The close to your presentation is important to the success of your message. Your close is the last impression. You can make it the lasting impression that resonates within their mind even after they leave the room.
Orchestrate the first and last impressions of your presentation
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.
How to Close Your Speech or Presentation
Your close although short is a significant part of your speech. Be clear on the purpose of your speech and be clear on how your close supports that purpose. Your last words might be remembered the most. No matter how badly you think your presentation went always end it looking and sounding confidently.
CEO Stumbles through a Clumsy Close to his Keynote Speech
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.
“Thank You” is a poor way to end your presentation
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?