The ending of a presentation is as important as its beginning. It is the last sentences and the last slide that stay in the listeners' memory the longest. Even so, many speakers end with the words “that's all, thank you” and a slide asking “any questions?”. Such a finale does not strengthen the message and does not lead to any action. In this post we explain how to end a presentation in a way that organises knowledge and encourages the next step.
What role the ending plays
A good ending does three things. First, it recalls the most important conclusions. Second, it shows the audience what to do next. Third, it leaves the impression of a coherent whole, because it refers back to what was announced at the beginning.
If any of these elements is missing, listeners leave with the feeling that the presentation broke off halfway. Even very well-prepared content then loses part of its value.
Summarise instead of repeating
A common mistake is reading out all the agenda points at the end. A better solution is to choose one to three thoughts you want the audience to remember. Formulate them in simple sentences and link them to a benefit for the listeners.
For example: “Implementing the new process will halve order handling time, reduce the number of errors and let the team focus on customers.” Such a message is specific and, at the same time, easy to repeat after the meeting.
A good test is whether the audience can reproduce the main idea of the talk in their own words after the meeting. If so, the ending has done its job. If not, it is worth shortening the summary and focusing on one conclusion instead of several.
Point to the next step
Every presentation should lead to some decision or action. Think about what exactly should happen after the meeting. It might be approving a budget, scheduling a call, filling in a form or passing the materials on.
A call to action should be unambiguous and possible to carry out right away. Instead of a general “we invite you to cooperate”, it is better to write: “Send us a brief by the end of the week, and on Monday we will present a schedule and a quote.” The audience then knows what to do and what to expect.
Proven ways to end a presentation
An ending can be built in several ways, depending on the purpose of the talk:
- Return to the beginning. Refer to the story, question or problem from the first slides and show how it was resolved. This technique gives the presentation coherence.
- A short summary. Present the three most important conclusions on one slide. It works in informational and training presentations.
- A call to action. End with a clear instruction or proposal. This is the best choice in sales and offer presentations.
- A vision of the result. Describe what the audience's situation will look like after the proposed changes are introduced. It works well in presentations for the board and investors.
- A question for discussion. Ask a question that will start a conversation. It is worth preparing it in advance, though, so that an awkward silence does not fall.
How to end a sales, training and board presentation
It is worth adapting the way you end to the type of talk.
In a sales presentation, the finale should include a summary of the benefits and a specific proposal for the next step, for example a date for a call or the further stages of cooperation. The customer should know what will happen after the meeting and who will contact them.
In a training presentation, a short summary of the most important rules and a task to complete after the session work best. Participants remember knowledge better when they immediately know how to apply it in practice.
In a presentation for the board, the key is to present the decision you expect and its consequences. The board values brevity, so the last slide should contain a recommendation, the required budget and a proposed schedule.
Regardless of the type of presentation, it is worth rehearsing the ending aloud. It is the part that is most often improvised, and yet it determines the last impression.
How to design the last slide
The last slide is visible the longest, because it often stays on the screen during questions. It is therefore worth using it deliberately. Instead of a bare “Thank you”, put content on it that works for the presentation:
- the most important conclusion or a guiding phrase,
- contact details of the person responsible for further talks,
- a QR code leading to materials, the offer or a calendar for booking a meeting,
- the company logo, consistent with the visual identity.
The layout should be simple and legible, with strong contrast and a minimum of elements. If the presentation is sent to the audience after the meeting, the last slide becomes its most important point of contact.
Mistakes worth avoiding
We most often see three mistakes. The first is introducing new information at the very end, which distracts attention and disrupts the structure. The second is dragging the talk on after announcing the ending, because listeners then lose concentration. The third is apologising, for example for lack of time, which weakens the speaker's credibility.
It also happens that, when ending a presentation, the speaker goes back to earlier slides looking for an answer to a question. That is why it is good to prepare hidden backup slides at the end, for example with detailed data and answers to the most common questions.
Prepare the ending at the start of the work
It is worth planning the ending already at the stage of building the presentation's structure. If you know what decision you want to obtain, it is easier to choose content that leads to it. As a result, the whole presentation has a clear direction, and the last slide is a natural consequence of the earlier ones.
Summary
To know how to end a presentation, it is enough to remember three elements: a short summary, a clear next step and a well-thought-out design of the last slide. Such an ending organises the message and increases the chance that the audience will take action. If you need a presentation in which every slide, including the last one, is designed with its purpose in mind, check out our company presentations or contact us.
