Better Presentations: Closing A Presentation

Category: Business English Skills, Language Training | 2017-05-25

Welcome back to part 3 in our 4-part series on giving better presentations. We started with a look at creating A Strong Opening, then last week we focused on A Powerful Body. This week, we are going to discuss how to go about clearly and effectively closing a presentation.

The importance of closing a presentation well lies in the fact that this is where you tell the audience what you want them to take away. There are a few effective ways of doing this, and we will examine each of those here. We will also have a look at the language used to cover the key elements of an effective conclusion.

Let’s get started!

3 Techniques for Closing a Presentation

Summarize the Main Points

One of the most commonly used techniques in closing a presentation is the summary. Here you briefly cover all the major points of your talk and highlight the key takeaways for the audience. Don’t go into too much detail, or you risk losing your audience because you are repeating yourself.

Here are a few examples:

• Finally, let me remind you of some of the issues we’ve covered…
• That brings us to the end of my presentation. May I remind you of some of the main points we’ve considered.
• Just a quick recap of my main points…
• So, that was our new PR strategy. In brief, we…

 

Relating to the Core Message

In part 1 of this series, we looked at telling your audience at the outset what “The Payoff” would be. You described what they can expect to take away and now is the time to go back to that. Re-emphasize the core message of your presentation and wrap up the topic with an answer to the question you raised. This will give your talk a wholeness and leave your audience with a sense of completion and a direction forward.

Let’s look at a couple of phrases you can use here:

• So, going back to the original question, we see that we can reach these goals by…
• Now, to close out my presentation, I want to go back to the beginning when I asked you…
• As you can see, by doing X, Y, and Z, we are able to maximize our profits…

Call to Action

Many great presentations end with a call to action. Here the speaker asks the audience to take some action. This could be the next steps in implementing a new strategy or donating money to a specific cause. You have given them all the reasons they need to perform this action, and now you want to see it happen. Here you should give them contact info or other details that are necessary to completing the task.

Check out these examples:

• Now you have all seen how much help is needed in supplying fresh water to Madagascar. Let’s get out our chequebooks and make a real difference in people’s lives!
• Now that we are all up to date with the new strategy, please pass this information on to your teams and get this project off the ground.

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Effective Language for Closing a Presentation

Now that we have looked at strategies for closing a presentation, we have to look at some other key elements. First, we should thank the audience, then we have to invite and answer questions.

Thanking the Audience

This is more than a common courtesy, it is essential in maintaining the connection. We don’t have to make a big thing about it, but we need to say something.

Have a look at some examples:

• Thank you all for listening, it was a pleasure being here today.
• I would like to conclude my presentation by thanking you for patience and for being such an attentive audience. Enjoy the rest of the conference!
• OK we’ve come to the end of the presentation so I’d just like to thank you for listening.

Inviting Questions

Another key element in closing a presentation is inviting questions. Let’s take a look at some examples of how to do this effectively:

• If anyone has questions, I will do my best to answer them.
• If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
• Thank you for listening. And now, if there are any questions, I would be pleased to answer them.
• Now, I would like to give the floor over to you. Do you have any questions?

Answering Questions

Of course, now that we have invited questions, we have to answer them. A good idea to keep in mind is to repeat or rephrase the question to make sure you have fully understood. You also give yourself a little time to think it over and can give a more complete answer.

Here are a few ways to do that:

• That’s an interesting question. How are we going to get increased revenue in a failing market?
• Thank you for the question. So, you would like further clarification on our PR strategy?
• How will we change the marketing strategy in the face of changing social media trends? Great question! Well, first we…

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Putting it All Together

By using a summary, referring to the opening or giving a call to action, you can end your presentation on a high note. Be sure to thank your audience for their attention and be prepared to answer questions. Keep these phrases in mind next time and you will be sure to give your presentation a happy ending!

How do you end your presentations? Do you use one of these strategies or do you another way? Let me know in the comments below. Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter for more tips, articles and exclusive deals. Thanks for reading!

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