end of program 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.

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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.

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.

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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

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• 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

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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 5,429 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

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How to End a Presentation? [Top 8 Strategies with Examples]

Guru - May 9, 2023 - Leave your thoughts. 9 min read

animaker deck , presentation , presentation ideas , Presentation Software , presentation tips

How you end a presentation is just as crucial as its opening. It can make or break the impression that you leave on your audience.

A strong conclusion can reinforce your key message and ensure that your audience remembers it even after the presentation is over.

A well-concluded presentation can leave your audience impressed, energized, and motivated to take action.

So now, are you wondering what’s the best way to conclude your presentation? Don’t worry! You have come to the right place!

To help you make a powerful ending to your presentation, we have compiled a list of 8 different strategies in this blog post.

Each of these strategies is designed to help you create a memorable and impactful conclusion to your presentation.

By choosing the most appropriate one for your presentation, you can ensure that your audience remembers your key message and feels motivated to take action.

Let’s jump right in,

1. Emphasize the core message 2. Mirror your opening statement 3. Pose an open-ended question 4. End with a Call to action 5. Thank the audience 6. End with a powerful quote 7. Acknowledge your contributors 8. Ask for feedback

1. Emphasize the core message:

One of the most important aspects of any presentation is ensuring your audience understands your core message.

Reiterating your main points and summarizing your message at the end of your presentation can reinforce this and leave a lasting impression.

It helps to ensure that your audience understands the purpose of your presentation and has a clear takeaway from the information you have provided.

In this video, the speaker restates her topic to conclude her speech firmly and gives a pause, resulting in tremendous applause from the audience.

Similarly, by restating your core message, you can also create a sense of cohesion and give your presentation a firm closure.

This can be particularly important if you want to motivate your audience to take action or influence their behavior in some way.

However, it's important not to repeat EVERYTHING you have said. Instead, focus on the most crucial elements and highlight them in a concise and clear manner.

2. Mirror your opening statement:

A great way to end your presentation is by mirroring your opening statement in your conclusion.

Highlighting your presentation's key message at the end and emphasizing the central idea you aimed to communicate will help your audience to retain it in their memory.

During the conclusion of the presentation, the speaker effectively utilized the technique of mirroring the opening example she had presented - ordering a pizza on the phone by herself.

The speaker demonstrated the remarkable transformation she had undergone in terms of personal growth and confidence, which strongly reinforced her message to the audience.

By mirroring her opening example, she created a sense of familiarity and connection with her audience while simultaneously driving home the key message of her presentation.

This technique allowed the audience to understand better and relate to the speaker's personal journey and the message she was conveying.

Similarly, you can also use this strategy to conclude your presentation. This can be particularly effective if you are trying to reinforce a specific theme or idea throughout your presentation.

3. Pose an open-ended question:

One of the best ways to conclude your presentation is to elicit a response from your audience using an open-ended question that can effectively engage them and make your presentation more memorable.

Look at how the speaker concludes her speech with an open-ended question in this video.

Similarly, you can also raise open-ended questions to help your audience look from a different perspective and encourage them to investigate more thoroughly on the information presented.

Most importantly, ensuring that your question is relevant to your presentation and doesn't detract from your overall message is essential when eliciting a response.

So make sure that you kindle your audiences’ thoughts and ideas with the open-ended question at the end. This helps create a good long-lasting impression of your presentation.

4. End with a Call to action:

One of the best ways to end your presentation is by concluding with a call to action slide.

Incorporating a call to action into your presentation can be a powerful way to encourage your audience to take the next step.

Whether it's signing up for a program, making a purchase, or supporting a cause, a clear call to action is essential to achieving your desired outcome.

Similarly, according to your type of presentation, you can include a relevant call to action.

For example, this might involve providing specific instructions or offering an incentive for taking action, such as a discount or free trial.

It's essential that you understand their pain points and make your call to action compelling. Ensure that your core message and the needs of your audience are aligned so that they are motivated enough to act.

5. Thank the audience:

At the end of your presentation, it's essential to recognize that your audience has taken time out of their busy schedules to attend and listen to your message.

Thanking your audience for their time and attention can create a positive impression and make them feel appreciated.

It's essential to make your gratitude genuine and sincere rather than a superficial gesture. For example, consider expressing your gratitude with a personal anecdote or acknowledging specific individuals in the audience.

This simple act of gratitude can also create a sense of personal connection and signal to your audience that the presentation has reached its conclusion, paving the way for future interactions with them.

6. End with a powerful quote:

One effective strategy to end your presentation on a high note is by leaving the audience with a powerful quote.

However, it's crucial to choose a quote that is not only impactful but also unique and relevant to your topic.

Using a commonly known quote may come across as unoriginal and irrelevant, losing the attention and interest of your audience in most cases.

In this presentation, Steve Jobs concludes his speech with an inspiring and powerful message, “Stay Hungry! Stay Foolish”. Thereby emphasizing that you should never stop learning, pursue more goals, and never stop being satisfied.

Similarly, in your conclusion, consider using a relevant quote to make an impact.

7. Acknowledge your contributors:

Another best way to conclude your presentation is by showing gratitude to your contributors.

For example, if you deliver a business presentation on behalf of a team or a department, it's essential to recognize the collective effort that went into creating the presentation.

The concluding moments of your speech are the perfect opportunity to acknowledge your team members' hard work and dedication.

You can express gratitude to your team as a whole, thanking them for their contribution to the presentation.

However, if you want to ensure that the individual efforts of team members are recognized, highlighting specific contributions may be a better approach.

Some examples include:

"Join me in giving a round of applause to my incredible team, who played a significant role in arranging this pitch deck."

"Finally, I would like to mention that my tech team experts provided me with insight into the technical nuances, and without their contribution, this presentation would not have been as informative as it is now."

"As I conclude, I want to express my gratitude to Mark and Serene from the Marketing team, whose assistance in gathering the data and designing the slides was invaluable."

By acknowledging individual team members, you are demonstrating your appreciation for their work and giving them the recognition they deserve.

This will not only make them feel valued but also motivate them to continue contributing to the success of future presentations.

So be sure to end your presentation with the required acknowledgment for all the contributions.

8. Ask for feedback:

You can conclude your presentation seamlessly by thanking the audience and asking for feedback from them.

Encouraging feedback from your audience can greatly benefit your future presentations. It allows you to understand how your message was received and how you can improve for the next time.

So, how can you gather feedback effectively?

Firstly, ask attendees to share their thoughts on your presentation after you finish speaking. This can be done by initiating a Q&A session or by approaching individuals directly.

Another option is to set up a QR code near the exit and ask people to scan and jot down their thoughts on the online form as they leave. This allows attendees to provide their feedback in a confidential and hassle-free manner.

Also, consider having a suggestion box for handwritten feedback notes or creating an anonymous online survey that links to your presentation slides. This method is beneficial if you want to gather feedback from a large audience or if you prefer to have quantitative data.

By actively seeking feedback, you show your audience that you value their input and are committed to improving your presentation skills.

However, this strategy does not apply to all the general presentations. So use this way of concluding your presentation where it makes more sense to you and the audience.

In summary, an impactful conclusion is vital to wrap up your presentation successfully.

Each of these strategies serves a unique purpose, and by combining them, you can create a conclusion that is both engaging and impactful.

By incorporating the 8 critical strategies mentioned in this guide, you can leave a lasting impression on your audience, ensuring that your message stays with them even after the presentation has ended.

Now that you have learned the pro strategies of how to end a presentation, take a look at this guide on “How to start a presentation” as well and nail your presentation from start to end!

If you are still uncertain about how to make a presentation from the ground up, we suggest checking out Animaker Deck - the world's first avatar-driven presentation software.

With over 40 distinct and creatively designed templates at your disposal, we are confident you will find it worth trying!

We hope this article was helpful. Do let us know your thoughts on which strategy worked best for you, and also suggest your own ways of ending a presentation.

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Home Blog Presentation Ideas Key Insights on How To End a Presentation Effectively

Key Insights on How To End a Presentation Effectively

A piece of research by   Ipsos Corporate Firm  titled “Last Impressions Also Count” argues that “our memories can be governed more by  how an experience ends than how it begins .” A lasting final impression can be critical to any presentation, especially as it makes our presentation goals more attainable. We’re covering  how to end a presentation , as it can certainly come through as an earned skill or a craft tailored with years of experience. Yet, we can also argue that performing exceptionally in a presentation is conducting the proper research. So, here’s vital information to help out with the task.

This article goes over popular presentation types; it gives suggestions, defines the benefits and examples of different speech closing approaches, and lines all this information up following each presentation purpose.

We also included references to industry leaders towards the end, hoping a few real-life examples can help you gain valuable insight. Learn from noted speakers and consultants as you resort to SlideModel’s latest presentation templates for your efforts. We’re working together on more successful presentation endings that make a difference!

Table of Content

A presentation’s end is not a recap

The benefits of ending a presentation uniquely, the power of closing in persuasive presentations, informative presentations: the kind set out to convey, call to action presentations: trigger actions or kickoff initiatives, a final word on cta presentations, real-life examples of how to end a presentation, succeeding with an effective presentation’s ending.

We need to debunk a widespread myth to start. That’s why the ending of the presentation calls for an appealing action or content beyond just restating information that the speaker already provided.

A presentation’s end is not a summary of data already given to our audience.  On the contrary, a wrap-up is a perfect time to provide meaningful and valuable facts that trigger the desired response we seek from our audience. Just as important as knowing how to start a presentation , your skills on how to end a PowerPoint presentation will make a difference in the presentation’s performance.

Effective ways to end a presentation stem from truly seeking to accomplish – and excel – at reaching a presentation’s primary objective. And what are the benefits of that?

Considering the benefits of each closing approach, think about the great satisfaction that comes from giving an excellent presentation that ends well. We all intuitively rejoice in that success, regardless of the kind of audience we face. 

That feeling of achievement, when an ending feels right, is not a minor element, and it’s the engine that should drive our best efforts forward. Going for the most recommended way of ending a presentation according to its primary goal and presentation type is one way to ensure we achieve our purpose. 

The main benefit of cleverly unlocking the secret to presentation success is getting the ball rolling on what we set ourselves to achieve . Whether that’s securing a funding round, delivering a final project, presenting a quarterly business review, or other goals; there is no possible way in which handling the best presentation-ending approaches fails to add to making a skilled presenter, improving a brand or business, or positively stirring any academic or commercial context. 

The best part of mastering these skills is the ability to benefit from all of the above time and time again; for any project, idea, or need moving forward.

How to end a PowerPoint Presentation?

PowerPoint Presentations differ by dimensions. They vary not only tied to the diverse reasons people present, but they also separate themselves from one another according to: a- use, b- context, c- industry, and d- purpose. 

We’re focusing on three different types of presentation pillars, which are: 

• Informative
• Calls to action

As you can guess, the speaker’s intent varies throughout these types. Yet, there’s much more to each! Let’s go over each type’s diverse options with examples. 

In 2009,   “The New Rules of Persuasion,”  a journal article published by The Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, determined that commercial persuasion was missing “the ability to think clearly about behavior goals and the mindset of starting small and growing what works.” Incorporating these thoughts is still equally valid in persuasive presentations today.

What hasn’t changed since, however, is this society’s good reminder that “the potential to persuade is in the hands of millions.” As they stated in that publication, “ordinary people sitting in dorm rooms and garages can compete against the biggest brands and the richest companies.” The proven reality behind that concept can be pretty inspiring.

According to this source, “ the first critical step in designing for persuasion is to select an appropriate target behavior. ” And, for behavior to occur, in their opinion, “three elements must converge at the same moment […]:  Motivation ,  Ability,  and  Trigger .” This theory signals a person is motivated through sensation, anticipation, or belonging when they can perform a particular action. This concept is at the backbone of setting the correct trigger to allow a group of people to react a certain way.

The above is of utmost importance as we seek to gear persuasive efforts. The more insight we get on the matter, the easier it is to define the precise actions that will effectively trigger a certainly required response – in any scenario.

Here are options on how to deliver a final punch in a persuasive presentation during different types of objectives:

Investment presentations

Whenever you seek funding,  that need  should be expressly clear during a pitch. Investors need to know what’s in it for them on a given investment. Highlight what interests them, and add what the  return for the investor  is. Mention dividends, equity, or the return method selected, for instance. Your final ask slide should show the exact amount you’re looking for during this funding stage.

Throughout, explain what an investor’s return on investment (ROI) will be. And make sure you do so according to provable calculations. Here, the goal is to display current figures and future opportunities in your speech.

You mustn’t make up this data. In this setting, presenters are naturally assessed by their ability to stay within real options fully supported by proven and concise reliable information.

Focus on showing an ability to execute and accomplish expected growth. Also, be precise on how you’re using any trusted funds . For that, mention where they’ll be allocated and how you foresee revenue after investing the funds in your idea, product, or company.

Pitch Presentations

Pitches are also another form of persuasive presentation. Presenters are expected to wow in new ways with them, be engaging in their approach, and deliver valuable, market-impacting data. When someone delivers a pitch, it seeks a particular kind of action in return from the audience. Being fully engaged towards a presentation’s end is crucial.

Make sure you give the presentation’s end a Call to Action slide in sales. You’re certainly looking to maximize conversion rates here. Bluntly invite your audience to purchase the product or service you’re selling, and doing so is fair in this context. For example, you can add a QR code or even include an old-fashioned Contact Us button. To generate the QR code, you can use a QR code generator .

According to  Sage Publishing , there are “four types of informative speeches[, which] are definition speeches, demonstration speeches, explanatory speeches, and descriptive speeches.” In business, descriptive speeches are the most common. When we transport these more specifically to the art of presenting, we can think of project presentations, quarterly business reviews, and product launches. In education, the definition and demonstration speeches are the norm, we can think in lectures and research presentations respectively.

As their name suggests, these presentations are meant to inform our audiences of specific content. Or, as  SAGE Flex for Public Speaking  puts it in a document about these kinds of speeches, “the speaker’s general goal is always to inform—or teach—the audience by offering interesting information about a topic in a way that helps the audience remember what they’ve heard.” Remember that as much as possible, you’re looking to, in Sage’s words, give out “information about a topic in a way that’s easy to understand and memorable.” Let’s see how we manage that in the most common informative presentation scenarios mentioned above.

Project Presentations

For projects, presentations should end with an action plan . Ensure the project can keep moving forward after the presentation. The best with these conclusion slides is to define who is responsible for which tasks and the expected date of completion. Aim to do so clearly, so that there are no remaining doubts about stakeholders and duties when the presentation ends. In other words, seek commitment from the team, before stepping out of these meetings. It should be clear to your audience what’s expected next of them.

As an addition, sum up, your problem, solution, and benefits of this project as part of your final message.

Quarterly Business Review Presentations (QBR)

By the end of the presentation type, you would’ve naturally gone over everything that happened during a specific quarter. Therefore, make sure you end this quarterly review with clear objectives on what’s to come for the following term. Be specific on what’s to come.

In doing so, set figures you hope to reach. Give out numbers and be precise in this practice. Having a clear action plan to address new or continuing goals is crucial in this aspect for a recent quarter’s start out of your QBR. Otherwise, we’re missing out on a true QBR’s purpose. According to  Gainsight , “If you go into a QBR without a concrete set of goals and a pathway to achieve them, you’ll only waste everyone’s time. You won’t improve the value of your product or services for your customers. You won’t bolster your company’s image in the eyes of key stakeholders and decision-makers. You won’t better understand your client’s business objectives.” As they put it, “Lock in solid goals for the next quarter (or until your next QBR)” and secure your way forward as the last step in presenting these kinds of data. Visit our guide on  How to Write an Effective Quarterly Business Review  for further tips on this type of presentation.

Research presentations

Your research has come this far! It’s time to close it off with an executive summary.

Include the hypothesis, thesis, and conclusion towards the presentation’s end.

How do you get the audience to recall the main points of all this work? Let this guiding question answer what to insert in your final slide, but seek to reinforce your main findings, key concepts, or valuable insight as much as possible. Support your statements where necessary.

Most commonly, researchers end with credits to the collaborating teams. Consider your main messages for the audience to take home. And tie those with the hypothesis as much as possible.

Product Launch Presentation

Quite simply, please take out the product launch’s roadmap and make it visible for your presentation’s end in this case.

It’s ideal for product launch presentations to stir conversations that get a product moving. Please don’t stick to showcasing the product, but build a narrative around it.

Steve Jobs’ example at the bottom might help guide you with ideas on how to go around this. A key factor is how Apple presentations were based on a precise mix of cutting-edge, revolutionary means of working with technology advancements and a simple human touch.

Elon Musk’s principles are similar. People’s ambitions and dreams are a natural part of that final invitation for consumers or viewers to take action. What will get your audience talking? Seek to make them react.

Lecture for specific classes / educational presentation

When it comes to academic settings, it’s helpful to summarize key points of a presentation while leaving room for questions and answers.

If you’re facing a periodic encounter in a class environment, let students know what’s coming for the next term. For instance, you could title that section “What’s coming next class,” or be creative about how you call for your student body’s attention every time you go over pending items.

If you need to leave homework, list what tasks need to be completed by the audience for the next class.

Another option is to jot down the main learnings from this session or inspire students to come back for the following class with a list of exciting topics. There’s more room for play in this setting than in the others we’ve described thus far.

Harvard Business Review  (HBR) concisely describes the need at the end of a call to action presentation. HBR’s direct piece of advice is that you should “use the last few moments of your presentation to clarify what action [an audience] can take to show their support.” And what’s key to HBR is that you “Also mention your timeframe” as, for them, “a deadline can help to urge [the audience] into action.” Having a clear view of specific timelines is always fruitful for a better grasp of action items.

In her book Resonate,  Nancy Duarte  explains that “No matter how engaging your presentation may be, no audience will act unless you describe a reward that makes it worthwhile. You must clearly articulate the ultimate gain for the audience […] If your call to action asks them to sacrifice their time, money, or ideals, you must be very clear about the payoff.”

Business plan presentations

Here, we need to speak of two different presentation types, one is a  traditional approach , and the second is what we call a  lean approach .

For the traditional business plan presentation, display each internal area call to action. Think of Marketing, Operations, HR, and even budgets as you do so. Your PowerPoint end slide should include the rewards for each of the areas. For example, which will benefit each area when achieving the targets, or how will the company reward its employees when attaining specific goals? Communicating the reward will help each of the responsible entities to trigger action.

On the other hand, for your lean business plan, consider a business model canvas to bring your presentation to an end. 

Job interview presentations

You can undoubtedly feel tons of pressure asking for a specific position. For a great chance of getting that new job, consider closing your case with a  30 60 90 day plan  as a particular hiring date. The employer will see its reward in each of the 30-day milestones.

Also, show off what you’ll bring to the role and how you’ll benefit the company in that period, specifically. Again, to a certain extent, we’re seeking to impress by being offered a position. Your differentiator can help as a wrap-up statement in this case.

Business Model Presentation

The pivot business model fits perfectly here for a presentation’s grand finale. The reward is simple; the business validated a hypothesis, and a new approach has been defined.

Though the setting can be stressful around business model presentations, you can see this as simply letting executives know what the following line of steps will need to be for the business model to be scalable and viable. Take some tension off this purpose by focusing on actions needed moving forward.

Your call to action will center around a clear business model canvas pivot here.

We need to work hard at ending presentations with clear and concise calls to action (CTA) and dare be creative as we’re doing so! Suppose you can manage to give out a specific CTA in a way that’s imaginative, appealing, and even innovative. In that case, you’ll be showing off priceless and unique creative skills that get people talking for years!

Think of  Bill Gates’ releasing mosquitoes  in a TED Talk on malaria, for example. He went that far to get his CTA across. Maybe that’s a bit too bold, but there’s also no limit!

Now that we can rely on a broader understanding of how to conclude a presentation successfully, we’ll top this summary off with real-life examples of great endings to famous speakers’ presentations. These people have done a stellar job at ending their presentations in every case.

We’re also going back to our three main pillars to focus on a practical example for each. You’ll find an excellent example for an informative speech, a persuasive pitch, and a successful investor pitch deck. We’re also expanding on the last item for a guiding idea on ending a pitch directly from Reid Hoffman.

Informational Presentation: A product launch of a phone reinvention

The first is what’s been titled “the best product launch ever.” We’re going back to the  iconic Steve Jobs’ iPhone launch  dated more than a decade ago. You can see how to end a presentation with a quote in this example effectively. The quote resonates with the whole presentation purpose, which was not “selling” the iPhone as a “hardware phone” but as the “hardware” platform for “great software.” Closing with a quote from a famous personality that summarizes the idea was a clever move.

Little words are needed to introduce Steve Jobs as a great speaker who effectively moved the business forward every time he went up on a stage to present a new product. No one has ever been so revolutionary with a calm business spirit that has changed the world! 

Persuasive Presentation: The best pitch deck ever

We’re giving you the perfect example of a great pitch deck for a persuasive kind of presentation. 

Here’s  TechCrunch’s gallery on Uber’s first pitch deck . 

As you can see, the last slide doesn’t just report the status to date on their services; it also accounts for the  following steps moving forward  with a precise date scheduled. 

Check the deck out for a clearer idea of wrapping up a persuasive business presentation. 

Call to Action Presentation: LinkedIn’s Series B pitch deck by Reid Hoffman

As mentioned before,  here’s  an expanded final sendoff! Reid Hoffman is an established entrepreneur. As a venture capitalist and author, he’s earned quite a remarkable record in his career, acting as co-founder and executive chairman of LinkedIn. 

We’re highlighting LinkedIn’s series B pitch deck to Greylock Partners mainly because these slides managed to raise a $10 M funding round. Yet, moreover, we’re doing so because this deck is known to be well-rounded and overall highly successful. 

LinkedIn may be famous now for what it does, but back in 2004, when this deck made a difference, the company wasn’t a leader in a market with lots of attention. As Reid highlights on his website, they had no substantial organic growth or revenue. Yet, they still managed to raise a considerable amount. 

In Reid’s words for his last slide, “The reason we reused this slide from the beginning of the presentation was to indicate the end of presentation while returning to the high line of conceptualizing the business and reminding investors of the value proposition.” In his vision, “You should end on a slide that you want people to be paying attention to,” which he has tied with the recommendation that you “close with your investment thesis,” as well. A final note from him on this last slide of LinkedIn’s winning pitch is that “the end is when you should return to the most fundamental topic to discuss with your investors.” Quite a wrap-up from a stellar VC! Follow the linked site above to read more on the rest of his ending slides if you haven’t ever done so already.

The suggestions above are practical and proven ways to end a presentation effectively. Yet, remember, the real secret is knowing your audience so well you’ll learn how to grasp their attention for your production in the first place.

Focus on the bigger picture and add content to your conclusion slide that’s cohesive to your entire presentation. And then aim to make a lasting final impression that will secure what you need. There is a myriad of ways to achieve that and seek the perfect-suiting one.

Also, be bold if the area calls for it. As you see above, there is no shame, but an actual need to state the precise funding amount you need to make it through a specific stage of funding. Exercise whatever tools you have at your disposal to get the required attention.

Also, being sure about whatever decision you make will only make this an easier road to travel. If your head is transparent about what’s needed, you’ll be more confident to make a convincing case that points your audience in the right direction.

Check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a presentation .

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• 5 Effective Strategies To End A Presentation

By Paola Pascual on Feb 7, 2022 5:15:00 AM

You just gave a great presentation in English… And it’s time to conclude.

If you think all the work is done –watch out! Did you know that the beginning of your presentation , together with the end of it, are the most important parts of your speech? This is what your audience will remember best, so it’s important to make the introduction and the conclusion as memorable as possible.

The last few minutes of your presentation are your best opportunity to make a long-lasting impression on your audience. This last part will help your audience remember the key points and help you get across the main idea .

In this article, you will learn 5 strategies to end your presentation in a powerful way. You’ll also learn useful expressions you can use to transition from one point to the next.  One great tip is to prepare both the beginning and the end of your presentation:

5 Effective Strategies to Close Your Presentation

Choosing the right strategies to conclude your presentation will help you bring your audience back to the main point. We all get distracted sometimes, and our attention span keeps getting shorter. 

The goal is for you to connect with your audience and make them feel connected to your topic. Your presentation should always be about them –not you. Make it easy for them to remember key points and bring their attention back to them.

Download this great effective presentation checklist and check the strategies below. Pick the ones you feel most comfortable with and dare to combine them –some of them work great together!

1. Restate your main idea 🔁

The most effective way to make your key points stick? Repeat them. Once again. And again. 

You may feel that restating your key message throughout the presentation can be repetitive. However, adding recaps after each section and summarizing your main points in your conclusion will really make it stick in the minds of your audience members.

When you restate your main idea, make sure you paraphrase the points in a slightly new and refined way. You can change the word category, use synonyms, or use a simpler version.

Use these closing words and useful phrases to summarize your key points:

• In other words, today we went over ...
• To put it simply, this presentation examined ...
• What I mean to say is, throughout this presentation, we explored ...
• As we/I understand it, 
• By and large, we discussed ...
• Overall, today's presentation covered ...
• To recap, we examined ...
• In conclusion, 
• To conclude,
• In short, I’d like to highlight…
• To quickly recap,
• In a nutshell, 
• In summary,
• To sum up,  I’d like you to remember…
• To summarize, 
• All things considered, 
• All in all, 
• To put it briefly, 

2. Include a Call To Action or next steps ➡️

Your presentation has a goal and some next steps. When you give a speech, you expect something else to happen. Whether that may be for your audience to provide feedback, for them to buy your product, for you to send them a brochure…

What are your future actions? It’s what we call our “ Next ” in our WHAT-WHY-NEXT framework . This should be one of the first things should consider when preparing your presentation. What do you want your audience to do after your speech? Do they need to take action or will you follow up with them? 

Clearly tell your audience what they need to do after your presentation –or what they can expect.

Introduce your Call To Action and present how your findings will impact the future:

• To wrap this up, I’d love to ask you to…
• After today’s session, please take a minute to…
• I’m counting on you to…
• Looking forward,
• To this end, it would be great to…
• As a consequence, we must …
• If you would like more information, please…
• Please reach out to me if you have any questions…
• I will send you a list of great resources that will help you…
• So, next time you…, remember to…

3. Close the loop ⏺️

The "Loop Technique" is a popular technique in which you return to the subject you opened with at the start of your presentation. It’s especially effective because it creates a perfect circle and a satisfying sense of completion. Skillful speakers often build up audience anticipation at the beginning of their talk and then keep them in suspense until the end when they finally finish their story, give the punchline to their joke, or answer the question they posed right at the start.

Closing a presentation referring back to your opening message is a very common speech structure in many TED Talks . It is a great way to round off your story and remind your audience why they were there in the first place. It is also commonly used in comedy and marketing.

To approach this technique, you can finish a story or an anecdote you started or set up a question at the beginning of your talk and wait until the end to answer it. 

4. End with an inspirational quote or surprising statistic 📊

I must be honest with you –quotes are not my favorite way of ending a presentation, but I see how it can work in some contexts.

If you want to make your audience feel in a particular way or there is something you want your audience to remember, a quote or a surprising fact can be your best ally. It is an effective way to reengage your audience and help them remember your main point.

Always remember to add a quote or statistic that is related to your topic.

Oh, an impactful image could work just as well!

Use these phrases to introduce great quotes or statistics:

• I’d like to finish with this inspiring quote from…
• This reminds me of a wonderful quote from…
• Let me leave you with this surprising statistic…
• Let’s finish this session with an interesting quote…
• Did you know that…?
• It reminds me of the words of…
• In the end, this is what matters...

5. Thank your audience 💙

Before you go, remember to always thank your audience. After all, they’ve stayed until the end, right? A simple sentence will suffice, and it will make a difference by making you more likable.

Phrases to thank your audience:

• Thank you so much for your attention today.
• I’d like to thank you for your interest today.
• I truly appreciate your interest and attention this morning.

Keep improving your presentation skills

Continue improving your communication skills for professional situations with our  free resources . If you are serious about improving your business English skills,   get in touch with Talaera . We will help you take your professional English communication skills to the next level.

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• Presentation Skills for Non-Native English Speakers
• 101 Must-Know Transition Phrases for Engaging Presentations Online
• 21 Helpful Tips For Remarkable and Outstanding Presentation Skills
• How To Start a Presentation: Follow These 4 Easy Steps
• How To Bring Across Your Main Idea In A Presentation Effectively
• 6 Public Speaking Tricks To Captivate Your Audience
• How To Do Effective Business Storytelling According To Former Prosecutor
• 8 Little Changes That'll Make A Big Difference With Your Presentations
• 3 Quick Public Speaking Tips For Your Next Presentation
• Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are [TED Talk Lesson]

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Different Ways to End a Presentation or Speech

November 6, 2017 - Dom Barnard

The beginning and ending of your presentation are the most important. The  beginning  is where you grab the audience’s attention and ensure they listen to the rest of your speech. The conclusion gives you a chance to leave a lasting impression that listeners take away with them.

Studies show  that when people are tasked with recalling information, they “best performance at the beginning and end”. It’s therefore essential you leave an impact with your closing statement. A strong ending motivates, empowers and encourages people to take action.

The power of three

The rule of three is a simple yet powerful method of communication and we use it often in both written and verbal communication. Using information in patterns of three makes it  more memorable  for the audience.

Examples of the power of three being used:

• This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning – Winston Churchill
• Blood, sweat and tears – General Patton
• I came, I saw, I conquered – Julius Caesar

A compelling story

Ending your presentation on a short story, especially if that story is personal or illustrates how the content presented affects others is the best way to conclude.

If you want to talk about a customer experience or successful case study, think about how you can turn it into a meaningful story which the audience will remember and even relate to. Creating empathy with your audience and tying the story back to points made throughout the presentation ensures your presentation will be well received by the audience.

A surprising fact

A surprising fact has the power to re-engage the audience’s attention, which is most likely to wane by the end of a presentation. Facts with  statistical numbers  in them work well – you can easily search online for facts related to your speech topic. Just make use you remember the source for the fact in case you are questioned about it.

A running clock

Marketing and advertising executive Dietmar Dahmen ends his Create Your Own Change talk with a running clock to accompany his last statement. “Users rule,” he says, “so stop waiting and start doing. And you have to do that now because time is running out.”

If you’re delivering a time-sensitive message, where you want to urge your listeners to move quickly, you can have a background slide with a  running timer  to add emphasis to your last statement.

Acknowledging people or companies

There are times when it’s appropriate to thank people publicly for helping you – such as

• Presenting a research paper and want to thank people involved in the project
• Presenting data or information obtained from a company or a person
• When someone helped you build the presentation if it’s a particularly complex one

You can even use the  PowerPoint credits  feature for additional ‘wow’ factor.

A short, memorable sentence

A sound bite is an attention magnet. It cuts to the core of your central message and is one of the most memorable takeaways for today’s  Twitter-sized  attention spans. Consider Steve Jobs’ famous last line at his commencement address at Stanford University: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

Think about how you can distil your message down to a crisp, memorable statement. Does it represent your authentic voice? Does it accurately condense what your core message is about? Listeners, especially business audiences, have a radar that quickly spots an effort to impress rather than to genuinely communicate an important message.

An interesting quote

A relatively easy way to end your speech is by using a quote. For this to be effective, however, the quote needs to be one that has not been heard so often that it has become cliché.

To access fresh quotes, consider searching current personalities rather than historical figures. For example, a quote on failing from J.K. Rowling: “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”

You need to figure out what resonates with your audience, and choose a quote that fits the presentation theme. If you’re up to it, you can round off the quote with your own thoughts as well.

A visual image

Make use of this power by ending your presentation with a riveting visual that ties to your take-home message. Leave this slide on when you finish your presentation to give the audience something to look at and think about for the next few minutes.

Use a summary slide instead of a ‘thank you’ slide

‘Thank You’ slides don’t really help the audience. You should be verbally saying ‘Thank you’, with a smile and with positive eye contact, putting it on a slide removes the sentiment.

Instead of a ‘Thank You’ slide, you can use a  summary slide  showing all the key points you have made along with your call to action. It can also show your name and contact details.

This slide is the only slide you use that can contain a lot of text, use bullet points to separate the text. Having all this information visible during the Q&A session will also help the audience think of questions to ask you. They may also choose to take photos of this slide with their phone to take home as a summary of your talk and to have your contact details.

Repeat something from the opening

Closing a presentation with a look back at the opening message is a popular technique. It’s a great way to round off your message, whilst simultaneously summing up the entire speech and creating a feeling of familiarity for the audience. Comedians do this well when they tie an earlier joke to a later one.

Doing this will signal to the audience that you are coming to the end of your talk. It completes the circle – you end up back where you started.

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

Link the main points to the key message

At the beginning of your talk, it’s important to map out the main ideas you will talk about. An audience that doesn’t know the stages of the journey you are about to take them on will be less at ease than one that knows what lies ahead. At the end of your talk, take them back over what you’ve spoken about but don’t just list the different ideas you developed, show how they are related and how they support your main argument.

Finish with enthusiasm

It’s only natural that you’ll feel tired when you get to the end of your talk. The adrenaline that was racing through your body at the beginning has now worn off.

It’s crucial that the audience feels that you are enthusiastic and open for questions. If you’re not enthusiastic about the presentation, why should the audience be?

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Don’t end with audience questions

When the  Q&A session  is over, stand up, get their attention and close the presentation. In your closing give your main argument again, your call to action and deal with any doubts or criticisms that out in the Q&A.

A closing is more or less a condensed version of your conclusions and an improvised summary of the Q&A. It’s important that the audience goes home remembering the key points of the speech, not with a memory of a Q&A that may or may not have gone well or may have been dominated by someone other than you.

If possible, try and take questions throughout your presentation so they remain pertinent to the content.

Getting rid of the “questions?” slide

To start, let’s talk about what you shouldn’t do. You shouldn’t end a presentation with a slide that asks “Questions?” Everyone does and there is nothing memorable about this approach.

Ideally, you should take questions throughout the presentation so that the question asked and the answer given is relevant to the content presented. If you choose to take questions at the end of your presentation, end instead with a strong image that relates to your presentation’s content.

Worried about no audience questions?

If you’re afraid of not getting any questions, then you can arrange for a friend in the audience to ask one. The ‘plant’ is a good way to get questions started if you fear silence.

Chances are that people do want to ask questions, but no one wants to be the first to ask a question. If you don’t have a ‘plant’, you might need to get the ball rolling yourself. A good way to do this is for you to ask am open question to the audience. Ask the most confident looking person in the room for their opinion, or get the audience to discuss the question with the person sitting beside them.

A cartoon or animation

In his TED talk on  The Paradox of Choice  , Barry Schwartz ends his presentation with a cartoon of a fishbowl with the caption, “You can be anything you want to be – no limits.” He says, “If you shatter the fishbowl, so that everything is possible, you don’t have freedom, you have paralysis… Everybody needs a fishbowl”. This is a brilliant ending that combines visuals, humour and a metaphor. Consider ending your presentation with a relevant cartoon to make your message memorable.

Ask a rhetoric question

So, for example, if you’re finishing up a talk on the future of engineering, you might say, “I’d like to end by asking you the future of manufacturing, will it be completely taken over by robots in the next 30 years?”

The minute you  ask a question  , listeners are generally drawn into thinking about an answer. It’s even more engaging when the question is provocative, or when it touches potentially sensitive areas of our lives

Thank the audience

The simplest way to end a speech, after you’ve finished delivering the content, is to say, “thank you.” That has the benefit of being understood by everyone.

It’s the great way for anyone to signal to the audience that it’s time to applaud and then head home.

Call your audience to action and make it clear

It’s not enough to assume your message will inspire people to take action. You need to actually tell them to take action. Your call to action should be clear and specific. Your audience should be left with no doubt about what it is you’re asking.

Use the last few minutes of the presentation to reinforce the call to action you seek. Examples of strong calls to actions include:

• Retain 25% more employees with our personal development solution
• Save your business 150% by using this framework
• Donate today to save millions around the world

Make it clear that you’ve finished

Nothing is more uncomfortable than the silence of an audience working out if you’ve finished or not.

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. As we mentioned previously, saying “thank you” is a good way to finish.

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’.

7 Powerful Ways To End a Presentation

by Janice Tomich

• Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

Have you ever attended a presentation or speech and didn’t know when it was over? Maybe you were even unsure if it was time to clap or get up and leave?

Your audience not knowing when a presentation has finished is a clear sign that you need to work on your conclusion. If you ending isn’t clear the closing statements sputter. Don’t let your words fizzle out.

People attend your presentation or speech to learn from you. Your passion for what you’ll be sharing started long ago. Keep that passion clear from your personal introduction right through your conclusion if you want the impact of your words to continue well past the time you step off the stage.

It’s crucial you get both the open and close of your speech right.

The conclusion is especially pivotal, because if you’ve thoughtfully structured your presentation at the end you will influence your audience to be inspired to do what you had planned with the information you’ve shared.

There are many different ways to close a presentation effectively.

If you’re lost and unsure about how to make your presentation compelling, I can help.

I’ll start with explaining 7 powerful ways I’ve seen my public speaking coaching clients end their speeches, and then give you my advice about two common ways to close a presentation which you should avoid.

Table of Contents

7 Techniques for Ending Your Presentation Powerfully

1. end with a overt call to action.

The most overt type of close is the Call To Action or CTA. A call to action is a clear, direct statement to your audience of what you want them to do next. Use this type of presentation conclusion when you want to be perfectly clear about your message.

This closing technique transparently encourages your audience to do something as concrete as “buy my book” or “sign my petition” or “take on a challenge.”

I once had the privilege of seeing Dr Hans Rosling deliver a TED Talk . He is an excellent presenter and a master of the close. Based on his research, he clearly challenges his audience to take his data to make decisions about resources needed for population growth. The talk is worth watching if you’re planning out a closing statement, because it’s a brilliant example of a strong close.

2. End with a a Soft and Subtle Call To Action

Have you ever left a presentation inspired to do something differently, even if you were not specifically directed to take action? The closing technique you witnessed was probably a subtler version of a CTA.

For a masterful example of this closing technique, watch the end of Tim Urban’s TED Talk on procrastination. Notice that he never specifically tells you to take action – to stop procrastinating. Instead, he gets you onboard in a soft way, slowly building up his argument via a number of examples of his own experience with procrastination.

Then, close to the end, he shows a visual which leaves you reassessing your life and what you will do with the remainder of it.

Tim’s masterful presentation conclusion has prompted many people to take action and change their habits, but it’s subtle and leaves you thinking as if the conclusions you come to are you own idea, not his.

3. Use a Quote to End Your Presentation

Using a quote for your final words can be an effective way to end your presentation. Choose your quote carefully, however—the quote needs to align with your message and clearly communicate your key point. Never use an obscure or confusing quotation. Don’t make your audience work too hard to understand the relationship between the quote on your final slide and your overall message.

One of the most touching quotes I heard used to conclude an inspirational speech was the last lines of the Mary Oliver poem “Summer’s Day”: “Tell me, what is it you will do – With your one wild and precious life?”

It kept me thinking about the preciousness of the days, how I had permission to push limits, and what those limits might be.

4. Finish Your Presentation By Closing The Loop

Create intrigue with a story which takes your audience on a journey. Using storytelling in business presentations or in a speech, threading it throughout, is not only a good way to grab the audience’s attention and enhance engagement. It’s also a powerful way to come to a conclusion when you finish your story.

Dr. Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk uses the “close the loop” technique brilliantly. She begins her presentation telling us about an accident she had that impacted her ability to thrive in university. She worked hard to make progress. Under the mentorship of a professor she thrived.

Dr. Cuddy goes on to talk about her research into how we can build confidence through body language techniques. She winds her talk up by speaking about a student of hers that she mentored through a lack of confidence…and very craftily closes the loop.

5. End Your Speech Using the Rule of Three

A communication technique called the Rule of Three is a powerful way to end your speech. Using this technique to end your presentation will make your key message stick.

An example of the Rule of Three is this Winston Churchill quote, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”.

Using three concepts triggers your brain to recognize a pattern, which humans are wired to do. Pattern recognition is how we make sense of things, it’s how we connect the dots and make meaning from the message.

Use the Rule of Three if you want your closing remarks to be remembered long after your audience leaves their seats.

​​​​Sucheta Misra Associate VP Inclusion & Diversity and Social Impact Leader

6. Finish with a Thought Provoking Question

There is value in having your audience walk away thinking about the questions you asked in your conclusion—and their personal responses to them. We humans are natural problem solvers. A question is a sticky way to create a memorable ending.

In his TED Talk, What Baby Boomers Can Learn From Millennials & Vice-Versa , Chip Conley provides food for thought about how we can all be contributors in the workplace by creating generational bridges. He asks, “Personally, who can you reach out to to create a mutual mentorship relationship? And organizationally, how can you create the conditions to foster an intergenerational flow of wisdom?” It’s not a rhetorical question, it’s a call to action. Chip finishes his presentation by telling us that bridges are the true sharing economy.

7. Deliver a Summary to Close Your Presentation

Delivering a summary of your core message can be an effective way to conclude, but be careful. Using a summary to finish your presentation sometimes risks losing your audience’s attention. If you name the main message(s) by rote, as if you’re rattling off a series of bullet points, the conclusion is likely to flop. Instead, use your summary slide to close your speech inspirationally, reviewing the key message and critically “the why.” Without the why, your summary will be forgotten in minutes.

2 Things to Avoid in Your Conclusion

Preparing, writing, and delivering a powerful speech is difficult, and some speakers are unprepared when they approach their closing remarks. Here are two things to avoid:

1. Running Out of Time

A poorly thought out and only minimally practiced presentation usually results in you having to cram your final remarks into the last few minutes of your allotted time. Your audience won’t be able to digest your final concepts if your words come at double-speed.

When you rush to the finish line not only will you feel stressed, your audience will too. This can seriously mar your reputation as a polished and professional public speaker.

2. Finish with a Question and Answer Session

You’re the speaker. You’ve been invited to take the stage and the audience is there to hear your ideas. The impact of too many otherwise excellent presentations are dulled in the last minutes, when a presenter opens the floor to questions, which are sometimes commandeered by someone in the room whose motivations might not align with your own. Your audience will remember your response to the last question. End with a question and answer session and you’ve essentially let someone else write your conclusion for you.

Question and answer sections aren’t a bad thing, but don’t end with them. Finish up your presentation by having all eyes on you. Close on your own terms.

The final (and best) tip I can give you is no matter the closing technique you choose to end your presentation or keynote address , is to practice it until it is firmly embedded into your memory. You want to know it inside out (and upside down) with absolute full confidence so you won’t have to scramble to come to a full stop.

You don’t have to prepare a presentation alone. If you’re feeling stuck or uninspired by your presentation’s conclusion, I invite you to book a 1-hour presentation strategy session . I’ll help you create a powerful ending that will have your audience leaving inspired.

If you’d like help with the entire presentation, I do that too. We can work together, one on one, to develop and create your next presentation or speech so you can deliver it with confidence and ease -> Prepare For Your Upcoming Presentation, Speech, or Talk .

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How to Close Your Presentation in English Powerfully [+ FREE Presentation Checklist]

May 9, 2018 | Business Professional English , Free Resource , Public Speaking & Presentations

This lesson has been updated from its original posting in 2016.

You’re giving your presentation in English. You have just two minutes left. And it’s time for the conclusion …

Did you know most people only remember the first and last things you tell them? It’s true.

If you are giving a presentation in English, then you definitely want people to remember what you say at the end. And this means your closing must be powerful!

You’ve worked hard on your presentation. You searched for information online. You couldn’t sleep at night. You felt nervous about making mistakes. You spent hours preparing. You reviewed the grammar and vocabulary. You worried about someone asking a question. You practiced and practiced and practiced.

And now it’s the last two minutes. This is the last opportunity for your audience to hear your key points. It is the last chance you have to help your audience remember your comments.

A closing in a presentation should be short and clear. It should summarize your key points. And, most importantly, it should be powerful.

In today’s lesson, you’re going to learn about 3 ways to make your closing more powerful. Plus you’ll learn useful key expressions you can use in your presentation.

3 steps to a powerful closing in your presentation.

Lesson by Annemarie

3 Strategies to Close Your Presentation Powerfully

Use these 3 strategies in your conclusion to:

• recapture your audience’s attention
• get your audience to focus and remember your key points
• help your audience connect with you and your topic
• end your presentation powerfully

One: Include a Call to Action (CTA)

Is there something you want your audience to do or think after your presentation. Do you want them to take action? Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do with a Call to Action.

Here’s my example:

“ After you finish today’s lesson, please take 2 minutes to  leave a comment about your experience with presentations. You can share your thoughts or ask questions in the comments section at the bottom of this lesson – it’s the perfect place to join a discussion on this topic.”

A couple useful expressions to help you introduce your CTA is:

• To close, I’d like to ask you to do this one thing…
• And finally, before you leave the conference today, please take two minutes to…

Two: End with a Powerful/Inspirational Quote

Is there one thing you really want your audience to remember? Or is there a specific feeling you want your audience to have after your presentation?

Using a powerful quote can help you do that. You could introduce a great quote or interesting statistic with:

• I’d like to finish with this powerful/interesting/wonderful/inspiring/ quote from …
• And finally, let’s finish up today’s discussion with this surprising/useful/shocking/hopeful statistic …

Here are some example quotes that might help people be prepared to take action or to think differently. But remember! Always match the quote or statistic to your topic:

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”  – Martin Luther King, Jr. “Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.”  – Alexander Graham Bell

Three: Add a Surprising Fact or Statistic

Is there something you’d love for your audience to think about after your presentation? Is there a statistic or fact that will help someone remember your key points?

A surprising fact can also help re-engage your audience, it will snap their attention back to you.

For example:

Did you know that the human brain’s capacity is limitless – that’s great new right? BUT … did you also know that a person is likely to remember only 25% of a presentation after 24 hours?

Uh oh. That is why it’s SO important to have a powerful ending! Remember: the key is to find a statistic or fact that connects directly to your topic.

Useful Language to Close Your Presentation

Summarize Your Key Points & Close Your Presentation

• That brings us to the end of the presentation. I’d like to summarize by saying …
• That concludes my presentation. However, I’d like to quickly summarize the main points or takeaways.
• And on that final note, that concludes my presentation.
• To quickly recap, I’d like you to remember these key points …
• To summarize …
• In conclusion …
• I’d like to bring this presentation to a close with …
• I’d like to close this talk with …
• So, this concludes the focus of discussion today. To end, I’d like to highlight …
• This concludes [name/title of the section] so let’s move on to the final comments.

Thank Your Audience

• I sincerely appreciate your attention today/this evening/this morning.
• And that brings us to the end. I’d like to thank you for your time and attention today.
• Thank you so much for your interest and attention.
• At this time, I’d like to have my colleague speak so I’ll finish up by saying thank you for your attention.
• I can see that our time is just about up so to finish I’d like to say thank you.
• I sincerely appreciate that I’ve had this opportunity to present to you.
• If there is one thing I would like you to remember from today’s presentation it’s …

Take Questions

• If anyone has any questions, I’d be happy to open up the discussion.
• If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask now and I’ll do my best to answer.
• Would anyone like to ask any questions?
• I would now be interested to hear from you with your thoughts or questions.
• Now let’s move on to some Q&A. (Q&A = Questions and Answers)

Provide Next Steps or Contact Information

• If you would like more information, here is a list of useful resources/websites.
• If anyone who like more information or has questions, please feel free to contact me at: [include contact info]
• Here is a list for further reading on this topic. (Include the list of books or websites.)

Get the complete Presentations in English Series:

Part 1: How to Prepare for Your Presentation in English

Part 2:  How to Start with a Great Introduction in Your Presentation

Part 3:  How to Organize Your Presentation in English

Part 4: How to End Your Presentation Powerfully

After you’ve watched the video and reviewed the lesson, I’d love to hear from you!

Tell me about the best presentation you ever heard. Who gave the presentation? And why do you remember it? Share what you remember in the comments section below.

And for the bonus question!! Have you given a presentation in English? What tips or advice would you like to share with others? You can add your advice in the comments section.

Thank you so much for joining me!

~ Annemarie

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I’m glad to hear it was helpful!

This was very helpful

Thanks, Ma’am/Sir. This helped me a lot… 

Same here ma’am

This is so helpful. Thank you so much

This helped a lot. Thank you so much <3

I accidentally found your page while working on my English video presentation. It’s really helpful. Thanks soooo much 🙂

I’m very glad to know it was helpful!

Hi! I found your page very insightful. Thank you very much!

I’m glad to hear it!

great video series. thank you so much. you mentioned that you had a downloadable checklist in the final video. where could I find this thanks?

Hi Ellie, I’m glad the series was helpful.

When you visit the lesson, there should be an image that pops up with an opportunity to get the download. If you don’t see it, please let me know so I can fix it.

Helped a lot! Thank you very much <33

thank you so much

I love your method

Hello, I have a 5 minute oral presentation of a fictional book, w/the main focus on the leadership traits of the characters. I enjoyed the book, and suspect others might, so to that end, is it OK to NOT share the ending? Thank you

Thanks for your help 🙂

Great website. I found a typo in on the presentation closings page “Useful Langauge to Close Your Presentation”.

Good eyes! Thanks so much for the note. We’ve fixed the typo.

Dear Annemarie, thank you so much for sharing. 

Dear Annemarie, thank you so much for sharing. I learned so much from your 4 videos and I will work on improving my presentation skills. Love your spirit of excellence. For me as a presenter, its important i am passionate about the topic i share and audience will be able to apply some of the learnings in their life. Thank you Annemarie. I love your voice too. Stay blessed.

I watch continuously watched ur 4 videos and U r a great teacher.Thanks for making such purposeful videos.

I am so happy , I have more form you thank you very much

You are absolutely wonderful and your website is extremely useful and also quit impressive i habe my english A-levels in December i copied this text i sinisterly appreciate that i have had this opportunity to present to you and i also add something * it was a honor for me so thank you ☺️

Thanks, Jasmin! I’m so glad to know my lessons are helpful to you.

hey Annemarie could you help me in ending my presentation on mental health. it is a school presentation for MUN

If you’d like editing help, please see our options for 1:1 classes .

You are my favorite speaker. ☺

Hi Anna, that’s so kind of you. Thank you. 🙂

It’s so useful to us…… I’m so happy by this

I’m glad it was helpful to you, Kalpana.

I was holistically stuck about how to give my first ever presentation, but this gave me an impetus and confidence. Thanks a lot for this exquisite info

Awesome. I’m glad this helped you to move forward.

Thank YOU for tour tips. They are really inspiring. I Will try to put them into practise.

Hi Nancy, Wonderful! I’m glad they’re helpful to you!

It’s so useful to us…… I’m so happy by this

do you have Presentation course

Hi Hammad, I don’t at this time but it’s definitely something I’m thinking about.

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Learn the Phrases to Conclude your Presentation

How you end your presentation is as important as how you start your presentation Yet, many presenters finish simply because their time limit is up or they have nothing more to say. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Many audience members only begin paying attention to a presentation once they hear the words “In conclusion…” or “Finally…” The conclusion is where things crystallise and where you summarise your main points. It is an excellent opportunity to leave a lasting impression. It’s how your audience will remember you, so it shouldn’t be taken for granted.

In this Business English lesson, you will learn the Phrases on the topic of ‘Concluding a Presentation.’ Watch the lesson and then read the article for definitions and examples.

Don’t forget to like and follow us on YouTube and   LinkedIn .

Example Phrases to help Conclude your Presentation…

Indicating the end of your presentation.

“That completes my presentation/talk.” “I’m now nearing the end of my presentation/talk.” ”That’s everything I wanted to say about…” ”Well, this brings me to the end of my presentation/talk.”

Summarising Points

“Let me just look at the key points again.” ”To conclude/In conclusion, I’d like to…” ”I’ll briefly summarise the main issues.” ”To sum up (then), we….”

Making Recommendations

“It’s recommended that…” ”We’d suggest…” ”It’s my opinion that we should…” ”Based on these findings, I’m recommending that…”

Closing your Presentation

“Thank you for your attention/time.” ”Before I end, let me just say…” ”Thank you for listening.”

Inviting Questions

“Do you have any questions?” ”Now we have time for a few questions.” ”If you have any questions, please do ask.” ”And now, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.”

LESSON END.

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Please check your inbox (and spam folder) for the free Ebook. Happy reading!

7 Brilliant Ways to End Any Presentation: When to Use a Presentation Thank You Address

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : December 4, 2020

Reading Time :

As important as an introduction is to a speech presentation, the end of your presentation is what you leave your audience with.  Giving a proper presentation thank you address is a helpful public speaking skill .

When is it appropriate to simply say “thank you” and close your presentation?

In what moments does a presentation require more from you? 

How do you tell your audience to thank you for watching my presentation if you made a visual presentation?

What is the importance of saying thank you to your audience for listening?

We intend to answer all these questions in this article, and we hope you read the whole page to understand the complete concept of the presentation. Thank you. 

How Should I End a Presentation? Different Ways of Ending a Speech Or a Presentation

As a speech expert who has attended many presentations and orations, I can tell that each presenter concludes their speech in different ways. Most speakers will showcase presentation thank you images as a visual aid at the end of a PowerPoint, while others give a summary. 

Irrespective of the speaker’s methods, here are seven ways to end a presentation or speech .

1. Closing with a Summary

 Summarizing key points of your speech when concluding an oration is an age-old method of finishing your address. It is a technique speakers and writers use to close and ensure their audience remembers their main point.

Using a summary for closure is common with lectures and the traditional presentation thank-you addresses.

2. Closing with the Power of Three

The Power of Three uses a pattern of three words, phrases, or more to emphasize a point and make it more memorable. A typical phrase Julius Caesar uses is “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

3. Closing with Metaphors

Metaphors are a figure of speech that compares two entities figuratively and makes it seem like they are the same. In basic English Language, the definition of metaphors indicates a form of comparison without using comparative words (for example, like and as).

It is ideal for motivational speech presentations and graduation speeches . This type of closing works perfectly if you use an analogy, anecdote, or reference to the comparative subject during your presentation.

4. Using Facts to Recreate Engagement

Some of the most memorable speech presentations end with things that regain the audience’s attention. If you search Google, you will find facts related to your discussion and share them to surprise your audience.

5. Using an Illustration or Image

Similar to metaphors, you can finish with stories or use an illustration to close. This method is quite common because many orators can use it to start and end their speeches.

Visual aids are essential to help drive your point across when you present, and you can also use them to close effectively.

6. Closing with a Quote or a Short Sentence

If you can condense your summary to a less wordy, short sentence, it tends to leave a longer-lasting impression on your listeners. It is essential to ensure that the short message conveys your authenticity and the importance of your message.

Using a quote is a timeless way to conclude any type of speech or presentation. However, it is essential to have a quote relevant to your address; if not, you can make a quote out of a point you made while presenting.

7. Making a Provocative Closing

Closing provocatively uses calls to action to move your audience toward a particular goal. An example of this type of conclusion is usually observed with preachers, activists, and advertisers.

Many preachers make altar calls at the end of their sermons, and activists usually end with a wake-up call to move the audience to action.

What is the Best Way to End a PowerPoint Presentation?

PowerPoint presentations take a lot of time and can take an audience almost no time to forget. Figuring out how to make a strong closing will help give your audience something to remember. 

The way you close each ppt depends on the nature of your discussion. 

Closing a Persuasive PPT

Your thank you note for the presentation after a persuasive PowerPoint should win the members of your audience over. To convince them ultimately, you can include:

• A call-to-action
• Verified facts

Closing an Informative PPT

Informative PPTs share data, so the ideal closure for them is a presentation thank-you images that show:

• A summary of all the ideas you shared
• A conclusive concept map
• Bulleted key points
• A recap of the objectives of the presentation

Closing an Introductory PPT

The general concept of introductory speech presentations is to:

If you give an initial pitch, the best presentation thank you images will give your audience a proper means to contact you or follow up on your next program. 

Note: When concluding any PowerPoint, your thank you for watching my presentation slide will naturally need to follow the same pattern as the entire PPT. It is also helpful if you are creative with the presentation. Thank you.

The General Importance of Saying Thank You

Saying thank you means expressing gratitude for an action completed or a gift. In any setting, your ability to express gratitude, irrespective of whether or not you deserved the service you got, goes a long way.  

Some advantages of expressing gratitude include:

What is the importance of presenting thank you images?

As a part of the audience, after listening to a speaker talk all day, especially when you can leave but stay, a minute presentation thank you would suffice.

It’s no secret that some presenters do not say thank you after their speech , so what do you gain by thanking your audience?

• It helps you reinforce already established values. 
• Strengthens speaker-audience relationships. 
• Serves as a foundation for trust.
• Stimulates conversation by question and answer strategies.
• It makes you unique in numerous places.

How to Say Thank You at the End of Your Presentation: Simple Tips and Tricks

Saying thank you is not only about expressing gratitude. Often, saying thank you is a business strategy, and presenting thank you images must  prove their worth for your business.

Some simple pointers to remember are:

• Remain professional
• Avoid grammatical errors as much as possible.
• Try not to seem salesy; instead, be polite.
• Employ perfect timing

Using the Right Voice Tone

Every type of presentation setting demands a specific tone type. You will need to adjust your tone to avoid being misunderstood.

Personalize It and Try to Maintain Relevance

It is rather rude to use a copy-and-paste post-presentation thank you message. Instead, it’s best to make a unique, personalized thank-you note that is audience-specific.

Additionally, it’s best to remain within the subject matter for the conclusion by sharing relevant information.

Ask Questions and Answer Previous Ones

If you have any questions before the presentation, it is best to answer them now. If you used an “any questions slide,” you can also answer questions from there.

When your time starts finishing, and you cannot answer any more questions, try to provide contact details or follow up with their concerns.

Practice the perfect end to your presentation with Orai

When to Use and When to Avoid a Thank You Presentation Slide

Using tact is a vital tool when facing public speaking opportunities. Knowing when it is okay to share a thank you presentation slide and when it isn’t necessary is essential.

Some of the times when saying thank you for listening to my presentation is appropriate and essential are:

• When you have an audience that shows up voluntarily, it is essential to express gratitude.
• If you are expressing gratitude to your team for putting in hard work
• If your audience needed to travel to attend your presentation

On the other hand, there are some situations when presentation thank you images are either inappropriate or unnecessary:

• If you plan to answer questions after your presentation or host an interactive session, presentation thank you images will prompt your audience to leave the meeting.
• If your presentation has terrible news, a presentation thank you will be insensitive and inappropriate.
• When you need to assign a task or follow up on anything, it’s better to end with that than a thank you slide.

Potential Alternatives to a Presentation Thank You Image

Ending with a simple presentation, thank you, is often seen as a weak presentation. It is usually best to complete your presentation creatively or using a call-to-action. 

So, in what ways can you effectively end your speech using visual aids without needing to use presentation thank you images?

Using a “One More Thing” Slide

This type of presentation thank you option introduces (for lack of a better term) the final bomb or the hidden gem. For example, if you were introducing a new product, your one more thing slide would probably show an unexpected benefit of purchasing the product to woo your audience.

This type of slide is inappropriate for every presentation, so you will have to consider the nature of your audience when inputting this idea.

A Slide that Continues the Conversation

This type of ending could feature a form of presentation thank you that continues the discussion. It may be a bunch of arguments that gear your audience’s communication with each other or with you.

Ideally, you will need to provide them with contact information so they can communicate with you after you finish. If you are searching for new prospects for partnership or employment, this is the best slide to include such details.

Closing with “Any Questions?”

This type of closing is the most common aside from the mainstream presentation thank you images. As I stated earlier, it isn’t appropriate to include a presentation thank you if you hope to continue any discussion. 

Asking for questions boosts audience engagement and serves as a memory aid so they remember your presentation. However, it isn’t uncommon to have no one asking you questions while you present. 

If you want to avoid the awkwardness of an unanswered no-questions slide, here are some things you can try:

• Asking the first question yourself is an icebreaker.; your inquiry has the potential to open room for more questions
• Ask a friend in the audience to break the ice with the first question.
• Asking your audience to prepare for questions in advance by providing them with the necessary materials
• Distributing pre-presenting writing material to the audience to motivate them to write down questions they might have had during your speech so that you can answer them effectively.

Practice your presentations with Orai. Get feedback on your tone, tempo, confidence , and consciousness to help you get your presentation on point.

Thank You Letters: Taking it A Step Further

Numerous presentations, especially business idea pitching, hardly lead to immediate sales. In such a case, ending with a presentation, thank you, and contact information isn’t enough. 

You will need to take it further by sending a thank you letter so they can remind you, mostly if they have already forgotten. So, how do you follow up on a potential client or previous sponsor with a presentation? Thank you.

Elements of a Good Thank You Letter

When writing an excellent thank you letter, you must consider elements to ensure that your recipient reads it and carries out the appropriate action. 

You do not require a soothsayer to tell you that people do not read every letter. So, how do you beat the odds and make your message worthwhile? Here are some elements you can include to that effect.

A Strong Subject Line

If you can remember the times you intentionally opened spam mail, I am sure it had something to do with the subject. Most companies treat letters like this as spam and have no reason to read them.

However, if you can create a subject line that clearly states your intentions, you have a better chance of having your mail read.

Clearly Expressed Gratitude

Start the letter by expressing gratitude for attending your presentation and giving you time. You can also include other factors in your message that you need to express gratitude for.

A Summary of Your Presentation 

They aren’t likely to have any reason to remember all the points you made during your presentation. Now is the perfect time to remind them and highlight the issues you presented they could have missed. 

It’s best to use bullet points to give them room for skim reading. Additionally, if you have reached an agreement, you should include it in the letter for clarity .

Answers to Prior Questions 

If they had questions you could not answer while presenting, now is the perfect time to answer them. It is a gesture that shows potential clients that you care about their concerns.

Additionally, you can encourage more questions to keep the conversation going.

A Professional Closing Note

Most people have customized closing remarks that they send with each mail that usually have the following characteristics in small icons:

• Your name and position in the company
• The company’s name (and logo, if possible)
• The company’s website URL

Practice with Orai and become an expert

Final Tips For Thank You Letters and Speeches 

Irrespective of how you decide to make your presentation thank you slide, these six tips will help you:

• Include a call to action for your audience.
• Try not to end with questions.
• Refer to the opening message.
• Use anecdotes to summarize.
• Incorporate the rule of three where you can.
• Avoid leaving your audience confused about whether or not your presentation is over.

Examples of Presentation Thank You Letter

Subject line: A follow-up on (topic or product)

Hi (insert name)

Express gratitude: I am grateful you took the time to attend today’s program. (Include gratitude for any other sacrifice they made.

Here is a quick recap (___) 

Concerning your questions on ___, here is an attachment with detailed answers. Feel free to ask further questions.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regard,

Business Signature

How should you make a clear call to action to the audience at the end of a presentation?

A powerful presentation ends with a clear, direct call to action. Don’t hope your message inspires action – explicitly tell your audience what you want them to do, why it matters, and its impact. Make it specific, compelling, and relevant, using examples or statistics to drive home the importance. Leave them knowing exactly what steps to take next and the benefits or consequences involved, maximizing your chances of a positive response.

When is it beneficial to ask a rhetorical question at the end of a talk?

Want your talk to linger? End with a powerful rhetorical question! It sparks reflection, reinforces key points, and piques curiosity, leaving your audience captivated long after the presentation ends. Use it to challenge, inspire, and make your message truly unforgettable.

How can you utilize a cartoon or animation to conclude your presentation effectively?

Utilizing a cartoon or animation to conclude your presentation effectively involves integrating visuals that complement your message. Consider incorporating a relevant cartoon that conveys a metaphor or key idea of your presentation. Using humor in the cartoon can also help engage your audience and make your message more memorable. By ending on a visual note, you can leave a lasting impression and reinforce the main points you want your audience to remember.

How should you end a presentation without a “Questions?” slide?

To wrap up a presentation without a designated “Questions?” slide, it is beneficial to encourage audience interaction throughout the presentation by allowing questions to be asked at any point. This ensures that the questions and answers are directly related to the content being discussed. However, if questions are to be fielded at the end of the presentation, a powerful technique is to conclude with a striking image that reinforces and encapsulates the central message or theme addressed during the talk. This visual aid should be a memorable takeaway for the audience, leaving a lasting impression that harmonizes with the presentation’s content. Utilizing this method, you can successfully conclude your presentation on a strong note without needing a specific “Questions?” slide.

Why is it recommended to use a summary slide instead of a “Thank You” slide at the end of a presentation?

Skip the “Questions?” slide! Encourage real-time engagement throughout, then end with a powerful image that resonates with your message. It’ll be a memorable takeaway; no dedicated question slide is needed!

How can quotes and interesting anecdotes be effectively integrated into the conclusion of a speech?

Spice up your speech conclusion: ditch the tired quotes and choose fresh voices relevant to your audience and topic. Share authentic anecdotes that resonate personally, and weave them seamlessly with your reflections for deeper impact. Memorable endings leave audiences thinking long after your final words.

When used as a closing statement, what impact can a short, memorable sentence or sound bite have on the audience?

Short and sweet: Ditch lengthy closings! Craft a concise, magnetic sentence that captures your message. In today’s attention-deficit world, it’ll linger long after your speech , leaving a powerful impression and resonating with your audience. Remember, short and impactful embodies your voice and drive home your key points. Boom!

In what situations is it appropriate to acknowledge individuals or companies at the end of a presentation?

Say thanks! Publicly acknowledging collaborators, data sources, and presentation helpers in research, information use, and preparation scenarios shows respect, professionalism, and gratitude. Use both verbal mentions and presentation software credits for maximum impact. Remember, a little appreciation goes a long way!

How can visual aids, such as a running clock or images, be employed to emphasize key points during the conclusion of a speech?

End with a bang! Use visuals like a ticking clock to build urgency or powerful images to solidify your message. Leave them on display for reflection, letting the visuals do the final talking and ensuring your key points leave a lasting impression.

How can surprising facts be used to re-engage the audience’s attention at the end of a presentation?

Surprise them! When attention fades, drop a shocking fact with stats. Use online resources to find fresh info, keeping sources handy for Q&A. It’ll re-energize them, offering new insights and solidifying your credibility. Boom!

What role can storytelling play in concluding a presentation and engaging the audience?

Storytime! Wrap up with a short, impactful story – personal or relevant to your topic. Think customer experience or a case study with heart. Make it relatable, spark empathy, and tie it back to your key points. Boom – a memorable, engaging ending that sticks!

How can I make my presentation memorable using the “power of three” communication method?

Rule of three! Organize your conclusion in trios: points, examples, and stories. Brains love patterns and threes stick! Memorable, impactful, and resonating – that’s your ending goal. Keep it simple, repeat key points, and leave them with a lasting impression.

How can I effectively end a presentation or speech to leave a lasting impression on the audience?

Nail your ending! Use the power of three: storytelling, surprising facts, or visuals to grab attention. Acknowledge others, craft a short & memorable closing, summarize key points, repeat key messages, and end with energy to inspire action. Leave a lasting impression, not a fade-out!

How can you ensure that your audience understands when your presentation has concluded?

End strong! Rule of three for impact, clear closing cue (no guessing!), confident “thank you,” and wait for applause. No fidgeting, no weak exits. Leave them wanting more, not wondering if it’s over!

Final Notes: Saying Thank You is a Vital Life Skill

As far as life goes, saying thank you properly is essential. Even if you are giving a paid lecture or presentation, thank you notes give your audience a sense of importance for participating in your work process. 

An asset every public speaker has after overcoming the fear of public speaking is their ability to express gratitude to their audience for the time they spent listening.

I hope you remember to say thank you creatively!

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How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Unique Ideas

A good presentation leaves you wanting more. It engages your thirst for information. These presentations are a mix of killer content, striking visuals, a charismatic speaker and—crucially—a memorable start and end.

And with the right tools, almost anyone can give a great presentation. When every minute matters, how you start and end your presentation can have a huge impact on what people take away from the time you’re talking to them (and whether it makes a lasting impression!)

Today, we’re breaking from traditional visual design techniques to think about how to craft a dynamic presentation, with a memorable beginning and ending.

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How to Start a Presentation: Capture Their Attention

Every good presentation starts with something that grabs audience attention. While it can be a cool visual, such as an opening slide, it could be in the form of what is being said (TED Talks rely on this format for success).

Here are five ways to open with a spark.

1. Start with a Strong Statement

Say something bold. Make a claim that isn’t all that common or comes with an element of controversy. Then back it up.

Starting with a strong statement will get the audience interested in what comes next. How will you create a case for this introduction?

Simone Giertz makes the case for why you should make useless things in her 2018 TED Talk. She shows this – and makes a strong statement – by wearing a shirt she made that’s all googly eyes. And she did it because she can.

2. Play a Short Video

A good piece of video can jump-start a presentation. It can communicate a message or feeling in a way that you might not be able to do otherwise.

Brand video or an amazing video story can both set the scene for your talk. But it has to be interesting and it needs to be short, no more than 2 minutes in most instances.

Where you are presenting is an important factor here as well. The video will only impress the audience if they can all see and hear it clearly. Check the room and A/V equipment before using video to start a presentation.

3. Ask Questions

Margaret Gould Stewart asks “What do you think of when I say the word ‘design?’ in her 2014 TED Talk about how giant websites design for you.

I’m in. I’m thinking about design. I’m trying to come up with something meaningful in my mind.

And that’s how (and why) you start a presentation with a question.

4. Tell a Joke

One of the time-tested ways to start a presentation is to tell a joke. It can put you more at ease when you laugh with the audience and settle the room ahead of deeper information.

The trick is not to be cheesy… unless you plan to be. A good joke is simple and in terms of a presentation starter, should somehow relate to the topic coming ahead.

The other version of a joke starter is in the form of a story. In his 2016 TED Talk, Joe Gebbia explains how Airbnb designs for trust. His talk starts like this: “I want to tell you the story about the time I almost got kidnapped in the trunk of a red Mazda Miata.”

You know it’s only going to get better from there, right?

5. Lead with Something Unexpected

What fact, or snippet of information in your presentation will take people off guard? Start there.

Taste of the unexpected can help drive the start of a presentation. You might start with a tidbit from the middle of the “show” or then end and then tell a story in reverse chronological order. The only thing that matters is that it’s not quite what the audience expects to happen.

It might catch them off guard and it should get them super interested in what comes next.

How to End a Presentation: Leave Them With Something Memorable

The goal of any good presenter is to leave the audience with a takeaway. What exactly that takeaway is can vary greatly based on the topic or presenter or presentation style, but something should resonate.

The end of a presentation is your last chance to make that connection and hammer that point home.

6. Call to Action

Finish with a call to action. Ask the audience to do something. Get them excited about the next steps or how they can make an impact.

Don’t leave an audience with the classic “Questions?” slide. Give them something actionable to do.

It might be a new way of thinking. It might be visiting a link or website or writing a letter.

Regardless of the action, make it clear what the audience should do next, and how to get started.

7. Powerful Quote

I’ll admit it: I am a sucker for a great quote.

I never feel quite authoritative enough to say something that one of the greats of history before me said better. So, I use their words to close presentations.

I also find that I love this type of presentation ending from others as well. Nothing can create a fair synopsis of a presentation or collection of thoughts like the perfect quote.

Read it to the crowd. Tell them who said it (and in what context, if necessary). Put the words on the screen and leave them there for the audience to see and read and think about as they gather their things at the end of your talk.

Tony Fadell finished his TED Talk,” The first secret of design is … noticing” with words from Picasso: “Every child is an artist. The problem is when he or she grows up, is how to remain an artist.”

Just let that cook for a minute.

8. Thought-Provoking Question

In the same way a call to action can compel the audience to think more about the presentation topic, a thought-provoking question can start conversations and take the topic beyond a single presentation.

A question doesn’t always spawn immediate action, but it can lead down that path.

You can also ask a question to poll the audience as a presentation wraps up to get feedback on the topic or presentation itself. An exercise such as a question and show of hands can be enough to get the room activated and engaged with the presentation finale.

9. Compelling Story

You can never go wrong by wrapping up a presentation with a compelling story. Bring your message and points home with a case study or a real-life example.

A story will mean the most if it’s something the audience can relate to. An emotionally compelling story can have the greatest impact and stick with audiences long after the presentation ends.

If there’s a story to tell as part of your presentation, refine it and use this example when appropriate.

10. Engage the Audience

Get the audience involved as the presentation is coming to a close. Ask people to talk to each other, poll the audience or even have a short dance party to ensure that your talk is memorable.

The importance of the end of the presentation is often what audience members take away from everything you’ve said and every point you’ve made. Make the biggest impression by engaging the audience and getting their full participation.

End of Internship Presentations – Everything you Need to Know

Whether it’s mandatory or voluntary, end of internship presentations can be stressful. It might feel like there’s a lot riding on a short 30-minute presentation, and there is.

End of internship presentations have the potential to be extremely beneficial to you and knowing where to start can be overwhelming. In this article, we’ll discuss how to get started, how to create the perfect presentation and additional tips for making your presentation stand out.

Quick Links

Why do an end of internship presentation, who to invite to your end of internship presentation, suggested presentation timeline, how to put together a great end of internship presentation.

There are many reasons why you should do an end of internship presentation. The most obvious one is if your company requires it. Many companies have mandatory end of internship presentations built into their internship programs. If your company doesn’t require it, it is still a good idea to do one, and here’s why:

First and foremost, the act itself of planning and creating an end of internship presentation shows a tremendous amount of initiative and will set you apart from interns who chose not to.

Secondly, the only people who know exactly what you’ve accomplished are the few people on your direct team. An end of internship presentation gives you the opportunity to showcase your accomplishments to a wider array of people. This is especially important if you are looking for a full-time job or return offer from your company. The more people that know about your accomplishments, the greater the possibility someone will think of you when a position pops up.

The short answer is everyone.

When thinking of who to invite to your presentation, make sure to consider anyone you worked with. This includes your team, your manager, senior management, the person who recruited you, HR representatives you know, technicians you worked with, other interns, and any other friend you made at the company. Don’t be shy about inviting people to your presentation, they can always decline!

Nowadays, most meetings are over zoom or teams, so inviting a lot of people shouldn’t be an issue. If your presentation is scheduled to be in person, you can always stream your presentation, or do a second presentation online that allows you to invite more people.

You should block off one hour for your presentation. While your presentation won’t be an hour long, you want to leave time for questions and comments at the end. Worst case, the meeting ends a little early (no one has ever complained about that!).

In general, your presentation should be a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 45 minutes.

Here is an example of a general presentation timeline:

This timeline serves as a general template for a 30-minute presentation. Don’t worry about timing yourself perfectly. Use this more as a time distribution guide.

Now that you have an invite list and a general layout of your presentation, how do you go about creating the perfect presentation? Here is a general outline of what your slides should be:

*You may need to add more slides to talk about your project solutions.

*Adjust slides to fit the number of projects you had. As a rule of thumb, try not to focus on more than 3 projects. You don’t want to have to rush through your projects.

Now let’s talk more in detail about these slides:

Your intro should consist of 3 slides:

• Slide 1: Cover Slide with your name, internship dates, and title
• Slide 2: Intro slide about yourself. This should be a fun slide! Have little to no words on the slide and focus more on pictures. If you’re at a loss on what to talk about, stick to where you’re from, what school you go to, and what made you excited about this internship.
• Slide 3: Presentation agenda.

The body of your presentation:

You should focus the body of your presentation on your projects. This is the time to showcase everything you’ve accomplished during your internship, and you want to make the most of your time. Here are 4 tips for having a great presentation:

1. Speak in a conversational tone

People are more likely to be interested in your presentation if they feel like they are listening to a co-worker telling them about a cool project they’re working on rather than a lecture about the intricate details of a design that doesn’t really pertain to them.  

2. Don’t get bogged down in details – focus on the big picture

Even though the room will most likely predominantly consist of other engineers, don’t assume they will be knowledgeable on your project. 30 minutes simply isn’t enough time to explain every detail of your project and have it make sense. Focus on the big picture. For example, if you’re talking about a design iteration you did, you don’t need to list every single thread type or bolt pattern you changed. Focus on the reason for the iteration, the primary thing you changed, and what it accomplished.

Never talk in detail about the calculations you did. Simply saying “and at the end, I did a mathematical analysis to determine my results were statistically significant” is more than enough. Nobody cares what your mathematical analysis consisted of, and you’ll start losing people the second you start explaining it. If someone is curious about it, they’ll ask you at the end.

3. Limit the number of words on each slide

No one likes a slide with a ton of words on it. People either won’t read it or will be too busy reading it to focus on what you’re saying. Take pictures and videos throughout your internship and include them in your presentation. Think of your presentation as a story you’re telling, and the slides are simply there to provide a visual aid to your narrative.

4. Keep it organized

It can be hard to stay organized during your presentation. Trying to explain your projects in such a short amount of time is hard and you want to make sure people are following along.

To help with this, insert a title slide every time you move on to a new project. When presenting your projects, make sure you have a slide dedicated to describing the problem, a slide (or slides) describing what you did to solve the problem, and a final slide describing your results (as quantitatively as possible). Make sure your headings are descriptive of the overview of what you’re talking about. For example, a good first slide heading would be “[insert name of project] – the initial problem” not putting the actual problem as the heading of the slide. An example can be seen in the table above.

Use your judgment to decide what is important to present on. Some interns have one major project they work on the entire summer while some have 2-3 smaller ones. Neither is more or less impressive than the other.

When it comes to presenting your accomplishments, quality is more important than quantity. If you have smaller things you want to mention, you can always make a slide at the end dedicated to “other projects” where you list smaller projects/tasks you worked on. This allows you to mention everything you did without overwhelming or confusing your audience.

Ending your presentation

Now that you’re done presenting your projects, the hard part is over!

The first slide after you finish talking about your projects should be key takeaways you had from your internship. This can include successes and failures you had, what you would do differently next time, things you liked about your company/role, any realizations you may have had about where you want your career to go from here, etc.

After your key takeaways, you can then move to your “fun slide”. This is where you talk about all the fun you had during your internship. Talk about the things you did, the friends you met, the places you visited. Fill the slide with fun (but still work-appropriate) pictures from your summer.

Finally, you should thank your manager and key people you worked with throughout your internship, reiterate how you had a great internship experience and thank everyone for attending your presentation before opening it up to questions and comments.

Lastly, here are some final tips to killing your end of internship presentation:

1. Rehearse

Always, always, always make sure you practice the final version of your presentation. Do a dry run, talk out loud, and time yourself. If you can, practice it on someone else too. It is not enough to practice it in your head.

2. Have a friend in your corner

It always helps to have a friend or two in your corner during presentations. Pick someone you trust and put them in charge of laughing at your jokes during your presentation. This is especially useful if your presentation is online. Chances are people will be laughing with their mics off, but you don’t want silence after a joke to throw you off during your presentation.

Similarly, have someone lined up to ask you a question after. You can even give them a question to ask you if there’s anything you particularly want to talk about. This can also help if there’s an awkward silence between questions.

3. Be prepared for some questions

There are some questions that are common during internship presentations. Here’s a list of some questions you might want to think about beforehand:

• So, what now? (As in when are you graduating and where do you see your career going from here?)
• What advice would you give to future interns?
• What advice would you give your team?
• If you go back, would you change anything about your internship/how you approached things?
• How are you going to make sure the impact from your project(s) is carried out/continues to be carried out?

In the end, remember that everyone is rooting for you. Even the most intimidating managers want to see you succeed. No matter what, you accomplished a lot in your internship and you should be proud. Your accomplishments speak for themselves, it’s just a matter of presenting them in the best way possible.

6 Ways to Make the Most of your Engineering Internship

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Blog > 10 creative Ideas for your Title- and End-Slides in Presentations

10 creative Ideas for your Title- and End-Slides in Presentations

11.13.19   •  #powerpointtips #presentation.

Of all the slides in a PowerPoint presentation, the ones that are without a doubt the most important ones are the first and the last one. It makes perfect sense – the title slide sets the general tone. Make it boring and you’ll loose your audience’s attention within the first few minutes. If you’re making it exciting and innovative on the other hand, you’re taking a big step towards giving an amazing presentation and having an engaged audience. It is very similar with the final slide. It will be the one that people are going to remember most, the one that is supposed to make people leave the room thinking ‘Wow! What a great presentation!’ A bad ending could even mess up what would otherwise be a good performance overall (just think of a good TV show with a bad ending…).

The most common mistakes for title and final slides

If you asked 100 people what belongs on your PowerPoint’s title slide, the majority would answer ‘The title, maybe a subtitle, the presenter’s name and company, the date’. That kind of title slide is alright, but you usually say all of these things in the beginning of a presentation anyway. Also, it is very likely that most of your attendees know these things – they usually signed up for it after all. So what’s the point in listing all of that information on your title slide, when you could also use it for making a stunning first impression? Not only the title slide is commonly designed in an uncreative and conventional way. Too often, you can see PowerPoint presentations ending with the ‘Any Questions?’ or even worse – the ‘Thank you for your attention’ slide. ‘Thank you for your attention’ is a set phrase that has been said so many times it can’t possibly be delivered in an authentic way anymore. Therefore, it’s better to think of something else for your grand final. Finding an unconventional ending that suits your presentation style makes you seem much more charismatic and authentic than using an empty phrase.

1. An inspiring quote

An inspiring quote on your slide is a perfect way to both start and finish your presentation. Well, it does not have to be inspiring. It could be any quote that is somehow connected to your presented topic. Just have fun looking through books and the internet to find interesting quotes that you want your audience to hear. Good pages to look at for inspiration are goodreads and brainyquotes.com .

2. A blank slide

This might seem strange to some people, but a blank slide can be really powerful if you want to have your audience’s full attention. You can use the advantage of blank slides by incorporating them at the beginning, in the end or even in between your regular slides. You can either use a blank slide of your regular template (so there will still be some design elements on it) or go all in and make the slide completely black (or white).

3. A call to action

If the goal of your presentation is to really make your audience act in some kind of way, there is no better way to start – or better yet end your presentation than with a call to action. This can be literally anything from little trivial things like “Drink enough water during the presentation so your brain stays intact!” – which will lighten up the mood – to more serious calls like “Help reducing waste by recycling whenever possible!”.

4. A question

Usually, it is the audience that asks questions after a presentation. However, you can also turn that around and ask your attendees instead. However, it’s important to ask a question that can be answered easily and individually – the best questions involve previous experiences and personal opinions (asking about facts or questions that are hard to understand can often lead to silence and no one wanting to answer).

5. An interactive poll

Nothing engages the audience like a live poll. Conduct one right at the beginning to get everybody envolved, and/or wait until the end to get your audience’s opinion on something. Icebreaker polls are the perfect way to start, as they lighten the mood. You can easily create polls for free with interactive software tools such as SlideLizard .

6. A funny picture, meme, or quote

I’m pretty sure that every student nowadays has that teacher that just tries a little too hard to be cool by throwing in a meme on literally every single slide. That may be a bit too much. But just a little comedy at the beginning or in the end can make you seem very charismatic and entertaining and catch the attention of your listeners. Open (or close) with a joke, a funny picture or a quote – whichever you feel comfortable with. It is usually best if it has something to do with the topic you’re presenting.

7. An interesting fact

Catch the audience’s attention by putting an interesting fact concerning the topic on one of your slides – ideally at the beginning, but maybe also in the end (to keep up the audience’s interest even after the presentation is done).

8. The title, but with a twist

If you feel like you need to put the presentations name/topic on the front slide, but still want that little creative twist, just change the title slightly. According to what I’m proposing, rather dull presentation titles like e.g. “Marine Biology – An Introduction to Organisms in the sea” can be transformed to “Marine Biology – Diving Deep” (or something less cheesy if you prefer). Make it either funny or over-the-top spectacular and catch the audience’s attention!

9. A bold statement, opinion, or piece of information

This is probably the best way to capture your audience from the beginning on. Start with a radical, crazy opinion or statement and then get your attendees hooked by telling them that during the presentation, they will learn why you’re right. It could be anything, really, as long as it goes well with your presented topic – from the statement “Everybody has the time to read 5 books a month” to “Going to college is a waste of time” or “The human species is not the most intelligent on earth” – Take whatever crazy, unpopular theory or opinion you have, throw it out there and (very important!) explain why you’re right. You’ll have your audience’s attention for sure and might even change some of their opinions about certain things.

10. No title and end slide at all

Yes, that’s a possibility as well. If you absolutely can’t think of any creative or otherwise good way to start and end your presentation – even after reading the tips mentioned above – then simply don’t. That’s right - no title and end slide at all. You can pull that of by simply introducing yourself in the beginning, then getting right into the topic (which makes a good impression, long introductions are usually rather tedious) and when you’re at your last slide just saying a simple ‘Goodbye, thank you and feel free to ask questions’.

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About the author.

Pia Lehner-Mittermaier

Pia works in Marketing as a graphic designer and writer at SlideLizard. She uses her vivid imagination and creativity to produce good content.

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