Open and close your presentation

Orchestrate the first and last impressions of your presentation

George TorokCommunication skills, Insights, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking

Spend more time and effort getting your opening and close right.
When creating your opening and close, consider the possibility that they might only remember these two parts. If that was true, would they have received your intended message? If not, revise your opening and close. The body is the detail, the opening and close provide the motivation and the direction.

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CEO stumbled through the close to the speech

CEO Stumbles through a Clumsy Close to his Keynote Speech

George TorokInsights, Public Speaking

This CEO didn’t know how to end his presentation. That was curious because as the head of an advertising firm he stressed the importance of telling stories. He emphasized the need to sculpt three components to your stories; opening, body and close. But he didn’t do that with his presentation. Both his opening and close were disasters. I wonder if he delivers a better close when pitching to prospects.

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Don't end your presentation with thank you

“Thank You” is a poor way to end your presentation

George TorokCommunication skills, Presentation Tips, Public Speaking

Don’t end your presentation with the words, “Thank you”.
You might be thinking, “What’s wrong ending your presentation with ‘Thank you’?’ That’s just being polite, right?

Let’s address the first three questions.

What’s wrong ending on ‘thank you’?
What’s a better ending?
Is it polite?

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