Status.net

30 Examples: How to Conclude a Presentation (Effective Closing Techniques)

By Status.net Editorial Team on March 4, 2024 — 9 minutes to read

Ending a presentation on a high note is a skill that can set you apart from the rest. It’s the final chance to leave an impact on your audience, ensuring they walk away with the key messages embedded in their minds. This moment is about driving your points home and making sure they resonate. Crafting a memorable closing isn’t just about summarizing key points, though that’s part of it, but also about providing value that sticks with your listeners long after they’ve left the room.

Crafting Your Core Message

To leave a lasting impression, your presentation’s conclusion should clearly reflect your core message. This is your chance to reinforce the takeaways and leave the audience thinking about your presentation long after it ends.

Identifying Key Points

Start by recognizing what you want your audience to remember. Think about the main ideas that shaped your talk. Make a list like this:

  • The problem your presentation addresses.
  • The evidence that supports your argument.
  • The solution you propose or the action you want the audience to take.

These key points become the pillars of your core message.

Contextualizing the Presentation

Provide context by briefly relating back to the content of the whole presentation. For example:

  • Reference a statistic you shared in the opening, and how it ties into the conclusion.
  • Mention a case study that underlines the importance of your message.

Connecting these elements gives your message cohesion and makes your conclusion resonate with the framework of your presentation.

30 Example Phrases: How to Conclude a Presentation

  • 1. “In summary, let’s revisit the key takeaways from today’s presentation.”
  • 2. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s move forward together.”
  • 3. “That brings us to the end. I’m open to any questions you may have.”
  • 4. “I’ll leave you with this final thought to ponder as we conclude.”
  • 5. “Let’s recap the main points before we wrap up.”
  • 6. “I appreciate your engagement. Now, let’s turn these ideas into action.”
  • 7. “We’ve covered a lot today. To conclude, remember these crucial points.”
  • 8. “As we reach the end, I’d like to emphasize our call to action.”
  • 9. “Before we close, let’s quickly review what we’ve learned.”
  • 10. “Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to our next steps.”
  • 11. “In closing, I’d like to thank everyone for their participation.”
  • 12. “Let’s conclude with a reminder of the impact we can make together.”
  • 13. “To wrap up our session, here’s a brief summary of our discussion.”
  • 14. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to present to you. Any final thoughts?”
  • 15. “And that’s a wrap. I welcome any final questions or comments.”
  • 16. “As we conclude, let’s remember the objectives we’ve set today.”
  • 17. “Thank you for your time. Let’s apply these insights to achieve success.”
  • 18. “In conclusion, your feedback is valuable, and I’m here to listen.”
  • 19. “Before we part, let’s take a moment to reflect on our key messages.”
  • 20. “I’ll end with an invitation for all of us to take the next step.”
  • 21. “As we close, let’s commit to the goals we’ve outlined today.”
  • 22. “Thank you for your attention. Let’s keep the conversation going.”
  • 23. “In conclusion, let’s make a difference, starting now.”
  • 24. “I’ll leave you with these final words to consider as we end our time together.”
  • 25. “Before we conclude, remember that change starts with our actions today.”
  • 26. “Thank you for the lively discussion. Let’s continue to build on these ideas.”
  • 27. “As we wrap up, I encourage you to reach out with any further questions.”
  • 28. “In closing, I’d like to express my gratitude for your valuable input.”
  • 29. “Let’s conclude on a high note and take these learnings forward.”
  • 30. “Thank you for your time today. Let’s end with a commitment to progress.”

Summarizing the Main Points

When you reach the end of your presentation, summarizing the main points helps your audience retain the important information you’ve shared. Crafting a memorable summary enables your listeners to walk away with a clear understanding of your message.

Effective Methods of Summarization

To effectively summarize your presentation, you need to distill complex information into concise, digestible pieces. Start by revisiting the overarching theme of your talk and then narrow down to the core messages. Use plain language and imagery to make the enduring ideas stick. Here are some examples of how to do this:

  • Use analogies that relate to common experiences to recap complex concepts.
  • Incorporate visuals or gestures that reinforce your main arguments.

The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three is a classic writing and communication principle. It means presenting ideas in a trio, which is a pattern that’s easy for people to understand and remember. For instance, you might say, “Our plan will save time, cut costs, and improve quality.” This structure has a pleasing rhythm and makes the content more memorable. Some examples include:

  • “This software is fast, user-friendly, and secure.”
  • Pointing out a product’s “durability, affordability, and eco-friendliness.”

Reiterating the Main Points

Finally, you want to circle back to the key takeaways of your presentation. Rephrase your main points without introducing new information. This reinforcement supports your audience’s memory and understanding of the material. You might summarize key takeaways like this:

  • Mention the problem you addressed, the solution you propose, and the benefits of this solution.
  • Highlighting the outcomes of adopting your strategy: higher efficiency, greater satisfaction, and increased revenue.

Creating a Strong Conclusion

The final moments of your presentation are your chance to leave your audience with a powerful lasting impression. A strong conclusion is more than just summarizing—it’s your opportunity to invoke thought, inspire action, and make your message memorable.

Incorporating a Call to Action

A call to action is your parting request to your audience. You want to inspire them to take a specific action or think differently as a result of what they’ve heard. To do this effectively:

  • Be clear about what you’re asking.
  • Explain why their action is needed.
  • Make it as simple as possible for them to take the next steps.

Example Phrases:

  • “Start making a difference today by…”
  • “Join us in this effort by…”
  • “Take the leap and commit to…”

Leaving a Lasting Impression

End your presentation with something memorable. This can be a powerful quote, an inspirational statement, or a compelling story that underscores your main points. The goal here is to resonate with your audience on an emotional level so that your message sticks with them long after they leave.

  • “In the words of [Influential Person], ‘…'”
  • “Imagine a world where…”
  • “This is more than just [Topic]; it’s about…”

Enhancing Audience Engagement

To hold your audience’s attention and ensure they leave with a lasting impression of your presentation, fostering interaction is key.

Q&A Sessions

It’s important to integrate a Q&A session because it allows for direct communication between you and your audience. This interactive segment helps clarify any uncertainties and encourages active participation. Plan for this by designating a time slot towards the end of your presentation and invite questions that promote discussion.

  • “I’d love to hear your thoughts; what questions do you have?”
  • “Let’s dive into any questions you might have. Who would like to start?”
  • “Feel free to ask any questions, whether they’re clarifications or deeper inquiries about the topic.”

Encouraging Audience Participation

Getting your audience involved can transform a good presentation into a great one. Use open-ended questions that provoke thought and allow audience members to reflect on how your content relates to them. Additionally, inviting volunteers to participate in a demonstration or share their experiences keeps everyone engaged and adds a personal touch to your talk.

  • “Could someone give me an example of how you’ve encountered this in your work?”
  • “I’d appreciate a volunteer to help demonstrate this concept. Who’s interested?”
  • “How do you see this information impacting your daily tasks? Let’s discuss!”

Delivering a Persuasive Ending

At the end of your presentation, you have the power to leave a lasting impact on your audience. A persuasive ending can drive home your key message and encourage action.

Sales and Persuasion Tactics

When you’re concluding a presentation with the goal of selling a product or idea, employ carefully chosen sales and persuasion tactics. One method is to summarize the key benefits of your offering, reminding your audience why it’s important to act. For example, if you’ve just presented a new software tool, recap how it will save time and increase productivity. Another tactic is the ‘call to action’, which should be clear and direct, such as “Start your free trial today to experience the benefits first-hand!” Furthermore, using a touch of urgency, like “Offer expires soon!”, can nudge your audience to act promptly.

Final Impressions and Professionalism

Your closing statement is a chance to solidify your professional image and leave a positive impression. It’s important to display confidence and poise. Consider thanking your audience for their time and offering to answer any questions. Make sure to end on a high note by summarizing your message in a concise and memorable way. If your topic was on renewable energy, you might conclude by saying, “Let’s take a leap towards a greener future by adopting these solutions today.” This reinforces your main points and encourages your listeners to think or act differently when they leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative strategies for ending a presentation memorably.

To end your presentation in a memorable way, consider incorporating a call to action that engages your audience to take the next step. Another strategy is to finish with a thought-provoking question or a surprising fact that resonates with your listeners.

Can you suggest some powerful quotes suitable for concluding a presentation?

Yes, using a quote can be very effective. For example, Maya Angelou’s “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” can reinforce the emotional impact of your presentation.

What is an effective way to write a conclusion that summarizes a presentation?

An effective conclusion should recap the main points succinctly, highlighting what you want your audience to remember. A good way to conclude is by restating your thesis and then briefly summarizing the supporting points you made.

As a student, how can I leave a strong impression with my presentation’s closing remarks?

To leave a strong impression, consider sharing a personal anecdote related to your topic that demonstrates passion and conviction. This helps humanize your content and makes the message more relatable to your audience.

How can I appropriately thank my audience at the close of my presentation?

A simple and sincere expression of gratitude is always appropriate. You might say, “Thank you for your attention and engagement today,” to convey appreciation while also acknowledging their participation.

What are some examples of a compelling closing sentence in a presentation?

A compelling closing sentence could be something like, “Together, let’s take the leap towards a greener future,” if you’re presenting on sustainability. This sentence is impactful, calls for united action, and leaves your audience with a clear message.

  • How to Build Rapport: Effective Techniques
  • Active Listening (Techniques, Examples, Tips)
  • Effective Nonverbal Communication in the Workplace (Examples)
  • What is Problem Solving? (Steps, Techniques, Examples)
  • 2 Examples of an Effective and Warm Letter of Welcome
  • 8 Examples of Effective Interview Confirmation Emails
  • Presentations
  • Most Recent
  • Infographics
  • Data Visualizations
  • Forms and Surveys
  • Video & Animation
  • Case Studies
  • Design for Business
  • Digital Marketing
  • Design Inspiration
  • Visual Thinking
  • Product Updates
  • Visme Webinars
  • Artificial Intelligence

6 Ways to Close Your Presentation With Style (& Tools to Use)

6 Ways to Close Your Presentation With Style (& Tools to Use)

Written by: Ashish Arora

how to start a presentation wide header

Picture this: You've just delivered an amazing presentation that had your audience hooked from the start. The excitement in the room is glaring as you reach the final moments of your presentations.

Now, it's time to close with a bang and leave a lasting impression.

The way you conclude your presentation holds immense power. That’s the defining moment that cements your message in the minds of your audience.

So how do you wrap up your presentation in a memorable way and leave your audience feeling inspired? That’s why we created this article to teach you how to end a presentation.

In this article, we're going to explore six awesome ways to close your presentation with style. These techniques will help you leave a lasting impact and make your audience go "Wow!"

Get ready to level up your presentation skills and charm your audience with these proven closing techniques.

Table of Contents

6 ways to close your presentation with style, tools to help you create a presentation, key phrases to end a presentation.

  • How to Start a Presentation
  • Top Presentation Mistakes to Avoid
  • How you end your presentation can make all the difference in solidifying your message and leaving your audience with a sense of purpose.
  • Level up your presentation skills and charm your audience with these proven closing techniques: include a strong call-to-action (CTA), don't end with a question and answer slide; conclude with a memorable quote, tell a story, summarize your main points and thank the audience.
  • Here are some ways you can start your presentation on a strong note: make a bold claim, give them the unexpected, pique curiosity, ask questions and tell a story.
  • Avoid these top presentation mistakes: lack of adequate presentation, being robotic, avoiding eye contact, starting and ending weak.
  • Visme, Prezi, Slidebean and Google Slides are four stand-out tools you can use to create stunning and effective presentations.
  • Visme’s presentation software offers a wide range of templates and extensive features to help you create next-level presentations.

There’s no question that grabbing your audience’s attention at the very beginning of your presentation is important. But how you end it can make all the difference in your presentation’s overall impact.

Here are some ways to ensure you end powerfully:

  • Way #1: Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)
  • Way #2: Don't End With a Q&A
  • Way #3: End With a Memorable Quote
  • Way #4: Close With a Story
  • Way #5: Drive Your Main Points Home
  • Way #6: Thank and Acknowledge

how to end a presentation visme infographic

Create an infographic of your own! Sign up. It's free.

1. Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

If you’re a business owner, the primary purpose of your presentation is to inspire the audience to action. Don’t assume they will take it, move them to it.

Use powerful words that are definitive and instructional. Calls-to-action like “Begin the journey” or “Join the fight” are to-the-point and let the audience know what to do.

Create a stunning presentation in less time

  • Hundreds of premade slides available
  • Add animation and interactivity to your slides
  • Choose from various presentation options

Sign up. It’s free.

how to end a presentation slide

2. Don’t End with a Q&A

You’ve just spent 20-30 minutes wowing your audience and now you’re going to let your presentation fizzle out with a Q&A? Beyond the fact that you are never in full control of what questions you will be asked, Q&As are just not memorable.

So how do you end a presentation with a bang? It is better to take questions throughout the presentation. This way the questions asked are relevant to the particular information being shared and you can ensure your audience is keeping up with you.

If you have been forced to structure your presentation so that questions are taken at the end, make sure to allow yourself a minute or two after the Q&A. Use this time to close the presentation with your final takeaways and messages of inspiration.

3. End with a Memorable Quote

Sometimes, if you can’t find the perfect words to end with, use someone else’s words.

“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”  –Charles Swindoll

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” –John Lennon

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” –Steve Jobs

These are pretty powerful words, no? Use quotes like these when you wrap up your presentation, or add them in your final slide to leave a strong impression.

4. Close with a Story

If opening with a compelling story works, there’s a very good chance that closing with one will as well. While a story at the beginning was an effective lead-in to your message, a story at the end can creatively sum up the information you have shared.

A word of caution: don’t end with a case study. Many business owners do this. Case studies are great for the middle of your presentation. But for the conclusion, you want a meaningful story that affects your audience emotionally and causes them to remember your message for a long, long time.

5. Drive Your Main Points Home

Your audience will appreciate some form of summation at the end that will act as a linear representation of what they’ve just heard.  There is a simple summary formula that many professional speakers use in the ending slide:

  • Tell them what you are going to tell them.
  • Then, tell them what you told them.

You can simply say something like, “Before I leave you with my final thoughts about XYZ, let me briefly restate my main takeaways…” Don’t just list your key points but show the audience how each links to the other points.

Giving a successful presentation takes a lot of work and commitment. By creating a powerful opening and closing, you will ensure that your message is not only fully received but impactful as well.

6.  Thank and Acknowledge

If you're finding it hard to signal to your audience that your presentation has ended and it's time to applaud, thanking them can be a great way to do so. Including an end slide or thank you slide can make things easier.

At the end of your presentation, you can also acknowledge any companies or people who helped you put together your presentation, such as a website you used as a data source.

Now that you know how to end a presentation effectively, let's find out how you can create one that speaks for itself.

A well-designed slide deck can not only help you better convey your message, but it can also make you feel more confident about your presentation.

Here are four tools you can use to create stunning and effective presentations.

- how to end-a presentation - Visme logo

Visme is a robust visual content creation tool and presentation software that transforms how users create and deliver captivating presentations. With a wide range of customizable templates, an extensive asset library and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can level up your presentation and captivate your audience like never before.

Here are some of the standard features of Visme's presentation software.

  • Generate a set of branded templates tailored to your brand using Visme's AI-powered brand design tool .
  • Easily record projects and presentations for your audience to view on their own time and pace with Visme Presenter studio .
  • Create beautiful data visualizations , charts , graphs , and infographics that will effectively communicate your information.
  • Transform boring presentation slides into enriching experiences that keep your audience engaged with interactive features using pop ups, hover effects, slide transitions, interactive charts, maps, quizzes and videos.
  •  Generate high-quality content,  proofread or create an outline for your presentation using Visme's AI text generator .
  • Take your presentation to a whole new level with our comprehensive library of royalty-free images, icons, illustrations, graphics, and pre-designed content blocks.
  • Unleash your creativity with the help of Visme’s AI image generator . All you need to do is input your prompt and you can generate unique photos, paintings, pencil drawings, 3D graphics, icons, abstract art, and more.
  • Drive seamless collaboration with Visme's collaborative features make teamwork a breeze. You can collaborate with colleagues and clients in real-time, leave comments, and make edits together, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow. Say goodbye to email attachments and enjoy seamless collaboration all in one place.
  • When you’re sold on your final presentation design , you can download it in multiple formats, including PPTX, PDF, PDF or as a shareable link . You can present directly from Visme, embed your presentation on websites, or download it for offline use.

If you're racing against the clock, use Visme's AI presentation maker to create stunning presentations in seconds. Just explain what you want to create, provide more context, select your preferred designs and watch the tool unleash its magic.

how to end a presentation slide

Get started with our Starter plan and enjoy full access to templates and assets. Or upgrade to a Pro plan to access team collaboration and brand management features. Our Visme for Teams plans offer enterprise-level features like custom sub-domains, team collaboration, custom integrations and more.

powerpoint alternatives presentation software prezi logo

The master of non-linear presentations, Prezi, lets you create slide decks that are bound to stand out from others.

While the learning curve of Prezi can be steep for some people, it's worth it if you're looking to get creative with your presentations.

3. Slidebean

presentation apps - slidebean

If the most important thing to you when making a presentation is saving time, Slidebean might be a great fit.

The best thing about this tool is it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help you create stunning layouts for your content.

Slidebean is ideal if you're not looking for extensive customizability, just ease of use and time-saving features like templates and content blocks.

4. Google Slides

presentation apps - Google Slides

Sometimes, the most basic tools are enough for creating a great presentation, especially if the industry you're operating in requires simplicity and seriousness.

The best part about Google Slides is that you can use it from anywhere and from any device. For example, you can create your entire presentation on your phone using the mobile application.

Presentations made in Google Slides can also be opened with Microsoft PowerPoint and Keynote, which makes it quite a versatile tool.

if you're wondering how to close your presentation, here are some key phrases you can use:

Appreciate your listeners

  • Thank you for your time and attention.
  • I appreciate your presence here today.
  • Thank you for being such an engaged audience.

Express gratitude for the opportunity

  • I'm grateful for the chance to share...
  • I want to express my gratitude to...
  • Thank you once again for the opportunity.

Summarize the main points

  • In summary...
  • To sum up...
  • In conclusion...

Use a call to action

  • I encourage each of you to...
  • Let's work together to...
  • Take the next step by...

Inspire or motivate your audience

  • Remember that...
  • As we move forward, let's keep in mind...
  • Let this be a reminder that..."

Leave your closing thoughts

  • In closing...
  • As a final thought...
  • To wrap things up...

Encourage your audience to ask questions or share their thoughts

  • I'm now open to any questions you may have.
  • I'd love to hear your thoughts on...
  • Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.

Reiterate the main points

  • Just to recap...
  • To reiterate the key points...
  • In essence, we covered...

Use closing quotes

  • To quote [relevant figure]...
  • In the words of [author]...
  • As [famous person] once said...

Express optimism about the future

  • Looking ahead...
  • The future holds great opportunities for...
  • I'm excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.

Remember, these fun ways to end a presentation aren't one-size-fits-all. You need to tailor these phrases to fit the specific context and tone of your presentation.

Bonus 1: How to Start a Presentation

Now you know how to conclude a presentation. We’ve also discussed ​​what to say at the end of a presentation.

Let’s discuss how to begin a presentation.

According to bestselling author, Malcolm Gladwell, in  Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking , "Snap judgments are ... enormously quick: they rely on the thinnest slices of experience."

In other words: first impressions are real, and they happen really quickly. Think about those presentations you have sat in the audience for.

How quickly did you sum a presenter up when they took the stage? Did you judge them on their posture? What they were wearing? How they addressed the audience? What their voice sounded like?

Most likely, you took all of these factors into account and quickly decided whether you were going to give them your full attention or think about what you should make for dinner.

As a presenter, you must understand that your audience members will make a snap decision about you within the first few moments after taking that stage. Your job at the very beginning of your presentation is to grab their attention.

Here are some ways you can start your presentation strong.

how to start a presentation visme infographic

1. Make a Bold Claim

Imagine being in the audience when a presenter opens his mouth and the first words out are, “When I’ve finished here today, you will have the knowledge to increase your revenue by 200% this year.” Um… would you sit forward in your chair and listen to every single word? You bet you would!

You have been asked to speak because you are an expert in your field and have valuable information to share. So why be shy about it? Start your presentation with a bold claim, and then overdeliver.

2. Give Them the Unexpected

Another powerful way to grab attention right up top is to contradict audience expectations. Some people refer to this as "applied unpredictability principle."

Giving people what they expect is not very exciting. Imagine a roller coaster that had no sudden drops or turns. It wouldn’t thrill you. Well the same can be said for presentations. The unexpected hooks the audience instantly.

Here’s an example. Pamela Meyer, author of Liespotting , starts off her presentation by scanning the audience and then saying, “Okay, I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar! Also the person to your left is a liar.”

Well, the audience laughs, getting her intended joke, but you can tell that this unexpected statement has hooked them, and they are ready to give their full attention.

3. Pique Curiosity

Humans like to have their curiosity piqued. We love the feeling of being presented with information that makes us curious and wonder about something.  Research actually shows that curiosity prepares our brain to learn something new. How does it do this?

Well, when we are curious about something, we give that something our full attention. We look for clues and assess situations. This is how we operate and it’s how our ancestors stayed alive.

If you want to grab the audience’s attention right off the bat, ask a question or pose an idea that piques their curiosity. You’ll see many Ted Talk presenters do this by “confessing” they have to share a secret or an apology.

Speaker Dan Pink does this in his famous  T e d Talk  when he says:

“I need to make a confession, at the outset here. A little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I am not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wished no one would ever know, but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal. In the late 1980s, in a moment of youthful indiscretion, I went to law school.”

The minute someone says they have something to confess, we HAVE to know what it is, and so we are forced to pay attention.

RELATED: 29 Killer Presentation Tips to Wow Your Audience

4. Ask Questions

This technique is an oldie but a goodie. By posing a thoughtful question to your audience, their brain is forced to THINK about the answer. You have engaged them from second one. The key is to make the question one that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, but rather one that plants the seed of an idea.

“What scares you the most?”

“How do human beings constantly reach goals we all believe can never be reached?”

“When was the last time you allowed yourself to feel powerful?”

5. Tell a Story

“When I was nine, I met a homeless man who said he could see my entire future. He told me that when I turned 12, I would die. And I did.”

Okay, I am FULLY listening.

Stories are powerful. The human brain seems to have been wired to listen to stories. No matter how old we get, when someone starts to tell us a story, we instantly become 5-years-old, wide-eyed, ready to go on an adventure.

The story you tell can be personal or professional, just make sure it ties into your overall message.

Bonus 2: Top Presentation Mistakes to Avoid

If we’re going to discuss a presentation success formula, we’ve got to first tackle some of the biggest public speaking mistakes that guarantee your presentation is unsuccessful. Are you guilty of any of these?

top common mistakes make in presentations infographic visme

1. Not Being Prepared

We’ve all seen those presenters who make it look so effortless. Steve Jobs was like that. He seemed to glide onto the stage, open his mouth and instantly captivate everyone.

But the truth is, even Steve Jobs had to prepare.

Thoughtful preparation is essential for any level of public speaking. Doing the work ahead of time will not only help you feel and sound more confident, it will ensure you deliver the right message to the right audience.

2. Being Robotic

Beyond being comfortable with your material, you must be comfortable in your own body. Have you seen presenters who just stand in one spot and barely move at all? While they’re not very good at exciting their audience, they do have a keen knack for lulling listeners to sleep.

Granted, there may be those rare situations where, because of a lack of robust technology, you have no choice but to stand behind a podium. But even then, be sure to use gestures to punctuate your message. Gestures communicate on a level that words don’t. Don’t be flamboyant but try and use natural gestures as much as you can – you’ll seem human instead of machine-like.

And, when technology does allow you free movement, by all means, move around that stage. Steve Jobs was great at using movement purposefully during his presentations.

If you have a presentation coming up and want to avoid sounding robotic, this video explains 8 ways to memorize your presentation.

how to end a presentation slide

3. Avoiding Eye Contact

We can’t talk about body language and not mention one of the biggest mistakes that many speakers make, and that is avoiding eye contact. How many presentations have you seen where the speaker spent the entire time staring at her notes or PowerPoint presentation? How did you feel? Perhaps invisible?

Meeting a person’s gaze establishes a real connection and keeps listeners engaged. If your audience is small enough, try to make eye contact with everyone at least once. If the audience is too large, do your best to scan each section of the audience, landing on a few people. This will give everyone a general impression that you are doing your best to connect.

4. Starting and Ending Weak

If there is one no-no a presenter can make, this is it.

You should think of your presentation as a delicious meal you have painstakingly prepared for your guests. What do you remember most about a great meal? If you’re like most people, you remember the appetizers and the dessert – everything in between is kind of a good-tasting blur.

When you begin and end your presentation strong, you gain the audience’s attention quickly and leave a positive and lasting impression. These are two skills that cannot be emphasized enough.

Let’s look at some of the ways you can ensure you start your presentation strong:

Ready to Level-Up Your Presentation?

Whether it's a business presentation or a motivational speech, knowing how to give a closing statement and ending your talk on a high note is important.

The last thing you say in front of a crowd can help you leave a memorable impression, whether it's a recap of your presentation content or a rhetorical question.

If you're ready to take your presentations to the next level, use Visme's presentation software  to put together engaging and interactive slides.

Create stunning presentations faster with Visme

how to end a presentation slide

Trusted by leading brands

Capterra

Recommended content for you:

15 Best AI Presentation Makers in 2024 [Free & Paid]

Create Stunning Content!

Design visual brand experiences for your business whether you are a seasoned designer or a total novice.

how to end a presentation slide

About the Author

Ashish Arora is the Co-Founder of SketchBubble.com , a leading provider of result-driven, professionally built presentation templates. Travelling the world to gather new creative ideas, he has been working in the digital marketing space since 2007 and has a passion for designing presentations. You can also find him on  Twitter or  LinkedIn .

how to end a presentation slide

Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Claim Your FREE Training Module and Get Your Time Back!

nuts and bolts speed training logo

How to End a Presentation with Punch (17 Techniques)

  • PowerPoint Tutorials
  • Presentation Design
  • March 5, 2019

In this post you’ll learn 17 different ways for how to end a presentation that you can test out.

Why worry about the ending?

Because how you end your presentation is just as important as how you start your presentation ( details here ).

If you start strong but flounder at the end of your presentation, what feeling are people going to be walking away with?

Not a good one, that’s for sure! That’s why the ending your presentation is so important.

1. Call to action

how to end a presentation slide

2. Skip the Q&A at the end your presentation

how to end a presentation slide

3. End your presentation with a rhetorical Question

how to end a presentation slide

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Youtube . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

4. Conclude your speech with a story

how to end a presentation slide

As you can learn in our post on the best ways to start a presentation ( details here ), emotional listeners retain more information. An emotional story, whether it’s funny, sad, or thought-provoking, is a sure fire way to engage your audience.

If you can, try to tie the beginning and end together with your stories, like Heather Lanier does here:

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Default . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

5. The power of 3 for your conclusion

how to end a presentation slide

6. Come full circle at the end of your presentation

how to end a presentation slide

  • Pose a question which you answer at the end
  • Tell a story and either refer to it or finish it at the end
  • Repeat the first slide, this work especially well with powerful images or quotes

7. Demonstrate your product

how to end a presentation slide

8. End with an either / or scenario

how to end a presentation slide

9. End your presentation on a high note

how to end a presentation slide

10. A sound bite

how to end a presentation slide

11. End with a provocative question

how to end a presentation slide

12. Use the title close technique

how to end a presentation slide

13. A quick presentation recap

how to end a presentation slide

14. End with a powerful quote

how to end a presentation slide

15. End with a strong visual image

how to end a presentation slide

16. Close with a clear cut ending

how to end a presentation slide

17. End your presentation on time

how to end a presentation slide

What’s Next?

Related articles, about the author.

' src=

Popular Tutorials

  • How to Strikethrough Text (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) in Word, Excel & PowerPoint
  • How to Make Animated Fireworks in PowerPoint (Step-by-Step)
  • Strikethrough Shortcut (l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶) for Word, Excel & PowerPoint
  • How to Create a Flash Card Memory Game in PowerPoint (Like Jeopardy)
  • Keyboard Shortcuts Not Working: Solved

PowerPoint Tutorial Categories

  • Strategies & Opinions
  • Shortcuts & Hacks
  • Pictures, Icons, Videos, Etc.
  • New Features
  • Miscellaneous
  • Charts & Data Viz

We help busy professionals save hours and gain peace of mind, with corporate workshops, self-paced courses and tutorials for PowerPoint and Word.

Work With Us

  • Corporate Training
  • Presentation & Template Design
  • Courses & Downloads
  • PowerPoint Articles
  • Word Articles
  • Productivity Resources

Find a Tutorial

  • Free Training
  • For Businesses

We help busy office workers save hours and gain peace of mind, with tips, training and tutorials for Microsoft PowerPoint and Word.

Master Critical PowerPoint Shortcuts – Secure Your FREE Training Module and Save Valuable Time!

⌛ Master time-saving expert techniques.

🔥 Create powerful presentations.

🚀 Propel your career to new heights.

We value your privacy – we keep your info safe.

Discover PowerPoint Hacks Loved by Industry Giants - KKR, AmEx, HSBC!

Over 114,880 professionals in finance, marketing and sales have revolutionized their PPT skills with our proven methods. 

Gain FREE access to a full module of our premium PowerPoint training program – Get started today!

We hate spam too and promise to keep your information safe.

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from Facebook . To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

Table of Contents

Ways to Conclude a Presentation

Final words.

Home / Business Management / Master Guide on How to End a Presentation Like a Pro

Master Guide on How to End a Presentation Like a Pro

how to end a presentation slide

Do you know what the significant mistake most presenters make is? It’s that many presenters fail to create a strong ending that motivates, empowers & encourages people to take action.

Your audience remembers the first and the last points you said them. It’s true; it’s the presentation hack that no pro-presenter shares. Grabbing the audience’s attention at the very beginning of the presentation is crucial, whilst how you end your presentation can make a huge difference in the success of your presentation. A presentation isn’t complete without attractive visuals. Make your presentation look stunning and informative with these amazing Free creative templates .

A poorly executed final statement can undermine a successful presentation. Moreover, it leaves the audience unenthused & uninspired. Eventually, how you close the presentation determines how your audience responds and remembers. A strong final thought engages with the audience and fires them up to take action.

  • Include a Call to Action (CTA)  – The purpose of every presentation is to inspire the audience to act, whether it can be to provide feedback, buy a product, etc. Don’t assume they will do it. Instead, ask them to do it. Use powerful words like “let’s start the journey” Join the war.” Useful expressions to introduce your CTA:
  • At last, I’d like to ask you to
  • To end this, I want you to
  • After this session, take a minute to
  • Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
  • Restate Your Opening Message : Remember what crucial messages you added in the opening? In the final words, recap all the crucial talks you added in the opening part. It’s a neat way to round off your speech. Repeating your points repeatedly is the best way to make your key points stick in the minds of your audience. But do remember, when you restate your message, don’t forget to rephrase it.

how to conclude a presentation

  • Close with a Story : We all love hearing stories. Stories are the best way to keep your audience entertained. If opening with a compelling story works, then ending with one will work as well if it helps to interact with the audience well.
  • Add Some Inspirational Quotes or Surprising Statistics : There is a great saying,” if you can’t find the perfect words to end with, use someone else words.” If there is something your audience should remember, then adding a quote or some interesting facts can be a perfect ally.
  • I’d like to finish with a great thought by, let’s wrap up today’s discussion with 
  • You will be amazed to know some facts/statistics .
  • Provide Contact Information:  If you are presenting related to a product launch, related to business, or just about a new process at the workplace. Do remember to use the final slide to add contact details so that the audience can contact you in case of queries.
  • Thank and Acknowledge:  Thanking your audience and acknowledging the ones who have helped in creating is the best way to end a presentation. Thank your audience for their valuable time and their presence. Also, mention anyone who has helped you put together your presentation.

Ending a presentation is important because it is the last opportunity to make an impression on the audience and leave a lasting impact. Now you have understood why a strong ending is important for a presentation.

Like starting a presentation, the ending should be well-planned and rehearsed to ensure that it is effective and memorable. Remember these golden rules and rock your next presentation.

About The Author

Priyanshu Bharat

Priyanshu Bharat

Priyanshu is a copywriter who loves to tune into what makes people tick. He believes in presenting his ideas with flair and wit, which has made him an expert at standing on stage and charming the pants off of any audience he's faced with. Priyanshu lives for learning as much as he can, so if you ever need help understanding something - just ask!

Blog Categories

Business Management

Google Slides

PowerPoint Presentation

Latest Templates

50th birthday template

Free 50th Birthday Template for PowerPoint and Google Slides

Playable board game template

Step Board Game Template – Free Interactive Template

Wimbledon 2024 Template

Wimbledon 2024 PPT Presentation and Google Slides

Digital Transformation Roadmap

Free Digital Transformation Roadmap PowerPoint Template and Google Slides

Related blogs.

Cómo citar imágenes en PowerPoint

Cómo citar imágenes en PowerPoint

How to cite images in PowerPoint

How to Cite Images in PowerPoint

how to end a presentation slide

Los 10 mejores sitios web para encontrar plantillas Excel gratuitas de planes de acción

A Guide to Crafting Powerful Endings in Presentations

A Guide to Crafting Powerful Endings in Presentations

In our previous blog post , we shared our best advice and tips on how to start a presentation. While the beginning of your presentation sets the stage for what you share in your presentation and makes the audience interested in what you’re about to present, the ending of your presentation helps you achieve the desired outcomes from your presentation.

If you’re a business professional, educator, or speaker, who wants to get the best results from their presentation, you should know about the do’s and don’ts when it comes to closing your presentation. In this article, we share with you our best advice on how to end your presentation. We’re going to keep it simple and practical, sharing tips and tricks that work. But first, let’s understand why it’s important to pay attention to this aspect of your presentation.

The Importance of a Memorable Conclusion

The conclusion of your presentation is not merely a formality; it is a powerful tool that can significantly impact audience engagement and retention. A well-crafted conclusion has the potential to resonate with your audience long after the presentation ends.

Think of your conclusion as the grand finale of a performance — it should leave your audience with a sense of closure and a clear understanding of the main messages you aimed to convey. The final moments of your presentation should not only reinforce the information shared, but also leave a memorable imprint on the minds of your listeners. 

It’s in the final slides of your presentation that you can share the crucial information that the audience was looking for, be it contact information, your final offer or the key takeaways from your presentation. Not only that, if you expect your audience to take a desired action after your presentation is over, it’s the last section of your presentation which has the potential to motivate them for it, with the help of a specific call-to-action.

Key Elements of an Effective Conclusion

Recapitulating the main points.

As you approach the conclusion, take the opportunity to revisit the primary messages of your presentation. Summarise key points concisely to reinforce the core ideas in the minds of your audience. This serves not only as a reminder but also as a consolidation of information, ensuring that your key takeaways are firmly rooted in the minds of your listeners.

Closing with a Powerful Quote or Call to Action

Consider ending your presentation with a resonant quote or a compelling call to action. A well-chosen quote can encapsulate the essence of your message and provide a thought-provoking note to leave your audience with. Alternatively, a clear call to action invites your audience to engage further, transforming passive listeners into active participants in the ideas you’ve presented.

Engaging Visuals

Pay attention to presentation design and don’t underestimate the impact of visuals in your conclusion. Incorporate compelling images, graphics, or even a poignant chart or graph to reinforce key data. Visuals not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your closing but also serve as a powerful means to emphasise and drive home your main points.

Storytelling Techniques

Consider incorporating storytelling into your conclusion. A relevant anecdote can add a human touch to your presentation, making it more relatable and memorable for your audience. Connect the conclusion to the broader narrative of your presentation, creating a cohesive and compelling storytelling experience.

Now that we know about the main elements of an effective conclusion, let’s have a look at some do’s and don’ts when it comes to ending your presentation.

How to End the Presentation Correctly

  • Implement Slide Transitions Effectively

Explore the various slide transition options available in presentation software. Thoughtful transitions can create a seamless flow between slides, enhancing the overall visual appeal of your conclusion. Choose transitions that complement your presentation style without distracting from your message. Ensure a smooth transition to your conclusion by using transition phrases or signals. This prepares your audience for the imminent end and keeps them engaged.

  • Utilise Multimedia Elements

Enhance your conclusion with multimedia elements such as videos, animations, or dynamic graphics. When used judiciously, multimedia can captivate your audience’s attention and underscore key points. Be mindful of the overall tone and ensure that multimedia elements align with your presentation’s objectives.

  • Incorporate Visual Elements

Craft a visually compelling final slide to leave a lasting impact. Consider incorporating a visually striking image or a concise summary of key points. The last slide should be both aesthetically pleasing and informationally rich, providing a visual summary that reinforces your presentation’s core messages.

  • Incorporate Interactive Elements

Consider incorporating interactive elements in your conclusion, such as live polls, questions for discussion, or brief interactive exercises. This not only maintains audience engagement but also provides a memorable conclusion.

  • Use Humour Wisely

Humour can be a powerful tool, even in the conclusion. A well-placed joke or light-hearted anecdote can leave a positive impression and create a more relaxed atmosphere.

  • Personalise Your Closing Remarks

Conclude with a personal touch by expressing gratitude or sharing a personal reflection related to the presentation. This adds authenticity and makes your conclusion more relatable.

  • Share Moments of Silence

Utilise moments of silence strategically. Pausing before delivering a key point or during a transition in your conclusion can emphasise the importance of what you’re about to say and allow the audience to absorb the information.

  • Use the Right Gestures and Body Language

Be mindful of your gestures and body language during the conclusion. Use open and confident body language to convey your message effectively. A well-timed gesture can emphasise a key point.

  • Make it Resonate With Your Audience

Consider the preferences and expectations of your specific audience. Tailor your conclusion to resonate with their interests, needs, and demographics for a more impactful ending.

  • Build an Emotional Connection

Appeal to the emotions of your audience in the conclusion. Share a heartfelt story, express passion for your topic, or convey a sense of urgency to create a deeper connection with your listeners.

  • Create a Visual Recap

If appropriate, use visual aids to create a quick visual recap of your main points. This can be a concise infographic or a visual timeline that reinforces the key takeaways.

  • Leave Room for Reflection

Provide a moment for reflection in your conclusion. Pose a thought-provoking question or encourage your audience to consider how they can apply the presented information in their own lives or work.

  • Encourage Active Participation

Transition smoothly from your conclusion to any Q&A or discussion session. Encourage active participation by inviting questions and fostering a collaborative atmosphere. A dynamic exchange with your audience not only deepens their understanding, but also allows you to address any lingering concerns or points of clarification.

  • Provide Contact Information for Follow-Up

In case questions arise after the presentation, make it easy for your audience to reach out. Display your contact information on the final slide or provide business cards, ensuring a seamless avenue for follow-up discussions and further engagement.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Overloading the Conclusion

One common pitfall is the temptation to introduce new information in the conclusion. Avoid overwhelming your audience with additional details. Instead, focus on reinforcing the key points you’ve already covered, leaving a lasting impression without introducing cognitive overload.

  • Ending Abruptly

Conclude your presentation deliberately and avoid abrupt endings. Ensure that your audience recognises the conclusion and has a moment to absorb the final thoughts. An abrupt finish may leave your audience feeling disoriented and detract from the impact you aim to create.

  • Using Clichés or Generic Statements

Steer clear of clichés and generic statements in your conclusion. Instead of defaulting to common phrases like “Thank you for your attention,” strive for authenticity. Craft a closing statement that aligns with your presentation’s unique content and leaves a distinctive impression.

  • Lack of Clear Closure

Failing to signal the conclusion clearly can leave the audience hanging. Ensure you provide a clear cue that your presentation is coming to an end, so your audience knows when to focus on your final thoughts.

  • Neglecting the Need for a Call to Action

Forgetting to include a clear call to action in your conclusion is a missed opportunity. Whether it’s encouraging further discussion, prompting a response, or suggesting next steps, a well-defined call to action can enhance engagement.

  • Overly Complex Language

Using overly complex language in the conclusion can create confusion and diminish the impact of your message. Keep your language clear, concise, and accessible to ensure your audience grasps your final thoughts.

  • Lack of Enthusiasm

Concluding with a lack of enthusiasm can leave your audience uninspired. Infuse energy into your delivery, emphasising the importance of your key messages and leaving a positive lasting impression.

Additional Tips

Just as with any other part of your presentation, the conclusion deserves careful rehearsal. Practice ensures that your delivery is smooth, confident, and aligned with the overall tone of your presentation.

  • Seek Feedback for Improvement

After rehearsing on your own, seek feedback from peers, mentors, or trusted colleagues. Constructive criticism can provide valuable insights into areas for improvement and help you refine your conclusion for maximum impact.

  • Adjust Pacing and Timing

Consider the pacing and timing of your conclusion. A well-timed conclusion ensures that you neither rush through nor linger unnecessarily. Practice finding the right balance to keep your audience engaged until the very end.

  • Prepare for Q&A

As you approach the conclusion, mentally prepare for potential questions from your audience. Anticipate queries related to your presentation content and be ready to provide thoughtful and concise answers. This preparation demonstrates your expertise and enhances your credibility.

Final Thoughts

In closing, the art of ending a PowerPoint presentation is a skill that evolves with practice and creativity. Embrace the challenge, experiment with various techniques, and tailor your conclusions to resonate with your audience. By doing so, you’ll elevate your presentation skills and ensure that your final slide leaves a lasting imprint on their minds.

We hope you’ve found these insights valuable for enhancing your presentation skills. If you’re passionate about making your presentations unforgettable, our team of presentation experts is here to help. As a leading UK company specialising in presentation design and training, we understand the nuances of creating compelling narratives and presenting them in a way that resonates with diverse audiences. Our team of presentation experts can help transform your ideas into visually stunning presentations and also equip you with the skills you need to captivate any audience. To learn more about our services, contact us today!

Presentation Experts - Main Banner

Mastering the Art of Pitch Deck Designn

How to avoid using filler words in your presentationn, a guide to slide count in presentationsn, 6 essential presentation skills for pitching successn, a guide to crafting powerful endings in presentationsn, what can our clients tell us about social media usen, a comprehensive guide to presentation openingn.

how to end a presentation slide

Mastering the Art of Pitch Deck Design

how to end a presentation slide

How to Avoid Using Filler Words in Your Presentation

how to end a presentation slide

A Guide to Slide Count in Presentations

SketchBubble Official Blog

How to End Your Presentation Like a Master

Ashish Arora

How many presentations have you listened to where the speaker ran out of steam at the end? For 30 minutes they were entertaining, captivating and engaging. And then… they ended with a thud.

The sad reality is, no matter how awesome your first 30 minutes are, audiences typically remember the last thing they hear more than the first thing. Your entire argument and core message hinders on your ability to end strong.

With this in mind, here are some ways you can end your presentation effectively.

End with a Surprising Fact

Many presenters make the mistake of simply rehashing what they just said. Instead, share a surprising fact as it relates to your core message. For instance, venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary once gave a speech on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. At the end of his speech he shared an interesting, if not surprising, fact with his audience. He said, “Did you know that there are more billion-dollar cap companies outside North America than in it for the first time ever? … We have ageing societies, and everywhere else is on fire. If I were you guys, I would get on a plane and go to Brazil.”

Ending with an eye-opening fact gives your audience something to think about for days.

Ask a Great Question

A great way to get someone’s attention is to ask them a question. When we hear questions posed, our neocortex is stimulated . This is powerful because the minute you ask a question, human brains are wired to try and answer it. And, the more provocative the question, the bigger of a response you will get.

Here is entrepreneur and CEO Ric Elias ending his talk with some big questions for his audience.

Create a Memorable Sound Bite

Sound bites are a bit like tag lines in commercials. They’re short and sweet and easy to remember. “Where’s the beef?” “Just Do It.” “Save 15% or more on car insurance.”

Not only are sound bites a great way to encapsulate your message, but they are helpful to many modern people with attention spans only able to focus on 140 characters at a time. Simply put, sound bites are great at getting people to remember your core message.

Steve Jobs was a master of ending his presentations and often used sound bites. Remember his commencement address at Stanford University when he ended by saying, “Stay hungry, stay foolish?”

To ensure your sound bite is a good one, ask yourself does it distill your core message down to one, short memorable statement and is it tweet-worthy?

End with a Quote

Quotes are like sound bites that you borrow from other people and they are great for ending speeches with a bang. Just be sure the quote you use has not been so used that it has become a cliché.

For example, how many times have you heard President Kennedy’s quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you, as what you can do for your country?” But a quote from someone like Einstein that many have not heard could be very effective, like this one, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”

Also, consider using quotes from modern personalities rather than historical figures. For instance, Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com has said, “Your culture is your brand.” That is a fantastic quote that could be highly effective for ending a marketing presentation.

Use a Powerful Visual

Dr. Michio Kaku, a theoretical physicist, has said that a large portion of our brain is entirely devoted to processing visual images. “It’s how we communicate, it’s how we share information,” Kaku says. “It’s by images, pictures, videos that we understand the universe.”

Take the advice of a physicist and leverage the powerful of an image at the end of your speech; one that ties to your overall core message. Tim Leberecht is the chief marketing officer for architecture and design firm NBBJ. Watch one of his talks on ways to usefully lose control of your brand.  At the end of his speech he displays a familiar photo of the Mona Lisa and says, “A smile is a door that is half open and half closed … companies can give employees and customers more control or less. They can worry about how openness is good for them and what needs to stay closed, or they can simply smile and remain open to all possibilities.”

He used a very familiar image and turned it into a visual metaphor that drove his overall message home.

One More Thing

Just as we’re hardwired to pay attention when someone asks us a question, we’ve also become hardwired to snap to attention anytime we hear the phrase “One more thing…” Steve Jobs was a master at using this phrase to end his presentations. Use it – it works.

Don’t lose steam at the end of your presentation. By following these tips, you will end strong and your audience will remember you and your brand message.

Leave a Response Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Please enter an answer in digits: twenty − nine =

Ashish Arora

Ashish Arora

You might also like.

Essential Tips to Find the Right Audience for Your Next Presentation

Essential Tips to Find the Right Audience for Your Next Presentation

How to Deal With Distractions During the Speech?

Expert Tips to Handle Distractions When You Speak on Stage

Elevate Your Presentation Title With These 9 Tips

9 Tips to Craft the Perfect Title for Your Next PowerPoint Presentation

Unleash the Power of Agile Communication in the Fast-Changing Digital Realm

Unleash the Power of Agile Communication in the Fast-Changing Digital Realm

Moxie Institute

Newsletter Icon

How to End a Presentation: Vital Tips to be Unforgettable

Douglas MacArthur

You’ve probably read plenty about  how to hook your audience in the first 60 seconds  of your presentation. Let’s talk about how to end a speech with just as much power.

Closings are key–they’re your last chance to leave a lasting impression. Last chance, that is, unless there’s a Q&A. And if so,  your closing matters  even more!

A weak ending can sabotage everything that came before. Imagine a guide who takes you on a safari–showing you some of the most beautiful sites on the planet–and then forces everyone to end the tour with a Slurpee-chugging contest at his uncle’s 7-11.

Bad endings have a way of ruining good journeys. Let’s look closely at how and why closings move.

Table of Contents

HOW TO END A PRESENTATION WITH IMPACT

In a 20th century packed with important oratory, Douglas MacArthur’s 1951 farewell address stands with the most memorable… and stands there almost entirely for its closing lines.

MacArthur–one of America’s greatest generals, the man who accepted Japanese surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri in 1945–stood humbled before that joint session of Congress, after having been publicly and shockingly removed from command by President Truman.

MacArthur knew his legacy was on the line. This one speech would set the tone for how history would remember his accomplishments and his downfall. Knowing how to end a speech is what saved him.

The bulk of the talk itself is only of historical interest now–a justification and defense of his actions–and it’s the magic in the closing lines that made the speech whatever counted  as the midcentury version of viral content :

“I am closing my fifty-two years of military service. When I joined the army, even before the turn of the century, it was the fulfillment of all my boyish hopes and dreams.
“The world has turned over many times since I took the oath on the plain at West Point, and the hopes and dreams have long since vanished, but I still remember the refrain of one of the most popular barracks ballads of that day which proclaimed most proudly that old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“And like the old soldier of that ballad, I now close my military career and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave him the light to see that duty. Goodbye.”

Moving stuff. Let’s unpack what makes it work.

MOVING THE AUDIENCE

MacArthur knows that the last words of the speech are vital for one reason: that’s when the audience decides what to do with the message it’s just been given.

The opening can’t do that, because the audience doesn’t know message yet. The middle of the speech can’t do it, because that’s where the message is being built. Only the ending can thrust the audience forward to a place that’s better than where they started.

After a fairly technical discussion of foreign policy, MacArthur sets aside the persuasion for pure emotion. He wants to set the terms by which he’s remembered: an old soldier, a man who gave his life for his country.

Every talk needs to engage the audience’s emotions. As you prepare yours, ask yourself: how should your audience be moved? To a new way of thinking? A new outlook? Toward specific acts like protesting, or buying, or winning a war?

You’ll know you’ve perfected your ending when that call to action–or that feeling–is both compelling and clear.

BRING IT HOME

MacArthur also uses his final lines to reinforce and revisit the speech’s theme: his complete commitment to the cause.

Let’s call that thematic wholeness.

MacArthur doesn’t close with boring summary. Instead, he pulls on the thread that he’s woven throughout the talk–his patriotism, and response to duty–and ties it together in a new and moving, and memorable way. He’s simply an old soldier, he implies, and his good work has secured some small measure of immortality.

Thematic wholeness isn’t just for speeches before Congress. Now that you know how to end a presentation, your next business pitch should have a unified theme as well.

Did you start the talk with a story about the company’s founder? Reintroduce that person at the end in a new, slightly different way, and in a way that mirrors the journey on which you’ve led the audience in your talk.

Has there been a recurring joke throughout the presentation? Rather than overusing it, turn it on its head at the end–it’ll be unexpected, and it’ll make the audience rethink what’s come before.

The closing is where the entire talk comes together for a final statement of the reason for your talk. Use that statement well, and you’re sure to leave them with something unforgettable.

The irony of MacArthur’s closing? It was so good that it couldn’t fade away. Instead, it became one of the greatest rhetorical triumphs of the century.

All because MacArthur knew how to move an audience.

  • Case Studies
  • Communication Skills
  • eBooks & Resources
  • Leadership & Influence
  • Conferences & Events
  • Sales & Service
  • Slide & Visual Design
  • Storytelling & Speech Writing
  • TED Talks & TEDx
  • Testimonials
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos, Podcasts, & Webinars
  • Virtual Communication

Presentation Design Ultimate Guide

Presentation Design | The Ultimate Guide

Executive Presence Ultimate Guide Thumbnail

Executive Presence Ultimate Guide

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking Ultimate Guide Blog Thumbnail

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking Ultimate Guide

Interpersonal Communication Skills Ultimate Guide Blog Thumbnail

Interpersonal Communication Skills Ultimate Guide

YTB Thumbnail Failing Forward 5 Mindset Shifts To Bounce Back From An Awful Presentation

Failing Forward: 5 Mindset Shifts To Bounce Back From An Awful Presentation

Moxie Institution Calendly

Public Speaking Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills – Ultimate Guide

Screenshot 2021 07 27 at 01.46.00

Speak with MOXIE eBook: Your Guide to Powerful Presentations and Performances

Sign up for weekly expert advice, free ebooks, & special offers.

Screenshot 2021 07 27 at 01.46.00

  • Presentation Science

The Complete Guide to Closing a Presentation

  • By: Scott Schwertly

The ending of your presentation is like a battle cry, a crack of a whip, or even a well-deserved high five for your audience. In order for it to be a success, it needs to rally people to action by appealing to their hearts and minds, sticking with them long after the boardroom lights have been turned off. So, how can you end your presentation with a “rah-rah” spirit that moves your listeners? Here are a few suggestions:

Repetition 

This kind of ending can either revisit some of your key takeaways , or can simply be a repeated phrase that leaves a potent emotional impact. For example, consider the way that Abraham Lincoln ended the Gettysburg Address with three repetitions of “the people”: “and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth”

Why does repetition work? The magic behind it is all scientific. For a while, neurobiologists knew that learning happens when new connections are built between brain nerve cells. In 1999, a neurobiologist named Joe Tsien found that special communication channels in our nerve cells called NMDA receptors create new connections with associative (repetitive) learning. But it becomes a little more interesting with a protein called GAP-43. This protein makes nerve connections form quickly, and happens when the same combinations of nerve signals are repeated over and over. So, when Lincoln says “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” our GAP-43 proteins are triggered in response to hearing “the people” repeated, and those nerves cells start to make a new connection that we remember later. These connections are a recipe for a potent memory-boosting way to end your presentation.

how to end a presentation slide

Leave Them Hopeful

Sometimes you have to deliver a difficult message. For instance, profits are down, global warming is up, and it looks like there might be a nationwide cupcake shortage. This doesn’t mean you need to leave your audience feeling unmotivated and unhappy. Consider instead ending on a hopeful sentence or two that encourages and uplifts your audience, giving them motivation to act on your words rather than go home and have a good cry about them.

One great example of this comes from the master of “we’ve got some bad news” speechmaking, Winston Churchill. During the summer of 1940, things were not looking good for England. During the threat of a likely German invasion, Prime Minister Winston Churchill knew that he to warn the country and prepare them for the absolute worst. His “finest hour” speech accomplished just that, ending on a note that became famous for its spirit of determination in the face of the worst news ever: “ Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for thousands of years, men will say: ‘This was their finest hour.’ ”

Refer Back to the Opening

Give your audience a sense of closure by repeating your opening statement, or referring back to an introductory idea. Movies often visually use this technique when they repeat the opening shot of the film as an identical last shot. This can be a subtle and sometimes humorous way to remind viewers of how they felt before the journey began, or what they were initially thinking at the start of the movie. You can do the same by taking them on a verbal journey back to your powerful opening . This kind of closing is also known as a “bookend,” because it wraps up the speech in the same or similar way as the start.

how to end a presentation slide

End on the Call to Action

Your call to action is one of the most important elements of a presentation; why not make it the last thing your audience hears? From signing up to a newsletter, sharing all of their money, or simply visiting your website, these actionable items can encompass anything you want your audience to do when they are finished listening to you talk.

After you’ve decided what you want the audience to do, there are four elements of a great call to action:

1. It Should Be Emotional – Don’t let your message merely appeal to their wallets. Make them feel like they are missing out on something good, or that they are going to be part of something that does good, or even that they’re going to feel good when it’s all over.

2. It Should be Urgent – A lengthy timeline for your “need” is going to cause people to procrastinate and eventually forget your call to action. Make them feel as if they should be getting out their computers and wallets and cell phones the moment after the presentation ends.

3. It Should Have Incentive – What’s in it for them? Be sure that the incentives for your call to action are laid out and tempting. Offering a stale doughnut and a business card after the presentation isn’t going to be the long-term incentive that your audience may need. In that case, ask yourself: “what do they want?”

4. It Should Be Clear – What you want them to do should be conveyed in one or two sentences and clear as a freshly washed window pane. Don’t leave your audience guessing with obscurities and hesitant “maybe you should…” Be direct.

how to end a presentation slide

Finish With a Question

Sometimes called a “call to question,” this technique can leave your audience with a hypothetical (or actual) question that keeps their brains churning long after the speech. They can be challenging: “what are you going to do about it?” or thought provoking: “how many times have you thought about drinking water?” etc.

Speaking directly at your audience is also similar to a technique in film and theater known as “ breaking the 4th wall .” In which, the normal boundary set between speech-makers and audience is “broken” or comedic or compelling effect. Here are some famous film instances of breaking the 4th wall, whether they include questions or direct statements intended for the audience:

Storytelling

Since storytelling is such a powerful way to open a presentation , you can use this technique again later to finish the story you began in the introduction. Or, perhaps consider weaving a separate yet still relevant tale that ties up the points you introduced throughout the core content of the presentation.

If you’re not convinced that storytelling is an effective tool for boardrooms and business pitches, you might be sold when you learn the science behind it . Storytelling ignites the insular cortex within the brain, which helps us relate to pain, happiness, disgust, and other emotions in people. This is why when someone tells us a tale about how they broke their arm or ate the most delicious chocolate cake of all time, parts of our brain become engaged to “share” the storyteller’s emotions.

You don’t have to use a story that ends with “happily ever after” to finish on a memorable note. Instead consider weaving a narrative throughout your presentation and finishing that tale with a surprise, hopeful, or emotionally meaningful ending.

The Ol’ Quotation

“ Sometimes a powerful quotation can add credibility to your argument. ” – This Article

Already delivered a great call to action? Shared enough stories? Asked enough questions? One classic way to end a presentation or speech is with the authority of a well-picked quote. These can be humorous, serious, or ironic, but they will almost always be easy to remember and make it seem as if you fully prepared for the event. A quote can also serve to reinforce the other ideas mentioned in this article; supporting a call-to-action, giving audiences a sense of hope, and providing a hypothetical question.

Consider this powerful quote from Theodore Roosevelt as a way to close your presentation with a punch: “ We have too much to do to sit on the sidelines. We need you to step out of the gray twilight into the bright sunshine so that we can all see the dawn of a new day. ”

No matter how you choose to end your presentation, don’t be like a rockstar who exits the stage five times to return five times at the sound of slight applause. Finish strong by keeping your exit brief and leaving your audience as riled up as a Aragon’s troops at the Black Gate in Lord of the Rings:

Question: How can you powerfully end your presentation?

Picture of Scott Schwertly

Scott Schwertly

Join our newsletter today.

© 2006-2024 Ethos3 – An Award Winning Presentation Design and Training Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Diversity and Inclusion

i5 Apps

Ending Powerpoint Presentations: How to End on Last Slide

May 8, 2024

Michael Collins

Ending a PowerPoint presentation on the last slide can be a smooth and professional way to conclude your presentation. This quick overview will help you understand how to achieve this in just a few simple steps. By the end, your PowerPoint will end precisely where you want it to – on that impactful final slide.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to End PowerPoint on Last Slide

Before we dive into the step-by-step process, let’s understand what we’re aiming for. Ending on the last slide makes for a clean finish, avoiding the awkward black screen or desktop view that can sometimes follow a presentation.

Step 1: Set Up Slide Show

Go to the ‘Slide Show’ tab in PowerPoint and click on ‘Set Up Slide Show’.

Setting up your slide show correctly is vital. It’s in this section that you can manage how your presentation plays out.

Step 2: Choose ‘Browsed at a kiosk (full screen)’

In the ‘Set Up Show’ options, select the ‘Browsed at a kiosk (full screen)’ mode.

Kiosk mode will ensure your presentation is locked to full-screen view and doesn’t accidentally exit when you reach the final slide.

Step 3: Uncheck ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc”

Make sure the box for ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc” is unchecked.

By ensuring this option is unchecked, your presentation won’t start over from the beginning after reaching the last slide.

Step 4: Save Your PowerPoint

Make sure to save your PowerPoint to keep the changes you’ve made.

Always remember to save your work. There’s nothing worse than going through the steps and forgetting to save.

After you’ve completed these steps, when you reach the last slide of your PowerPoint presentation, it will simply stay on that slide until you decide to exit the presentation manually. This gives you control over how you end your presentation and when to move on to questions or discussions.

Tips for Ending PowerPoint on Last Slide

  • Always test your presentation before giving it to make sure everything works as expected.
  • Make sure your final slide has a strong closing message or call to action.
  • Familiarize yourself with keyboard shortcuts, such as ‘Ctrl + S’ to save quickly.
  • Keep your PowerPoint updated to the latest version for the best performance.
  • If using animations or transitions, ensure they are also set to finish on the last slide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if i don’t have the ‘browsed at a kiosk (full screen)’ option.

If you can’t find this option, you might be using an older version of PowerPoint. Try updating or looking for similar options like ‘Loop until stopped’.

Can I still manually advance slides in Kiosk mode?

Yes, you still have control over slide advancement in Kiosk mode. It’s just the ending that’s automated.

Will my embedded videos stop playing at the end too?

Yes, all elements of the presentation will conclude on the last slide, including videos.

What happens if I click or press a key after the last slide?

Depending on your settings, a click or key press could exit the presentation or do nothing at all.

Can I end on the last slide even if I’m not in Kiosk mode?

Yes, you can manually end the presentation on the last slide, but Kiosk mode automates the process.

  • Set Up Slide Show
  • Choose ‘Browsed at a kiosk (full screen)’
  • Uncheck ‘Loop continuously until ‘Esc”
  • Save Your PowerPoint

Congratulations! You now know how to end your PowerPoint presentation on the last slide. With these simple steps, you can create a seamless ending to your presentation, leaving your audience focused on your final message. Remember, the way you conclude your presentation can be just as important as the introduction. It’s your last chance to make an impression, so ending it with intention is crucial.

If you’ve found this guide helpful, consider sharing it with others who might also benefit from knowing how to end PowerPoint on the last slide. And don’t stop here – keep exploring and learning new PowerPoint tips and tricks to enhance your presentation skills even further. Happy presenting!

Related posts:

  • How to Download a Google Slides Presentation as a Powerpoint File
  • How to Put Embedded Youtube Video in Powerpoint: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to check word count on Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Add Page Numbers in Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Hide Background Graphics in Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Make a Powerpoint Slide Vertical: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Save PowerPoint as PDF with Notes: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Create a Hyperlink in Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Insert Check Mark in Powerpoint for Office 365: Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Flip a Picture in Powerpoint: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Save a Slide from Google Slides as a Picture: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • How to Exit Full Screen in Mozilla Firefox: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • Slidesgo School
  • Presentation Tips

How to End Your Presentation: Tips for Your Grand Finale

How to End Your Presentation: Tips for Your Grand Finale | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

You have just created the most amazing presentation ever. You have written a touching speech and you are designing your last slides… Oh, wait. How to end your pitch? Sometimes people get distracted.   Don’t panic. You don’t need to read Aristotle’s Rhetoric to close your presentation in an effective way. In this tutorial, we will teach you some tips to influence your listeners and to get new clients, investors, students… They’ll love you and your product or service! 

Summarize and show a sneak peek

Make a lasting impact: quotes, use emotions to persuade your audience, involve your audience, add a “thanks” slide.

Just before saying “thanks” and “goodbye”, it’s time to summarize the contents of your presentation… and give something new to your audience.   Repetition can be a good idea! In this case, it will help your listeners. Thanks to it, they will manage to understand the global structure of your speech, if they didn’t before! In addition, if they had doubts or didn’t understand a section properly, their questions will be immediately answered.  Before or after talking about the main points of your presentation, give your audience something that will make them want to know more about your product or service.   In this respect you give them an opportunity to see something before it is officially available.  

how to end a presentation slide

This is a sneak peek. In Slidesgo, we add a special template in some of our Marketing themes .  You could, for example, add a video showing the features of your product. Make it visual, interesting and you will thrill your audience!  → Are you fascinated by the smart design of this News Agency Template yet? Give it a go! 

It’s usual to add a quote to your presentation. Recalling the perfect sentence by an authority is great when you want to persuade or to make a great impact in your listeners.   By authority, we refer to someone who is a specialist in an area or to someone who is pretty famous for his or her work, intelligence…   In the same way, you can also use closing lines of books or movies. They also have a great impact! Have you ever watched Some Like It Hot? The very last sentence pronounced in this movie, became one of the most well known and quoted lines in history. When Jerry confesses that he is a man, Osgood states: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”  Let’s use a famous quote in your presentation. Choose a sentence that represents your passion and that triggers a pleasant feeling in your audience. Talking about effort is always a good idea. The same can be applied to optimism, as it is a contagious emotion! 

how to end a presentation slide

Get this quote as an example. It is short, concise and it was pronounced by someone who is famous and successful!  → Did you like this energetic World After Coronavirus Template ? Get it for free!  

You have explained all the technical details of your company and your product or service. Now, let's add some emotive touches to what you want to say.   Of course, it’s something that you can use during the whole presentation, but ending in an emotional way will be very effective.   Our memory works better when emotions are around. We remember quite clearly moments of pure joy, moments of adventure or periods of grief, but you may not remember what you ate a week ago. There were no feelings attached to food (usually!).  Let’s have a look at the following slide: 

how to end a presentation slide

It clearly evokes a feeling of strength, self-improvement and self-realization. It seems that the girl can achieve anything she wants! It’s warm, lovely. This image tells a story related to feelings.  Use this sort of image, and match it with your words. Talk about the importance of diversity and how this will result in a better society, for example.  Talking about words themselves, don’t forget to use inclusive pronouns: we, us, our. Make yourself part of your audience. This way, they will feel as part of your team!  → Use now this Girls in Science Template ! 

If you don’t allow your audience to take part in your presentation, in what you say, they can get easily distracted.   Remember that you prepare your presentation or you give a speech having your listeners, clients or potential investors in mind. It’s not something that you prepare for you!  What should you do to involve your audience? We have talked about using “we” in the previous section. Employ “you” as well! This way, they’ll feel that you are directing your attention to them, that you want them to take part in what you are saying.  OK, linguistically speaking it’s a good tip. But… Is there anything else that we can do? Of course!  Asking them questions or rising a challenge can be great for doing so. Imagine this situation: you are just finishing and some of them have stopped paying attention… but you have a question ready for them!  You can use interactive templates in such cases. They are pretty uncommon and funny, so your presentation will turn into a game!

→ Use this Social-Emotional Learning Template now!   

It may seem trivial, but saying thanks at the end of your presentation is important. Why? Well, this serves as a clear indicator that tells your audience that you have finished. If you try to end, for example, with a summary, without any “thanks” slide, it can be confusing.   This is a customary thing to do. We all understand that, with “thanks”, the presentation is over. There are, of course, other important reasons to use this magical word!  Always remember that your listeners have devoted part of their valuable time listening to you and paying attention to your message. Saying thanks is a time-honoured practice. In fact, being polite is the way to persuade your listeners. 

how to end a presentation slide

Try using a slide to say “thanks”. Make use of a beautiful theme font and make the word stand out! Apart from that, you could also use this slide to provide your contact details.    They know that your presentation is coming to an end, so they will surely write down your email or your telephone number to contact you!  → Do you like this Wedding Template ? Download and edit it now, it’s free!  The key to have a grand finale is letting your audience understand that you care about them: say thanks, summarize the contents so they are easier to understand. Connect with their emotions! Practice, practice and practice. These tips will help you become as good as Martin Luther King in public speaking!   If you need more free Google Slides themes and PowerPoint templates , you can visit our website! We have beautiful and useful designs for you!    

how to end a presentation slide

Do you find this article useful?

Related tutorials.

Slidesgo for Education: How to use it being a school district | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

Slidesgo for Education: How to use it being a school district

Education is always on the move, and the integration of technology into classrooms is revolutionizing the way we teach and learn. In this way, Slidesgo has come in handy for teachers worldwide, but… did you know we have more than just slides? Now is your chance to redefine the educational scene in your school district. However, to do so, a flashy presentation alone won’t cut it—you need the right approach and the proper set of tools to truly change the way educators and students connect. By streamlining teaching and ramping up engagement, you can make a real, tangible difference. Let’s explore how Slidesgo for Education can inspire and...

Lesson plan generator: AI-mazing classes that empower minds | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

Lesson plan generator: AI-mazing classes that empower minds

Teaching is an art, but even the most creative educators need a little help streamlining their planning. With just 24 hours in a day, it often feels like we need days with 37 hours to get everything done. That’s where we at Slidesgo come in, tackling this issue head-on and developing a practical, simple, and—most importantly—fast solution for educators.Our brand-new AI lesson plan generator is not just another digital tool; it’s your new teaching assistant that will transform your lesson planning process. With just a few details—your lesson topic, classroom level, and setting—you’ll get within seconds a fully formed lesson plan tailored to engage...

Why do you need Slidesgo if you are a student? | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

Why do you need Slidesgo if you are a student?

Being a student can be a bit tough— juggling deadlines to absorbing heaps of new information, students face many challenges on a daily basis.Fortunately, technology has tackled some of the most time-consuming aspects of learning, giving students room to develop complex skills. Even if traditional education is still catching up with some of these advancements, students are finding and using helpful educational tools to streamline their study routines.Slidesgo is one of these tools, making the learning experience more rewarding. Let’s find out why!

Entrepreneurship and Personal Development Hackathon: The magic of learning by doing | Quick Tips & Tutorial for your presentations

Entrepreneurship and Personal Development Hackathon: The magic of learning by doing

The new generations show us that the way of learning has completely changed. Now more than ever, it is key to encourage and support the development of social and entrepreneurial skills in children so that they can become more actively involved in their learning. Participating in creative projects and collaborative activities allows them to explore and learn on their own about topics that interest them, solve their problems with more autonomy, and work better in teams.This idea was the motivation behind the Junior Entrepreneurship and Personal Development Hackathon organized by Slidesgo in collaboration with Genyus School. At this event, more than 150 children had...

Blog Article

How To End a Presentation & Leave a Lasting Impression

Sambodhi

You’re at the right place If you want that wow effect in your presentation, if you want to know how to end a presentation on a constructive note. I will guide you through, You’re gonna need a perfect opening but an even perfect conclusion. A person goes home with the last few sentences in mind, so Appy Pie will help you hold that impression on your clients. In the realm of presentations, the finale is just as crucial as the opening act. Crafting a compelling conclusion not only reinforces your message but also etches your presentation into the minds of your audience. Let’s explore the intricacies of a powerful ending, effective techniques, elements for a conclusion slide, real-life examples, common mistakes to avoid, FAQs, and a tutorial on creating a memorable presentation using Appy Pie.

Introduction:

Presentations are a delicate dance of information, engagement, and persuasion. While the body of your presentation carries the weight of your message, the conclusion is the lasting note that resonates with your audience. In this guide, we delve into the art of ending a presentation with impact, providing insights, examples, and practical tips for speakers of all levels.

Click below to jump ahead, oh! You’re also Mr. Know it all like the AI. Great! I hope it adds to your knowledge. Alternatively, you could always jump right into creating your slides by customizing our professionally designed Presentation Templates .

Why is it important to have an impactful ending for your presentation?

Lets quickly understand, before starting it on Presentation Maker

Creating a Lasting Impression:

One should know how to Conclude a Presentation, The final moments of your presentation lingers in the mind of your audience. A compelling ending ensures your message is not only understood but remembered.

Reinforcing Key Points:

An impactful conclusion serves as a recap, reinforcing the key takeaways and ensuring they are firmly rooted in the minds of your listeners. Always remember to mention the key points again in the conclusion slide.

Leaving a Positive Impression:

The conclusion is your parting note, and a strong one leaves your audience with a positive perception of your content and presentation skills. Pay extra attention on how to end a powerpoint presentation.

Motivating Action:

Whether it's a call to action or an encouragement to reflect, a powerful ending motivates your audience to engage further with your content. Pay special attention to the last slide of presentation

10 Effective Presentation Closing Techniques to Leave a Lasting Impression

  • Call to Action (CTA):

Encourage your audience to take specific actions related to your presentation's topic. This could include signing up for a newsletter, following on social media, or implementing the discussed strategies.

  • Provocative Question:

Engage your audience by leaving them with a thought-provoking question. This ensures that your presentation continues to resonate in their minds beyond the event.

  • Powerful Quote:

End with a quote that encapsulates the essence of your presentation. A well-chosen quote can evoke emotion and provide a memorable takeaway.

  • Revisit the Opening:

Create a sense of closure by referring back to your opening statement or anecdote. This technique provides a sense of narrative completeness.

  • Summary of Key Points:

Summarize the main points of your presentation to reinforce your message. This helps in solidifying the understanding of your audience. We provide the best conclusion for presentation.

  • Visual Impact:

Leave a lasting visual impression with a striking image or graphic. Visual elements are often more memorable than words.

  • Personal Story:

Connect with your audience on a personal level by sharing a relevant anecdote. A well-told story can evoke emotions and make your presentation memorable.

  • Future Implications:

Discuss potential future developments or actions related to your presentation topic. This sparks curiosity and encourages your audience to think beyond the current context.

  • Interactive Element:

Engage your audience with a brief interactive activity. This fosters participation and ensures that your presentation remains interactive till the end.

  • Parting Thoughts:

Conclude with sincere and motivational parting thoughts. This leaves a positive and lasting impression on your audience.

Want to jump ahead, and explore something interesting, great check this out Slideshow Maker , Infographic Maker , Create a Slideshow .

7 Things to Put on a Conclusion Slide

Here are the 7 conclusion slide examples to conclude with a high note:

  • Key Takeaways:

Summarize the main points of your presentation, providing a visual anchor for your audience.

  • Contact Information:

Include your contact details for further inquiries or collaboration opportunities.

Encourage the audience to take a specific action, whether it's subscribing to a newsletter or exploring additional resources.

  • Relevant Images/Graphics:

Use visuals that support your conclusion, reinforcing key concepts or emotions.

  • Next Steps:

Outline any suggested next steps or follow-up actions. This provides guidance for those interested in delving deeper into your presentation's content.

  • Social Media Links:

Encourage your audience to connect with you on social platforms. This fosters ongoing engagement beyond the presentation.

  • Acknowledgments:

Express gratitude towards your audience for their time and participation. This adds a personal touch to your conclusion.

For adding extra touch, you can even incorporate visually appealing graphs created with the Graph Maker to illustrate important statistics or trends, enhancing audience engagement and understanding, can also Utilize Graph Templates for a polished and consistent visual representation, ensuring professionalism and clarity in conveying complex information.

5 Real-Life Exceptional Examples of How To End A Presentation

  • Simon Sinek's "Start With Why":

Sinek reinforces his message by revisiting his opening and leaving the audience with a clear understanding of the "why."

  • Sheryl Sandberg's "Option B":

Sandberg often ends her talks with a call to action, urging the audience to contribute to a cause related to her presentation topic.

  • Steve Jobs’ "One More Thing":

The late Apple co-founder was known for saving a major reveal or announcement for the end, creating anticipation and leaving a lasting impact.

  • Brené Brown's "The Power of Vulnerability":

Brown often ends with a personal story, creating an emotional connection with her audience.

  • Barack Obama's Farewell Address:

The former president masterfully combined gratitude, a call to action, and a vision for the future in his farewell speech.

Hopefully, these real-life examples were of help for you. Additionally you can Elevate the aesthetics of your conclusion slide using AI Design Tools , ensuring a visually appealing and polished presentation that lingers in the minds of your audience. Use AI for presentation .

Hey, want to explore something exciting, check these out then Make Slideshow Designs , Infographic Templates

6 Mistakes to Avoid in Concluding a Presentation

  • Abrupt Ending:

Avoid ending your presentation abruptly without a clear conclusion. This can leave your audience feeling unsatisfied.

  • Introducing New Information:

Resist the temptation to introduce new content in the conclusion. Stick to summarizing key points to avoid overwhelming your audience.

  • Rushing the Conclusion:

Take your time to conclude. Rushing through your conclusion can dilute the impact and leave your audience feeling disconnected.

  • Ignoring the Audience’s Energy:

Be mindful of your audience's energy levels. Match the tone of your conclusion to theirs for a cohesive ending.

  • Lack of Preparation:

Ensure you've prepared a thoughtful conclusion. Improvising on the spot can lead to a lackluster ending.

  • Neglecting a Call to Action:

If applicable, always include a call to action in your conclusion. This guides your audience's next steps and ensures continued engagement.

How to Create a Memorable Presentation with Appy Pie

Leverage the user-friendly design tools of Appy Pie to enhance your presentation's visual appeal. Incorporate compelling visuals, infographics, and customizable templates to capture your audience's attention. This section provides a step

Related Articles

  • Meaning and Significance of Ramadan: The Holy Month of Islam
  • Rosy Dew Color: Significance, Uses and Color Combinations
  • Appy Pie Recognized As a Leader in App Development by Gartner
  • Customer Support: Definition, Importance, Benefits + Best Strategies for Customer Satisfaction
  • Top 10 Tools on How to Remove Emojis from Photo
  • 22+ High-Paying Tech Jobs That Don’t Require Coding
  • 15 Effective Ways to Increase Your Retail Clothes Business Sales
  • How to Make a Reel on Instagram: A Step-by-Step Guide
  • Top 9 AI Video Generator Tools in 2023: Ranked as the Best
  • How to Design a Progress Report: Importance, Checklist & Templates

Most Popular Posts

  • How to Design an Etsy Logo?
  • IBM Watson Chatbot: How to Create a Similar Chatbot
  • Applications of Machine Learning Tool in App Development
  • What is 360 Degree View of the Customer? Benefits + Importance
  • 17 Tips & Tricks to Create a Best-Selling App

Evenesis

The 3 Most Powerful Ways to End a Presentation

Whether you are presenting to your colleagues, or speaking at a large event—the way you end your presentation is a critical factor in the success of the message you have just delivered. Your ending is just as important as your opening — it’s your lasting impression on your audience, your final words of wisdom. Your opening grabs people’s attention; your ending leaves them in awe.

Turn to the 3 powerful methods below to leave a long-lasting impression.

Present a Challenge

Now that you have imparted new information to your audience, it is your time to challenge them to put what they have just learned into action. Do this by providing a few examples of relevant challenges for the topic at hand—which can include a creative call to action.

For example: “I’m sending around the volunteer forms, please sign up to help with one or two of our important fundraisers this year “

Share a Quote

Another memorable way to wrap things up, is to share a powerful quote. Aim for a quote that participants are familiar with—and a quote that is powerful, yet not over used. The better the quote represents your ideas, the easier it is for your audience to remember it after your presentation.

For example a quote on marketing can come from a contemporary businessperson:

“Your culture is your brand,” says Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. You can also research quotes for the specific industry your participants belong to so the quote has a personal impact.

Tell an Inspiring Story

Ending your presentation with a story. This could be your story, a famous person’s story, or the story of an unsung hero. You can alternate the endings above; to ensure that they relate to the audience you are presenting to, and the topic at hand.

The listeners must have the feeling you are really finished. So look at them after your last words and nod smiling. Practice your last words. Write them out. Ask someone to judge your closing statement.

how to end a presentation slide

  • Event Registration & RSVP
  • Hybrid Event
  • Virtual Event
  • Database Management
  • Facial Recognition Check-In
  • Integrated Online Payment
  • Event Analytics
  • Event Mobile App
  • Lead Tracking App (Evelet)
  • On-Site Check-In
  • Event Web Design
  • Live Q&A & Polling
  • Business Matching
  • Hybrid Conference Platform
  • Events Near You
  • About Evenesis
  • Evenesis in Meta
  • Certified Partners
  • Testimonials
  • Media & Awards
  • Case Studies
  • Get a Quote

© 2010-2024 Y Us Sdn. Bhd. All Rights Reserved.

Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy

Frantically Speaking

6 Big Don’ts While Ending a Presentation (& What to do Instead)

Hrideep barot.

  • Presentation , Public Speaking

A presenter ending his presentation

A presentation is a slideshow or speech that a presenter gives to an audience. While all components of a business presentation are crucial, the ending can determine whether or not your presentation makes a lasting impression on your audience. 

A badly delivered closing remark can dramatically derail a presentation that has otherwise gone well. As a result, speakers must make sure that the ending is not only strong but also leaves a lasting impression. There are several alternatives for drafting the closing of a presentation. The presenter, topic, and audience will determine the best option.

The Big Don’ts of Ending a Presentation

1. don’t end it awkwardly.

Any successful speech can be ruined by a confusing finish. Your concluding statements should state unequivocally that the presentation is over. If there isn’t any applause, stand strong and wait. Don’t give in to the awkward silence by fidgeting or saying “that’s about it”. Thank you is a good approach to convey that a presentation has come to a close. Additionally, using a summary slide works better than a thank you slide. 

2. Don’t forget your core message  

Repeating a topic or key idea from the beginning of the speech is a good way to create a compelling ending to your presentation. It may appear to the audience that the speaker is coming full circle, signalling that the presentation is drawing to a close.

Pick three or four key points from the presentation and repeat them. This is a fantastic technique to make sure that your major points are expressed clearly and that your audience gets the information you wanted to deliver. Give context to the essential points while summarising them, and show the audience how they support your primary argument.

3. Don’t let the audience disengage from the presentation 

As the presentation is ending, the audience starts getting tired. Irrespective of the topic, the listeners tend to disengage by the end and partially zone out the ending. It is very important to make sure they don’t do that, and there are several ways to do this. Some of them are- 

  • Use a powerful quote: Finding a quotation that is a bit more unusual is the key to picking a great quote to end your presentation. A well-known remark will seem cliched, and your audience will most likely tune out. You might want to seek quotes from contemporary figures to ensure that they are relevant to both you and your audience. Make sure the quotation you chose is relevant to your presentation’s topic and will resonate with your audience.
  • Ask a rhetorical question: Providing the listeners with a thought-provoking question is a good way to make sure that they remember your presentation for a long time. The question should apply to the situation being addressed. After hearing it, your audience will consider the answers after the presentation.
  • Tell a story: Anecdotal stories can help a presentation’s conclusion, but they can’t be just any story. Pick a good story that corresponds to the presentation’s primary topics, and make sure the story isn’t too long. Customer encounter stories or successful case studies are often the most effective.

To learn more about how to end presentations in dramatic manners, here is another article by us that you should check out!

4. Don’t look tired or bored

It’s only normal to be exhausted at the end of your presentation. The adrenaline rush that had been coursing through your veins before has subsided. The audience must sense your enthusiasm and willingness to answer queries. 

Even after the presentation is over, maintain your posture and wait confidently if you find yourself waiting for the audience to realise the presentation is over. Avoid fidgeting or shifting papers and maintain a perfect stillness while smiling at the audience. When the first person in the audience claps, you may urge the rest of the audience to do so by staring straight at the person who is applauding and saying “thank you.”

To help understand how useful powerful energy can be, watch this video about 5 powerful speech closing remarks .

5. Don’t end with a Question-Answer session

Avoid ending your presentation with a Q&A session, even if you include a time for the audience to ask questions. To wrap up the presentation, you’ll want to reclaim control and make some closing statements. According to the concept of recency, people recall what they have learnt lately.

To put it another way, your audience is more likely to remember how you ended your presentation than how you began it or even much of the substance in the middle. You will need a grander ending than “any questions?” if you want them to remember the end.

6. Don’t leave the audience hanging

It’s not enough to hope that your message will motivate others to act. After ending your presentation, you should instruct them to do something. Use strong, authoritative, and instructive language. “Begin the journey” or “Join the struggle” are clear directives that tell the listener what to do. This is called a Call-To-Action(CTA). 

Few Ways of Successfully Ending a Presentation:

Using the rule of three.

The Rule of Three is a great strategy for public speaking that you can quickly learn, practise, and adapt to any situation. The Rule of Three is a basic theory that suggests that thoughts given in groups of three are more engaging, pleasant, and memorable to your audience. Information provided in a group of three sticks with us better than the information offered in other groupings.

The rule of three may be shown in the following examples:

  • This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning – Winston Churchill
  • I came, I saw, I conquered – Julius Caesar
  • Blood, sweat and tears – General Patton

When presenting a presentation, one typical technique is to inform the audience of what you are saying. This means not only saying your content but also reminding your audience of what you said. While this may seem tedious, it may be used as a basic guideline for keeping your presentations brief and to the point. That’s because, no matter how good your presentation was, you’ll need to remind your audience of what you’ve covered. Summaries don’t need to be boring. You’re not writing an essay, so avoid terms like “In conclusion” or “To summarise.” Instead, start your overview with a question like “What does all of this mean?” and take control of the crowd from then onwards.

A summary slide for ending a presentation.

End it on a high note

As previously said, it is critical to keep your enthusiasm as the presentation draws to a close. Your audience will sense your exhaustion, and if you conclude it in a lacklustre manner, they will recall the entire presentation as dull and drawn out. Look lively, and end it on a high note. 

“And where the rewards for merit are greatest, there are found the best citizens”, said Pericles, a Greek leader, to end a funeral oration for all their fallen soldiers. On a topic as solemn as a funeral, he managed to end the speech by uplifting the crowd and rousing a sense of nationalism among the citizens.

Powerful Imagery

Thousands of photographs from the Tiananmen Square massacre exist. Photographs that show people fighting, rioting, burnt vehicles, troops, and anything else you can imagine. However, the only shot from the entire ordeal that stands out is this. A photograph of an ordinary man standing in front of four large tanks with nothing but his shopping bags. This is the epitome of effective imagery. The world would have easily forgotten about the tragedy if it hadn’t been for this photograph symbolising the struggle and hardship of Chinese residents. The use of vivid imagery creates an impression on the audience and gives them a lot to think about. 

"The Tank Man" from Tiananmen Square signifying powerful imagery to end a presentation

How to ask for Questions at the end of a presentation:

Earlier in this blog, we talked about how we should not end a presentation on the questions phase. Asking for questions, however, is important. A good way to do that is by making it clear beforehand when you are taking questions. Additionally, you also need to anticipate what sort of questions the audience will ask of you. This will ensure you are not caught off guard at the moment. Finally, don’t forget to take pauses after each question. Make sure you comprehend the question and express gratitude to the person who asked it.

Choosing the correct ending slide

While making our presentations, it is very tempting to end with a “Thank You” slide. It is easy and often assumed to be the safest way to end your presentation. However, there’s no need to include a thank-you slide. You might simply thank the crowd and replace it with something far better.

Designing a slide that is perfectly connected with your presentation’s aims is the greatest method to end your presentation. Review your message’s content and look for a way to bring everything together in just one slide.

Famous Examples:

  • Using a Quote:

“Let us, therefore, brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire lasts for thousands of years, men will say: ‘This was their finest hour.’ ”—Winston Churchill, 1940

  • Using Humour: 

“There are three rules to becoming famous. Unfortunately, nobody knows what they are.” – Andras Arato, 2017

  • Using emotion: 

“The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but so long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over. And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world.” – Nehru, 1947

The most crucial parts of your presentation are the beginning and finish. The beginning of your speech is when you catch the audience’s attention and guarantee that they pay attention for the rest of it. The ending provides you with the opportunity to make a lasting impact on your audience.

When people are asked to recall material, studies reveal that they “perform best at the beginning and finish.” As a result, it’s critical that your closing remark make an impression. A powerful conclusion inspires individuals to act by motivating, empowering, and encouraging them to do so.

Hrideep Barot

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

how to end a presentation slide

Lost Voice? Here’s How to Recover Sore Throat and Speak Again

7 Keys to Emcee Like a Pro: Unlock Your Hosting Potential

7 Keys to Emcee Like a Pro: Unlock Your Hosting Potential

control noise while speaking

8 Ways to Rise Above the Noise to Communicate Better

how to end a presentation slide

Get our latest tips and tricks in your inbox always

Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved

Kindly drop your contact details so that we can arrange call back

Select Country Afghanistan Albania Algeria AmericanSamoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Rwanda Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Tajikistan Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Wallis and Futuna Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe land Islands Antarctica Bolivia, Plurinational State of Brunei Darussalam Cocos (Keeling) Islands Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cote d'Ivoire Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Guernsey Holy See (Vatican City State) Hong Kong Iran, Islamic Republic of Isle of Man Jersey Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Lao People's Democratic Republic Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Mozambique Palestinian Territory, Occupied Pitcairn Réunion Russia Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan Da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sao Tome and Principe Somalia Svalbard and Jan Mayen Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tanzania, United Republic of Timor-Leste Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S.

how to end a presentation slide

logo

6 Ideas to Close a Medical Presentation

Make a memorable closing.

So, for this week, I thought that I’d pay a debt of long standing and write about the ways to close a medical presentation. Why an old debt? Because I wrote about   opening a medical presentation   a while back and so now it seems appropriate to explain how to close one.

Wrapping up all the hard work you’ve put into your talk is a process you must take seriously. Even if your opening and the body of your  presentation  are sharp and informative, you still need a memorable closing. Go ahead and make the most of the presentation you have spent so many hours preparing.

Plan a strong finish that summarizes everything that has come before, and ends with a call to action.

Review the benefits

Pull the benefits from your presentation and lay them out on the table for the audience. If the device you are pushing saves money or time, is widely adopted in the medical practices of colleagues (and your audience should be getting it too), and is operator-friendly, state those three points outright one more time. When you review benefits during  closing , you are reminding doctors of why they want the device just before you ask them to use it. The order in which you present your device’s benefits is important to your success.

Summarize the presentation

A quick  presentation summary  of everything that has been said is also important. A summary is not just a repetition of everything you have said thus far. It is instead a paraphrased and shortened version of some of your most vital points. You want to make sure everyone understands the benefits, quality, and details of the product name. At the same time, you aren’t insulting the memories of the doctors you are speaking to: You want to make these summaries simply because you want everything to be clear to them before you finally go in for the close.

Offer vision to the audience

Give your listeners a look into the future. While you could dryly state that ‘patients benefit from this drug’ or ‘this drug has a strong record of safety,’ you are really not making your case unless you illustrate a clear vision of the future for your specific audience. Top presentation storyteller Nancy Duarte, takes the user back and forth between ‘what is’ and ‘what could be’ until finally you end at a ‘new bliss. Use presentation storytelling to establish a warm and ideal future that at least gives the doctors a positive perception of what they could gain when they use your product. Explain how this new medical device might benefit patient, doctor, or staff. Your story does not have to be dry and factual. When your audience does not have to imagine the future because you have done it for them, they can turn their attention directly to the sale.

Assuage doubt

Your medical device might have generated some objections that may have created doubts: Your clinical data might not be solid enough, your device’s benefits not as strong as you believed, and so forth. Even if you have no proof that the question-and-answer session at the close of the presentation was ineffective, go ahead and deal with potential doubts that you suspect anyone might have. Look closely at the faces in the room to determine if anyone seems to be thinking deeply, not focused on you, or confused about something. You can watch for these signs of doubt by reading their body language: Doubters may be looking off into the distance, scratching heads, or showing closed body positions such as crossed arms or legs.

Quote Someone

For some reason, reciting a quote taken from an important person gives audiences the sense that the speech is over and gives them all something to think about. Find something that seems to fit the content of your speech especially well and use that in your conclusion (often the last line). Be sure to give credit to the person who said those famous words. Any quotation, however, needs to be extremely relevant. Read:

Using Quotations in Medical Marketing Communication Materials – The Dos and Don’ts

Coupling the Right Image and Quotation in a Medical Presentation

For every Presentation: End with a call to action

You should end every medical presentation with a call to action. In that way you will be sure that the presentation was a success. Only make your call to action when you know that every question and concern in the room has been taken care of. The process of calling for action itself involves a simple question such as:

  • Who’s ready to set up details?
  • Who is the contact person to initiate the clinical study at your hospital?
  • By when can we finalize the clinical study protocol?
  • When can you join our Scientific Advisory Board?’

A call to action might involve asking for the doctor’s business, whether that business is trial, continued, expanded use, or just any response at all. Once you are sure that the atmosphere in the room is supportive of your point, you should have no trouble with the final  details of closing .

Picture by   jayneandd  and  Bill Dickinson

Related Posts

how to end a presentation slide

Medical Company Taglines for 2021

how to end a presentation slide

Effective communication: The (modern) ancient Greek way

how to end a presentation slide

Writing a Perfect Subject Line that Physicians will Read

how to end a presentation slide

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives. The Purdue OWL offers global support through online reference materials and services.

A Message From the Assistant Director of Content Development 

The Purdue OWL® is committed to supporting  students, instructors, and writers by offering a wide range of resources that are developed and revised with them in mind. To do this, the OWL team is always exploring possibilties for a better design, allowing accessibility and user experience to guide our process. As the OWL undergoes some changes, we welcome your feedback and suggestions by email at any time.

Please don't hesitate to contact us via our contact page  if you have any questions or comments.

All the best,

Social Media

Facebook twitter.

How to End Your PowerPoint Presentation With a Strong Close (In 2023) + Video

Most presentations are forgotten as soon as the audience leaves the room. If you're going to invest the time and energy into giving a presentation, then you want to leave the audience with something to remember.

how to end a presentation slide

In this tutorial, I’ll share ideas for how to end your PowerPoint presentation powerfully. Depending on the type of talk that you’re giving, there’s a tried and true technique that’ll bring it to a strong close.

This tutorial will help you nail the finish of your presentation and leave your audience with a lasting impression. I’ll also show you do’s and don’ts for finishing your presentation with attractive final concluding slides. Let’s dive in.

How to End Your PowerPoint Presentation With a Strong Close (Video)

Are you ready to jump ahead and create your strong PowerPoint presentation close? The video below tells you what you need to know to get started quickly:

To learn even more about the various types of PowerPoint closes, read the detailed guide below.

4 Types of PowerPoint Presentations That Conclude Differently

To finish a presentation strongly, it helps to start by thinking about your presentation’s goal. Your actions must align with the goal of the presentation to succeed. How you’ll approach a persuasive conclusion is different than an inspirational speech conclusion.

In this tutorial, I cover four main categories that you can divide presentations into. You could sub-divide these into more specific categories, but I think these basic groups are a useful way to think about your presentation and the approach to take:

  • Persuasive Presentations . A persuasive presentation is designed to share your point of view and influence the views of your audience.
  • Informative Presentations . Informative presentations share facts and ideas about a subject. They’re less prescriptive than a persuasive presentation.
  • Decision Driven Presentations . In a decision-driven presentation, you’re in the spotlight to provide a recommendation or plan to your audience. These often take place in the work environment.
  • Introductory Presentations . These are also very popular in the business world. Maybe this is your chance to introduce your company to potential investors, customers, or a future employee.

Let’s talk about specific approaches for each of these presentation types. Throughout this tutorial, I’m going to use premium PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements to create closing slides. These templates give you plenty of ideas for attractive slides and are professionally designed and easy to work with.

Grab some popular PowerPoint themes from Envato Elements. Elements is a special offer that gives you unlimited access to creative resources, such as presentation templates , web themes, photos, and more.

envato elements

Let’s look into more detail on concluding each presentation type strongly, from closing strategies to ideas on mastering your final PowerPoint slide. That way, you’ll know the best way to end your PowerPoint presentation—regardless of its type and your goals.

1. Persuasive Presentations

Persuasive presentations are designed to change your audience’s mind or to impart your viewpoint on them. Maybe you’ve had to give one of these presentations as part of a school presentation designed to influence your classmates on a hot-button issue.

There are many techniques to persuade an audience, ranging from connecting emotionally with the audience to presenting pure facts. Great presentations will contain a combination of all these to appeal to a broad audience.

Here’s one idea for a persuasive conclusion: give the audience a key chart or graph that reinforces your idea.

In the example below, let’s pretend that the presentation would persuade an audience member to invest in our company. The key data statistics in a slide like below are ideal for this:

key figures

A closing slide for a persuasive speech is the ace up your sleeve. Save one last key point and present it with a chart or graph to win over the data-driven members of your audience.

2. Informative Presentations

Informative presentations are designed to share fact-driven information. Your goal is to present a new idea in a memorable way that the audience will remember.

For an informative presentation, the closing slide should recap the information that you’ve shared. It’s a good chance to illustrate a concept with a graphic or key bullet points.

simple recap slide

It’s also a great idea to share the slides from an informative presentation with your audience via email or post them online. If you’ve taught an important skill, the audience can use this as reference material.

3. Decision-Driven Presentations

For a decision-driven presentation, your audience is waiting to hear your big recommendation. You should use the final slide in your PowerPoint presentation to make a recommendation so that your project or idea can proceed.

key recommendation

Use the closing slide to make your recommendation clear. It’s fine to use the supporting points to mention why you arrived at that conclusion. But focus on having a single recommendation and be prepared to defend it.

4. Introductory Presentations

An introductory presentation is often used in business to help build trust and establish a relationship with an audience. Remember, the introductory presentation is your best chance to make a first impression. Whether you’re pitching your business or asking people to join your company, the last slide can be the first step in the business relationship.

Maybe you aren’t quite ready to give a full sales pitch. Instead, this is your first point of contact to start explaining your business.

contact slide

To end your introductory presentation, I think it’s a great idea to give the audience a means to follow up with a Contact slide. If you think of an introductory presentation as the start of a conversation, you should give the audience the chance to continue that conversation.

Final PowerPoint Slide Styles to Avoid

When you’re preparing to close out your PowerPoint presentation, there are certain strategic steps that you’ll want to avoid. There are also final PowerPoint presentation slide styles that aren’t on target for closing strongly. You need both the right closing technique and final slide design to work together. Let’s look at what not to do for each of the key presentation types:

1. Persuasive Discussions

For persuasive presentations, the strategy should change. For these presentations, don’t simply restate the points that you’ve already made.

You need to give a new angle or a new perspective that could win the audience over. Your last slide should support the presentation’s overall perspective but shouldn’t simply rehash the original points.

In a persuasive presentation , make sure that your final slide isn’t a simple recap of your original points. The audience may resent having heard the same ideas repeatedly and find them less believable.

Information presentations often lead to a discussion with the audience, often called a “Q&A session.” If your presentation is meant to be an open discussion, it can be tempting to throw up an “Any questions?” slide for the last part of your deck.

But if this is the only step you take to spark a conversation, your audience is unlikely to engage. I’ve seen many presentations breeze past this stage so quickly that no one works up the courage to ask a question.

boring closing slide

Read a complete tutorial on soliciting questions at the end of your presentation.

You’ve been asked to share your findings and make a recommendation in the form of a decision-driven presentation. The information that you share will help guide a decision-maker or give you the feedback you need to proceed.

In these situations, I think it’s important to not overwhelm the audience with too many options. Sometimes, presenters tend to give every possible option for a team to take. Make sure you avoid this in your final presentation slide.

too many options

That shouldn’t be the goal of a persuasive presentation. It’s fine to present many ideas. But the presentation should ultimately culminate in a single, decisive recommendation in the final slide of a PowerPoint presentation.

An introductory presentation seeks to build familiarity with the audience. For this type of presentation, there’s one key step to avoid: don’t try to close a deal too quickly.

bad closing slide

Marketing and teaching potential customers about your business is a process, and it’s one that takes time. The final slide shouldn’t contain graphics or requests that the audience buy from you or engage you right away.

Asking for a sale or commitment at the end of an introductory presentation could be off-putting and ultimately harm your chances of gaining customers.

How to Quickly Make Great End PowerPoint Slides With PPT Templates

If you’re looking for the best PowerPoint templates with amazing end slides, look no further than Envato Elements. The subscription gives you access to thousands of unlimited download PowerPoint templates with attention-grabbing designs. You also get access to thousands of other creative assets such as stock photos, fonts, icons, and more.

Envato Elements is the best choice for all your creative needs. Thanks to unlimited downloads, you can experiment with different creative styles and templates to find the perfect PowerPoint template for your presentation.

powerpoint templates on envato elements

Tempting as free PowerPoint templates might be, they usually come with a limited number of slides and fewer customization options. Professionally designed templates such as those found on Envato Elements are the better choice.

PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements have key features such as:

  • a variety of slide styles and types to create a compelling and memorable presentation
  • easy to use image placeholders so you can quickly customize the images
  • charts, graphs, icons, and other visual elements to present your ideas in style
  • bold text and noticeable calls to action so you can make an impact with your closing

5 Quick Tips to End Your PowerPoint Presentation Strong

You’ve learned that the final PowerPoint slide design can be a powerful way to end your presentation. Also, we’ve dived into some problematic ways to end your presentation, which you should avoid.

Now let’s jump into a few important tips on how to end a PowerPoint presentation so that it’s memorable and makes an impact:

1. Be Clear, Concise, and On Message

A strong presentation closing brings your key message to the forefront and aligns with your objective. You want to distill your final message down to a single memorable point or small set of points. That way the audience can easily walk away with your most important ideas on their mind.

2. Use the Best Final PowerPoint Slide

Depending on the type of presentation you’re delivering your final slide will differ.

Make sure you’re using a powerful final PowerPoint graphic slide to showcase your concluding information. Or transition into an easy-to-read Contact Us or Any Questions slide.

If you’re unsure which slide fits your presentation type best, re-read the sections above. Don’t miss out on those graphic examples of the best last slides for various PowerPoint presentation types.

3. Include a Call to Action With Appeal

Depending on your goal, you may want to motivate the audience to ask a question or take immediate action on the information you’re presenting. Make sure your final slide helps motivate the audience to do that.

Your final points need to align with your argument and give them a good reason to act. Be clear on what you’re trying to do with your presentation and bring it forward in your final slide.

Also, make sure you practice delivering your conclusion. You want to put your notes aside, make eye contact with the audience, and engage with emotion as you wrap up.

Learn more presentation strategies , so you not only open with interest, but end the presentation memorably.

4. Use Animation For a Big Reveal

Much like Apple’s famous “one more thing” segue, you can save a punchline for the end of your presentation.

One of the best ways to do this is to add a bit of animation that’ll bring a key element onto your slide at the perfect time. While PowerPoint features some built-in animations, there are custom templates that can really take animations to the next level. For example, use the Business Animate template to animate a key point at the end of your presentation.

animated ppt template

5. Add a Video Clip

Video clips add a completely different perspective to a presentation. In sticking with the idea of closing with a strong idea, sometimes it helps to add a video to bring a sense of variety or change of pace in your presentation.

It’s a great idea to have the video auto-play when you switch to the PowerPoint last slide for a smooth finish. Try out the tip below to do just that:

How to Quickly Customize The End Slide With a Premium PowerPoint Template

Now that you know how to end your PowerPoint presentation with a strong close, let’s look at how you can use one of our premium PowerPoint templates and customize the end slide.

For the purposes of this tutorial, I’ll use the Yukee template . This PowerPoint template from Envato Elements has a modern design and can be used for all kinds of presentations.

Yukee PowerPoint Presentation Template

Let’s get started:

1. Decide on Your Close

The first step is to decide what type of close and call to action you’ll use for your presentation. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’ll use a persuasive close with numbers that back up the ideas presented in the presentation. Slide #13 from the Yukee template fits perfectly for this occasion.

Selecting your closing slide

2. Add an Image

The top part of the slide has an image placeholder so we can easily add an image. Just click the picture icon and locate the image on your computer. Then, press Insert .

Once the image has been added, right-click on it. Then choose the Send to back option.

Adding an image to your slide

3. Replace the Content

Once the image is in place, it’s time to customize the content of your slide. Double-click the text and press Control-A to select everything. Then type in your own information.

Replacing content

4. Customize Fonts

As you’re customizing the content, you can customize the fonts used in the presentation. Select the text and then choose a different font from the drop-down menu on the Home tab.

Customizing fonts

5. Customize Colors

Finally, to make your points stand out more, customize the colors. Double-click on the rectangle and choose a different color under the Fill > Solid Color option.

customize the colors

Need Help? Grab Our Making Great Presentations eBook (Free)

You can find more information in our new eBook on making great presentations . Download this PDF eBook now for FREE with your subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

ppt ebook

It’ll help you master the presentation process, from initial creative ideas, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

End Your Presentation With Impact

This tutorial can serve as your guide for ending a presentation with a compelling finish. The last 30 seconds of your presentation may be the difference between changing your audience’s mind and your presentation being forgotten. Learning how to end a presentation can keep your audience talking about your presentation long after.

Remember: Presentation templates are the key to helping you develop a presentation as rapidly as possible. If you use Envato Elements’ deep library, you can choose something that saves time.

Related Articles

How to Animate a Logo in After Effects

Clone Slide to End within Same Presentation

Introduction.

Are you looking to enhance your presentation manipulation skills with Java? Aspose.Slides for Java is a powerful library that lets you create, modify, and manipulate PowerPoint presentations effortlessly. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to clone a slide to the end of the same presentation using Aspose.Slides for Java. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a firm grasp on how to use this feature in your own projects. Let’s dive in!

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

  • Java Development Kit (JDK) installed on your machine. You can download it from the Java website .
  • Aspose.Slides for Java library. You can download it from the Aspose.Slides for Java download page .
  • An IDE of your choice, such as IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, or NetBeans.
  • Basic understanding of Java programming.

Import Packages

First, you need to import the necessary packages from Aspose.Slides for Java into your project. This step is crucial as it includes the libraries and classes required for the presentation manipulation.

Step 1: Set Up Your Project

To start, set up your Java project in your preferred IDE and include the Aspose.Slides library in your project’s dependencies.

Step 2: Define the Data Directory

Specify the path to the directory where your presentation file is stored. This will help in reading the presentation file from the disk.

Step 3: Load the Presentation

Next, instantiate the Presentation class to load your existing presentation file. This allows you to manipulate the slides within the presentation.

Step 4: Clone the Desired Slide

Now, it’s time to clone the slide. In this example, we clone the first slide and add it to the end of the slide collection in the same presentation.

Step 5: Save the Modified Presentation

After cloning the slide, save the modified presentation to disk. This will create a new file with the cloned slide at the end.

Step 6: Clean Up Resources

Finally, make sure to dispose of the presentation object to free up resources.

And there you have it! By following these steps, you can easily clone a slide to the end of the same presentation using Aspose.Slides for Java. This powerful library makes it a breeze to work with PowerPoint presentations programmatically. Whether you’re automating report generation or building a dynamic presentation tool, Aspose.Slides has got you covered.

FAQ’s

What is aspose.slides for java.

Aspose.Slides for Java is a powerful library that allows developers to create, manipulate, and convert PowerPoint presentations programmatically.

Can I clone multiple slides at once?

Yes, you can clone multiple slides by iterating through the slides you want to clone and using the addClone method for each.

Is Aspose.Slides for Java free?

Aspose.Slides for Java is a paid library, but you can download a free trial to test its features.

How can I get support for Aspose.Slides?

You can get support from the Aspose.Slides support forum .

Can I use Aspose.Slides for Java to convert presentations to PDF?

Yes, Aspose.Slides for Java supports converting presentations to various formats, including PDF.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

  • By Illiya Vjestica
  • - January 23, 2023

10 Powerful Examples of How to End a Presentation

Here are 10 powerful examples of how to end a presentation that does not end with a thank you slide.

How many presentations have you seen that end with “Thank you for listening” or “Any questions?” I bet it’s a lot…

“Thank you for listening.” is the most common example. Unfortunately, when it comes to closing out your slides ending with “thank you” is the norm. We can create a better presentation ending by following these simple examples.

The two most essential slides of your deck are the ending and intro. An excellent presentation ending is critical to helping the audience to the next step or following a specific call to action.

There are many ways you can increase your presentation retention rate . The most critical steps are having a solid call to action at the end of your presentation and a powerful hook that draws your audience in.

What Action do You Want Your Audience to Take?

Before designing your presentation, start with this question – what message or action will you leave your audience with?

Are you looking to persuade, inspire, entertain or inform your audience? You can choose one or multiple words to describe the intent of your presentation.

Think about the action words that best describe your presentation ending – what do you want them to do? Inspire, book, learn, understand, engage, donate, buy, book or schedule. These are a few examples.

If the goal of your presentation is to inspire, why not end with a powerful and inspiring quote ? Let words of wisdom be the spark that ignites an action within your audience.

Here are three ways to end your presentation:

  • Call to Action – getting the audience to take a specific action or next step, for example, booking a call, signing up for an event or donating to your cause.
  • Persuade – persuading your audience to think differently, try something new, undertake a challenge or join your movement or community.
  • Summarise – A summary of the key points and information you want the audience to remember. If you decide to summarise your talk at the end, keep it to no more than three main points.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

1. Asking your audience to take action or make a pledge.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

Here were asking the audience to take action by using the wording “take action” in our copy. This call to action is a pledge to donate. A clear message like this can be helpful for charities and non-profits looking to raise funding for their campaign or cause.

2. Encourage your audience to take a specific action, e.g. joining your cause or community

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

Here was are asking the audience to join our community and help solve a problem by becoming part of the solution. It’s a simple call to action. You can pass the touch to your audience and ask them to take the next lead.

3. Highlight the critical points for your audience to remember.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

Rember, to summarise your presentation into no more than three key points. This is important because the human brain struggles to remember more than three pieces of information simultaneously. We call this the “Rule of Three”.

4. If you are trying to get more leads or sales end with a call to action to book a demo or schedule a call.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

Can you inspire your audience to sign up for a demo or trial of your product? Structure your talk to lead your prospect through a journey of the results you generate for other clients. At the end of your deck, finish with a specific call to action, such as “Want similar results to X?”

Make sure you design a button, or graphic your prospect can click on when you send them the PDF version of the slides.

5. Challenge your audience to think differently or take action, e.g. what impact could they make?

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

6. Give your audience actions to help share your message.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

7. Promote your upcoming events or workshops

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

8. Asking your audience to become a volunteer.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

9. Direct your audience to learn more about your website.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

10. If you are a book author, encourage your audience to engage with your book.

10 Examples of How to End a Presentation

6 Questions to Generate an Ending for Your Presentation

You’ve told an engaging story, but why end your presentation without leaving your audience a clear message or call to action?

Here are six great questions you can ask yourself to generate an ending for your presentation or keynote talk.

  • What impression would you want to leave your audience with?
  • What is the big idea you want to leave them with?
  • What action should they take next?
  • What key point should you remember 72 hours after your presentation?
  • What do you want them to feel?
  • What is the key takeaway for them to understand?

What to Say After Ending a Presentation?

When you get to the end of a book, you don’t see the author say, “thank you for reading my last chapter.” Of course, there is no harm in thanking the audience after your presentation ends, but don’t make that the last words you speak.

Think of the ending of the presentation as the final chapter of an epic novel. It’s your chance to leave a lasting impression on the audience. Close with an impactful ending and leave them feeling empowered, invigorated and engaged.

  • Leave a lasting impression.
  • Think of it as the last chapter of a book.
  • Conclude with a thought or question.
  • Leave the audience with a specific action or next step.

How to End a Presentation with Style?

There are many great ways you can end your presentation with style. Are you ready to drop the mic?

Ensure your closing slide is punchy, has a clear headline, or uses a thought-provoking image.

Think about colours. You want to capture the audience’s attention before closing the presentation. Make sure the fonts you choose are clear and easy to read.

Do you need to consider adding a link? If you add links to your social media accounts, use icons and buttons to make them easy to see. Add a link to each button or icon. By doing this, if you send the PDF slides to people, they can follow the links to your various accounts.

What Should you Remember?

💡 If you take one thing away from this post, it’s to lose the traditional ending slides. Let’s move on from the “Thank you for your attention.” or “Any questions.” slides.

These don’t help you or the audience. Respect them and think about what they should do next. You may be interested to learn 3 Tactics to Free Your Presentation Style to help you connect to your audience.

Picture of Illiya Vjestica

Illiya Vjestica

Share this post:, leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

how to end a presentation slide

Microsoft Teams help & learning

New to microsoft teams.

Start here with the first things to know about the essential Microsoft Teams features.

Notifications

a close up view of the toggle to switch to the new Teams

Meet Microsoft Copilot

Copilot works alongside you to catch you up on chats, create meeting agendas, and much more.

Learn about Copilot in Teams

Where can I get Copilot?

Immersive spaces in Teams

Connect like never before in a 3D immersive space, helping virtual meetings and events feel more like face-to-face connections.

Make it immersive

When to use immersive space

Dive deeper into Teams​

A productivity guide full of tips, tricks, and answers when using Microsoft Teams at work.

Tips from the experts

Learn through videos​

Browse the basics or explore more with these training courses consisting of short how-to videos.

Explore more videos

Featured topics

Sign in to Teams

What's new in Teams

Record a meeting

Delete a chat

Find and join a team

Change your status

Manage your notifications

Change your meeting background

Reduce background noise in a meeting

More resources

About Teams

Get Teams Premium ​​​​​​

Use Teams for free

Accessibility in Teams

Teams features by platform

Feature release roadmap ​​​​​​

Connect and learn

Community forum ​​​​​​

Tech community blog ​​​​​​

Instructor-led training ​​​​​​

For admins and IT pros ​​​​​​

Apps and services

Manage your apps

Use LinkedIn in Teams

Unsupported browser

This site was designed for modern browsers and tested with Internet Explorer version 10 and later.

It may not look or work correctly on your browser.

  • Communication

Should You Use a Thank You Slide to End Your PowerPoint Presentation? (+Video)

Andrew Childress

It's easy to spend all your time on the intro and main body of your presentation. You're wrapped up researching statistics and data and prepping your slides to wow an audience.

Agency thank you slide for presentation

But, have you ever considered how vital the conclusion might be? Many presenters automatically use a thank you slide for PPT as their conclusion. Is a thank you presentation slide the best way to conclude your presentation?

In this article, we'll discuss the use of thank you slides in PowerPoint. You might be surprised that it's not  always  the best way to close out a presentation. You'll learn how to design other slides to end your presentation in success. 

I'll also include top-quality premium templates that include slide layout options other than a thank you slide for your final slide.

Should You Add a Thank You Slide to PowerPoint? (QuickStart Video)

Are you ready to start learning about adding thank you slides in PPT? Watch this quick video to find out what you need to know before you create a thank you slide:

how to end a presentation slide

Or study the complete written tutorial below for more detailed information.

Check Out Our New Free Online Presentation Guide

Before we dive into our discussion on whether a thank you PowerPoint slide is good idea, we've got the resource for you! We'll take you through the complete process to get you ready for your next business presentation—from start to finish.

The Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations

Don't miss our new free online presentation guide,  The Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations . It's chock full of powerful business presentation advice. It'll help you make your next business presentation your best yet.

Now, let's take a closer look at a thank you PowerPoint as the end slide.

What Is a Thank You Slide for PPT?

You'll see thank you slides at the end of many PowerPoint presentations. It's a classic way to show that your presentation is complete and thank your audience for their attendance.

A thank you slide for PPT is a good choice for the following hypothetical scenarios:

  • At a celebration event, close out the presentation event by thanking the team for their contributions and hard work on a thank you slide.
  • If you asked your guests to travel  to attend your presentation, a thank you goes a long way to showing gratitude for the extra time and expense.
  • If your audience has assembled voluntarily,  like offering their time to help on a project, a thank you is a good idea to build momentum for the project. Close with a thank you to show real gratitude. 

But is it the best  way to end your presentation? We all know that many presentations end in thank you, and it often feels like the default option.

A thank you slide for presentations is often good enough. But there are usually better choices. Read on to find out more about alternatives.

When to Avoid a Thank You PowerPoint Slide

There's nothing wrong with expressing gratitude at every chance you get. But it might be better to avoid  thank you slides  in these situations:

  • If you're delivering tough news like layoffs within the company or changes to benefit plans, saying thank you might feel insensitive. 
  • If you want to engage your audience , a thank you slide for PPT might feel like a premature conclusion. Your audience might start to leave the meeting room before you're finished.
  • If you're asking the audience to  do  something , then use your final slide to remind them of that ask. For example, ask them to finish their benefits enrollment or complete assigned training.

In the rest of this tutorial, you'll see smart alternatives to the traditional thank you PowerPoint slide. 

Should You Use a Thank You Presentation Slide?

As always, the answer is " it depends. " As you saw in the section above, a " thank you " PowerPoint slide doesn't fit the dignity of every situation. If you're wrapping up your presentation and want to show sincere gratitude, go with a thank you PowerPoint slide.

Most presentations should bypass using a " thank you " slide as the conclusion. In the section below, you'll see alternatives to a thank you slide for PPT as the end slide. Depending on the situation, these slides can create much more of an impact.

presentation at board

" Thank you " slides are often seen as weak. That's because they aren't asking  for anything from the audience. Often, it's better to write a conclusion with a call to action that encourages the audience to take the next step.

There's no universal answer to whether you should use a thank you presentation slide. But, don't default to it because you don't have ideas for a conclusion. Throughout the rest of the tutorial, you'll get ideas for creative conclusion PPT slides.

3 Alternatives to Thank You Slides for PPT

Presenters have plenty of choices when concluding a presentation. If you're feeling like the traditional " thank you slide " for PPT doesn't fit the content, here are some other options. 

The end slide can inspire your audience or action or create a dialogue with the right design. Let's look at alternative thank you PowerPoint slides:

1. The " Any Questions ?" Slide

When you're looking for ideas for the last side of a presentation, one approach is to involve the audience!

An " any questions " slide can help you engage an audience. It can start a dialogue and open the floor for a good discussion. 

Any questions default slide

Every presenter's worst fear is having an " Any Questions? " slide go unanswered from the audience. Here are three tips that can kick off a discussion with your audience:

  • Ask for questions ahead of time . Send your audience some necessary details or concepts about the presentation and ask them to consider asking a question.
  • Ask a question yourself.  Sometimes, it just takes a single ice breaker moment to kickstart a discussion. You could phrase this as, " One question you might be wondering after my presentation is... "
  • Seed a question in the audience.  Ask a trusted friend to ask a question as an ice breaker.

On Tuts+, we created a complete guide to creating an " Any Questions? " slide. It's one of the many alternatives to thank you slides for PPT. Make sure to check it out if you're interested in this format:

how to end a presentation slide

" Thank you " PowerPoint slides are a definite end to a presentation. But asking for questions can start a conversation. Instead of an abrupt end, they give you a chance to engage. Use an " Any Questions " slide to reverse the traditional speaker/audience presentation structure.

2. The " One More Thing " Slide

Apple has always been known for dramatic reveals. They started the trend of holding events that tech enthusiasts would tune in for. Every event seemed to unveil a new generation of products that spurred purchases.

As CEO, Steve Jobs was a master of the dramatic. He always saved a big reveal for the  end of a presentation. He made the phrase " one more thing... " synonymous with Apple.

The twist was that this " one more thing " usually stole the show. After all the product reveals and new features, there was always one more product hiding behind the scenes. 

To delight your audience with a twist, save something as " one more thing " as the last slide of the presentation.

3. The " Start a Conversation " Slide

Presentations can serve as a launching pad for building a relationship with your audience. Use an effective conclusion slide, you can start a conversation.

Of course, you might not be able to start a conversation  while  you're in the auditorium or meeting room. The goal here is to continue the conversation with your audience in another arena.

Group discussion after presentation

At the end of a presentation, include your contact details for follow-up. This allows you to connect with the audience later.

Also, it helps to add speaking points about connecting outside of the presentation. Mention that you're looking for new team members or partners as you offer a way to connect.

How to Make a Closing Slide

In this section, we'll work to put our learning into action. Let's walk through creating several conclusion slides that are reliable alternatives to a simple thank you. You'll see that these slides might be better for your presentation, especially if you want to engage the audience. 

In this section, I'm going to use slides from a template on Envato Elements. This is an all-you-can-download service for creatives. It includes everything you need to create your best presentation. It even includes ideas for thank you slides for presentations. 

We'll work with the Agency Proposal PowerPoint template  from Envato Elements in this section. It features clean slides that work for almost any purpose. Use it to create alternatives to thank you slides for presentations.

1. How to Create an Any Questions Slide

An " any questions? " slide might start a great discussion with your attendees. And best of all, it requires very little work to design. When you create an " any questions? " slide, you've got one goal: don't distract your audience .

Slide 5 in Agency is the perfect option for this. Featuring just one text box, you can type over it with your catchphrase to spark discussion.

Simple any questions conclusion slide

Your " any questions? " slide could be as simple as you want. It's more important to support it with the speaking points we mentioned above. Remember, sparking discussion with starter questions is the best way to launch a Q&A (question and answer) session.

2. How to Create a One More Thing Slide

The key to creating a " one more thing " slide is using animations as a presentation punchline. With the help of animations, you can reveal slide points one-at-a-time. 

To create suspense, the goal is to hide your crucial object until you're ready to share it. Building suspense is an art, and it's up to you to excite the launch without tipping your hat to specifics.

Let's say that we want to reveal an upcoming mobile app or website. It helps to show the product in the real world to build credibility and excitement. In this case, we'll use slide 21 to tell our launch story. 

Device mockup before

First, let's slim down the slide. Delete the white smartphone mockup. Then also delete everything but the text headline.

Now, click on the image placeholder on top of the device and browse to a device screenshot. This brings your last slide of the presentation to life with a realistic view.

Finally, let's create a big reveal with animations on our key objects. Let's hold control on the keyboard, then click on the text headline and device mockup. Then, click on the  Animations  section on your menu and choose an animation effect. This will stage these objects onto the slide when you play it.

Animations added to slide

Learn all about PowerPoint animations for your closing slide in the post below:

how to end a presentation slide

3. How to Create a Start a Conversation Slide

Starting a conversation with your audience means leaving them with your contact details. Whether that's an email address or social media channel, you want to allow your audience to reach out.

Make sure to use a slide like the one below with contact details. It's best to list all your active platforms and social channels to create more connection points. Slide 1 in Agency is the perfect example of a design that works great for the end slide.

Start conversation slide PowerPoint

Don't forget that a presentation on the screen isn't all you need to continue the conversation. It's best to give your contact details on a printed product, like a handout or business card. 

You could even print the last slide in your presentation, with the help of our tutorial to print PowerPoint presentations:

how to end a presentation slide

The Best Source for Unlimited PowerPoint Templates (With Great Thank You Presentation Slides)

Earlier in this tutorial, you saw slides from a template called Agency . It features slides that are easily adjusted to thank you slides for your presentation.

It's one of the thousands of presentation templates that are included with a subscription to Envato Elements. This single creative subscription gives you an unlimited number of downloads to PowerPoint templates—and so much more.

Envato Elements category screen

Elements has everything you need to make an excellent presentation. That includes unlimited stock photos and graphics that can add interest to your upcoming PowerPoint presentation.

There's a template out there that can help you kickstart your designs. Try it out to create a thank you slide for your presentation—or one of the alternative slides you saw above.

5 Top PowerPoint Templates From Envato Elements

Envato Elements features a deep library of top templates. Here are five of the best PowerPoint designs that are waiting for your customizations:

1. Colorful PowerPoint Template

Colorful PowerPoint template

As you're wrapping up your presentation, finish with a splash of color. Thank you slides for presentations (or alternatives) should be eye-catching. This template helps you cover that with 32 unique slides—all vibrant and stunning in design.

2. Deas PowerPoint Template

Deas PowerPoint template

There are several thank you slide for your presentation in this template. Use the five color schemes to create your best presentation yet. It's easy to update and has the stylish slides that are ready for 2020.

3. Lookbook PowerPoint Template

Lookbook PowerPoint template

A lookbook is a great way to sample many ideas. With the Lookbook template, you've more than enough ideas for your PowerPoint presentation. Use these slide designs to conclude your presentation effectively. Clean and minimal slides are sure to draw your viewer's attention.

4. Collection PowerPoint Template

Collection PowerPoint template

Here's another outstanding minimal design for your presentation. You've got 30 slides across five color schemes for a practically unlimited number of slide design possibilities. It also features the modern, custom shaped image placeholders that wow an audience. Conclude your presentation effectively with Collection.

5. Bears - PowerPoint Template

Rounding out our selections, Bears is a geometric-inspired presentation. Notice the impressively shaped image masks. Add your images to the placeholders to watch them come to life into custom shapes.

Build an Effective Last Slide of Your Presentation

"Thank you" slides for presentations can create a solid finish. They signal a clear end and show a sense of gratitude toward your audience. Thank you PowerPoint slides continue to be the most popular choice.

But, remember: a "thank you" slide for your presentation may not be the best choice . There are certain situations where they work perfectly as the last slide of a presentation, sure. But if you want to start a conversation or call your audience to action, choose another option.

With the help of a PowerPoint template, you've got pre-built " thank yous " for presentation slides. Don't forget to try out a template from Envato Elements if you want to use the perfect pre-built end slide. Why not download one today?

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in November of 2019. It's been updated and a video has been added by Andrew Childress .

Andrew Childress

Create an account

Create a free IEA account to download our reports or subcribe to a paid service.

Net Zero by 2050

A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector

how to end a presentation slide

This report is part of Net Zero Emissions

About this report

The number of countries announcing pledges to achieve net zero emissions over the coming decades continues to grow. But the pledges by governments to date – even if fully achieved – fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 and give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C. This special report is the world’s first comprehensive study of how to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050 while ensuring stable and affordable energy supplies, providing universal energy access, and enabling robust economic growth. It sets out a cost-effective and economically productive pathway, resulting in a clean, dynamic and resilient energy economy dominated by renewables like solar and wind instead of fossil fuels. The report also examines key uncertainties, such as the roles of bioenergy, carbon capture and behavioural changes in reaching net zero.

Summary for policy makers

Reaching net zero emissions globally by 2050 is a critical and formidable goal.

The energy sector is the source of around three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions today and holds the key to averting the worst effects of climate change, perhaps the greatest challenge humankind has faced. Reducing global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions to net zero by 2050 is consistent with efforts to limit the long-term increase in average global temperatures to 1.5˚C. This calls for nothing less than a complete transformation of how we produce, transport and consume energy. The growing political consensus on reaching net zero is cause for considerable optimism about the progress the world can make, but the changes required to reach net zero emissions globally by 2050 are poorly understood. A huge amount of work is needed to turn today’s impressive ambitions into reality, especially given the range of different situations among countries and their differing capacities to make the necessary changes. This special IEA report sets out a pathway for achieving this goal, resulting in a clean and resilient energy system that would bring major benefits for human prosperity and well-being.

The global pathway to net zero emissions by 2050 detailed in this report requires all governments to significantly strengthen and then successfully implement their energy and climate policies. Commitments made to date fall far short of what is required by that pathway. The number of countries that have pledged to achieve net zero emissions has grown rapidly over the last year and now covers around 70% of global emissions of CO 2 . This is a huge step forward. However, most pledges are not yet underpinned by near-term policies and measures. Moreover, even if successfully fulfilled, the pledges to date would still leave around 22 billion tonnes of CO 2 emissions worldwide in 2050. The continuation of that trend would be consistent with a temperature rise in 2100 of around 2.1 °C. Global emissions fell in 2020 because of the Covid-19 crisis but are already rebounding strongly as economies recover. Further delay in acting to reverse that trend will put net zero by 2050 out of reach.

In this Summary for Policy Makers, we outline the essential conditions for the global energy sector to reach net zero CO 2 emissions by 2050. The pathway described in depth in this report achieves this objective with no offsets from outside the energy sector, and with low reliance on negative emissions technologies. It is designed to maximise technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness and social acceptance while ensuring continued economic growth and secure energy supplies. We highlight the priority actions that are needed today to ensure the opportunity of net zero by 2050 – narrow but still achievable – is not lost. The report provides a global view, but countries do not start in the same place or finish at the same time: advanced economies have to reach net zero before emerging markets and developing economies, and assist others in getting there. We also recognise that the route mapped out here is a path, not necessarily the path, and so we examine some key uncertainties, notably concerning the roles played by bioenergy, carbon capture and behavioural changes. Getting to net zero will involve countless decisions by people across the world, but our primary aim is to inform the decisions made by policy makers, who have the greatest scope to move the world closer to its climate goals.

Net zero by 2050 hinges on an unprecedented clean technology push to 2030

The path to net zero emissions is narrow: staying on it requires immediate and massive deployment of all available clean and efficient energy technologies. In the net zero emissions pathway presented in this report, the world economy in 2030 is some 40% larger than today but uses 7% less energy. A major worldwide push to increase energy efficiency is an essential part of these efforts, resulting in the annual rate of energy intensity improvements averaging 4% to 2030 – about three-times the average rate achieved over the last two decades. Emissions reductions from the energy sector are not limited to CO 2 : in our pathway, methane emissions from fossil fuel supply fall by 75% over the next ten years as a result of a global, concerted effort to deploy all available abatement measures and technologies.

Ever-cheaper renewable energy technologies give electricity the edge in the race to zero. Our pathway calls for scaling up solar and wind rapidly this decade, reaching annual additions of 630 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) and 390 GW of wind by 2030, four-times the record levels set in 2020. For solar PV, this is equivalent to installing the world’s current largest solar park roughly every day. Hydropower and nuclear, the two largest sources of low-carbon electricity today, provide an essential foundation for transitions. As the electricity sector becomes cleaner, electrification emerges as a crucial economy-wide tool for reducing emissions. Electric vehicles (EVs) go from around 5% of global car sales to more than 60% by 2030.  

Priority action: Make the 2020s the decade of massive clean energy expansion

All the technologies needed to achieve the necessary deep cuts in global emissions by 2030 already exist, and the policies that can drive their deployment are already proven.

As the world continues to grapple with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential that the resulting wave of investment and spending to support economic recovery is aligned with the net zero pathway. Policies should be strengthened to speed the deployment of clean and efficient energy technologies. Mandates and standards are vital to drive consumer spending and industry investment into the most efficient technologies. Targets and competitive auctions can enable wind and solar to accelerate the electricity sector transition. Fossil fuel subsidy phase-outs, carbon pricing and other market reforms can ensure appropriate price signals. Policies should limit or provide disincentives for the use of certain fuels and technologies, such as unabated coal-fired power stations, gas boilers and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. Governments must lead the planning and incentivising of the massive infrastructure investment, including in smart transmission and distribution grids.

Electric car sales in the net zero pathway, 2020-2030

Capacity additions of solar pv and wind in the net zero pathway, 2020-2030, energy intensity of gdp in the net zero pathway, 2020-2030, net zero by 2050 requires huge leaps in clean energy innovation.

Reaching net zero by 2050 requires further rapid deployment of available technologies as well as widespread use of technologies that are not on the market yet. Major innovation efforts must occur over this decade in order to bring these new technologies to market in time. Most of the global reductions in CO 2 emissions through 2030 in our pathway come from technologies readily available today. But in 2050, almost half the reductions come from technologies that are currently at the demonstration or prototype phase. In heavy industry and long-distance transport, the share of emissions reductions from technologies that are still under development today is even higher.

The biggest innovation opportunities concern advanced batteries, hydrogen electrolysers, and direct air capture and storage. Together, these three technology areas make vital contributions the reductions in CO 2 emissions between 2030 and 2050 in our pathway. Innovation over the next ten years – not only through research and development (R&D) and demonstration but also through deployment – needs to be accompanied by the large-scale construction of the infrastructure the technologies will need. This includes new pipelines to transport captured CO 2 emissions and systems to move hydrogen around and between ports and industrial zones.

Priority action: Prepare for the next phase of the transition by boosting innovation

Clean energy innovation must accelerate rapidly, with governments putting R&D, demonstration and deployment at the core of energy and climate policy.

Government R&D spending needs to be increased and reprioritised. Critical areas such as electrification, hydrogen, bioenergy and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) today receive only around one-third of the level of public R&D funding of the more established low-carbon electricity generation and energy efficiency technologies. Support is also needed to accelerate the roll-out of demonstration projects, to leverage private investment in R&D, and to boost overall deployment levels to help reduce costs. Around USD 90 billion of public money needs to be mobilised globally as soon as possible to complete a portfolio of demonstration projects before 2030. Currently, only roughly USD 25 billion is budgeted for that period. Developing and deploying these technologies would create major new industries, as well as commercial and employment opportunities.

Annual CO2 emissions savings in the net zero pathway, 2030 and 2050, relative to 2020

The transition to net zero is for and about people.

A transition of the scale and speed described by the net zero pathway cannot be achieved without sustained support and participation from citizens. The changes will affect multiple aspects of people’s lives – from transport, heating and cooking to urban planning and jobs. We estimate that around 55% of the cumulative emissions reductions in the pathway are linked to consumer choices such as purchasing an EV, retrofitting a house with energy-efficient technologies or installing a heat pump. Behavioural changes, particularly in advanced economies – such as replacing car trips with walking, cycling or public transport, or foregoing a long-haul flight – also provide around 4% of the cumulative emissions reductions.

Providing electricity to around 785 million people that have no access and clean cooking solutions to 2.6 billion people that lack those options is an integral part of our pathway. Emissions reductions have to go hand-in-hand with efforts to ensure energy access for all by 2030. This costs around USD 40 billion a year, equal to around 1% of average annual energy sector investment, while also bringing major co-benefits from reduced indoor air pollution.

Some of the changes brought by the clean energy transformation may be challenging to implement, so decisions must be transparent, just and cost-effective. Governments need to ensure that clean energy transitions are people-centred and inclusive. Household energy expenditure as a share of disposable income – including purchases of efficient appliances and fuel bills – rises modestly in emerging market and developing economies in our net zero pathway as more people gain access to energy and demand for modern energy services increases rapidly. Ensuring the affordability of energy for households demands close attention: policy tools that can direct support to the poorest include tax credits, loans and targeted subsidies.

Priority action: Clean energy jobs will grow strongly but must be spread widely

Energy transitions have to take account of the social and economic impacts on individuals and communities, and treat people as active participants.

The transition to net zero brings substantial new opportunities for employment, with 14 million jobs created by 2030 in our pathway thanks to new activities and investment in clean energy. Spending on more efficient appliances, electric and fuel cell vehicles, and building retrofits and energy-efficient construction would require a further 16 million workers. But these opportunities are often in different locations, skill sets and sectors than the jobs that will be lost as fossil fuels decline. In our pathway, around 5 million jobs are lost. Most of those jobs are located close to fossil fuel resources, and many are well paid, meaning structural changes can cause shocks for communities with impacts that persist over time. This requires careful policy attention to address the employment losses. It will be vital to minimise hardships associated with these disruptions, such as by retraining workers, locating new clean energy facilities in heavily affected areas wherever possible, and providing regional aid.

Global employment in energy supply in the Net Zero Scenario, 2019-2030

An energy sector dominated by renewables.

In the net zero pathway, global energy demand in 2050 is around 8% smaller than today, but it serves an economy more than twice as big and a population with 2 billion more people. More efficient use of energy, resource efficiency and behavioural changes combine to offset increases in demand for energy services as the world economy grows and access to energy is extended to all.

Instead of fossil fuels, the energy sector is based largely on renewable energy. Two-thirds of total energy supply in 2050 is from wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal and hydro energy. Solar becomes the largest source, accounting for one-fifth of energy supplies. Solar PV capacity increases 20-fold between now and 2050, and wind power 11-fold.

Net zero means a huge decline in the use of fossil fuels. They fall from almost four-fifths of total energy supply today to slightly over one-fifth by 2050. Fossil fuels that remain in 2050 are used in goods where the carbon is embodied in the product such as plastics, in facilities fitted with CCUS, and in sectors where low-emissions technology options are scarce.

Electricity accounts for almost 50% of total energy consumption in 2050. It plays a key role across all sectors – from transport and buildings to industry – and is essential to produce low-emissions fuels such as hydrogen. To achieve this, total electricity generation increases over two-and-a-half-times between today and 2050. At the same time, no additional new final investment decisions should be taken for new unabated coal plants, the least efficient coal plants are phased out by 2030, and the remaining coal plants still in use by 2040 are retrofitted. By 2050, almost 90% of electricity generation comes from renewable sources, with wind and solar PV together accounting for nearly 70%. Most of the remainder comes from nuclear.    

Emissions from industry, transport and buildings take longer to reduce. Cutting industry emissions by 95% by 2050 involves major efforts to build new infrastructure. After rapid innovation progress through R&D, demonstration and initial deployment between now and 2030 to bring new clean technologies to market, the world then has to put them into action. Every month from 2030 onwards, ten heavy industrial plants are equipped with CCUS, three new hydrogen-based industrial plants are built, and 2 GW of electrolyser capacity are added at industrial sites. Policies that end sales of new internal combustion engine cars by 2035 and boost electrification underpin the massive reduction in transport emissions. In 2050, cars on the road worldwide run on electricity or fuel cells. Low-emissions fuels are essential where energy needs cannot easily or economically be met by electricity. For example, aviation relies largely on biofuels and synthetic fuels, and ammonia is vital for shipping. In buildings, bans on new fossil fuel boilers need to start being introduced globally in 2025, driving up sales of electric heat pumps. Most old buildings and all new ones comply with zero-carbon-ready building energy codes. 1

Priority action: Set near-term milestones to get on track for long-term targets

Governments need to provide credible step-by-step plans to reach their net zero goals, building confidence among investors, industry, citizens and other countries.

Governments must put in place long-term policy frameworks to allow all branches of government and stakeholders to plan for change and facilitate an orderly transition. Long-term national low-emissions strategies, called for by the Paris Agreement, can set out a vision for national transitions, as this report has done on a global level. These long-term objectives need to be linked to measurable short-term targets and policies. Our pathway details more than 400 sectoral and technology milestones to guide the global journey to net zero by 2050.  

Iea Net Zero Milestone Figure Web

There is no need for investment in new fossil fuel supply in our net zero pathway

Beyond projects already committed as of 2021, there are no new oil and gas fields approved for development in our pathway, and no new coal mines or mine extensions are required. The unwavering policy focus on climate change in the net zero pathway results in a sharp decline in fossil fuel demand, meaning that the focus for oil and gas producers switches entirely to output – and emissions reductions – from the operation of existing assets. Unabated coal demand declines by 98% to just less than 1% of total energy use in 2050. Gas demand declines by 55% to 1 750 billion cubic metres and oil declines by 75% to 24 million barrels per day (mb/d), from around 90 mb/d in 2020.

Clean electricity generation, network infrastructure and end-use sectors are key areas for increased investment. Enabling infrastructure and technologies are vital for transforming the energy system. Annual investment in transmission and distribution grids expands from USD 260 billion today to USD 820 billion in 2030. The number of public charging points for EVs rises from around 1 million today to 40 million in 2030, requiring annual investment of almost USD 90 billion in 2030. Annual battery production for EVs leaps from 160 gigawatt-hours (GWh) today to 6 600 GWh in 2030 – the equivalent of adding almost 20 gigafactories 2  each year for the next ten years. And the required roll-out of hydrogen and CCUS after 2030 means laying the groundwork now: annual investment in CO 2 pipelines and hydrogen-enabling infrastructure increases from USD 1 billion today to around USD 40 billion in 2030.

Priority action: Drive a historic surge in clean energy investment

Policies need to be designed to send market signals that unlock new business models and mobilise private spending, especially in emerging economies.

Accelerated delivery of international public finance will be critical to energy transitions, especially in developing economies, but ultimately the private sector will need to finance most of the extra investment required. Mobilising the capital for large-scale infrastructure calls for closer co operation between developers, investors, public financial institutions and governments. Reducing risks for investors will be essential to ensure successful and affordable clean energy transitions. Many emerging market and developing economies, which rely mainly on public funding for new energy projects and industrial facilities, will need to reform their policy and regulatory frameworks to attract more private finance. International flows of long-term capital to these economies will be needed to support the development of both existing and emerging clean energy technologies.

Clean energy investment in the net zero pathway, 2016-2050

An unparalleled clean energy investment boom lifts global economic growth.

Total annual energy investment surges to USD 5 trillion by 2030, adding an extra 0.4 percentage point a year to annual global GDP growth, based on our joint analysis with the International Monetary Fund. This unparalleled increase – with investment in clean energy and energy infrastructure more than tripling already by 2030 – brings significant economic benefits as the world emerges from the Covid-19 crisis. The jump in private and government spending creates millions of jobs in clean energy, including energy efficiency, as well as in the engineering, manufacturing and construction industries. All of this puts global GDP 4% higher in 2030 than it would be based on current trends.

Governments have a key role in enabling investment-led growth and ensuring that the benefits are shared by all. There are large differences in macroeconomic impacts between regions. But government investment and public policies are essential to attract large amounts of private capital and to help offset the declines in fossil fuel income that many countries will experience. The major innovation efforts needed to bring new clean energy technologies to market could boost productivity and create entirely new industries, providing opportunities to locate them in areas that see job losses in incumbent industries. Improvements in air quality provide major health benefits, with 2 million fewer premature deaths globally from air pollution in 2030 than today in our net zero pathway. Achieving universal energy access by 2030 would provide a major boost to well-being and productivity in developing economies.

New energy security concerns emerge, and old ones remain

The contraction of oil and natural gas production will have far-reaching implications for all the countries and companies that produce these fuels. No new oil and natural gas fields are needed in our pathway, and oil and natural gas supplies become increasingly concentrated in a small number of low-cost producers. For oil, the OPEC share of a much-reduced global oil supply increases from around 37% in recent years to 52% in 2050, a level higher than at any point in the history of oil markets. Yet annual per capita income from oil and natural gas in producer economies falls by about 75%, from USD 1 800 in recent years to USD 450 by the 2030s, which could have knock-on societal effects. Structural reforms and new sources of revenue are needed, even though these are unlikely to compensate fully for the drop in oil and gas income. While traditional supply activities decline, the expertise of the oil and natural gas industry fits well with technologies such as hydrogen, CCUS and offshore wind that are needed to tackle emissions in sectors where reductions are likely to be most challenging.

The energy transition requires substantial quantities of critical minerals, and their supply emerges as a significant growth area. The total market size of critical minerals like copper, cobalt, manganese and various rare earth metals grows almost sevenfold between 2020 and 2030 in the net zero pathway. Revenues from those minerals are larger than revenues from coal well before 2030. This creates substantial new opportunities for mining companies. It also creates new energy security concerns, including price volatility and additional costs for transitions, if supply cannot keep up with burgeoning demand.

The rapid electrification of all sectors makes electricity even more central to energy security around the world than it is today. Electricity system flexibility – needed to balance wind and solar with evolving demand patterns – quadruples by 2050 even as retirements of fossil fuel capacity reduce conventional sources of flexibility. The transition calls for major increases in all sources of flexibility: batteries, demand response and low-carbon flexible power plants, supported by smarter and more digital electricity networks. The resilience of electricity systems to cyberattacks and other emerging threats needs to be enhanced.

Priority action: Address emerging energy security risks now

Ensuring uninterrupted and reliable supplies of energy and critical energy-related commodities at affordable prices will only rise in importance on the way to net zero.

The focus of energy security will evolve as reliance on renewable electricity grows and the role of oil and gas diminishes. Potential vulnerabilities from the increasing importance of electricity include the variability of supply and cybersecurity risks. Governments need to create markets for investment in batteries, digital solutions and electricity grids that reward flexibility and enable adequate and reliable supplies of electricity. The growing dependence on critical minerals required for key clean energy technologies calls for new international mechanisms to ensure both the timely availability of supplies and sustainable production. At the same time, traditional energy security concerns will not disappear, as oil production will become more concentrated.

Critical minerals demand in the net zero pathway, 2020-2050

Oil supply in the net zero pathway, 2020-2050, international co-operation is pivotal for achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Making net zero emissions a reality hinges on a singular, unwavering focus from all governments – working together with one another, and with businesses, investors and citizens. All stakeholders need to play their part. The wide-ranging measures adopted by governments at all levels in the net zero pathway help to frame, influence and incentivise the purchase by consumers and investment by businesses. This includes how energy companies invest in new ways of producing and supplying energy services, how businesses invest in equipment, and how consumers cool and heat their homes, power their devices and travel.

Underpinning all these changes are policy decisions made by governments. Devising cost-effective national and regional net zero roadmaps demands co-operation among all parts of government that breaks down silos and integrates energy into every country’s policy making on finance, labour, taxation, transport and industry. Energy or environment ministries alone cannot carry out the policy actions needed to reach net zero by 2050.

Changes in energy consumption result in a significant decline in fossil fuel tax revenues. In many countries today, taxes on diesel, gasoline and other fossil fuel consumption are an important source of public revenues, providing as much as 10% in some cases. In the net zero pathway, tax revenue from oil and gas retail sales falls by about 40% between 2020 and 2030. Managing this decline will require long-term fiscal planning and budget reforms.

The net zero pathway relies on unprecedented international co-operation among governments, especially on innovation and investment. The IEA stands ready to support governments in preparing national and regional net zero roadmaps, to provide guidance and assistance in implementing them, and to promote international co-operation to accelerate the energy transition worldwide. 

Priority action: Take international co-operation to new heights

This is not simply a matter of all governments seeking to bring their national emissions to net zero – it means tackling global challenges through co-ordinated actions.

Governments must work together in an effective and mutually beneficial manner to implement coherent measures that cross borders. This includes carefully managing domestic job creation and local commercial advantages with the collective global need for clean energy technology deployment. Accelerating innovation, developing international standards and co-ordinating to scale up clean technologies needs to be done in a way that links national markets. Co-operation must recognise differences in the stages of development of different countries and the varying situations of different parts of society. For many rich countries, achieving net zero emissions will be more difficult and costly without international co-operation. For many developing countries, the pathway to net zero without international assistance is not clear. Technical and financial support is needed to ensure deployment of key technologies and infrastructure. Without greater international co-operation, global CO 2 emissions will not fall to net zero by 2050. 

Global energy-related CO2 emissions in the net zero pathway and Low International Cooperation Case, 2010-2090

A zero-carbon-ready building is highly energy efficient and either uses renewable energy directly or uses an energy supply that will be fully decarbonised by 2050, such as electricity or district heat.

Battery gigafactory capacity assumption = 35 gigawatt-hours per year.

Reference 1

Reference 2, related net zero reports.

Related files

Executive summaries.

  • English Download "English"
  • Italian Download "Italian"

Full report translations

  • Chinese Download "Chinese"
  • Polish Download "Polish"

Additional downloads

  • Launch presentation Download "Launch presentation"
  • The need for net zero demonstration projects Download "The need for net zero demonstration projects"

Cite report

IEA (2021), Net Zero by 2050 , IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050, Licence: CC BY 4.0

Share this report

  • Share on Twitter Twitter
  • Share on Facebook Facebook
  • Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn
  • Share on Email Email
  • Share on Print Print

Subscription successful

Thank you for subscribing. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any IEA newsletter.

COMMENTS

  1. 30 Examples: How to Conclude a Presentation (Effective Closing Techniques)

    30 Example Phrases: How to Conclude a Presentation. 1. "In summary, let's revisit the key takeaways from today's presentation.". 2. "Thank you for your attention. Let's move forward together.". 3. "That brings us to the end. I'm open to any questions you may have.".

  2. 6 Ways to Close Your Presentation With Style (& Tools to Use)

    But how you end it can make all the difference in your presentation's overall impact. Here are some ways to ensure you end powerfully: Way #1: Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA) Way #2: Don't End With a Q&A. Way #3: End With a Memorable Quote. Way #4: Close With a Story. Way #5: Drive Your Main Points Home.

  3. How to End a Presentation with Punch (17 Techniques)

    Learn 17 different ways to end your presentation with impact, such as call to action, story, rhetorical question, power of 3, and more. See examples, tips, and slides for each technique.

  4. How to End Your PowerPoint Presentation With a Strong Close

    Learn how to end a PowerPoint presentation with a strong close that inspires action. Watch this screencast and get tips from experts.

  5. Master Guide on How to End a Presentation Like a Pro

    Include a Call to Action (CTA) - The purpose of every presentation is to inspire the audience to act, whether it can be to provide feedback, buy a product, etc. Don't assume they will do it. Instead, ask them to do it. Use powerful words like "let's start the journey" Join the war.". Useful expressions to introduce your CTA:

  6. A Guide to Crafting Powerful Endings in Presentations

    How to End the Presentation Correctly. Implement Slide Transitions Effectively; Explore the various slide transition options available in presentation software. Thoughtful transitions can create a seamless flow between slides, enhancing the overall visual appeal of your conclusion. Choose transitions that complement your presentation style ...

  7. Tips to End an Incredible Presentation

    8. End on a High Note. Try to end your presentation with something uplifting or inspirational. It could be a hopeful outlook towards the future, a funny yet relevant joke, or an exciting reveal related to your topic. Ending positively can boost the audience's mood and satisfaction with your presentation. 9.

  8. 8 Tips On How To End A Presentation Successfully

    The Following are eight best ways to end a presentation with a bang. Summarize the Salient Message. ... Remember, don't introduce new information in your final presentation slide. Regardless of how you start a presentation, this method works. You can give a new perspective on a statistic, change the ending of a story, or deliver the punchline ...

  9. How to End Your Presentation Like a Master

    Ask a Great Question. A great way to get someone's attention is to ask them a question. When we hear questions posed, our neocortex is stimulated. This is powerful because the minute you ask a question, human brains are wired to try and answer it. And, the more provocative the question, the bigger of a response you will get.

  10. How to End a Presentation: Vital Tips to be Unforgettable

    MOVING THE AUDIENCE. MacArthur knows that the last words of the speech are vital for one reason: that's when the audience decides what to do with the message it's just been given. The opening can't do that, because the audience doesn't know message yet. The middle of the speech can't do it, because that's where the message is being ...

  11. The Complete Guide to Closing a Presentation

    2. It Should be Urgent - A lengthy timeline for your "need" is going to cause people to procrastinate and eventually forget your call to action. Make them feel as if they should be getting out their computers and wallets and cell phones the moment after the presentation ends. 3.

  12. Ending Powerpoint Presentations: How to End on Last Slide

    Yes, you can manually end the presentation on the last slide, but Kiosk mode automates the process. Summary. Set Up Slide Show; Choose 'Browsed at a kiosk (full screen)' Uncheck 'Loop continuously until 'Esc" Save Your PowerPoint; Conclusion. Congratulations! You now know how to end your PowerPoint presentation on the last slide.

  13. How to End Your Presentation: Tips for Your Grand Finale

    Learn how to summarize, show a sneak peek, use quotes, emotions, and involve your audience to end your presentation with impact. Find free Google Slides and PowerPoint templates for different topics and purposes.

  14. How To End A Presentation & Leave A Lasting Impression

    Let's explore the intricacies of a powerful ending, effective techniques, elements for a conclusion slide, real-life examples, common mistakes to avoid, FAQs, and a tutorial on creating a memorable presentation using Appy Pie. ... 5 Real-Life Exceptional Examples of How To End A Presentation.

  15. The 3 Most Powerful Ways to End a Presentation

    The listeners must have the feeling you are really finished. So look at them after your last words and nod smiling. Practice your last words. Write them out. Ask someone to judge your closing statement. The way you end your presentation is a critical factor in the success of the message you have just delivered.

  16. How to End a Presentation Effectively in Any Situation

    5 Practice and refine. The final step to ending a presentation well is to practice and refine your ending. You want to make sure that your ending is clear, concise, and confident. You also want to ...

  17. 6 Big Don'ts While Ending a Presentation (& What to do Instead)

    Give context to the essential points while summarising them, and show the audience how they support your primary argument. 3. Don't let the audience disengage from the presentation. As the presentation is ending, the audience starts getting tired. Irrespective of the topic, the listeners tend to disengage by the end and partially zone out the ...

  18. How to Close a Presentation

    Following are five suggestions, in order to avoid the dreaded "Any Questions" slide. 1. The simplest way to end a speech, after you've finished the content part, is to say, "thank you ...

  19. 6 Ideas to Close a Medical Presentation

    For every Presentation: End with a call to action. You should end every medical presentation with a call to action. In that way you will be sure that the presentation was a success. Only make your call to action when you know that every question and concern in the room has been taken care of. The process of calling for action itself involves a ...

  20. Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

    Mission. The Purdue On-Campus Writing Lab and Purdue Online Writing Lab assist clients in their development as writers—no matter what their skill level—with on-campus consultations, online participation, and community engagement. The Purdue Writing Lab serves the Purdue, West Lafayette, campus and coordinates with local literacy initiatives.

  21. How to End Your PowerPoint Presentation With a Strong Close

    Learn how to end your PowerPoint presentation with different techniques for persuasive, informative, decision-driven and introductory presentations. See examples of attractive final slides and tips to avoid common mistakes.

  22. Clone Slide to End within Same Presentation

    By following these steps, you can easily clone a slide to the end of the same presentation using Aspose.Slides for Java. This powerful library makes it a breeze to work with PowerPoint presentations programmatically. Whether you're automating report generation or building a dynamic presentation tool, Aspose.Slides has got you covered. FAQ's

  23. 10 Powerful Examples Of How To End A Presentation

    Sales Presentations; Slide Decks; Blog; Contact. Contact; By Illiya Vjestica -January 23, 2023 ; 10 Powerful Examples of How to Conclude a Presentation. Here are 10 powerful examples to how to end adenine presentation that does not end with one thank you slide.

  24. Introducing myself. Free PPT & Google Slides Template

    These Introducing Myself slides are cheerful and bold. We chose a vibrant color scheme of orange, blue, yellow and red to make heads turn. There is plenty of space for adding text about yourself and uploading your favorite photos. You'll also find slides for fun facts, hobbies, pets, family and other details to make yourself more familiar to ...

  25. 10 Powerful Examples of How to End a Presentation

    Learn 10 powerful examples of how to end a presentation without using "thank you" or "any questions". Find out how to create a call to action, summarise key points, inspire, persuade or challenge your audience with your final slide.

  26. Microsoft Teams help & learning

    Sign in to Teams. What's new in Teams. Record a meeting. Delete a chat. Find and join a team. Change your status. Manage your notifications. Change your meeting background. Reduce background noise in a meeting.

  27. Adobe Connect

    Welcome to the real virtual. Adobe Connect gives you complete control over your virtual sessions, with the ability to create stunning, custom experiences. Adobe Connect helps deliver engaging training and learning sessions, highly customized, branded, and engagement-led webinars, as well as reliable, personalized, high-quality meetings.

  28. Using a Thank You Slide to End Your Presentation (+Video)

    Learn when to use a thank you slide and when to avoid it in your PowerPoint presentations. Discover three creative ways to end your presentation with a question, a call to action, or a summary slide.

  29. Net Zero by 2050

    The number of countries announcing pledges to achieve net zero emissions over the coming decades continues to grow. But the pledges by governments to date - even if fully achieved - fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 and give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C.