Closings
Your opening grabs attention and interest in your topic. Your closing is a way of reinforcing the message and must also be memorable. People will remember the last thing that they hear. Here are some ways to close a speech:
- Tell a story. When you end with a story, be sure it supports your main message. Stories are a good way to regain attention.
- Recite a poem. Some speakers have a signature poem that they use to end every speech.
- Quote someone. You can find quotes in the Bible, Readers' Digest, recent trade magazines or Bartlett's Quotations. A simple quote has more impact than a lengthy summary.
- Summarize your main points. A good summary should recap the major ideas in your speech so that latecomers can get the essence of the longer speech.
- End with a visual aid. After some closing remarks you can project an image, picture, or cartoon on a slide. It can remain on the screen so the audience continues to receive the visual message.
- Bring back the beginning. You can reference your opening and tie it together. Think about a movie flashback. It's a method for keeping the audience with you until the end.
- Play music. This can be an uplifting way to end, especially if your intention is to motivate. Music is great for teambuilding and sales meetings. Check for copyright permission. If this is a paid speech or a professional conference you will need copyright permission to play popular music.
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