How to provoke action at the end of a presentation

The end of a presentation can seem very much like falling off a cliff: you’ve got some solid content that you tread through, then suddenly there’s nothing.

You stand there at the end of the middle of your presentation, asking awkwardly, “Any questions?”. Any certitude you had during your talk is replaced by doubt. The audience will remember your hesitancy more than the message.

One way to avoid your key takeways being forgotten is through repetition. In presentation skills training, participants are nearly always wary of repetition. They overrate audience recall – and their own, for that matter.

That’s because of our cognitive load. This emphasises the capacity of our working memory, as opposed to the infinite capacity of long-term memory. Research has shown that we’ll remember only three to five separate items in a presentation, and only if that information is memorable and clear. Since technical presentations are likely to be as clear as mud, especially when presenting to a mixed audience, very little will be remembered.

Without any repetition of the body of your presentions, ending on a meek ‘Any Questions’, means you lose the chance to:

1. Be remembered (for the right reasons) and
2. Incite any action (other to a large source of caffeine)

Also, it’s the law of sod that if you’re pressed for time and ask for questions, someone will take 5 minutes trying to ask theirs, while everyone is packing their bags and leaving. Not the electrifying conclusion you were wanting.

So, let’s brush up your presentation closings so that you drive action.

Your Structure for Action

The Conclusion comprises five parts, as follows:

1. Summary of the middle: this summary is headlines only. You don’t need detail. For example, a portion of a talk by an Architect might be on construction challenges due to design. The summary of that part will be stripped down to no more than a simple sentence or phrase, such as:

“We looked at how the design materials were switched from steel to graphene for load bearing.” They may then add, “We explored design features that integrated functional simplicity.”

The other two points are compacted into the last sentence. That’s how little you need to say. There should be no detail, no explanations or examples as that would have been covered in the body. (If you’re an Architect, take this example lightly. I have only my imagination in the absence of architectural know-how.)

You do not add new information in this section.

2. Repeat the Key Message: this is also known as the WIIFM: This is your cherished key message. This represents the benefit to the audience, answering their why, around which your message revolves. A rephrase is just as effective as a repeat. Sometimes, we near to hear the information in another way before it strikes home.

3. Ask for Questions: at this point, you can invite questions. If there are none, you can ask, “You’re probably thinking ‘What’s next?’, then give them the next part, which is the Call to Action.

4. Call to Action: be Accurate with the Action: Have a clear specific call to action.

Wishy-washy calls to action are unlikely to get your audience moving. Be precise.  When software company FROGED changed their vague Call to Action (CTA) from ‘Learn More’ to ‘View Pricing, conversion to paying customers jumped by 20%. This works because it reflects user intent: they want immediate access to information and pricing. Although that may be true of a website, it’s also true of presentations.

Example Calls to Action:

Spread the word: encourage your audience to share your message.

Approve (the proposal): urge decision-makers to endorse a proposal.

Choose (the option that…): drive them to show their preferences now that you’ve presented the arguments.

Log on to…: instantly direct them to a signup form, questionnaire or other digital platform.

Support: state exactly how this support is to be expressed e.g. sign a petition, give funding, mentor someone.

Share: clarity is key so state what the share is: information, resources?

Discover: invite a revelation of new opportunities.

Grab (the deal, the brochure…): provide tangible resources, such as brochures, that summarize key points and offer additional details for further exploration. If it’s a product, state how they are to acquire it and by when.

Consider (the options, doing x in this way…): prompt participants to weigh up options, possibly before a discussion.

Apply for / to / a method: promote precise action.

Implement / Do: just do it!

5. Rallying Closure

Use techniques such as:

•  a rhetorical question,
• quote or
• ‘So What’ Statement, that I’ve used when training TEDx Speakers, a deeper and extended version of the WIIFM.

The structure of the Conclusion – in a nutshell:

To ensure your talk ends strongly AND sticks in the minds of your listeners, use this structure:

1. Summary of the Middle – headlines only. Don’t add new information.
2. Reinforce the Key Message – summarise your main points concisely, integrating the key message;
3. Ask for Questions – if there are none, say: “So you’ll probably wondering what to do next.”
4. Action Step – provide a clear next step
5. Rallying Closure – end on a motivational note.

Your Action:

Next time you’ve a presentation or a talk, apply the structure in the previous section.

A strong conclusion will give your words more weight….and who wouldn’t want that?!

Aiming to make your presentations matter? If you want to take your public speaking to the next level, look at my presentation skills training. You’ll be remembered for the right reasons, boost your credibility and open up opportunities. Be less vanilla and more THRILLER.

Get in touch with me here for a free 15-minute Discovery Call.

This article was originally written in 2019 and was completely rewritten in May 2025.

Picture courtesy of gratisography.com