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If you’re a public speaker, you have the ability-and the responsibility-to influence your audience with your ideas, points and lessons. One of the key places for maximum influence is during your conclusion. When done right, your conclusion will leave a positive lasting impression not only about your message, but also about you. One of the worst impressions to leave your audience is a mushy finale. That’s really bad. Your audience will probably have doubts about you and your message.
Let’s say you’re nervous, hesitating or acting like you’re unsure. When the crowd sees, hears or feels this type of weak ending, it almost has the power to negate your entire presentation. You’ll leave with an impression alright… but it won’t be a positive one. With that in mind, let’s look at three keys to making a killer conclusion:
1) Mastering the quick conclusion.
Let’s turn the tables around and escort you to your seat. The program is about to end. Sitting in the audience, you glance at your watch.
Hmm…
You peer at the overhead clock.
About the same.
You have a concerned, uneasy look painted on your face. You’re silently asking, even demanding, “Well, when is this guy going to finish? Doesn’t he know I have a plane to catch? He’s supposed to be done by now. The last thing I need is to miss my flight.”
That’s what can happen when the speaker signals he will conclude, but drones on and on. The audience becomes irritable, even fidgeting in their seats and sighing out loud. And a few make their way toward the doors in a show of defiance.
To avoid this: if you signal to conclude-conclude.
2) Keep it simple speaker.
Avoid introducing new ideas or a new point in your conclusion. This will confuse your crowd. This will leave them hanging. This will have them questioning everything from the program, the meeting planner, the emcee, the parking lot attendant and finally, even you. Some speakers go full circle and close by tying together something from the opening. Others just summarize or offer a quick review. These are common types of closes and avoid crossing over into new ideas.
3) End with impact.
When possible, always close with impact. Whether it’s an emotional moment, a dramatic delivery or well-chosen words prompting immediate action: let your audience feel the benefit of having spent their time with you. Leave them something they’ll remember you by. Maybe it’s a thought-provoking statement. Perhaps it’s an aha moment. Or it could be an adrenaline rush that has them jumping out of their seats. Whatever the case, don’t end with a whimper. Your opening is the attention-grabber of your message. Your conclusion drives that message home. Bless your audience with something memorable by making a killer conclusion.
Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy’s Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today at http://www.TommyYan.com.
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