The year 2020 ends tomorrow, and for most us, it came none too soon. So December 30th seems to be a fitting time to talk about conclusions.
My father had a few things to teach me about conclusions. He’s an author and preacher turned college president who grew up in a small town in Mississippi. He’s always been known to drop little lines of wisdom to anyone who would listen. Things like, “don’t get in a fight with a skunk, you’ll both come out smelling.” But one of my favorite lessons of his is this: how you end something says more about your character than how you begin it. “So finish well,” he always told us.
His simple but wise advice works well for presentations, too. After all, the way you conclude is really what sticks with your audience. So here are 3 tips for writing a great conclusion for your presentation.
Wrap Up
The end of your presentation is a great time to summarize the main things you’ve said that you want your audience to remember. However, don’t go into great detail again. Don’t be one of those presenters who says “in conclusion” multiple times before you actually wrap it up. It can be boring or even insulting to your audience if you draw it out too long. In fact, Toastmasters says that your conclusion should only take up 5-10% of your overall speaking time. So just give quick reminders, and then move on to the next two parts of the conclusion.
Point Forward
I’ve always thought the word “conclusion” is a little bit incomplete for what needs to happen at the end of the presentation. Yes, you are wrapping up the speech event. You are finishing the message. But really, a great conclusion is also a continuation. One of the most important things you can do at the end of your presentation is to point to what comes next.
Sometimes this is called the “call to action.” It is the inspiring statement that is meant to motivate your audience members take the next steps. And it’s a big element when it comes to marketing. In fact, marketers talk about “conversion rates” and spend lots of money to figure out how to turn consumers into customers. Presenters should aim to do this too by answering the unspoken question of “what next/what now?” that lingers at the end of every message.
Say Thanks
In a recent blog post, we studied how the top TED speakers end their presentations. In the popular talks that we studied, we found that speakers end with some form “thank you” 95% of the time. Ending with gratitude is not only a current trend, it’s a good and generous practice. By expressing thanks to the audience, you do two things. First, you show that you respect the time they’ve given to listen to you. And second, you foster goodwill moving forward with them.
So, in the words of my father, “finish well.” Wrap up, point forward, and say thanks. It’s just that simple.
As we move into the new year, all of us at Ethos3 want to wish you a Happy New Year. We’d love to help you develop, design, or deliver a presentation in 2021. Get a quote now.
