It’s not just about starting strong, isn’t it? The End Game is just as, if not more important.
There are many tips out there about starting on the right note and giving a good first impression. But closing with a bang will leave a lasting impression that could stand you in better stead.
Remember what we learnt about the recency effect? It is the tendency to remember the most recently presented information best. For example, if I asked you to recall something from my presentation, the recency effect means you are likely to remember what I presented last. And that is one of the components of the serial position effect – where the position of items on a list influences how well those items are recalled. In a similar vein, an uninspiring or lacklustre finish could undo all those ‘good impression’ points you’ve racked up and leave your audience wondering “how did I just spend the last two hours of my time?”
Ending with something memorable is important and that is the part your audience is likely to remember best. So here are some tips to help you finish on a high.
- Q&A
Ending with a Q&A….been there, done that. While it’s common to finish your presentation and close it off with this question and answer segment – it’s predictable and you can either be met with awkward silence OR you risk letting your presentation end with you answering an irrelevant question. And sometimes, the audience can get really fixated on that irrelevant question. By finishing with questions, you are letting the audience decide how your presentation ends. YOU should be the one to decide on what note your presentation concludes, and that should involve your main message. I would suggest asking questions throughout your presentation to ensure your audience is following along the entire time.
2. It’s ok to not end with ‘THANK YOU’
This slide with the phrase ‘thank you’ doesn’t add any value. While it’s well-intentioned, it’s very mundane. You could just verbally thank your audience for listening and that would suffice.
3. Call To Action
If there is something you’d like your audience to do right after the presentation, (in my case, I’d like them to practice the virtual presentation skills techniques I’ve just taught them) be as specific and detailed about it – make it clear what it is you’d like them to do and how they should go about doing it.
For example – ” I’d like you all to practice your voice projection exercises and also check your lighting and framing before you go live’.
4. Repeat Your Main Message
When you start your presentation, you would have stated the gist of what your presentation is all about and why your audience is there to spend the next hour listening to you. That message is worth repeating at the very end as you sum up. It works well if you posed a question or a problem at the start, which you can then revisit or conclude.
5. Summary
Ending with a summary isn’t the most creative way to end a presentation but it is a useful way to wrap up and reinforce the main points mentioned. However, I would advise you to make your summary more exciting and memorable by injecting it with anecdotes and stories. Remember, the human brain is wired to remember stories.
6. Quote
A strong quote can be a simple and effective way to end a presentation but do find something that supports your message. Don’t use a quote that is a cliche. You could even come up with your own quote- something that you believe in — your mantra.
7. Quiz
This is a great way to reinforce what you’ve just taught and helps you assess how well you’ve got your message across. It’s also fun and interactive and makes your presentation stand out. I’ve used this a couple of times and the vibe, the reaction and participation rates are always good.
In a recent Netflix documentary, titled “THE MOST UNKNOWN”, Laurie R Santos, a cognitive psychologist from Yale University shared a really fascinating fact – how do people make sense of events or a presentation? It turns out, people simplify it and only take into account two things — the peak of how good it was and how it ended.
So the end game matters and I do hope these 7 quick tips will help add some ‘ooomph’ to the final notes of your presentation. Good luck!
If you’d like to find out more about how you can appear relaxed, confident and authentic when presenting to an online or physical audience, do connect with us. We’d love to hear from you!