting your presentation with a question and ending it with an answer is a neat way to end your presentation.  When you refer to the beginning of your presentation by saying “I asked a question at the beginning of my presentation which I promised to answer when I am about to round up..” this reminds the audience of how good you are and how creative you were at the beginning for your presentation.  Referring to your opening message is a very good strategy to keep them intrigued. 

It doesn’t have to be a question; it could also be a story.  The point here is that you kept your audience glued from start to finish and impressing them at the same time.

I am not an advocate of ending your presentation with a question. You will only end up making your audience puzzled, making the miss the whole point of your presentation in the first place if they still have unanswered questions lingering on their minds. They came for solutions, not problem compounding. Dee Clayton, a motivational speaker, had something to say on this :

“Never end with the questions, too many people make this mistake, if you get a negative question,  you have dulled the whole presentation, and the audience leave on a negative note.  Always do the questions before the wrap-up.”

4. They must be aware that you have finished :

Always make it clear that you have finished.  It is always uncomfortable to the audience when you suddenly go quiet, leaving them puzzled to guess whether you are trying to remember or you are actually done.

Nothing is more awkward than the deafening silence of an audience working out if you have finished. Your closing words should make it evident and clear that you have finished which will make the audience respond hopefully with applause or an ovation. If the applause doesn’t come,  don’t fidget,  stand confidently and look at the crowd like you meant to do it and wrap it up with a confident thank you, a smile and if you intend to humor,  a bow.

5. Inspirational and Motivational endings:

Ending with a catchphrase by Robert W. Service, for instance, “Don’t Quit, Carry on! ” is one which would meet the audience in high spirits. This phrase could be the one single thing they will remember for long from your presentation, and it would serve as a morale booster to most. 

You could end your presentation with something inspirational as well if you had given a motivational talk before you will be familiar with the fact that hope is the main religion of humankind. Dwell on that as a presenter and work on it. Inspire your audience (check our solid tips on how to become a motivational speaker here ), leave them with inspirational quotes.

Remember that everyone is dealing with problems, setbacks, difficulties, and temporary failures in every aspect of their lives and need assurance. For this reason, everyone appreciates a poem, inspirational words, words of advice, quotes, or encouragement that gives them strength or courage to carry on.

6. Proper planning :

To ensure that your closing remark will be a bang as you want it to be,  you must plan for it word for word.  Remember if you fail to plan,  you plan to fail. When you are certain and sure about the kind of ending you desire,  then it will even easier for you to be able to achieve such a result.

The best way you can have a great ending is to plan for the ending before you prepare for the rest of your speech, then go back and design the opening introduction, so it goes Hand in hand with your conclusion. 

Remember, your presentation is the sum of all its part,  from the introduction to the body down to the conclusion. Everything must work seamlessly together to ensure there are no flops. Please make the most of it.

REFERENCES & FURTHER READING

Brian tracy. 9 tips to end a speech with a bang. https://www.briantracy.com/blog/public-speaking/how-to-end-a-speech-the-right-way/ . accessed on 06/30/2019..

Eric Holtzclaw. The Most Powerful Way to End a Presentation. https://www.inc.com/eric-holtzclaw/the-most-powerful-way-to-end-a-presentati on.html. Accessed on 06/30/2019.

Paul Petrone. The 6 Best Ways to Close a Presentation. https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/communication/the-6-best-ways-to-close-a-presentation . Accessed on 06/30/2019.

Similar Posts

How to bring up salary during the job Interview? (And when?)

If bringing up the subject of salary poses a problem for you during an interview, tell yourself that you are one of the 95% of candidates embarrassed by the question. There is a good chance that your interlocutor has already experienced what you feel… When and how to broach the subject of remuneration during a…

How to Prepare and Deliver a Great Memorized Speech

A memorized speech can be a real nightmare; We easily forget most things even setting schedules and alarms, or asking a friend to remind us about important things to do proves to be a challenge sometimes – now imagine memorizing an entire speech. Today we will learn a bit about how to prepare ourselves and…

15 Ideas To Make A Speech Unique, Memorable & Inspiring

Are you often called to speak in front of others? If yes, then the art of making your speech unique, memorable, and inspiring is something you should be able to do with little or no effort. This is important because listening to a yawn-inducing and lifeless speech is one of the worst things your audience…

The 7 Best Apps For Developing Communication Skills

Whether you’re a verbose social butterfly or a quiet social observer, we can all afford to improve our communication skills. Having the ability to convey a message or meaning directly in a way that will be immediately understood is an underrated talent.  Fortunately, there are great tools and apps at your disposal to help improve…

How to Become a Confident Public Speaker – 6 Tips

Ever wondered what it feels like to command a room filled with people just with the way you speak? How to Become a Confident Public Speaker ? No, it’s not a gift (in case you are wondering); rather, it takes practice and time for you to master the art of public speaking. This simply means…

The 10 Key Elements of a Great Presentation Explained

Whether we’re at a team meeting or making a presentation for an audience, we all have to speak in public once in a while.  We can do it well, or we can do it badly, but one thing is sure: the result will affect what other people will think about us. That’s why public speaking…

6 Stylish ways to close your presentation

Emily Bartlett Feb 1, 2022 1:56:54 PM

All good things must come to an end, including your presentation. The way you close will affect how your audience responds and remembers.

A weak ending will leave them unenthused and uninspired, within a few hours they may even have forgotten your message.

But a strong ending will fire them up. A strong ending motivates and empowers. A strong ending encourages people to take action. 

So how do you end on a high? Here are 6 tips to ensure you go out with a bang.

1. Call your audience to action

It's not enough to assume your message will inspire people to take action. You need to actually tell them to take action.

I asked Dee Clayton, motivational speaker, public speaking trainer and author of Taming Your Public Speaking Monkeys to share her insight and experience. The call-to-action is Dee's preferred method of closing a speech.

"Summing up the action you want your audience to take is a great way to finish up. To do this, it's best to use a two-pronged approach:

• Start with a negative motivation – help them see how bad things will be if they don't do what you are suggesting.
• Finish with a positive motivation – paint a picture of how good things will be when they do what you recommend."

Dee stresses the importance of following this pattern.

Always give the negative first, followed by the positive. You'll end on a motivating high and will maximize your chances of inspiring the audience into action.

2. Refer back to the opening message

Closing a presentation with a look back at the opening message is a popular technique. It's a neat way to round off your message, whilst simultaneously summing up the entire speech.

There are a few ways to approach this technique:

• Set up a question at the beginning of your speech and use your ending to answer it.
• Finish a story you started, using the anecdote to demonstrate your message.
• Close with the title of the presentation – this works best with a provocative, memorable title.

Do you know who's really good at this technique? Stand up comedians. They often make jokes early in the set that they unexpectedly refer back to (in a different context) at the end.

This is known as callback comedy and it often generates the biggest laugh of the night. It's a powerful move because it creates a feeling of familiarity and camaraderie with the audience, making them feel like they're in on the joke.

3. Practice the rule of three

The rule of three is a simple yet powerful and effective method of communication. We use it in written and spoken communications all the time (did you notice I used it just then?).

The rule of three is the understanding that ideas, concepts and beliefs are more memorable and interesting when presented in threes. It's a very persuasive number, three.

Here are three excellent real-world examples of the rule of three.

First, Winston Churchill: "This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

Now, Julius Caesar: "Veni, vidi, vici"

And Benjamin Disraeli: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics."

4. Close with a summary

"If you've already explained your content well and in an engaging way, there is no need to summarize the content again at the end," Dee Clayton says.

She's right. There are far more powerful ways to end your presentation.  However, it might be necessary if your message is particularly complicated or your speech is a long one.

Summarizing content can be a little dry – both for you and your audience. Make your summary more palatable with humor, a fascinating anecdote or interesting linguistic devices (like repetition, rhyming, and the rule of three).

5. Don't end with questions

If Dee has one absolute speechwriting no-no, it's this:

"Never end with the questions. Too many people make this mistake. If you get a negative question, you've dulled the whole presentation and the audience leave on a negative note. Always do the questions before the wrap up."

Too many people end with questions and it often goes off track. This is memorable for no one. By the time you've answered a handful of semi-relevant questions, the audience have forgotten most of what you've told them.

Take questions throughout your presentation so they remain pertinent to the content.

6) Make it clear that you've finished

Nothing is more uncomfortable than the deafening silence of an audience working out if you've finished.

Your closing words should make it very clear that it's the end of the presentation. The audience should be able to read this immediately, and respond (hopefully with applause).

If the applause isn't forthcoming, stand confidently and wait. Don't fidget and certainly don't eke out a half-hearted, 'And that just about covers it. Thank you'.

Dee used her two-prong approach to explain the importance of making your ending clear:

"If you don't spend some time considering how to end your presentation, you may find yourself floundering at the end. You may wonder why few people actually action what you suggest and why there's no reassuring applause! But when you do put a bit of thought, planning and practice into your ending, you will look confident, inspire the audience into action and be able to leave the stage with your head held high."

And isn't that all we really want from our presentations?

Business | Storytelling

How to end your presentation with style.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

“I’ve come to the end of my presentation. Any questions?” you ask, hoping to hear a response from your audience. Unfortunately, you get nothing but an awkward silence.You think you pulled off a pretty great presentation, but then find yourself falling flat at the end. In this article, we endeavor to de-mystify how to end a presentation with style.

Let’s face the truth. Unless you present like Steve Jobs , the likelihood of an audience remembering your public speaking performance from start to end is extremely low. But this doesn’t mean that it is impossible to make a lasting impression. Studies have shown that when an audience is given a series of information, they have a tendency to remember the first and last items best. So use this to your advantage, and make an impact with your closing statement. Not only will you create a memorable moment, but your audience will also have an easier time retaining the message you’re trying to bring across.

We’ll show you 5 proven ways on how to end your presentation.

1. Inspire Your Audience with a Quote

Quotes are one of the most commonly used methods and with good reason. It has been a tried-and-tested way to reach out to your audience and connect with them on a deeper level. But here’s the thing: You need to figure out what resonates with them, and choose one that fits the presentation theme. If you’re up to it, you can round off the quote with your own thoughts as well.

For a great example, take a look at Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, ‘How to escape education’s death valley’. When he was concluding his presentation, he used Benjamin Franklin’s quote:

There are three sorts of people in the world: Those who are immovable, people who don’t get it, or don’t want to do anything about it; there are people who are movable, people who see the need for change and are prepared to listen to it; and there are people who move, people who make things happen.

However, instead of ending it there, he then continued, “And if we can encourage more people, that will be a movement. And if the movement is strong enough, that’s, in the best sense of the word, a revolution. And that’s what we need.”

Not only did he use the quote to inspire the audience, he also added his own thoughts to provide perspective and illustrate his point further.

The quotes you share do not have to be from well-known authors. In fact, unusual quotes that have been rarely used can work in your favor by providing a different perspective. Just remember, it pays to exercise caution, as an inappropriate quote in the wrong situation may backfire instead.

2. End with a Compelling Image

We all know the saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. It’s pretty cliché, but true – Images do help to bring your message across in an impactful way. Ever heard of the ‘The Burning Monk’? In 1963, photographer Malcolm Browne captured a stunning photo of a monk who self-immolated in protest against the persecution of Buddhists. That award-winning photo sparked outrage around the world, and brought the situation into focus for many who were previously unaware of the situation.

Image Credit: rarehistoricalphotos.com

If the news had been reported without this image, would it have the same impact? Unlikely. Of course, information can’t be shared without text, but ultimately, images are the ones that leave the biggest impression.

When you’re selecting an image to put on your final slide, ask yourself these questions to guide you along.

• What do you want to show your audience?
• What are you trying to illustrate?
• How should they feel after looking at the image?

3. Leave With a Question

While it is not often encouraged to leave your audience hanging, suspense can be a fantastic way to create a memorable ending if you use it appropriately. Round off with a question that they can reflect on after the presentation, to keep them thinking about what you’ve shared. Keep it closely related to your topic, and use it to put the spotlight on a point you which to bring across.

Take a look at Scott Dinsmore’s TEDx talk, ‘How to find and do work you love’. In his presentation, he talked about discovering what matters to us, and then start doing it. For his conclusion, he ended by asking the audience, “What is the work you can’t not do?”

This ending can also useful if you know that you will be following up with a second presentation that will answer the question. Pose a thought-provoking question, then hint that you will be answering it in your next presentation, to give them something to look forward to.

4. Encourage Action

Sometimes, it’s great to be straightforward, and tell the audience what you’d like them to do. Would you like them to try doing something? Buy a product you’re selling? Commit to an event?

When you’re inviting the audience to act on something, be sure to make a clear statement. Ensure that your words are not vague or misleading, and bring your point across in a confident and firm manner.

Don’t make it tough for your audience to do an action. Who likes to leap through dozens of obstacles to get things done? Get your audience moving by starting slow. For example, if you’re presenting about environmental protection, don’t ask them to cut out all wastage immediately, that’s an impossible task. Instead, ask them to start by recycling whenever they can.

Alternatively, if you’re daring enough, make a bold statement. Share your belief in something, and involve the audience in it.

Not sure how you can do it? Watch Kakenya Ntaiya’s talk, ‘A girl who demanded school’. In her concluding statement, she passionately declared:

“I want to challenge you today. You are listening to me because you are here, very optimistic. You are somebody who is so passionate. You are somebody who wants to see a better world. You are somebody who wants to see that war ends, no poverty. You are somebody who wants to make a difference. You are somebody who wants to make our tomorrow better. I want to challenge you today that to be the first , because people will follow you. Be the first. People will follow you. Be bold. Stand up. Be fearless. Be confident. ”

5. Reiterate Your Message

You’ve spent a lot of time preparing the message you’re sharing, and now it’s time to reinforce it. To do that, summarize the key points of your presentation, and repeat them so that your audience remembers it once more.

A great technique to use when you’re repeating your message is the Rule of Three, a rule that suggests that people generally tend to remember concepts or ideas presented in threes better. Some commonly used examples would be ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ and ‘Mind, Body and Spirit’. Think of your presentation, and distil your key message into three words, phrases or sentences, before structuring your conclusion.

Neil Pasricha’s TEDx talk, ‘The 3 A’s of awesome’, is a fantastic example to learn from. In it, he talks about 3 secrets to lead an awesome life, i.e., Attitude, Awareness and Authenticity, which form the message for his entire presentation. But to further strengthen his message, he then repeats it at his conclusion by saying:

“And that’s why I believe that if you live your life with a great attitude , choosing to move forward and move on whenever life deals you a blow, living with a sense of awareness of the world around you, embracing your inner three year-old and seeing the tiny joys that make life so sweet and being authentic to yourself, being you and being cool with that, letting your heart lead you and putting yourself in experiences that satisfy you, then I think you’ll live a life that is rich and is satisfying, and I think you’ll live a life that is truly awesome.”

Sounds great, isn’t it? Not only did he reinforce his points, but he also captured his audience’s attention with a positive statement.

As presenters, we always hope that our presentations will end off on a high note. So now that you know how to end a presentation with style, take some time to prepare and practice, and you’re good to go. All the best!

Article Written By: Kai Xin Koh

You may also like….

Patrice Choong: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

by Kai Xin Koh

Read on as Patrice shares on how stories can be used to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone.

Val Yap: Delivering Success Through Effective Communication

Success is not dictated by the hard work of one person alone. A great leader is also a great story-teller because effective communication is the foundation of any successful organisation.

Zia Zaman: How a World-Class Speaker brings Storytelling, Experimentation & Empathy into Business

Any businessperson understands the value of selling and the art of storytelling. They are indispensable and inevitable, yet only a few have truly...

Sign Up for Winning With Stories!

• First Name *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

How to End a Presentation (+ Useful Phrases)

Table of Contents

Most people are aware of the power of first impressions.

However, our appearance and the first words we utter are only one part of the impact we have on others.

Arguably, the final words we exchange during an interaction can have an even more lasting effect . And that applies to public speaking, too.

Obviously, the way you introduce yourself and the topic you’ll be discussing is important.

However, the end of a presentation should also be recognized as a crucial part of the experience .

With that in mind, this article will walk you through some:

• Things you should consider before drafting your conclusion,
• Tips for ending a presentation memorably,
• Mistakes you should avoid, and
• Phrases you can use to wrap up your speech.

But, before we discuss how to end a presentation, let’s establish why having an impactful conclusion is so essential.

Why is it important to have an impactful ending for your presentation?

In our article about starting a presentation , we explained how the steps of the motivated sequence framework correspond to the structure of the average presentation or speech.

As we have established, the introduction of a presentation mirrors the first step of that model. That means that one of its main goals is to get the listeners’ attention .

The central part of the speech, or the body , corresponds to the second, third, and fourth steps of the motivated sequence framework. In other words, it has to:

• Introduce the audience’s need (or identify a problem the listeners are having),
• Offer a way to satisfy (or resolve) that need, and
• Help the listeners visualize the successful implementation of the speaker’s solution.

Having checked off these points, we arrive at the conclusion , i.e., the subject of this article.

That stage of a presentation corresponds to the final step of the motivated sequence model — which consists of the call to action .

So, the conclusion of a presentation allows the speaker to drive their point home and nudge the audience toward performing a specific action.

However, that’s not the only purpose of a conclusion.

According to the authors of Business Communication: Process & Product , the final section of a presentation should achieve 3 goals . It should:

• Summarize the main themes of the presentation,
• Leave the audience with a specific and noteworthy takeaway (i.e. propose a specific course of action), and
• Include a statement that allows the speaker to leave the podium (or pass the mic) gracefully.

Above all, the ending of a presentation should be memorable , akin to the punchline of a joke.

Having said that, let’s talk about some factors you should consider as you’re writing the conclusion of your speech.

Things to consider before crafting the conclusion of your presentation

If you’re trying to figure out how to end a presentation, knowing the goals of a conclusion should help.

However, those objectives are only one part of the puzzle. To get the others, you should also consider:

• Your audience’s demographic breakdown,
• The general purpose of your presentation ,
• The specific purpose of your presentation , and
• Your thesis statement .

With that in mind, let’s see how each of these factors can help you develop an impactful conclusion for your presentation.

Factor #1: The demographic breakdown of the audience

As we have noted in our article about starting presentations, understanding the demographic breakdown of one’s audience is a crucial part of drafting a speech .

After all, the audience affects all of the choices we make — from the way we present ourselves to the vocabulary and the supporting materials we use during our presentations.

In our quest to learn more about the effect an audience can have on a presentation, we spoke to Persuasion Strategist Juliet Huck .

Having spent a significant portion of her professional career preparing people to take the witness stand, Huck knows a thing or two about adjusting one’s messaging to fit the preferences of one’s audience. She says:

“[The] ending [of] every presentation should be different and always based on the background of your audience. This should not be a blanket statement.  It also depends on if you are educating your audience or persuading them to make a decision in your favor.  You must do the homework on your audience prior to giving a presentation and end by leading them to your desired conclusion by giving them a conclusion they can relate to.”

But, if you’re not entirely sure how to take your audience into account when drafting your conclusion, consider the following questions:

• How will your audience connect to the topic you’re discussing?
• How can you relate the information you’re sharing to the listeners’ needs?
• What would make your audience think back on your presentation in positive terms?
• What would be the most effective way to get your point across to this specific audience?

Knowing whether your audience is friendly, neutral, uninterested, or hostile will also help you adjust your approach.

If nothing else, it’ll tell you whether you should stick to the facts or feel free to deliver a more casual or rousing speech.

Examples of different audience breakdowns

In our article about starting a presentation, we demonstrated our tips through 3 fictional speakers. So, let’s use the same presenters to illustrate this point.

• Nick Mulder is talking about the dangers of phishing. He introduced himself as the head of the security department. So, we can assume that he’s speaking to an audience of fellow employees, perhaps even through video conferencing software. Therefore, he was addressing an internal problem the company was having in front of a fairly receptive audience.
• Joan Miller is talking about how artificial intelligence is changing the future of the marketing industry. In her introduction, she mentioned having over four decades of experience in marketing. Consequently, we can infer that she’s speaking to an audience of marketing specialists who were previously unaware of her credentials.
• Milo Green is talking about employee retention. In his introduction, he indicated that the audience may know him as the founder of Green & Co. So, he’s probably famous enough to be recognized by at least a portion of his audience. Between that and the subject of his presentation, we can assume that he’s talking to the upper management of other companies.

From our examples, we can see how the identity of the speaker and their level of familiarity with the listeners might affect the way they prepare their presentations .

Factor #2: The general purpose of your presentation

Understanding the general purpose of a speech brings you one step closer to knowing how to end a presentation.

According to the authors of Communicating at Work , most presentations can be sorted into one of 3 categories based on that factor. In that regard, your presentation could be:

• Informative , aiming to expand the listeners’ knowledge and/or help them acquire a specific skill,
• Persuasive , with the goal of changing the listeners’ opinions or encouraging them to behave a certain way, or
• Entertaining , which is good for getting the audience to relax and look forward to upcoming speakers or events.

The general purpose of your presentation will naturally affect your conclusion because it will change what you choose to emphasize.

💡 Pumble Pro Tip

The basic goal of your presentation could correspond with the type of presentation you’re giving. To learn more about presentation types and styles, check out this article:

• Presentation types and styles explained

Examples of defining the general purpose of a presentation 

Let’s see how our imaginary presenters would define the general purpose of their presentations.

• The general purpose of our phishing expert’s presentation is informative . The speaker’s primary goal is to teach his coworkers how to recognize and defend themselves against phishing attempts.
• Our marketing expert’s presentation is persuasive . She wants to change her listeners’ minds and make them more open to using AI in their marketing campaigns.
• The last speaker’s presentation about employee retention is also persuasive . After all, the speaker is attempting to show his listeners how they can increase the employee retention rate at their own companies. However, depending on the circumstances surrounding the speech, it could also take on some entertaining qualities.

Factor #3: The specific purpose of your presentation

The specific purpose of a presentation is essentially the outcome you’re looking to achieve with your speech. Defining this goal will require you to know the answers to the following questions :

• Who do you want to influence?
• What do you want them to think or do?
• How, when, and where do you want them to do it?

Ideally, the specific goal you come up with should be realistic and highly specific .

To that end, the authors of Communicating at Work recommend setting measurable goals . So, for example, instead of thinking: “ I want to get approval for my project. ”,

“I want my manager to let me set aside one day per week to work on this project. I also want them to let me ask one or two other people to help me with it.”

Having this kind of goal in mind will help you figure out how to wrap up your presentation.

Examples of defining the specific purpose of a presentation

So, how would our 3 speakers specify the desired outcomes of their presentations in measurable terms? Let’s see:

“I want the people in my company to understand the dangers of phishing attacks. They should learn the exact steps they need to take when they see a suspicious email in their inbox.”

“I want these marketing experts to be more knowledgeable about the way artificial intelligence works right now and understand how they can incorporate that software into their professional practice.”

“I want managers and HR professionals to know how they can make their companies a better place to work so they can keep their employee retention rate high.”

Free team communication software

Try Pumble, a secure, reliable, and easy-to-use communication tool.

FREE FOREVER • UNLIMITED COMMUNICATION

Factor #4: Your thesis statement

Ultimately, defining the general and specific goals of your presentation is a great way to keep yourself on track when crafting your speech.

However, the audience doesn’t need to know those goals.

Instead, they can hear your thesis statement — a summary of your overall message .

You can treat this statement as the throughline of your presentation. It will appear at least once in the introduction, followed by a few repetitions throughout the body of the presentation.

Finally, you’ll also want to include that same idea in your conclusion at least once.

In addition to keeping you, as the speaker, grounded, that repetition also keeps your audience from wondering what your presentation is about .

Examples of defining the thesis statement of a presentation

So, what would a thesis statement look like in practice? Let’s hear it from our fictional presenters:

“Identifying and reporting phishing emails will save the company’s information and money in the long term.”

“Right now, artificial intelligence isn’t as advanced as people think it is. However, we can still use it for marketing purposes as long as we make sure the process doesn’t begin and end with AI.”

“Improving your employee retention rate makes employees more engaged with their work and saves the company time and money that would otherwise go to training new personnel.”

How to end a presentation with a bang: 10 tips + examples

Now that we know why having an impactful conclusion is so crucial, it’s time to find the right way to achieve your goals.

To that end, we have highlighted 10 tips that might help you wrap up your presentation .

• Reiterate the key points and your core message.
• Mirror your opening statement.
• Elicit a response.
• Engage the audience.
• Call to action.
• Hand out materials.
• Acknowledge your contributors.
• Provide contact information.
• Thank the audience.
• Ask for feedback.

Of course, many of these methods we’ll discuss can be combined. However, your choices may be limited depending on the factors we have previously mentioned.

Tip #1: Reiterate the key points and your core message

Making sure the audience remembers your main points is one of the most important objectives your conclusion should accomplish.

With that in mind, you should dedicate some time at the end of your speech to reinforcing what you were trying to say throughout your presentation.

Take it from Mark Beal , Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Communication, at Rutgers University:

“Every presentation should deliver and consistently reinforce three key message points. Most audience members will not recall more than three messages. Some may only recall one or two. With that [in mind], an engaging and effective presentation should conclude with the three messages the presenter wants the audience to take away.”

In essence, you’ll want to summarize your presentation by reiterating up to 3 key points and then repeating your thesis statement.

You could even translate this tip to your presentation slides. As Juliet Huck says:

“Your last slide should always draw your audience to your desired conclusion. [It] should be your billboard message , as we remember 70% of what we see and 20% of what we hear.”

We can see what that might look like through the example of our imaginary presentation on the dangers of phishing, below.

Tip #2: Mirror your opening statement

According to the authors of Communicating at Work , splitting a narrative between the introduction and the conclusion of your presentation is a good way to keep your audience’s attention.

Assistant Professor of Rhetorical Communication at the State University of New York, Dr. Lee M. Pierce , agrees:

“Psychological closure is looping back to the beginning to give the audience a sense of a closed circle. Don’t add new information in the conclusion, just tie the presentation up with a bow. [For example,] I always customize my closings based on the opening of the speech. During a TEDx Talk on Beyoncé’s ‘Formation,’ I began by walking out to the introduction to the song, and then I ended by walking off to the end of the song.”

The above quote demonstrates that this tip can be useful no matter which method you used to start your presentation .

You can use it to put a new spin on a statistic you shared in the introduction, give a story you told a different ending, or finish the punchline of a joke you started with.

Overall, coming back to the theme you introduced at the beginning of your speech should make your presentation seem more complete and intentional .

Phrases you can use to reflect the introduction of your presentation in the conclusion

With all that being said, let’s see how our imaginary speakers would mirror the opening lines of their presentations in their conclusion.

Having started with a phishing statistic, our first speaker might say:

“Going back to the number we started with, remember that the Anti-Phishing Working Group has recorded 1,270,883 individual phishing attacks in the third quarter of 2022 — and that number is always on the rise. Luckily, you now have all the information you need to avoid becoming a part of that statistic.”

Our second speaker would have announced her plans to survey her listeners at the beginning of her presentation. In her conclusion, she might say:

“At the beginning of my presentation, I asked you to answer a quick survey on whether you’d be willing to work with AI. If you look back at your phones, you’ll see a different link in the #general channel on Pumble . Let’s see if this talk has managed to sway some opinions!”

Lastly, our final speaker might refer back to a humorous statement he made about chaining one’s employees to their desks to ensure that employee retention rates stay high.

“Once you start making your company a better place to work, your employees will happily perform their daily tasks — without being glued to their desks.”

Tip #3: Elicit a response

Making an audience experience strong emotions is always a good thing, but especially as the presentation comes to a close.

Putting the listeners in a contemplative mood or, even better, a cheerful one, means that they’ll be more likely to remember you and the points you made after your presentation ends.

On top of that, concluding your presentation in this manner would allow you to step off the stage gracefully, which is one of the main goals your conclusion should accomplish.

Now, depending on the type of presentation you’re delivering and, indeed, your style of presenting, you could elicit a response by:

• Ending with a short but powerful statement ,
• Asking a thought-provoking rhetorical question ,
• Relying on an impactful statistic or a quote , or even
• Inserting a funny picture or a meme on your final presentation slide.

Any one of these methods could help you solidify yourself and your message in the minds of the audience.

Phrases you can use to elicit a response from the audience

So, how would our 3 presenters try to get a response from their audiences? Well, they might use the following statements.

“Ultimately, the best defense against phishing attacks is human intelligence. You, alone, can ensure that your information remains secure by implementing the checklist I’ve shared today.”

“So, let me ask you again. Would you be willing to incorporate AI into your marketing campaign?”

“Hey, if the conditions you’re offering to your employees are good enough — there’s no need to keep them glued to their desks.”

Tip #4: Engage the audience

As we’ll discuss later on, having a Q&A session at the end of your presentation doesn’t always pan out the way you want it to.

Even so, getting your audience — or at least a few select listeners — to verbally respond to you can go a long way toward making you seem like a more engaging speaker.

Still, you can’t implement this tip without a strategy. You want to lead your audience to a certain type of response .

Professional speaker, career change consultant, and host of the Career Relaunch® podcast, Joseph Liu , had this to say:

“I often invite attendees to share what action they’re going to take amongst the potential ones I’ve covered throughout the presentation or to at least commit to taking some sort of action.”

Speaker, author, and editorial producer at CNN, Nadia Bilchik , agrees:

“If time allows, I always ask participants to share their biggest takeaway.”

The quote above also highlights the importance of being aware of the time as you are concluding a presentation — which is another thing we’ll talk about later.

For now, we’ll just boil this tip down to the following statement: if possible, try to make people verbalize or at least think about the knowledge they’re taking away from your speech .

Phrases you can use to engage the audience

Going back to our imaginary speakers, let’s see how this tip might work in practice.

“As we approach my conclusion, I’d like for us to reflect on everything we’ve learned here today. So, let me turn the spotlight on you all. Does anyone remember how to recognize a phishing email without opening it?”

“Now, I’m sure everyone here has some idea of how they might incorporate AI into their next marketing campaign. Is anyone willing to share their strategy?”

“Alright! Pop quiz time — don’t worry, I won’t grade you. Can you all shout out the main 3 ways to increase employee retention? Number 1?”

Tip #5: Call to action

Once you have finished reiterating your core message and making sure you have your audience’s attention, you need to be able to direct the listeners to the next step.

As Michelle Gladieux , author of Communicate with Courage and President of Gladieux Consulting, an employee coaching provider, would put it:

“What can the audience DO with the information you’ve shared? Suggest a positive, fruitful next step or, even better, suggest several, and let your presentation participants choose among options that have panned out well for others.”

In her workshops, Gladieux says:

“We ask participants to document at least one goal for behavior change that is specific, measurable, and time-based, and take a bonus step of inviting them to name one person they’ll tell about their goal for added accountability.”

According to the authors of Communicating at Work , there are 2 ways to deliver a call to action at the end of your presentation. Namely, you can either phrase it as:

• An appeal or a question (e.g. “If any of this sounds interesting, you can learn more by signing up for our newsletter through the link on the screen behind me.” ), or
• A challenge or a demand (e.g. “Now, you can keep doing what you’re doing and getting lackluster results. Or, you can sign up for our newsletter to receive tips that will help you upgrade your strategy.” ).

As always, your choice will depend on the factors we have listed at the top of this article.

Phrases you can use to call the audience to action

Let’s see what our fictional speakers’ calls to action might look like.

“Remember, even if you happen to open a phishing email, you’ll be able to deal with it easily by forwarding it to this email address. That’s the main thing you need to remember from this talk.”

“I bet many of you could come up with even more creative ways to incorporate AI into your marketing campaigns. So, how about this: if you fill out the form I’m about to send you, I’ll check in with you in about three months. Those of you who succeed in using AI in a meaningful way will get a chance to share your insights on this very stage next year!”

“I have a challenge for those of you who are ready to meet me at my level. I want you to sign a pledge, promising to boost your employee retention rate by 10% in the next year. We had a similar experiment at one of my talks a couple of years back, and even I was surprised by the results.”

If you decide to accompany this part of your speech with a call to action slide, keep Juliet Huck’s advice in mind:

“A call to action slide is not always persuasive. Persuasion is not a call to action — it is a directed action. To ‘call’ means someone can say no, but to ‘persuade’ [is to] direct your audience to your desired conclusion based on a number of steps.”

In effect, that means that your call to action should be the final step of your persuasion strategy.

You should start building to that desired outcome well before you get to the end of your presentation.

Tip #6: Hand out materials

The ending of a presentation is the perfect time to give the audience a keepsake of your speech .

But, keep in mind that a memento doesn’t have to be a physical item. As Michelle Gladieux would say:

“I like to direct my audiences to free downloadable resources on our website for those who want to continue their personal and professional growth as leaders and communicators.”

So, sharing resources through email or a business messaging app would work just as well.

Of course, you don’t have to hold off until the conclusion of your presentation to give your audience something to remember you by. Gladieux also shared a method she used in her workshops: 

“[Most of our] participants have our high-quality original workbooks in hand during the presentation and available later as a tangible resource. Folks add notes, take short assessments, and work on case studies when we teach using workbooks. If we use presentation slides, we keep the content as engaging visually as possible and short on words.”

If your budget allows you to do something similar, that might be a good way to make the audience remember you.

Phrases you can use before handing out materials

In the scenarios we have conjured up, the speakers might introduce their additional materials like so.

“If you’re interested in learning more about phishing and how you can defend yourself from future attacks, you’ll find more information by following the link on the screen.”

“Now, at this point, I see that my associates have already started delivering some additional materials and miscellaneous goodies to you. I hope you’ll use them to workshop further ideas for using AI in your marketing strategies.”

“I’ll go ahead and forward these presentation slides as well as some additional resources for improving employee retention to you all.”

If you’re looking for a convenient way to deliver additional resources to the attendees of your speech, Pumble is a great option. This article offers some practical tips for using business messaging software for educational purposes — including online conferences:

• Using Pumble for teaching and learning  

Tip #7: Acknowledge contributors

If you’re delivering a business presentation as a representative of a team or a department, you can also use the final moments of your speech to acknowledge everyone who worked on the presentation with you.

On the one hand, you could simply thank your team in general terms and leave it at that.

Alternatively, you could highlight the individual contributions of specific team members if you want to make sure their effort doesn’t go unnoticed.

Phrases you can use to acknowledge your contributors

Here’s how our fictitious presenters might acknowledge the people who helped them create their presentations:

“Before I sign off, I’d like to take a moment to thank Jill and Vanessa from the security team, who helped me compile the data and create the slides you just saw.”

“Finally, I’d like to acknowledge that this presentation wouldn’t be half as informative without the experts who helped me understand the technical side of AI.”

“Now, let’s all give it up for my wonderful team, who helped me organize this lecture.”

Improve communication and collaboration for increased team efficiency with Pumble.

Tip #8: Provide contact information

Business presentations often double as networking opportunities , both for presenters and for audience members.

With that in mind, you might want to put your contact information on one of your closing slides.

For one, doing so would show the audience how they can get in touch with you after your presentation ends. After all, they may have additional questions or even interesting business opportunities for you.

On top of that, putting your contact information on the last slide is also a good way to remind the audience of your name and credentials .

For that reason, our second imaginary speaker might have “Joan Miller — Chief Marketing Officer at Happy Media” on her final slide.

Phrases you can use to provide contact information

So, how would our presenters encourage their audience to keep in touch? Well, they might say: 

“I’m always happy to answer any of your security or phishing-related questions on Pumble. You’ll find me by clicking the plus sign next to the direct messages section and searching my name, Nick Mulder.”

“If you all have any follow-up questions for me or one of the AI experts I’ve spoken to, you’ll find all of our contact information on this slide.”

“If you want to stay up to date on Green & Co’s latest news, follow us on LinkedIn.”

Tip #9: Thank the audience

Many presenters find a way to incorporate a “ thank you ” slide at the end of their presentations.

If you want to express your appreciation to your audience members , you could do the same thing.

However, as we’ll soon discuss, many of the experts we’ve spoken to would advise against having pointless visuals at the end of your presentation.

After all, you want to leave the audience with something memorable to take away from your speech.

Still, if you want to thank the audience, you could always make that final slide serve multiple functions .

For example, a “thank you” slide can also contain the speaker’s contact information, as well as additional resources.

Tip #10: Ask for feedback

Lastly, some speakers might benefit from knowing what the audience thinks about their delivery and other aspects of their presentation.

That’s why some of the experts we’ve spoken to suggest that conducting a brief survey of the audience could be a good activity to end a presentation with.

Rutgers University professor, Mark Beal, says that:

“Offering audience members the opportunity to take a concise survey at the conclusion of a presentation will result in valuable insights that will inform how to consistently evolve and improve a presentation. […] We use the last few minutes of seminars to allow participants to answer a few questions about what was most useful in our content and delivery, and what, in that individual’s opinion, could improve.”

Michelle Gladieux is also an advocate for audience surveys, saying:

“I’ve delivered thousands of training workshops and keynotes and never miss an opportunity to ask for feedback formally (in writing), informally (in conversation), or both. As you might guess, I advise every presenter reading this to do the same.”

You could encourage this type of feedback by:

• Asking attendees to share their thoughts on your presentation after you step off the stage,
• Setting up a notebook near the door and asking people to jot down their thoughts as they exit,
• Having a suggestion box for hand-written feedback notes, or
• Creating an anonymous survey online and linking to it on your presentation slides.

Most presenters nowadays tend to rely on technology to compile audience feedback, but the method you use will depend on the circumstances surrounding your presentation.

If you’ve never had to ask for feedback before, you might find this article interesting:

• How to ask your manager for feedback  

The worst ways to end a presentation

Having gone through the best practices for concluding a presentation memorably, we also wanted to know what are some of the mistakes speakers should avoid as they reach the end of their speech.

The experts we have spoken to have identified 5 of the worst ways to end a presentation :

• Overloading your final slide.
• Settling for a lackluster closer.
• Ending with a Q&A session.
• Not having time for any questions at all.
• Going over your time.

So, let’s see what makes these mistakes so bad.

Mistake #1: Overloading your final slide

Overloading your presentation slides isn’t a mistake you can make only at the end of your presentation.

Professional speakers know that slides are only there to accompany your speech — they shouldn’t be the main event.

As Nadia Bilchik says:

“Slides are only there to support your message. Towards the end of the presentation, I may even stop the slideshow entirely and just have a black screen. At the very end of the presentation, my suggestion is to have a slide up with the next steps or a call to action.”

Dr. Lee M. Pierce also tends to use blank slides:

“I always end and begin with blank slides. As a speaker, you’re trying to build connection and rapport between you and the audience, not between the audience and your slide deck.”

Therefore, putting too much information onto a single slide can make the speaker seem unprepared, in addition to overwhelming the audience.

When in doubt, remember Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule :

• No more than 10 slides per presentation,
• Keep your presentations under 20 minutes, and
• The text on your slides should never be smaller than 30-point font. 

Mistake #2: Settling for a lackluster closer

If your goal is to become a proficient speaker, you’ll have to stop using uninspired closers like:

• “Well, I guess that’s it.”
• “That’s pretty much all I had to say.”
• “That’s about it from me. Can we get some applause?”

The audience will respond if you say something deserving of a response.

Instead of using these bland lines, remember Juliet Huck’s advice:

“Never end your presentation without closing the loop of your beginning theme and being specific when asking for your desire conclusion.”

As we have established, it’s best to conclude your speech by bringing back your thesis statement and key points.

Finishing with weak visuals is similarly offensive — and here we’re not just talking about presentation slides.

Remember, body language is an important component of our communication .

Fidgeting as your presentation comes to a close or slumping your posture as soon as you’re finished speaking won’t do.

As Michelle Gladieux would say:

“Never end a presentation seeming happy to be done, even if you are! Be certain you’re happy to be the presenter before you begin, or find someone else to do it.”

In other words, try not to show signs of anxiety during your presentation .

Maintain a confident demeanor for as long as you remain on stage or as long as you’re on camera, in the case of virtual meetings .

Mistake #3: Ending with a Q&A session

One of the experts we have spoken to, Nadia Bilchik, was particularly adamant about not ending presentations with Q&A sessions.

“Never ever end a presentation on a question-and-answer session. I have seen numerous presenters end by asking ‘Any questions?’ Too often there are no questions, and the presenter is left looking deflated and muttering ‘Thank you.’ [If there are] no questions, you can always say ‘A question I’m often asked is…’ or ‘Something I would like to reiterate is…’ Never end your presentation without your audience being clear about what they are expected to do with the information you have just shared.”

Adding that you can:

“Ask for questions, comments, and concerns, and only then end with a quick wrap-up. The goal is to end with your audience being clear on their next steps.”

Even if the listeners do have questions, there’s a good reason not to have a Q&A session at the very end of your presentation.

Namely, there’s always a chance that someone will ask a question that completely derails the conversation.

If you have the Q&A portion right before your conclusion, you’ll have time to reiterate your core message and proceed with a memorable closing statement .

For reference, you can ask for questions by saying:

“Before I close out this lecture, do you guys have any questions for me?”

Then, if there are no questions, you can still proceed to your conclusion without losing face. 

A Q&A session is one of the best ways to make your presentations more interactive — but it’s not the only way to go about it. To learn more, check out this article:

• 18 Ways to make presentations more interactive and engaging

Mistake #4: Not having time for any questions at all

Ending with a Q&A session could be a problem — but, perhaps, not as big of a problem as not taking questions at all.

As Mark Beal would say:

“Not giving the audience the opportunity to participate in the presentation via a question and answer session is another ineffective way to end a presentation. Audiences want to have a voice in a presentation. They will be more engaged with the presentation content and recall it more effectively if given the opportunity to participate in the presentation and interact with the presenter.”

Dr. Lee M. Pierce adds:

“It’s always good to leave at least 15 minutes for questions. Leaving 5 minutes is annoying and pointless. Also, be prepared that the audience may not have questions or not feel comfortable just jumping in, so have some of your own questions ready to offer them. You can say something like, ‘Just to put it out there, if I were going to ask me a question, I’d ask…’ ”

Now, both Nadia Bilchik and Lee M. Pierce have mentioned phrases you can use if no one comes forth with a question.

You’ll notice that the sentences they have come up with will require you to consider the questions you may be asked ahead of time .

In addition to helping you create a better presentation, doing this will also allow you to answer any questions effortlessly.

Mistake #5: Going over your time

Last but not least, many of the professional speakers we have interviewed have stressed the importance of ending one’s presentation on time.

Michelle Gladieux said it best:

“The best way to end a presentation is ON TIME. Respect others’ time commitments by not running over. You can always hang around for a while to speak with people who have more to say or more to ask.”

Dr. Lee M. Pierce agrees:

“The worst thing you can do is run over time. If you were given 45 minutes for a presentation plus 15 minutes for Q & A, you should end at 45 minutes — better if you end at 35 or 40.”

Then again, according to Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule, even going over the 20-minute mark could risk boring and alienating one’s audience.

Useful phrases for ending a presentation

In the course of our research, we’ve found many practical phrases one might use to wrap up a presentation.

We even had experts send in their suggestions. For example, Nadia Bilchik says:

“I always end with a very quick summary of the content, a definitive call to action, and a reiteration of the benefits to the audience. This is a superb model, and I have shared it with thousands of individuals who have found it immensely valuable. Use this as your framework: What I have looked at today… What I am asking you to do… The benefits are…”

Other phrases you might use at the end of your presentation include:

“To recap, we’ve discussed…”

“Throughout this presentation, we talked about…”

“In other words,…”

“To wrap up/conclude,…”

“In short, I’d like to highlight…”

“To put it simply,…”

“In conclusion…”

“In summary, the goal of my presentation…”

“If there’s one thing you take away from my presentation…”

“In bringing my presentation to a close, I wanted to…”

If you’d like to incorporate a call to action, you might say:

“I’m counting on you to…”

“After this presentation, I’d like to ask you to…”

“Please take a minute to…”

“Next time you (see a suspicious email), remember to (forward it to this email address).”

To end with a quote, you could say:

“Let me leave you with this quote…”

“That reminds me of the old saying…”

Lastly, more useful phrases include:

“Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.”

“For more information, head to the link on the screen.”

“Thank you for your time/attention.”

“I hope you found this presentation informative/useful/insightful.”

Remember: the last words you say should make it abundantly clear that your presentation has ended.

What should your final slide look like?

If you don’t want to leave your final slide blank as some of the experts we have talked to would recommend, there are other ways to fill that space.

Joseph Liu told us:

“I tend to make it very clear the presentation is coming to an end by having a slide that says, ‘Closing Thoughts’ or something to that effect. I recommend ending with a recap of your content, reconnecting with the initial hook you used at the start, and finally, some sort of call to action.”

Mark Beal has a similar formula for his closing slides, saying:

“The final slides of my presentation include: A slide featuring three key messages/takeaways, A question and answer slide to engage the audience at the conclusion in the same manner a presenter wants to engage an audience at the start of a presentation, and A final slide including the presenter’s contact information and a website address where they can learn more information. This slide can include a QR code that the audience can screenshot and access the presenter’s website or another digital destination.”

Between these two suggestions and the many examples we have included throughout our guide, you ought to have a clear picture of what your final slide might look like.

End your presentations with a bang on Pumble

Knowing how to end a presentation effectively is a skill like any other — you’re bound to get better through practice and repetition.

To get the most out of your presentations, make sure to give them on Pumble.

Pumble — a team communication and collaboration app — allows you to have the most interactive, efficient presentations thanks to:

• The video conferencing feature that allows you to share your knowledge with a large group of people,
• The screen sharing feature that allows you share your presentation,
• The in-call message feature, to ensure your audience can participate (and send questions for the FAQ partition of the presentation, for example), and
• The blur background feature, that ensures your audience’s attention is always on you and you alone.

Secure, real-time communication for professionals.

Olga Milicevic is a communication researcher and author dedicated to making your professional life a bit easier. She believes that everyone should have the tools necessary to respond to their coworkers’ requests and communicate their own professional needs clearly and kindly.

What's on your to-do?

START COLLABORATING

with Pumble

Related posts

60+ hilarious quips to use as your joke of the day for work.

Looking for the perfect joke of the day for work? Here are 60+ hilarious jokes for work. …

Who Gets a Write-Up at Work and Why? Everything You Need to Know

Our guide to dealing with a write-up at work will help you understand the disciplinary process better….

What Is a Skip-Level Meeting & How Do You Prepare for One?

How should you prepare for your next skip-level meeting? Read this article to find out. …

Leadership vs Management: 11 Fundamental Differences

Are all leaders managers? Find out in our full guide on leadership vs management where we go over the key differences between the two. …

How to Write a Proper Employee Leaving Announcement With Tips and Examples 

Learn how to write an effective employee leaving announcement, properly informing your staff, with templates for various departure scenarios. …

Friendly Reminder Email: 21 Examples and Templates You Can Try

Learn how to write a perfect friendly reminder email. Get all the tips and 21 friendly reminder email examples and templates….

Need better team communication??

Pumble is an all-in-one team collaboration app. Send messages and files, and start video conferencing with one click, and reduce emails. Free forever.

Free team chat app

Improve collaboration and cut down on emails by moving your team communication to Pumble.

Unlimited users • Unlimited chat history • Free forever

• Slidesgo School
• Presentation Tips

How to End Your Presentation: Tips for Your Grand Finale

You have just created the most amazing presentation ever. You have written a touching speech and you are designing your last slides… Oh, wait. How to end your pitch? Sometimes people get distracted.   Don’t panic. You don’t need to read Aristotle’s Rhetoric to close your presentation in an effective way. In this tutorial, we will teach you some tips to influence your listeners and to get new clients, investors, students… They’ll love you and your product or service! 

Summarize and show a sneak peek

Make a lasting impact: quotes, use emotions to persuade your audience, involve your audience, add a “thanks” slide.

Just before saying “thanks” and “goodbye”, it’s time to summarize the contents of your presentation… and give something new to your audience.   Repetition can be a good idea! In this case, it will help your listeners. Thanks to it, they will manage to understand the global structure of your speech, if they didn’t before! In addition, if they had doubts or didn’t understand a section properly, their questions will be immediately answered.  Before or after talking about the main points of your presentation, give your audience something that will make them want to know more about your product or service.   In this respect you give them an opportunity to see something before it is officially available.  

This is a sneak peek. In Slidesgo, we add a special template in some of our Marketing themes .  You could, for example, add a video showing the features of your product. Make it visual, interesting and you will thrill your audience!  → Are you fascinated by the smart design of this News Agency Template yet? Give it a go! 

It’s usual to add a quote to your presentation. Recalling the perfect sentence by an authority is great when you want to persuade or to make a great impact in your listeners.   By authority, we refer to someone who is a specialist in an area or to someone who is pretty famous for his or her work, intelligence…   In the same way, you can also use closing lines of books or movies. They also have a great impact! Have you ever watched Some Like It Hot? The very last sentence pronounced in this movie, became one of the most well known and quoted lines in history. When Jerry confesses that he is a man, Osgood states: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”  Let’s use a famous quote in your presentation. Choose a sentence that represents your passion and that triggers a pleasant feeling in your audience. Talking about effort is always a good idea. The same can be applied to optimism, as it is a contagious emotion! 

Get this quote as an example. It is short, concise and it was pronounced by someone who is famous and successful!  → Did you like this energetic World After Coronavirus Template ? Get it for free!  

You have explained all the technical details of your company and your product or service. Now, let's add some emotive touches to what you want to say.   Of course, it’s something that you can use during the whole presentation, but ending in an emotional way will be very effective.   Our memory works better when emotions are around. We remember quite clearly moments of pure joy, moments of adventure or periods of grief, but you may not remember what you ate a week ago. There were no feelings attached to food (usually!).  Let’s have a look at the following slide: 

It clearly evokes a feeling of strength, self-improvement and self-realization. It seems that the girl can achieve anything she wants! It’s warm, lovely. This image tells a story related to feelings.  Use this sort of image, and match it with your words. Talk about the importance of diversity and how this will result in a better society, for example.  Talking about words themselves, don’t forget to use inclusive pronouns: we, us, our. Make yourself part of your audience. This way, they will feel as part of your team!  → Use now this Girls in Science Template ! 

If you don’t allow your audience to take part in your presentation, in what you say, they can get easily distracted.   Remember that you prepare your presentation or you give a speech having your listeners, clients or potential investors in mind. It’s not something that you prepare for you!  What should you do to involve your audience? We have talked about using “we” in the previous section. Employ “you” as well! This way, they’ll feel that you are directing your attention to them, that you want them to take part in what you are saying.  OK, linguistically speaking it’s a good tip. But… Is there anything else that we can do? Of course!  Asking them questions or rising a challenge can be great for doing so. Imagine this situation: you are just finishing and some of them have stopped paying attention… but you have a question ready for them!  You can use interactive templates in such cases. They are pretty uncommon and funny, so your presentation will turn into a game!

→ Use this Social-Emotional Learning Template now!   

It may seem trivial, but saying thanks at the end of your presentation is important. Why? Well, this serves as a clear indicator that tells your audience that you have finished. If you try to end, for example, with a summary, without any “thanks” slide, it can be confusing.   This is a customary thing to do. We all understand that, with “thanks”, the presentation is over. There are, of course, other important reasons to use this magical word!  Always remember that your listeners have devoted part of their valuable time listening to you and paying attention to your message. Saying thanks is a time-honoured practice. In fact, being polite is the way to persuade your listeners. 

Try using a slide to say “thanks”. Make use of a beautiful theme font and make the word stand out! Apart from that, you could also use this slide to provide your contact details.    They know that your presentation is coming to an end, so they will surely write down your email or your telephone number to contact you!  → Do you like this Wedding Template ? Download and edit it now, it’s free!  The key to have a grand finale is letting your audience understand that you care about them: say thanks, summarize the contents so they are easier to understand. Connect with their emotions! Practice, practice and practice. These tips will help you become as good as Martin Luther King in public speaking!   If you need more free Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates , you can visit our website! We have beautiful and useful designs for you!    

Do you find this article useful?

Related tutorials.

7 tips to create a positive classroom culture

No matter if it's been ages since you last stepped into a classroom or just a long time ago―there’s probably a particular learning experience you often find yourself thinking about. Maybe it was a passionate teacher who kept the whole class engaged, or perhaps a classmate who lent you a hand with a tricky topic. Positive classroom experiences do leave a lasting mark on us, so it makes perfect sense that people leading a classroom aim to create the finest possible learning setting. In this article, we’ll share some tips to help you turn a regular classroom into a positive space.

How to create a word cloud in Google Slides

There are many ways to improve your Google Slides presentation. From choosing the right font to finding the right template, good presentations keep an audience engaged and convey a message in a clear way.Knowing how to visualize data in a slideshow is one of those actions that have a huge impact on the success of a presentation. At the end of the day, plain data fails to motivate decisions as effectively as clear insights do. This is when powerful visual tools like word clouds step in. Let us tell you all about them. 

How to create a word cloud in PowerPoint

In the age of information, showing data has become as important as collecting it. Those who are able to turn big amounts of data into easy-to-understand ideas, are the ones pushing the game forward.At the end of the day, plain data fails to motivate decisions as much as clear insights do. That’s where powerful visual tools such as word clouds step in. We’re here to tell you all about them.

Welcome to Slidesgo Educator Community, Community Circle!

As educators, it's essential to support collaboration and professional development among peers. However, the demands of educating students can sometimes make it challenging to find the time to network with fellow educators. That's why we're excited to introduce our Slidesgo Educator Community, an innovative platform designed especially for educators. In this blog post, we'll dive deeper into why we created this community, what its key features are, and how it can benefit educators.

Because First Impressions Aren’t Everything: 20 Tips and Ideas to End Your Presentation in Style

“After a while I went out and left the hospital and went back to the hotel in the rain.”

If you are a big literature lover, you might recognize this sentence. If not, that’s okay too. In this article, however, we’re not talking about literary expertise but rather about a successful conclusion to a presentation.

How these two are related will be revealed in the final tip. However, you can truly benefit from it only if you have internalized the other tips as well.

Why the end of your presentation should be more than an afterthought

A great dessert is the perfect finish to a dinner. It has the power to elevate even the most mediocre of starters. A surprising, powerful ending to a film often stays with us longer than the rest of the story. Musicians close their concerts with something special to send their audiences off in high spirits. In a commercial, we always hear the key slogan at the end .

So why do so many presentations end with a terse, “Well, I guess that’s it. Thanks for your attention”, or some other lackluster phrase?

It could be due to that time-honored truth; most people just don’t like presenting. For many, it’s an annoying but necessary duty. For some, it’s an extremely unpleasant challenge. Add to that an audience that isn’t always filled with interested listeners and it’s no wonder most presenters rush through their conclusion.

Which is a shame. Because when you put a lot of effort into a presentation to convince and stand out, you deserve to end the presentation appropriately. Do justice to your efforts and don’t waste valuable points at the last moment! Attention is particularly high at the end, and what is said last remains in memory the longest. Of course, the focus of information is in the middle, but often it is not the information that makes the difference, but rather the emotion.

And at the end, you can trigger emotion effectively. A particularly compelling ending can even make the decisive difference. To assist you in creating such a presentation ending, we have listed 20 helpful tips for you below.

So here are 20 useful tips and tricks that will help you finish your presentation in style:

1. Have the courage to do it differently!

Look back on presentations you’ve sat through; you probably can’t remember much about their conclusions. There’s usually a slide thanking the audience for their attention and that’s it. Finding memorable, surprising, exciting or stirring ways to close a presentation is a challenge. But maybe that’s the key: Step out of your comfort zone and do it differently . Be creative. This is the best start for a memorable finish.

2. Continuity: Avoid a random ending to your presentation

Many speakers don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how to wrap up their presentations. As long as the content is there, the rest will follow. Remember, a non-committal, “So, I think that’s it from me” will be the last thing an audience remembers. And no one wants that kind of anticlimactic finish to a compelling presentation. 

In short, it pays to spend time on your conclusion. Even the most eloquent and experienced presenters need to plan this last, decisive section of a presentation as carefully as the rest.

3. Put the cart before the horse : The goal remains the focus

This tip may sound a bit strange at first: When preparing presentations, it’s sometimes a good idea to take the last step first. Most people prepare their presentations like this: beginning, middle, end.  It’s a logical approach but all too often, it leads to a conclusion that just fizzles out.  So why not start there?

Ask yourself: Where am I going with this? Which core message should run through the entire presentation and be highlighted at the end? Once you’ve figured that out, you can start structuring the rest of your presentation.

Tip: In our blog, we have published a post that provides you with further valuable tips for the perfect preparation for your next presentation. You can directly access the blog post here .

4. Bookend your presentation

You think the beginning of your presentation has nothing to do with the end? Think again. One good way to bring your presentation full circle is to close the rhetorical circle and return to your key statement.

Bookending is the technique of starting and finishing a presentation with similar or related content. For example, you can start your presentation with a question, come back to it at the end of and answer it with your closing statement.  This frames your presentation and brings your audience full circle.

5. Don’t announce the end

When a presentation is drawing to a close, an audience often hears, “As I slowly wrap things up,” or, “We’re almost at the end now.” or even, “You’re almost free of me now.” Phrases like these are used a lot, but are they really necessary? Truth is, t hey give the feeling that presenters and audience alike can’t wait for a presentation to be over. It sounds as if the presenter find his or her own presentation boring and way too long. It’s also an invitation for the audience to tune out, gather their things and plan the rest of their day.

But there are ways to announce the end without losing your audience. Phrases like, “Now for one final, key point.”, can help lead your audience and refocus their attention. But announcing the end of a presentation is, in general, not necessary. Your final summary or call to action is usually enough.

6. Compelling Storytelling: Building a Climactic Tension Curve

Just like a good book, your presentation needs a narrative arc that builds anticipation. Paint an exciting image of your company’s future or catch them by surprise with a contradictory or unexpected statement. Or build your presentation so that your strongest argument is at the end .

With this little trick, you can make sure that your key statement is the last impression you make on your audience. It’s a great way to refocus your audience and generate excitement.

Tip: There is already a separate post on our blog about storytelling as an approach for a more convincing presentation. You can find the post here .

7. To summarize or not

It depends! Not every presentation requires a traditional summary of what has been learned. Especially presentations that are structured using the storytelling method often have a different closing.

Skilled presenters allow their audience to experience an “aha” moment in their presentation by closing the rhetorical circle. For example, in this method, a guiding question that was raised at the beginning of the presentation could be answered at the end.

However, this is not the only way to structure a presentation. In particular, in speeches that explore many different aspects and bring together various lines of argumentation, a conclusion is still a popular tool.

A good conclusion summarizes all the important arguments and key points of your presentation and establishes the connections. At the end of your presentation , bring together all the information and highlight the bigger picture on a slide . This provides your audience with something concrete to remember as a conclusion.

8. Make it memorable

Just like advertising, effective presentations are often about anchoring something in people’s memory. The way to do this is through repetition. The more often we hear, experience or do something, the more likely we are to remember it for a long time.

The end of a presentation is a good time to repeat and emphasize important content. You can also try to introduce a few prompts that will help your audience remember your presentation later on. For instance, you could do this with a small suggestion: “When you’re on your way home, think back on my traffic lights metaphor.”

Or provide a helpful tip: “By the way, the little technique I just told you about can also help you with your kids.” This kind of connection to everyday life makes the presentation more interesting and relatable to the audience and helps keep the mood light.

Tip: Read here how to incorporate humour into your presentations in good doses.

9. Focus on the final phrase

The last sentence of a presentation is more significant than you might think. Even if some of your audience have mentally drifted off, they’re usually back at full attention by the end. So, make the most of this and pay close attention to your closing words.

Your final phrase should reflect your core message. Also, ask yourself what thought or feeling you want to leave your audience with.

Here are a few ideas to help you formulate your closing statement:

• Always align your final message to the rest of the presentation.
• Keep it short.
• Address your audience on an emotional level . Try to create positive feelings, powerful calls to action, make thoughtful or humorous comments.
• A slogan or a message that you already established as a core statement in the presentation can be brought back at the end.
• Using stylistic devices, such as alliterations, can be an effective way to get the message across.
• Frequent presenters can also create a closing statement that they use as a catchphrase for each presentation. TV presenters and news anchors do this often. (A well-known example: Walter Cronkite would close news broadcasts with, “And that’s the way it is,” followed by the date.)
• The final phrase doesn’t have to be yours. A quote from a well-known person can underline your statements wonderfully. Even a famous, perhaps slightly modified proverb can provide a meaningful and memorable close.
• The final sentence doesn’t even have to be a sentence. An image or perhaps a short video can also be an effective, atmospheric conclusion.

10. Create a feeling of community

We humans are social beings and feel comfortable when we form a harmonious community. Therefore, it is particularly appropriate to focus on creating harmony and unity at the end in order to evoke positive emotions.

Be mindful of not creating a barrier between yourself and the audience with your final words. This can be easily achieved by using inclusive language.

Instead of saying, “I conclude that…” or “You have now learned that…,” say “We can now see that…” or “It is clear to us now that…”. This creates a sense of unity and agreement, and reinforces the idea that you are on the same side as the audience.

11. Keep calm and carry on – right to the very end

It’s important to maintain poise and confidence throughout a presentation. That means the conclusion, too. Avoid the tendency to seek approval and don’t over-apologize for any fumbles you may have made. Mistakes and faux pas happen and when they do, simply acknowledge them, correct them and keep going. And whatever you do, don’t bring them up again at the end of your presentation. You audience will have already forgotten them and moved on. And so should you.

This sounds easier than it is, because negative phrases such as “Sorry I couldn’t explain topic xy in more detail” or “I hope I didn’t bore you too much” come really naturally to most of us. You’ll need to practice a little self-control to leave your inner critic where it belongs: inside.

12. End of presentation = end of topic

An end can also be a new beginning – but not in this case. Don’t end your presentation with a new idea. This can just confuse your audience and dilute your core message.  If you remember something you forgot, leave it out or add it to any follow-up material you may send by email.

An exception to this tip is when the presentation is followed by a discussion or Q&A session . This is when new ideas can be brought up and explored.

13. Call your audience to action

Give your audience a clear and direct call to action at the end of your presentation. Now’s the time to plug your product, services, your new website or podcast. When done right, these “plugs” will sound less like self-promotion and more like a friendly offer: “If you’d like to learn more, feel free to check out my book.”

14. Transition smoothly to a discussion or Q&A session

Let your audience know at the beginning of your presentation whether questions can be asked during or saved for after. If you’re planning a Q&A session or discussion at the end of the presentation, make sure you create a smooth and confident transition. 

Anyone who starts with a simple, “Are there any questions?” or even just a brief, “Questions?” can expect to be met with awkward silence. Get the conversation started by referencing a point you made in your presentation (“What are your thoughts on…”). This also allows you to steer the conversation and revisit some important points from the presentation.

15. The final slide

When all has been said, most presentations still have a slide that, in a way, announces the end. Sometimes it just says End , or Questions? or the infamous, Thank you for your attention in large letters. You can do it that way, but you can also do it better.

The last slide can be a picture, a meme or a comic, which can loosen things up and arouse emotions. You can also choose no concluding slide at all or a completely black slide. This can provide the space for a transition to the Q&A session or a discussion: “As you can see, I’ve reached the end of my presentation. Now it’s your turn.”.

Tip: If you want to speed things up, you can also use our “Closing Slides / Thank You Slides” templates for PowerPoint for your last slide. Click here to go directly to the product.

16. Thank you?

Do you thank the audience for their attention at the end of a presentation or not? Opinions differ a little on this. For many, it’s common practice and, well, simply good manners. For others, it’s a mundane, overused phrase that brings little value at the end of a presentation . So, what to do?

You can of course leave a final “thank you” out. No one will think less of your presentation if you do. But, if you’re like me and can’t imagine not thanking an audience for their time, forgo the thank you slide, use one of the other tips to give your presentation a strong finish, then say give a simple and sincere “thank you”.

17. Add a personal touch

Personal words create a sense of familiarity and communicate appreciation. A friendly farewell can help ensure you and your presentation won’t be quickly forgotten. A quick goodbye doesn’t cut it. Instead, try something like, “I hope you get home safe and sound in this weather.”

You can also connect your personal message to your presentation topic: “I hope you enjoy implementing my method as much as I did. Send me an email to let me know how it goes.” Of course, your content should score points, but don’t underestimate the power of likeability.

18. Take your time

It’s natural to feel relieved after a successful presentation. Unfortunately, this often leads to speakers fleeing the scene. No sooner have the last words been spoken, than the laptop is shut down, the projector switched off and the presenter is dashing out the door before the applause has ended. Nobody gains from this. The presenters doesn’t allow him or herself to enjoy audience recognition and the audience has the feeling that the presenter has lost interest and just wants to go home.

Take your time. Enjoy the applause, maintain eye contact with the audience, acknowledge them and smile. There will be time to pack up later.

By the way: Also pay attention to the speed of your speech. Many presenters, without realizing it, tend to speak more quickly as they approach the end of a presentation.

 19. Manage your time

Anyone else remember that awkward moment at the end of almost every university lecture? The professor is still talking, yet the majority of fellow students are already loudly packing up and leaving the room. Pretty rude behavior. However, there may be a valid excuse for it.

Students have other classes to get to, papers to write and exams to study for. In other words, their time is precious. Among your audience will often be clients, managers and colleagues who have back-to-back meetings that day. For them, time is truly of the essence; they’ve planned their day to the last minute.

This same kind of careful planning and thorough time management should be applied to your presentation. Timeboxing allocates a certain amount of time to an activity in advance to complete it within that time frame. Practice your presentation in advance with friends or relatives and time yourself. Allocate enough time for each part of your presentation and plan some buffer time so you don’t have to rush through your closing statement. Timeboxing your presentation will give it an easy, comfortable pace. Your audience will thank you for it.

20. No pain, no gain!

Let’s return to our quote from the beginning: “After a while I went out and left the hospital and went back to the hotel in the rain.” This is the last sentence from Ernest Hemingway’s novel, In Another Country . So, what does this have to do with a presentation or its conclusion for that matter? Actually, nothing at all. But Hemingway is said to have changed and rewritten this one last sentence 39 times before finally settling on it. He was obviously aware of the importance of a good ending and was willing to invest time and effort to make it unique and memorable. Be like Hemingway. It’s worth it!

If you need assistance with your presentation ending, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are a nationally and internationally successful PowerPoint agency with years of practical expertise in the business sector. We would be happy to help. Please contact us via email at [email protected] .

On that note, thanks for reading. ;-)

These articles might be interesting for you:

• Kick start your presentation: 16 ideas
• Preparing PowerPoint presentations
• 10 types of PowerPoint slides

Share this post

• share  
• save  

Design Thinking: Problem Solving with a Difference

Why Corporate Mission Statements Are So Important

7 Tips & Learnings from the Apple Keynote

Connect with us

How to end a presentation effectively

Present better.

• Flat Design
• Minimalist Design
• Colorful, Bright, and Bold Design
• Infographic-Style Slides in Presentations
• Bold Typography Design

In this blog, we explore the importance of a strong conclusion in presentations. A lackluster ending leaves the audience uninspired, while ending on a high note fires them up for action. We discuss strategies, additional… ... read more In this blog, we explore the importance of a strong conclusion in presentations. A lackluster ending leaves the audience uninspired, while ending on a high note fires them up for action. We discuss strategies, additional tips, and common mistakes to avoid. close

The end is an inevitable part of any good thing, and that includes your presentation. Leaving a final impression with a strong conclusion cannot be an afterthought; it is the spark needed to set your goals in motion. An anticlimactic conclusion leaves your audience uninspired at best, if not outright indifferent. Ending on a high note will fire them up, encouraging them to remain engaged and inspired to take action.

Why is it important to have a good conclusion?

Striving for an effective conclusion is a reliable way to ensure you fulfill the presentation’s purpose. To really recognize a presentation’s success , one must note its efficiency in yielding the desired outcomes from the audience. A powerful and inspiring ending contributes to enhancing a brand or business and has a positive impact within the presenter’s context. Whether the aim was to secure funding, showcase important data, or gain support for an initiative, a strong conclusion is a necessary component to confirm that the message is delivered and received effectively.

Effective strategies to conclude your presentation

A powerful conclusion leaves your audience feeling energized long after you wrap up your presentation. This is why it’s important to use effective tactics to create an impactful finale. How you decide to conclude your presentation impacts how your message will resonate with your listeners. Consider the following strategies to leave a lasting impression:

Bring back your main idea

Repetition is the key to retention. In the world of presentations, there is no surer way to make your message stick than to repeat it. Although you may feel like this approach is redundant, recapping the main points after each section emphasizes the message and improves audience learning. By consistently repeating the core concepts throughout your presentation, you let them become ingrained in the audience’s mind. And revisiting the same ideas several times allows for a renewed understanding, and the space to notice details and patterns. So you can conclude your presentation by reinforcing and ensuring that your main message is remembered by reiterating it one last time. 

Include a call to action

If the main purpose of your presentation is to inspire action, you need to move the audience towards it. You cannot assume that the audience will simply know what the next steps are without any guidance. Sum up your presentation by leaving them with an instructive call to action that lets them know what to do next.

Close the loop

The “loop technique” is when a speaker concludes their speech by referring back to the beginning of the presentation. This technique offers a sense of closure that is satisfying and concrete. You would use your allotted time to build audience anticipation and keep them engaged until the end, where you finally come full circle to the beginning of the presentation. This is a common structure for talks, and for good reason; it reminds the audience of your main idea and why they were there in the first place. 

End with an inspirational quote or surprising statistic

Occasionally, there will be times when you do not have the right words to express how you feel, so don’t hesitate to use someone else’s. You can use the final slide of your presentation to share a quote that appropriately sums up your message and leaves the audience with a strong impression.

3 Additional tips for a memorable conclusion

Tell a story.

Although this is a common technique for opening a presentation, it also makes for a meaningful conclusion. People are social creatures that long for connection, and stories are an emotional tether that creates empathy, which allows the audience to sympathize with your message. If you have been weaving your story with a narrative all throughout, the conclusion is the time to wrap it all up with a purposeful ending.

Use the rule of threes

Using the rule of threes is a super simple and effective way to communicate your main ideas. The idea is that the audience can remember concepts better when they are shared in a pattern of three. This could look like dividing your main idea into three sections or offering the audience the takeaway in a list of three action points, areas for improvement, or any other prompt you want to elicit.

Ask a rhetorical question

For a memorable conclusion, consider leaving your audience with a thought-provoking question for them to chew on. By posing a rhetorical question, you encourage the audience to contemplate and reflect on their answers long after you finish presenting. This leaves your presentation lingering in their minds, but it can also be a conversation starter for them later on. 

Common mistakes to avoid when ending a presentation

There are a few missteps that you should steer clear of when planning your conclusion. A presentation is meant to persuade, and these mistakes can leave your audience apathetic or uninterested in the next steps. 

Failing to announce your conclusion

You want to avoid an abrupt ending to your presentation that confuses the audience by announcing that you are nearing the end before wrapping up. Once you let the audience know that the conclusion is near, it makes them pay attention. You can simply say, “As I conclude my presentation,” for a clear signal before moving into your closing remarks.

Failing to tie up loose ends

In the world of creative writing, Chekov’s Gun refers to the principle by which writers are encouraged to resolve any element they introduce in the story. Similarly, in presentations, this is called the “tie-back principle.” Any time an interesting element is introduced in the beginning, whether a fact, a quote, or a photo, it should eventually be addressed again in the conclusion. It provides a satisfying conclusion and ensures you tie all loose ends together. 

Not offering a summary

With several factors contributing to disordered attention spans, it is crucial to consistently remind the audience of your key ideas. As you conclude your presentation, you can reiterate your points by posing a thoughtful question and using the space to answer it as a way to recap the ideas you covered. As you restate your message, you ensure your audience retains the most important takeaways. 

Concluding with a Q&A

A common mistake made by presenters is concluding with a Q&A session. Of course, audience interaction is encouraged, but it is best to dedicate time for questions during the presentation and not to end on it. Your final words are what are most likely to stay with your audience, so rather than leaving the audience to have the last word, dedicate the final moments to delivering a strong, comprehensive summary and a powerful closing statement.

Not providing a call to action

The main goal of a presentation is to persuade. And while your content may be informative and engaging, you still need to guide your audience toward the direct response you want to receive from them. If your presentation aims to get budget approval, ask for it at the end. Or if your presentation requests support or funding, then tailor your call to action to address this need.

With effective communication strategies, you can end your presentation on a high note and leave your audience with a lasting impression in their hearts and minds. A powerful and well-crafted conclusion not only affirms your message but also contributes to the overall advancement of your desired outcomes. To learn more about presentation tricks and techniques, visit Prezlab’s blog page for insightful and informative articles on all things related to presentation and presentation design.

Recommended for you..

27 December 2023

8 Presentation design trends you should know about for 2024

08 January 2024

Pitch Perfect: A checklist for investor presentations

16 January 2024

Web Design Trends 2024: Elevating web experiences

How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Practical Tips to Grab Attention and Make an Impact

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter

By Al Boicheva

in Insights

2 years ago

Viewed 4,603 times

Spread the word about this article:

No matter how well-crafted and planned the body of your presentation, its impact depends on its opening and ending.  On one hand, you have 30 seconds to grab your audience’s attention so people would be interested in hearing what you have to say. On the other, your ending is what your audience will be left with and will shape how they feel about your presentation and how they’ll remember it. This might be like a lot of pressure but the truth is, it’s easier than it sounds. This is why, in this article, we will help you achieve this and more with 10 practical tips on how to start and end a presentation effectively .

Article overview: The Opening: 5 Tips To Get Your Audience Invested  1. The Hook 2. Transition 3. Personal Story 4. Build Tension with Silence 5. Use Startling Statistics The Ending: 5 Tips To Make an Impact 1. The Rule of Three 2. Come Full Circle 3. Food for Thought Question Ending 4. Inspire with Personal Involvement 5. Make Your Audience Laugh

5 Practical Tips on How to Start a Presentation

Imagine you spent weeks preparing an amazing presentation with lots of valuable insight that you just can’t wait to share with your audience. Unfortunately, only a few minutes in, you notice that most of your viewers are on their phones scrolling and barely paying any attention to what you have to say. What happened?

Presenters and speakers often start with a long introduction. They introduce themselves, share how excited they are, thank the audience for attending, explain what they’re going to speak about in a minute, why the topic is important, etc. This might take only one or two minutes, however, when it comes to presentation,  two minutes without telling anything interesting might result in losing your audience. In fact, you only have 30 seconds to grab your audience’s attention .

This is why, no matter the topic and goal of your presentation, you must always captivate your audience’s attention first. Leave the introductions and summaries for later .

In this section, we’ll talk about ways to hook your audience in the first 30 seconds and get them invested in what you have to say in your presentation.

1. The Hook

Anything unpredictable that catches you off-guard, will get your attention.

This tactic, masterfully named as a metaphor for attracting fish with a juicy worm on a hook, refers to a few-second short story, metaphor, shocking fact, statistics, analogy, controversial statement, or anything unconventional and unexpected that will capture your viewer’s imagination. We’ll have a look at three examples for hooks.

1.1 Bold Claim

“Here’s all you have to know about men and women: women are crazy, men are stupid.” This opening line by stand-up comedy legend George Carlin is a great example of a hook in the form of a bold claim. If you’re confident enough with your presentation and you have a bold claim up to your sleeve, don’t save it for the end. Instead, shoot that bullet confidently the second you start your presentation. It will immediately catch your audience off-guard and you will have it paying attention to your every word after that.

Here are some examples for bold claim starters in presentations and public speaking.

• “What you’re doing right now at this very moment is killing you.” ( Nilofer Merchant )
• “Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead through the food that they eat.” ( Jamie Oliver )
• “I’m going to try to increase the lifespan of every single person in this room by seven and a half minutes. Literally, you will live seven and a half minutes longer than you would have otherwise just because you watched this talk.” ( Jane McGonagall )
• “I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room. However, it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar.” ( Pamela Meyer )

1.2 Imagine

One of the greatest ways to get attention and start strong is through storytelling. People love stories and are always interested in hearing one. In fact, many presentations may revolve around a story or just use small anecdotes to enhance their message. With this being said, amongst the best methods to create a compelling story is to get your audience involved. To do so, make them imagine themselves in the shoes of the main character. This attention-grabber invites your viewers to create a mental image and get emotionally invested.

Here are examples of speeches starting with the Imagine play:

• “I want you, guys, to imagine that you’re a soldier, running through the battlefield. Now, you’re shot in the leg with a bullet that severs your femoral artery. This bleed is extremely traumatic and can kill you in less than 3 minutes. Unfortunately, by the time a medic actually gets to you, what the medic has on his or her belt can take 5 minutes or more with the application of pressure to stop that type of bleed.” ( Joe Landolina )
• “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3000 feet. Imagine a plane full of smoke, imagine an engine going clack-clack-clack-clack-clack. Well, I had a unique seat that day.”( Ric Elias )

1.3. Humourous Twists

Great stories have unexpected plot twists. The best stories, however, have a funny plot twist. Depending on your topic, you can start by telling your story, get your audience in the mood for a serious talk, and then contradict all expectations with a hilarious spin.

• “I need to make a confession at the outset here. A little over 20 years ago I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know. But here I feel kind of obliged to reveal. In the late 1980s, in a moment of youthful indiscretion, I went to law school.” ( Daniel Pink )

2. Transition

Your next step would be to make an organic transition between your hook and the main point of your presentation. You can do this seamlessly or by linking directly with “I tell you this, because”, “This brings us to…”. Mohammed Qahtani, for example, does this transition so smoothly, that you’ll never even catch it.

First, as a hook, he chooses to use a prop. He literally goes on stage and lights a cigarette, capitalizing on unpredictability, originality, bold statement, humor, and immediately uses the second hook in the form of a provocative question, asking the audience “You think smoking kills?”. The third thing he does is strike with shocking data that he immediately admits to being fake. He already has the audience on the tip of his fingers. Having accomplished that, Mohammed Qahtani is ready to finally move to the body of the presentation and reveal his actual message.

3. Personal Story

Another storytelling technique besides making people from your audience imagine themselves in a particular situation, is to start with your own personal story. One that is relevant to the topic of your presentation. Your personal involvement and experience give you credibility in the eyes of the viewers, and, as we mentioned, everyone loves to hear an interesting story. This is because stories are relatable, easy to identify with communicating honesty, openness, and connection.

4. Build Tension with Silence

Interestingly enough, saying nothing is also a very powerful option. In fact, standing in front of an audience and confidently keeping silent is as powerful as making a bold statement. Silence will definitely build tension and pique your audience’s curiosity about what you have to say. Be careful, however, as this technique requires knowing your timing.

5. Use Startling Statistics

Sometimes you just can’t think of a story, a joke, or a specific statement that is bold enough. And that’s okay. As a last resort, but also a pretty effective one, you can always rely on curious shocking statistics, related to your topic, to instantly gain people’s attention. Take your time researching curious statistics that will emphasize the seriousness of your topic or as a tool to start over the top.

To sum it up, your presentation opening follows 5 steps:

• Hook: You immediately strike your audience instantly with something interesting and unconventional they wouldn’t expect.
• Transition: You link your hook to your main point.
• Introduction: Once you already have your audience’s attention, you can finally make a very brief introduction with something relevant to your topic.
• Preview: Give your audience a brief preview of what you’re going to talk about.
• Benefits: Tell your audience how will they benefit from listening to your presentation. (ex. “By the end, you will already know how to…”)

Keep in mind, that your opening, consisting of these 5 steps, should be brief and ideally not exceed 2 minutes . If you manage to make a great hook, transition, introduction, review and list the benefits in 2 minutes, you already have your audience’s full attention and they will be listening to your every word throughout the body of your presentation.

5 Practical Tips on How to End a Presentation

Let’s consider this situation. You start watching a movie that instantly opens with a jaw-dropping suspenseful scene that raises questions and makes you want to unravel the mystery. This scene will certainly make your stay through the movie. You are very invested, you love the story, the build-up keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end when the reveal is so underwhelming, you feel disappointed. The ending doesn’t fit the intensity of the story and feels incomplete and rushed. How does this relate to your presentation?

Having a great start for your presentation is what will keep your audience interested in what you have to say. However, the end is what your audience will be left with and will shape how they feel about your presentation and how they’ll remember it.  In short, if you fail your opening, you will still be able to catch up with your presentation and capitalize with a great closing line. But an underwhelming conclusion can kill the velocity of a good presentation and ruin the overall experience.

Let’s look at some practical tips and examples by great presenters to get inspired and never let that happen.

1. The Rule of Three

This powerful technique in speech writing refers to the collection of three words, phrases, sentences, or lines. In photography, there’s a similar rule, known as the Rule of Thirds, that serves to divide an image into three. In writing, the Rule of Three combines a collection of thoughts into three entities with combined brevity and rhythm to create a pattern.

Information presented in a group of three sticks in our heads better than in other groups. This is why this principle presents your ideas in more enjoyable and memorable ways for your audience.  It also serves to divide up a speech or emphasize a certain message. Let’s see a couple of examples where the rule is applied in different forms.

Examples of the Rule of three in Speeches

• “ I came, I saw, I conquered .” (Veni, Vidi, Vici. ) by Julius Caesar in a letter to the Roman Senate
• “…this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people , shall not perish from the earth.” from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
• “ It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. lt means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.” from Steve Job’s Stanford Commencement Speech

In Veni Vidi Vici, the rule serves to divide the concept of Caesar’s victory into three parts to prolong the conclusion in order to give it more power. The “came” and “ saw” parts are technically obvious and unnecessary in terms of context. However, they serve to build up the conclusion of conquering, creating a story, rhythm, and, ultimately, a memorable and powerful line. A single “I conquered” wouldn’t impress the Senate that much, let alone become such a legendary phrase preserved in history.

Lincoln’s famous speech ending shows an excellent practice of the Rule of Three in the form of repetition to emphasize the new role of the Government.  “That Government of the people shaw not perish from the earth.” would still be a good line, however, the repetition makes it way more powerful and memorable.

And last, Steve Job uses the Rule of Three in the form of repetition to accomplish building up the conclusion and emphasizing what “it means”.  This repetition gives rhythm and helps the audience to be more receptive, stay focused, and follow the speaker to the final conclusion.

You can also use the Rule of Three to close your presentation by giving your audience two negatives and ending with a positive . Typical structures would be “This is not… this is not… but it is”; “You wouldn’t… you wouldn’t… but you would..”, etc.

For example, you can conclude a speech about self-growth with something similar to “Your future isn’t a matter of chance, it isn’t a matter of circumstances, it’s a matter of choice.”

2. Come Full Circle

In short, this means capitalizing  on your message by ending your presentation the exact way you started it . If done right, this is a powerful tool to make an impact. Usually, you begin your presentation with a statement that piques your audience’s curiosity. You use it to set the topic and start building on it. You take your audience on a journey, you make them start at one point, follow them through the entire journey, and make them end at the same point. By repeating the opening line as an ending, now the message makes more sense, it’s way more personal and makes a satisfying logical conclusion .

A good example of this comes from Yubing Zang in her speech “Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone.” The speaker opens her TED talk with that same line to take you on a journey. You experience her story, you learn how fear is the biggest thief of dreams while comfort is a drug that keeps you from following them. After that strong message, she finishes with that same phrase. In the end, this phrase isn’t just an abstract quote, now it makes more sense and feels more real and personal.

You can also use the full circle method to start and finish your presentation with the same question. As an opening line, your question will make your audience think. It will compel them to listen to your presentation and learn the answers. As an ending, however, this same question will become rhetorical .

And speaking of questions…

3. Food for Thought Question Ending

The easiest way to end a speech on a good note is to leave your audience with a question. The kind of open-ended question that will inspire your audience to reflect on . Such questions can be so inviting, they will give your audience something exciting to think about and even think of throughout the day.

Examples of open-ended questions, depending on your topic, could sound like this.

• What if it doesn’t work out that way?
• What does this look like for you?
• If you could do it over again, what would you do differently?

Unlike close-ended questions that the viewers can answer immediately on the spot and forget about your speech later, interesting open-ended questions that give them food for thought will inevitably surface on occasion.

For example, Lera Boroditski closes her topic on “How Language Shapes the Way We Think” with ” And that gives you the opportunity to ask: why do I think the way that I do? How could I think differently? And also, what thoughts do I wish to create?”

In order for your open-ended question to become food for thought, make sure your presentation raises it organically . It should sound like a relevant and logical conclusion to what you’ve built during your speech. Otherwise, the question would be forced and would seem like coming from nowhere. The best way to think of such an open-ended question is to reflect on what is the question you wished to answer during your presentation but couldn’t. Something that doesn’t have a solution yet.

• Why do people fear losing things that they do not even have yet?
• Why do we strive for perfection if it is not attainable?
• How much control do you have over your life?
• When will we reach a point where terraforming Mars will be our only chance at human survival? How can you influence this deadline?

This will give a great puzzle for your audience to solve and something to remember your presentation with, for a long time.

4. Inspire with Personal Involvement

If you have a story to share, don’t hesitate to inspire your audience with it during your own presentations.

This method is most powerful when we share a personal story or experience . Our vulnerability and personal touch are what will help you inspire your audience without sounding insincere or forcing them a piece of advice out of nowhere. The key here is to have credibility and personal involvement . It might come from your degree, accomplishments, or from your life’s story. Also, make sure the story is relatable and encourages empathy from your audience.

Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford University sharing his personal experiences in order to inspire change in his audience’s mindset. He uses his authority and credibility to shape the spirit of leadership and entrepreneurship in young people. He aims to inspire people that they should learn to color outside the lines instead of following the patterns and structure of society. And he serves as a great example with his own life story and accomplishments .

Which makes the ending memorable and impactful: “ Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. ”

In conclusion, the entire speech builds up to this conclusion making it powerful as the personal involvement and experience make it sincere and inspirational.

5. Make Your Audience Laugh

If your topic allows it, one of the best ways to make your presentation memorable and a great experience for your audience is to end with a joke. Just make sure to craft a joke that relates to the main point of your presentation.

As an example for this tip, we chose the TED talk of webcartoonist Randall Munroe where he answers simple what-if questions using math, physics, logic, and -you guessed it- humor.

He ends by sharing an allegedly personal experience about receiving an email from a reader with a single subject line “Urgent”. “And this was the entire email: If people had wheels and could fly, how would we differentiate them from airplanes? Urgent. And I think that there are some questions math just cannot answer. ”

Final Words

In conclusion, the start and end of your presentation are crucial to its success. No matter the topic and goal of your presentation, you must always captivate your audience’s attention first, leaving the introductions and summaries for later. Having a great start for your presentation is what will keep your audience interested in what you have to say. However, the end is what your audience will be left with and will shape how they feel about your presentation and how they’ll remember it.  We hope we managed to inspire your inner public speaker to rock your presentation like a pro.

In the meantime, you could also check some more insights on related topics, gather inspiration, or simply grab a freebie?

• Digital Marketing Trends 2022: How To Win An Audience and Keep It
• 30 Free Marketing Presentation Templates with Modern Design
• 35+ Free Infographic PowerPoint Templates to Power Your Presentations

Add some character to your visuals

Cartoon Characters, Design Bundles, Illustrations, Backgrounds and more...

Like us on Facebook

Subscribe to our newsletter

Be the first to know what’s new in the world of graphic design and illustrations.

• [email protected]

Browse High Quality Vector Graphics

E.g.: businessman, lion, girl…

Related Articles

12 of the best adobe illustrator alternatives [free & paid], the best brand name generators to save the day, how to find good infographic topics that will get you the right audience, 4 invaluable presentation design tips you wish you knew earlier, the best ui/ux design software: complete comparison guide, check out our powerpoint infographics bundle with 500+ infographic templates:, enjoyed this article.

Don’t forget to share!

• Comments (0)

Al Boicheva

Al is an illustrator at GraphicMama with out-of-the-box thinking and a passion for anything creative. In her free time, you will see her drooling over tattoo art, Manga, and horror movies.

Thousands of vector graphics for your projects.

Hey! You made it all the way to the bottom!

Here are some other articles we think you may like:

The Best 15 Places to Find Web Design Agencies

by Lyudmil Enchev

Create with GraphicMama

How to create a character profile for your brand mascot [+ free character design template].

by Al Boicheva

Online Graphic Design Courses: The Most Comprehensive Guide

by Iveta Pavlova

Looking for Design Bundles or Cartoon Characters?

A source of high-quality vector graphics offering a huge variety of premade character designs, graphic design bundles, Adobe Character Animator puppets, and more.