Public Speaking Tips: Conclusions

The way a public speaker finishes his presentation can have a big effect on how an audience will perceive the value of the material. The following 4 public speaking tips concentrate on making sure the conclusion is powerfully delivered:

Last Few Sentences

A public speaking tip used by many professional speakers is to carefully plan the last few sentences, especially the last sentence you speak, even writing it out word for word and memorizing it.

What is said last is often remembered first so here is an opportunity to leave in the minds of the audience your theme, main point, or motivating slogan that will move the audience to action, or do what you want them to do.

Concluding Sentences

Your concluding sentences should contain motivating words and expressions that will move your audience to action.

Use a Thesaurus to choose emotion packed, colorful words that add variety to your word choice. Then skillfully weave these in to the final seconds of your presentation.

Leave the presentation on a high note. A good conclusion will influence how the whole presentation is perceived.

Six Conclusions

Here are 6 ideas for conclusions. Keeping in mind the nature of your material and thought content, choose the one that would be most appropriate:

Summarize the main points you have considered Appeal for action Give the audience a sincere compliment Use a humorous one-liner or amusing anecdote Use a famous quotation or a verse of poetry Build up to a climax

Careful use of volume and pausing, will enhance the delivery of the conclusion. Remember to add power and punch to your volume if using options 2 and 6 above and build the presentation to a real high point.

Just Stop

Here is a very important public speaking tip: When you conclude, finish! Don't fall into the trap of having multiple endings.

Some speakers bring their presentation to a conclusion, almost like a balloon landing, then they decide to reiterate what they just said and the audience gets taken up in the air again. Then the speaker appears to land once more, only to start up again making the audience wonder when he is going to really finish.

So, once you have said your conclusion, stop, and leave the platform with dignity.

The conclusion of a presentation does not have to be long to be effective. Of course, it should always be in proportion to the overall length of the talk. But a brief, carefully worded, enthusiastically delivered conclusion, using the 4 public speaking tips outlined above, will do much to fix the main points or motivating reasons firmly in the minds and hearts of the audience.

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