Even an absolutely great presentation can be destroyed in the last thirty seconds. That is an interesting fact mentioned in a recent article on PRDaily.com. In the article, presentation skills trainer Michelle Mazur describes unnecessary mistakes that can completely destroy your speech in its final part and advises how to do it better. Remember that the end is what your listeners take away from the presentation.
Biggest mistakes at the end of a presentation
- You end by questions and answers.
- You end by saying: "Well, that's all."
- You end by saying: "Thank you for your time."
- You leave the presentation without any conclusion.
- You end by trying to get the audience to buy your product.
Three parts of a strong end of a presentation
1. Summary
Briefly summarize the main idea of your speech. Try not to be too much boring, do not repeat the same words. To highlight the main points, try to use a story or a metaphor. Creativity at the end of your speech is very important.
2. Call to Action
The aim of the call to action is make the audience do something - one particular thing now or never. When addressing the audience, be personal - use "you" instead of the general "we."
3. Interesting tip
You can offer specific products within the call to action. At the very end of the presentation, however, offer the audience a interesting recommendation. It can be a quote, a piece of encouraging advice, etc.
-kk-