closing statement of a speech

Closing Remarks for Speech

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Closing remarks are the concluding part of a Speech where the speaker wraps up their presentation. This section typically summarizes the key points discussed, reinforces the main message, and leaves the audience with a final thought or call to action. Closing remarks are important as they provide a sense of closure and can have a lasting impact on the audience.

What is Closing Remarks for Speech?

Closing remarks are the final statements in a speech, where the speaker brings everything to a conclusion. This part of the speech is designed to recap the main points, emphasize the central message, and offer a final takeaway for the audience. It ensures that the speech ends on a strong note, leaving a lasting impression on the listeners.

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Closing Remarks for Speech Format

1. summarize key points.

Briefly recap the main ideas or arguments presented in your speech. Example : “Today, we discussed the importance of time management, practical strategies to implement it, and the benefits it brings.”

2. Reinforce the Main Message

Emphasize the core message or takeaway you want the audience to remember. Example: “Remember, effective time management is crucial for reducing stress, increasing productivity, and achieving your goals.”

3. Call to Action

Encourage the audience to take specific actions or steps based on your speech. Example: “I encourage each of you to start using a planner, set specific goals, and tackle your most important tasks first.”

4. Thank the Audience

Express gratitude for their time and attention. Example: “Thank you all for your attention and engagement today.”

5. End with a Memorable Closing

Finish with a powerful quote, a thought-provoking statement, or an inspiring note. Example: “As the saying goes, ‘The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.’ Make the most of your time and steer your life towards success.”

Closing Remarks for Speech Example

Today, we’ve explored the importance of effective time management, discussed practical strategies to implement it, and highlighted the numerous benefits it brings. Remember, managing your time well is crucial for reducing stress, increasing productivity, and achieving your goals.   I encourage each of you to start using a planner, set specific goals, and tackle your most important tasks first. By doing so, you will take control of your time and pave the way for a more balanced and successful life.   Thank you all for your attention and engagement today. As the saying goes, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Make the most of your time and steer your life towards success. Thank you!

Short Closing Remarks for Speech Example

Today, we explored the importance of effective time management and practical strategies to achieve it. Remember, managing your time well reduces stress, increases productivity, and helps you reach your goals.   I encourage you to start using a planner, set specific goals, and tackle your most important tasks first.   Thank you for your attention. As the saying goes, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” Make the most of your time and steer your life towards success. Thank you!  

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How to Write Closing Remarks for Speech

Briefly recap the main ideas or arguments presented.

Example: “Today, we discussed the importance of time management, practical strategies to implement it, and the benefits it brings.”

Emphasize the core message or takeaway you want the audience to remember.

Example: “Remember, effective time management is crucial for reducing stress and achieving your goals.”

Encourage the audience to take specific actions based on your speech.

Example: “I encourage you to start using a planner and prioritize your tasks.”

Express gratitude for their time and attention.

Example: “Thank you all for your attention.”

Finish with a powerful quote, a thought-provoking statement, or an inspiring note.

Example: “As the saying goes, ‘The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.’ Make the most of your time.”

Tips to Deliver Closing Remarks for Speech

1. Summarize Key Points : Briefly recap the main ideas discussed in your speech.

2. Reinforce the Main Message : Emphasize the core message you want the audience to remember.

3. Call to Action : Encourage the audience to take specific steps or actions based on your speech.

4. Express Gratitude : Thank the audience for their time and attention.

5. End with a Memorable Closing : Finish with a powerful quote, thought-provoking statement, or inspiring note.

Why are closing remarks important?

They reinforce the message, ensure audience retention, and provide a clear, memorable conclusion.

How should I structure closing remarks?

Summarize key points, thank the audience, and end with a powerful, memorable statement or call to action.

Can I include a quote in my closing remarks?

Yes, a relevant and impactful quote can effectively reinforce your message and leave a lasting impression.

What should I avoid in closing remarks?

Avoid introducing new information, being too lengthy, or ending abruptly without a clear conclusion.

How do I make my closing remarks engaging?

Use a strong, positive tone, include a personal touch or story, and connect emotionally with the audience.

Can humor be part of closing remarks?

Yes, appropriate humor can leave a positive impression and end your speech on a high note.

How long should closing remarks be?

Closing remarks should be concise, typically lasting no more than a few minutes.

What is a call to action in closing remarks?

A call to action urges the audience to take specific steps or actions related to your speech’s message.

Should I thank the audience in my closing remarks?

Yes, thanking the audience shows appreciation and fosters a positive connection.

Can I use a rhetorical question in my closing remarks?

Yes, a rhetorical question can provoke thought and leave the audience reflecting on your message.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

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9 Closing a Speech: End with Power and Let Them Know It is Time to Clap

Open Your Speech With a Bang Close It With a Slam-Dunk Westside Toastmasters

“Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending,” according to poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The first few words of your speech make the audience want to listen and the last few sentences help them decide what they feel about you and your topic. In this chapter, I will explain the function of a conclusion, the format of a conclusion, and I will give you numerous examples of ways to end your speech. Most of this chapter is dedicated to showing you good examples of different types of speech closings. Let’s get started by talking about the purpose of the closing.

A Strong Closing Does Many Things

• Summarizes the points. By restating your points your audience is more likely to remember them.
• Tells the audience when to clap. Let’s face it, it is so awkward when you are done with your speech, and no one claps. Being clear the end is near, relieves the audience of the pressure of wondering if they are clapping at the right time.
• Provides resolution. Your speech should give the audience a sense of resolve or a sense of being challenged.

The Formula for Closing Most Speeches

• Transition statement to ending.
• Review the main points–repeat the thesis.
• If it is a persuasive speech, tell the audience what you want them to do or think.
• Provide a closing statement.

Restate the Thesis

Tell them what you are going to say, say it, tell them what you have said. This speech pattern is useful in most types of speeches because it helps the speaker to remember your key points. As you build your closing, make sure you restate the thesis. A good rule of thumb is to write it in such a way that if the audience were asked to restate the main points, their answer would match closely with your thesis.

EXAMPLE Watch as Stella Young gives her thesis and then restates her thesis at the end of the speech as she wraps up. The thesis of the talk in the introduction: We’ve been sold the lie that disability is a Bad Thing, capital B, capital T. It’s a bad thing, and to live with a disability makes you exceptional. It’s not a bad thing, and it doesn’t make you exceptional. Restates the thesis of the talk at the closing: Disability doesn’t make you exceptional but questioning what you think you know about it does.

Stella Young, I’m not your inspiration, thank you very much. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtPGrLoU5Uk

This next example is from a student’s speech. It is easy to pull out one sentence that clearly summarizes the main points of her speech. Following her summary, she winds the speech down into a thoughtful conclusion and ends with three powerful words.

Now is the time to separate the war on drugs from the war on addiction. T oday you’ve heard the problems, impacts, and solutions of criminalizing addictions. Bruce Callis is 50 years old now. And he is still struggling with his addiction. while you all are sitting out there listening to this, I’m living with it. Bruce Callis is my father and for my entire life, I have watched our misguided system destroy him. The irony here is that we live in a society where we are told to recycle. We recycle paper, aluminum, and electronics. But why don’t we ever consider recycling them most precision think on Earth– the human life. Student Tunnette Powell, Winner of the 2012 Interstate Oratorical Association Contest.

Closing Phrases

After you restate your thesis, you should carefully deliver your closing phrases.  Your closing should provide a resolution to your speech and/or it should challenge the audience. Frantically Speaking writer Hrideep Barot suggests  “a conclusion is like tying a bow or ribbon to a box of your key ideas that your audience will be taking along with them.”

A speech closing is not just about the words you say, but it is also the way you say it. Change the pace near the end of your speech. Let your tone alone should signal the end is near. It is about deliberate voice control, don’t let your voice weakly away.

In the next section, I will cover these ways to end your speech:

End with powerful words End with a quote End with a graphic End with parallel construction End on a positive note End with a challenge End with a question End with inspiration End with well-wishing End with humor End with a call to action End with a feeling of resolve End with a prop

The best way to teach you about advanced closings is to show not tell. For this section, I will briefly explain each type of closing and then provide a video. Each video is queued so you can play the video and watch the closing statement.  I included a transcript under each video if you want to follow along.  It will be most beneficial for you to watch the clip and not just read the text. By watching, you will have a chance to hear the subtle changes in the speaker’s voice as they deliver their closing statements.

End with Powerful Words

As you design your closing, look at the last three to five words and examine them to see if they are strong words. Oftentimes, you can rearrange a sentence to end with a powerful word. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

Watch this clip for how BJ Miller ends with a powerful thought and a powerful word. 

Parts of me died early on, and that’s something we can all say one way or another. I got to redesign my life around this fact, and I tell you it has been a liberation to realize you can always find a shock of beauty or meaning in what life you have left, like that snowball lasting for a perfect moment, all the while melting away. If we love such moments ferociously, then maybe we can learn to live well — not in spite of death, but because of it. Let death be what takes us, not lack of imagination. BJ Miller, What Really Matters at the End of Life

End by Circling Back to the Opening

Another type of ending is to circle back to what you said in the beginning. You can revisit a quote, share the end to an illustration that was begun in the beginning, or you can put away a prop you got out in the beginning.

Watch this clip for how Zubing Zhang begins and ends with the same quote to circle back around to the main idea. 

She starts by telling a story of bungee jumping off the world’s highest platform and how she saw a sign with a quote that says, “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” After telling her own story about pushing her emotional limits, she circles back around at the end by saying, “As the words said high on the bungee platform, “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”

Yubing Zhang, Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone. 

End With Quote

If you end your speech with a quote, attend to the following.

• Always say the author of the quote before the quote for example, “I want to leave you with a leadership quote ‘What you do has far greater impact than what you say,’ Steven Covey.” The problem with this ending is that “Stephen Covey” are the last two words of the speech and that is boring. Consider instead this ending. “I think Robin Sharma said it best ‘Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence, and inspiration.'” In this arrangement, the last three words are powerful–influence and inspiration.
• Provided context for the quote before or after. Make sure the quote is meaningful and not just an easy way to end.

Watch this clip for how Sir Ken Robinson ends with a quote. Notice how he says the author and then the quote.

Also, notice how he then ties his speech to the quote with a final few sentences and ends with the powerful word–“revolution” and how he uses a strong vocal emphasis as he says his last word. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

There’s a wonderful quote from Benjamin Franklin. “There are three sorts of people in the world: Those who are immovable, people who don’t get it, or don’t want to do anything about it; there are people who are movable, people who see the need for change and are prepared to listen to it; and there are people who move, people who make things happen.” And if we can encourage more people, that will be a movement. And if the movement is strong enough, that’s, in the best sense of the word, a revolution. And that’s what we need.

Sir Ken Robinson, How to Escape Education’s Death Valley. 

End with a Graphic

You might want to use a visual to make your final point. Bringing in a picture, graphic, or object, reengages the audience to pay attention to your final ideas.

Watch this clip for how Barry Schartz uses the magic words “so to conclude” and then he creatively uses a picture of a fishbowl to narrow in on his point. Notice how his final word is spoken with urgency as he says “disaster.” (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

 So, to conclude. (He shows a picture of fish in a fishbowl) He says, “You can be anything you want to be — no limits.” You’re supposed to read this cartoon and, being a sophisticated person, say, “Ah! What does this fish know? Nothing is possible in this fishbowl.” Impoverished imagination, a myopic view of the world –that’s the way I read it at first. The more I thought about it, however, the more I came to the view that this fish knows something. Because the truth of the matter is, if you shatter the fishbowl so that everything is possible, you don’t have freedom. You have paralysis. If you shatter this fishbowl so that everything is possible, you decrease satisfaction. You increase paralysis, and you decrease satisfaction. Everybody needs a fishbowl. This one is almost certainly too limited –perhaps even for the fish, certainly for us. But the absence of some metaphorical fishbowl is a recipe for misery and, I suspect, disaster. Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice

End with Parallel Construction

Parallel construction is a series of repeated phrases. It can be a powerful tool to use in a persuasive speech as it creates a feeling of importance.

Watch this clip for how Malala Yousafzai ends with a series of parallel statements to build momentum. Notice how her pace perfectly matches her words and you feel her strength when she ends with “education first.” (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that millions of people are suffering from poverty, injustice, and ignorance. We must not forget that millions of children are out of schools. We must not forget that our sisters and brothers are waiting for a bright peaceful future. So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism, and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education First.

Malala Yousafzai,  United Nations Youth Assembly

End on a Positive Note

Audiences are constantly evaluating a speaker to determine their attitude and motivation. As you consider your speech closing, ask yourself what type of impression do you want to leave?  Do you want to leave them with depression or hope? Sadness or promise? Most of the time, audiences will receive messages that end positively better than speeches that end negatively.

In this speech sample, Hans Rosling showed the audience some hard statistics and he even pointed fingers at the audience as part of the problem. To help them hear his main point, he wisely ends on a positive note.

Watch this clip for how Hans Rosling ends this thought-provoking talk on a positive note. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

Now, when thinking about where all this leaves us, I have just one little humble advice for you, besides everything else, look at the data. Look at the facts about the world and you will see where we are today and how we can move forwards with all these billions on our wonderful planet. The challenge of extreme poverty has been greatly reduced and it’s for the first time in history within our power to end it for good. The challenge of population growth is, in fact, already being solved, the number of children has stopped growing.  And for the challenge for climate change, we can still avoid the worst, but that requires the richest, as soon as possible, find a way to use their set their use of resources and energy at a level that, step by step, can be shared by 10 billion or 11 billion by the end of this century. I’ve never called myself an optimist, but I do say I’m a possibilist and I also say the world is much better than many of you think.

Hans Rosling, Facts about the Population.

End with a Challenge

Leave the audience with a doable personal challenge. Help them mentally make sense of all the information that you shared by helping them know how to file it away and how to use it.

Watch this clip for how Melissa Butler ends with a challenge. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

So, I challenge each of you, when you go home today, look at yourself in the mirror, see all of you, look at all of your greatness that you embody, accept it, and love it. And finally, when you leave the house tomorrow, try to extend that same love and acceptance to someone who doesn’t look like you . Melissa Butler, Why You Think You’re Ugly. 

Watch this clip as Darren LaCroix literally falls face down to anchor the point that when we fall, we “fall forward.” (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

Darren LaCroix talks about taking risks and falling down and getting back up, he literally and purposefully falls down during his speech and ends this way: What’s your next step… take it. I didn’t want to look back at my life and say you know I never did try that comedy thing, but I died debt-free. All of us are headed toward that goal we are going to teach a point where we get stuck and our feet are like in cement and we can’t move but we’re so afraid of that ouch but we forget that if we lean forward and take a risk–(He falls face down) and we fall on our face. When we get up, notice, you still made progress. So please, with me, go ahead and fall. But fall forward. Darren LaCroiz, Winning Speech delivered at National Speech Association

End with a Question

Asking a question at the end is one way to reengage the audience. It helps them think about what your topic might mean for them.

Watch this clip for how David Eagleman reminds us about why his topic is important and then ends with a question. Notice how he pauses before his final question and how he changes the pace of his speech for the final sentence. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

So I think there’s really no end to the possibilities on the horizon for human expansion. Just imagine an astronaut being able to feel the overall health of the International Space Station, or, for that matter, having you feel the invisible states of your own health, like your blood sugar and the state of your microbiome, or having 360-degree vision or seeing in infrared or ultraviolet. So the key is this: As we move into the future, we’re going to increasingly be able to choose our own peripheral devices. We no longer have to wait for Mother Nature’s sensory gifts on her timescales, but instead, like any good parent, she’s given us the tools that we need to go out and define our own trajectory. So the question now is, how do you want to go out and experience your universe?

David Eagleman, Can We Create New Senses for Humans? 

Watch this clip for how Lera Boroditsky ends with a personal note and a  powerful final question. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

I want to leave you with this final thought. I’ve told you about how speakers of different languages think differently, but of course, that’s not about how people elsewhere think. It’s about how you think. It’s how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think. And that gives you the opportunity to ask, “Why do I think the way that I do?” “How could I think differently?” And also,  “What thoughts do I wish to create?” Lera Boroditsky, How Language Shapes the Way We Think

End with Inspiration

“Inspiring your audience is all about helping them see their own vision, not yours.”

You may want to end your speech with inspiring and encouraging words. Pick words that resonate with most of your audience and deliver them in such a way that your audience feels your lift in emotion.

Watch this clip for how Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ends with an inspiring final note and a powerful last few words “regain a kind of paradise” (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.

I would like to end with this thought:   That when we reject the single-story,   when we realize that there is never a single story   about any place,   we regain a kind of paradise.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,  The Danger of a Single Story  

Watch this clip for how Dan Pink ends with an inspiring final note. (I have the video cued to play just the closing) Let me wrap up. There is a mismatch between what science knows and what business does. Here is what science knows. One: Those 20th century rewards, those motivators we think are a natural part of business, do work, but only in a surprisingly narrow band of circumstances. Two: Those if-then rewards often destroy creativity. Three: The secret to high performance isn’t rewards and punishments, but that unseen intrinsic drive– the drive to do things for their own sake. The drive to do things cause they matter.

And here’s the best part. We already know this. The science confirms what we know in our hearts. So, if we repair this mismatch between what science  knows and what business does, if we bring our motivation, notions of motivation into the 21st century, if we get past this lazy, dangerous, ideology of carrots and sticks, we can strengthen our businesses, we can solve a lot of those candle problems, and maybe, maybe — we can change the world. I rest my case. Dan Pink, The Puzzle of Motivation

End with Well Wishing

There are several types of closings where the speaker wished the audience well.

The Benediction Close: M ay God bless and keep you…. The Presidential Close: God bless you and may God bless the USA The Congratulatory Close: I congratulate you on your accomplishment and wish you continued success. 

End with Humor

You can end on a fun lighthearted note. It is important to always run your humor by a variety of people to make sure you are funny, and your humor is appropriate.

Watch this clip for how Andrew Dunham uses humor throughout his speech and ends with a funny one-liner. (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

I wish you all the best as we begin this journey on our paths and I sincerely hope and pray that your time and success have proven to be as memorable and spiritually rewarding as mine. If not, there’s always summer school.

Andrew Dunham, Valedictorian Comes Out As Autistic During Speech

End with a Call to Action

If you are delivering a persuasive speech, let the audience know exactly what you want them to do.

End with a Feeling of Resolve

Paul Harvey made famous the line “And now you know…the rest of the story.” Your closing should allow us to know the rest of the story or to know how a situation was resolved.

Watch this clip for how Lucy Hone ends this tough but inspiring talk with a feeling of resolve (I have the video cued to play just the closing)

https://youtu.be/9-5SMpg7Q0k?t=913 If you ever find yourself in a situation where you think there’s no way I’m coming back from this, I urge you to lean into these strategies and think again. I won’t pretend that thinking this way is easy and it doesn’t remove all the pain. But if I’ve learned anything over the last five years, it is that thinking this way really does help. More than anything it has shown me that  it is possible  to live and grieve at the same time. And for that I will be always grateful. Lucy Hone, The Three Secrets of Resilient People

End with a Prop

Nancy Duarte says you should give your audience, SOMETHING THEY  will ALWAYS REMEMBER–S.T.A.R. One way to do that is with an action or statement that will have the audience talking about it for a long time. President Obama did it with a mic drop.

Memorize Your Conclusion

End on time.

Do not diminish the effect of a great speech with a bloated, aimless conclusion. Dan Rothwell.

“Times about up.”

Don’t end with any references to time. It is like a giant stop sign saying, “stop listening.”  Don’t highlight that you ran over time or that it is almost time for lunch. You want them to think about your speech, not the clock.

“Any Questions?”

You want them to feel a sense of closure for your speech.  End with something powerful and let them applaud.  After the applause, you can offer to answer questions. Similarly, projecting your last slide with the words, “Any Questions” is a weak ending.

“Let Me Add This Point I Missed”

If you forget something in the body of your speech, it is usually best to leave it out.  Most of the time you are the only one who will miss it.

“Thank You to the Team”

There is a time to thank the organizers and those who helped you but it is not at the end of your speech. Your focus should be on your audience and what they need and what they need to hear is your idea.  Send a thank you letter to the team if you want them to feel your appreciation.

“I’m Sorry”

“Sorry again for the technology issue,” “I apologize for going over time, ” “I regret I have no answer to this.” These are all negative phrases.  Keep to your topic that is what they need to hear and stay focused.

“I’ll Close with this Video”

No, you should close with talking about the big idea.

If you don’t have a plan at the end, you will ramble. “Steer clear of meandering endings they kill a story,” according to the Moth Storytelling website. “Your last line should be clear in your head before you start. Yes, bring the audience along with you as you contemplate what transpires in your story, but remember, you are driving the story, and must know the final destination. Keep your hands on the wheel!”

To Thank or Not to Thank, That is the Question

There is a debate amongst speech professionals, speech teachers, and speech coaches about whether or not you should thank the audience. Here are their main arguments.

Why You Should Not Say Thank You

• You want to end with powerful words. “Thank you” are not strong words.
• The recency effect suggests they will remember the last words you spoke. You want them to remember more than just “thank you.”
• It is not a very creative way to end.
• It can be a sign of a lazy speaker, “I have no idea how to end this, I’ve run out of good things to say so I’ll say ‘Thank you’ so you will clap now.”

Why You Should Say Thank You

• It has come to be the expected ending in many settings. Violating their expectations can cause them to have a negative reaction.
• It clearly signals you are finished so the audience knows when to clap. The relieves the pressure from both you and the audience.
• It expresses gratitude.

I will leave it up to you to decide what works for you. As for me, I plan on trying to find more creative ways to end other than just saying “thank you.”

Maximizing the Primacy Recency Effect

If I were to read you a list of thirty things on my grocery list and then asked you to list all that you can remember, chances are you would remember the first times on the list and the last items on the list ( and any ones you found interesting from the middle). When people engage in listening, they tend to remember the first and last things they hear, it is called the primacy-recency effect. T his is just one more reason that your introduction and conclusion should be so well planned out. It is those first words and last words that the audience is going to remember. 

The primacy recency effect influences, not only what people pay attention to in a speech, but also which speech we pay the most attention to in a series of speeches. For example, if there is a lineup of six speakers, the first and last speakers tend to get the most attention.

As a speaker, you can use this information to your advantage by volunteering to go first or last. If you are giving a long presentation, you can break it up by allowing the audience to move around or talk to a neighbor. When you come back from break, you have re-engaged that primacy effect and moved them back to a high state of attention.

Do You Have Everything You Need for a Strong Closing?

• Have I signaled my speech is coming to an end with my words or my voice?
• Have I restated my main points?
• If I am persuading my audience, do they know what I want them to do or think?
• Have I written the last three to five words in such a way that I end with powerful words?
• Have I memorized my closing?

Getting Off the Platform is Part of Your Closing

Plan on making a strong exit. Whether you are stepping off a stage or simply going to your seat, you should consider that the audience is watching you.

I have had students who finished their speech and then walked over to the trashcan and in a large, exaggerated movement, they threw their notecards in the trash. In our minds, we threw their message away with those cards. I’ve seen speakers, sit in their chairs and then announce, “I can’t believe my hands were shaking so much.” I’ve sat there and thought, “I didn’t notice.” I then realized that the comments they made influenced my perception of them and my perception of their topic.

You said your last word and the audience is applauding, now what? Look at your audience and smile and nod in appreciation before walking off the stage. If you will be answering questions, wait until after the applause stops to begin your question and answering period.

When practicing your speech, it is a good idea to start from your chair, walk up to a spot and then give your speech, and then walk back to your chair and sit down. Your “speech” impression begins and ends from your chair.

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• A speech closing should include a review of the main points and a purposeful closing sentence.
• Persuasive speech endings should tell the audience specifically what they should do or think about.
• The recency effect suggests that people remember the most recent things they have heard which is one reason the closing is so important.
• Chance the pace of your speech and the tone of your voice to signal the end of the speech.

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Adichie, C.N. (2009). The danger of a single story. [Video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg Standard YouTube License.

Anderson, C. (2016). TED talks: The official TED guide to public speaking. Mariner Books.

Barot, H.  Fifteen powerful speech ending lines (and tips to create your own). Frantically Speaking. https://franticallyspeaking.com/15-powerful-speech-ending-lines-and-tips-to-create-your-own/

Boroditsky, L. (2017). How language shapes the way we think.  https://www.ted.com/talks/lera_boroditsky_how_language_shapes_the_way_we_think  Standard Youtube License. 

Butler, M. (2018). Why you think you’re ugly. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imCBztvKgus  Standard YouTube License. 

Dunham. A. (2019). Valedictorian comes out as autistic during speech. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtPGrLoU5Uk  Standard Youtube License. 

Eagleman, D. (2015). Can we create new senses for humans?[Video]. YouTube  https://youtu.be/4c1lqFXHvqI  Standard YouTube License. 

Hone, L. (2019).  The three secrets of resilient people. [Video]. YouTube  https://youtu.be/NWH8N-BvhAw  Standard YouTube License. 

Jeff, P. (2009). Ten ways to end your speech with a bang. http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/10-ways-to-end-your-speech

Jobs, S. (2005). You’ve got to find what you love. https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/

Khanna, P. (2016). Let the head of TED show you how to end your speech with power. https://www.fastcompany.com/3059459/let-the-head-of-ted-show-you-how-to-end-your-speech-with-p

Karia, A. (2013). How to open and close a TED talk (or any other speech or presentation). https://akashkaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/HowtoOpenandCloseaTEDTalk.pdf

LaCroix, D. (2001). World champion of public speaking. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUDCzbmLV-0  Standard YouTube License. 

Mandela, N. (2011). Speech from the dock in the Rivonia trial.[Video]. YouTube https://www.nelsonmandela.org/news/entry/i-am-prepared-to-die  Standard YouTube License. 

Mandela, N. (1994). Presidential Inaugural Speech. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/nelsonmandelainauguralspeech.htm  Standard YouTube License. 

Miller, B.J. (2015). What really matters at the end of life. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.ted.com/talks/bj_miller_what_really_matters_at_the_end_of_life?language=en  Standard YouTube License. 

Moth. (2021). Storytelling tips and tricks: How to tell a successful story. https://themoth.org/share-your-story/storytelling-tips-tricks 

Obama, B. (2016). White House correspondents dinner. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxFkEj7KPC0  Standard YouTube License. 

Pink, D. (2009). The puzzle of motivation. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_the_puzzle_of_motivation  Standard YouTube License. 

Rothwell, D. (2014). Practically Speaking. Oxford University Press.Robinson, K. (2013). How to escape education’s death valley. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX78iKhInsc  Standard YouTube License. 

Rosling, H. (2014). Don’t Panic-Hans Rosling showing the facts about population.[Video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FACK2knC08E  Standard YouTube License. 

Schwartz, B. (2005). The paradox of choice. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_the_paradox_of_choice  Standard YouTube License. 

Toastmasters International. (2016). Concluding your Speech. https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Concluding-Your-Speech

Young, S. (2014). I’m not your inspiration, thank you very much. [Video]. YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtPGrLoU5Uk  Standard YouTube License. 

Yousafzai, M. (2013). Malala Yousafzai addresses United Nations Youth Assembly. [Video]. YouTube https://youtu.be/3rNhZu3ttIU  Standard YouTube License. 

Zhang, Y. (2015). Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. [Video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmN4xOGkxGo  Standard YouTube License. 

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11 Best Closing Remarks To Use In A Speech

Quoting Yehuda Berg, “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity .”

Your closing remarks in a speech help the audience remember the main points of your address and the reason you gave it. It’s a summary of your most essential points. As a result, more people will remember what you say at the beginning and end of your speech than anything said in between.

If you don’t end your speech with a power statement or call-to-action, it loses its appeal and the power you’ve built up. Closing remarks keep you from leaving your audience feeling confused and let down.

This guide can assist you if you want to design a Ted-style talk that can land you future speaking opportunities. Here are 11 of the finest closing remarks examples for speeches.

1. Using the Circle Concept to End Your Speech

The circle concept involves taking listeners on an adventure and bringing them back to where they began. In other words, you refer to the material you started your speech with by restating it at the end of your talk. Most speakers use quotes from movies, in-demand books, or popular phrases.

Our client, Christine Ramsay, often uses the circle concept in her speeches. One particular example is in a speech she gave on ‘ The Extraordinary Power of Neurodiversity ’ where she starts her address by quoting the famous movie, Toy Story: “To infinity and beyond.”

She concludes her speech with the exact same statement. This ending encourages her audience to release the inner brilliance and extraordinary powers of neurodivergent individuals for the benefit of all!

2. Using Humor In Speeches

Humor is an effective instrument in any speaker’s repertoire when used correctly, and it can have enormous benefits:

• It establishes a connection with the audience
• It energizes and keeps people interested
• It has the potential to provide emotional relief to the audience
• It aids the audience in remembering your points
• It gives the audience a favorable opinion of the speaker

So, whatever statement your speaker is attempting to convey, adding humor to the mix will make it a more prosperous and unforgettable speech. It will also give the audience the opportunity for better takeaways from speeches.

This is especially true if they choose to inject some humor into the speech’s closing remarks.

3. The Rule of Three Closing Remarks in a Speech

The Rule of Three is a useful method that helps you say what you want to say more clearly by highlighting your points and making your message easier to remember.

People are usually good at recognizing patterns; three is the lowest number to make a pattern. It can also have the most impact if you say it in the right tone of voice at the close of a speech. When information is given in groups of three, we remember it better than when in groups of, say, four or five.

Two very famous examples of using the rule of three in a speech are:

“Friends, Romans, Countrymen. Lend me your ears.” – Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” – Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg speech

This example from Lincoln is also a great example of parallelism in a speech .

4. Tell a Story

Storytelling is a great way to make your speech stand out. Because stories connect with us as people, a short story can be an effective way to end an address. But it has to be pertinent to your speech and not go on for too long.

Using this method, you could end your speech with the same story you began in the introduction. This approach is mainly better for strong emotional appeal speech.

For example, Michelle Obama’s DNC speech was praised for its emotional appeal by discussing her life story of growing up on Chicago’s South Side and leaving an extensive law career for public service.

5. Finish Your Speech Using a Poem

Poetry effectively conveys your message as it helps you leave a mark on your audience’s minds. You can conclude your talk using a poem that sums up everything you’ve said. You can either create your own or choose one that works best with your speech. Keep in mind that if you choose one, quote the source.

While reciting a poem, use inflections of emotion and drama by raising your voice on a key phrase and pausing when necessary for emphasis.

6. Closing Off With a Quote to Remember

Another way to end is using quotes in speeches related to the topic of the address. Consider whether your goal was to finish on a compelling or enlightening note when you use a quote.

Some quotations call for action, whereas others will summarize or provoke thought.

Quoting strengthens your ideas. A quote adds a second voice to your claims, making them more powerful.

Maya Angelou best describes the impact emotions can have on a speech when she says,

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

7. Using Questions as Closing Remarks

Questions can become overwhelming for an audience if used too much throughout a speech. However, asking one at the end of the address is effective because your question will linger in the minds of your audience.

One example of a compelling closing remark question is what President Jimmy Carter asked during his campaign debate in 1980. Reagan asked the audience , “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

Since then, this message has become a frequent question during every campaign season.

8. Throw Your Audience a Challenge

In addition to questions, challenges are exemplary alternative closing remarks. A challenge is an invitation to participate in an activity that requires extra effort.

What do you want your audience to do? Would you like them to take action? Such as voting, donating, signing up, or hiring you for their following speech?

By answering these questions, you can distinguish between a good speech and one that gets people to act.

For example, a presenter could conclude a speech on the importance of fund-raising by giving the audience a challenge to raise 15% more than their initial forecasts.

Make a challenge that is both ambitious and reasonable at the same time. The challenge should be seen as something to work towards but not impossible.

9. Use Inspiration With Your Closing Statement

Inspire means to move or excite. An inspirational concluding remark aims to stir someone’s emotions in a specific way that appeals to the audience’s values and emotions.

What’s the number one thing someone wants to hear about? Themselves, of course. So, if you want to inspire your audience, your content should be about them and how they can blossom.

When drafting your speech, create an image of your audience’s viewpoint and how your talk can help them reach that vision. Then, you can use stories or personal past experiences to relate to your audience and bring your message to life.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” Martin Luther King Jr.

One example of using inspiration in a closing statement is Martin Luther King Jr.’s “ I Have A Dream Speech .” He paints the picture of what life could be like if black and white people worked together. In doing so, he inspires thousands of individuals to make a difference in their communities.

10. Use Factual Evidence to End Your Speech

Your audience may yawn if you only use facts in a speech; however, they can empower a speech if you use them at the right time.

Using facts as a speech closing remark can help you re-engage your audience and keep them captivated. Only include facts pertinent to your topic. For example, Barack Obama used facts and logic to convince the audience of his views.

This is particularly apparent when he spoke in honor of the late Nelson Mandela during a speech in South Africa. In that speech, he mentions:

“You have to believe in facts. Without facts, there’s no basis for cooperation.” Barack Obama

Throughout the many speeches, he gives facts and issues to rally the American public to action.

11. Using an Appeal to Conclude Your Speech

The best approach to composing an impactful emotional appeal is understanding who you’re attempting to persuade. Use these questions if you’re having difficulty understanding your audience :

• What is their current state of mind?
• What is the focus of their emotions?
• Why are their feelings being guided in this manner?

Finally, remember that persuasion depends on you, the speaker, and your audience. If you can plug into an audience’s emotions during your speech, you’ll be more effective at touching their hearts and convincing them of your points.

Give Your Speech That Final Punch!

Your closing remarks can empower an audience, depending on your speech. That can include asking them to do something, changing their attitude toward a specific individual or topic, or simply making them understand what you’re trying to say.

Nonetheless, your closing remarks aim to leave the audience optimistic about you and the topic of the speech. According to poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.”

Do you need help with your closing remarks in a speech? Then, book a session with us today! We provide premium public speaking training!

Check out more great articles from the Thought-Leader Blog covering TEDx Talks, success mindsets, and everything else in between

How to Get a TED Talk

How to prepare a ted talk, how to market yourself effectively, how to become a keynote speaker, how to speak professionally.

15 Powerful Speech Ending Lines (And Tips to Create Your Own)

Hitiksha jain.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

A powerful speech ending line helps you recapture the essence of your speech: your main points and the purpose of why you spoke.

Basically, it is a summary of your dominant points. 

The words you say at the beginning, and especially at the end of your talk will be remembered longer than any other part of your speech. (This doesn’t mean the body of your speech has no importance.)

The beginning of your speech needs to be strong because it grips the attention of your audience. If that falls apart, they might lose interest in your speech. To avoid such a situation, here’s an article on 15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own) that you can refer to.

It has happened time after time- a speaker has concluded his speech with no conclusion or a simple “Thank you!” which made their impactful and amazing speech entirely fall apart.

An ineffective conclusion or no conclusion makes your speech lose its charm and the energy that has been created. This leaves your audience in a state of confusion and disappointment. 

Remember, the conclusion of your speech is NOT the time to introduce new points or new supporting evidence; doing so will all the more confuse the listeners. 

Instead, a conclusion is like tying a bow or ribbon to a box of your key ideas that your audience will be taking along with them. Meaning, it’s the final touch that makes your speech stand out and memorable.

So, how can you end your speech with a bang? To discover it, let’s jump in to the 15 powerful speech ending lines and ways to create your own:

1) Abraham Lincoln

Speech ending line: “And this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth.”

How to use The Rule Of Three to end your speech?

The Rule of Three is an effective technique that allows you to express your ideas more completely by emphasizing your points and increasing the memorability of your message.

Dale Carneige once said, 

“Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you just told them.”

Information when presented in a group of three sticks in our head better than say, groups of four or five.

The answer is simple! We humans are generally good at pattern recognition and three is the smallest number needed to make a pattern. When used at the end of a speech, you can create maximum impact, (obviously) if said in a proper tone of voice. 

Repeating your ideas can make your message more persuasive, memorable, and entertaining.

Since, the conclusion is your last chance as a speaker to drive home your ideas, you need to repeat and emphasize phrases, sentences and words to make others remember your key message. 

The repetition of phrases and sentences should be such that it creates a micro story of your entire speech. 

If you are trying to incorporate the rule of three in your speech and need guidance to do so. Here’s an article on The Power of the Rule of Three in Speech Writing that might help you!

2) Simon Sinek

Speech ending line: “Listen to politicians now, with their comprehensive 12-point plans. They’re not inspiring anybody. Because there are leaders and there are those who lead. Leaders hold a position of power or authority, but those who lead inspire us. Whether they’re individuals or organizations, we follow those who lead, not because we have to, but because we want to. We follow those who lead, not for them, but for ourselves. And it’s those who start with “why” that have the ability to inspire those around them or find others who inspire them.”

How to mark an end of a speech with a story?

Telling stories can do wonders in making your speech a memorable one. Because we as humans relate to stories. 

Using an effective and persuasive story at the end can engage the audience, evoke empathy, increase trust and motivate action.

Your story should be crafted in such a way that it sums up your entire speech. But don’t forget, it needs to be short and sweet.

You can start your story by saying, “Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been talking about…”

To make your speech/story worth remembering, you can try these various storytelling approaches mentioned in this article- 9 Storytelling Approaches For Your Next Speech or Presentation .

3) Les Brown

Speech ending line: “If you want a thing bad enough To go out and fight for it, Work day and night for it, Give up your time and your peace and Your sleep for it

If only desire of it Makes you quite mad enough Never to tire of it, Makes you hold all other things tawdry And cheap for it

If life seems all empty and useless without it And all that you scheme and you dream is about it,

If gladly you’ll sweat for it, Fret for it, Plan for it, Lose all your terror of God or man for it,

If you’ll simply go after that thing that you want. With all your capacity, Strength and sagacity, Faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity,

If neither cold, poverty, famished and gaunt, Nor sickness nor pain Of body or brain Can turn you away from the thing that you want,

If dogged and grim you besiege and beset it, You’ll get it.”

How to end a speech with a poem?

This works similar to the notion of storytelling. 

You can end your speech with a poem that summarizes your entire speech. To do this you can either make your own or select the one that works the best for your speech. If you select one, remember to cite the source.

While reciting a poem add emotions and drama to your words, raise your voice on a key line of the poem and pause whenever required.

Poetry is a powerful way to get your point across because it helps you create an impression in your audiences’ mind. If you are planning to tap into poetry for your next speech, we have written an article- Getting Your ‘Wordsworth’: Poetry in Public Speaking that you can review to get some tips on how to add a poem in your speech.

4) Sir Ken Robinson

Speech ending line: “There’s a wonderful quote from Benjamin Franklin. “There are three sorts of people in the world: Those who are immovable, people who don’t get it, or don’t want to do anything about it; there are people who are movable, people who see the need for change and are prepared to listen to it; and there are people who move, people who make things happen.” And if we can encourage more people, that will be a movement. And if the movement is strong enough, that’s, in the best sense of the word, a revolution. And that’s what we need.”

How to close a speech with a memorable quote?

Quotations are usually concise and memorable phrasing of an idea. (This is why we repeat and remember quotations, right?)

The sole reason to quote material is that it reinforces your ideas. A quotation offers a second voice echoing your claims which is more powerful than simply just repeating yourself.

So, your quote should be such that summarizes your main idea. You can quote words of an expert, a person who spoke before you at an event or something in your own words.

Tips for using quotations in your speech:

• Phrasing it correctly can help boost your credibility
• Don’t quote anything outside your context

Taking the above example of Sir Ken Robinson, the quoted words at the end of his speech summarized the heart of his speech.

5) Lera Boroditsky

Speech ending line: “It’s how the language that you speak shapes the way that you think. And that gives you the opportunity to ask, “Why do I think the way that I do?” “How could I think differently?” And also, “What thoughts do I wish to create?”

How to end a speech with a question?

You can try and engage your audience with questions that will get them thinking.

It is often effective to end with a rhetorical question that captures the message and leaves the audience thinking—especially one that directly ties in your CTA. For instance:

“What choice will you make when you leave here today? Will you ____(your key message), or will you go about your normal routine?”

See how Lera Boroditsky leaves her audience with a set of questions rattling around their minds.

6) Melissa Butler  

Speech ending line: “So I challenge each of you, when you go home today, look at yourself in the mirror, see all of you, look at all of your greatness that you embody, accept it, and love it. And finally, when you leave the house tomorrow, try to extend that same love and acceptance to someone who doesn’t look like you. Thank you.”

How to give a challenge close to your speech?

In the above example, Melissa Butler used a challenge close to force her audience to take action over something.

In this type of closing, you challenge your audience to apply whatever you spoke in your speech and engage them in thought or action.

A good way to do that is to make sure they know you’re aware of the challenges that exist, and that you have concrete and actionable solutions to it.

To do this, you can have a bit of a forceful tone of voice to make a failure process a learning one.

Do express your belief in them and focus on setting a high bar, but an achievable one.

7) Brian Kateman

Speech ending line: “You can change the world by ordering a smaller steak, or doing something more. But don’t just sit by and ignore what you already know. Consider eating less meat and be a reducetarian.

Save our planet, improve your health, and save a lot of animals.”

How to end a speech by giving a solution to a concern?

This type of closing is suitable for speeches where you talk about a problem and give a solution for the same.

First you introduce the problem and explain why the audience should be concerned about it.

While concluding, you provide a practical solution to the stated concern. 

Look at how Brian Kateman states a problem: The battle between vegans, vegetarians, and everyone else and ends up giving a pragmatic solution.

8) Anjelah Johnson

Speech ending line: “Really?! It’s funny because my finger didn’t do like that before I came in here.” “It’s okay honey, don’t worry. I’ll fix it for you, don’t worry.” (Imitates talking in Vietnamese) (Laughter) (Laughter) (Stops talking Vietnamese) “Oh, see? You look so pretty!” God bless, you guys.”

How to leave your audience with a good laugh?

Wouldn’t you love leaving your audience with a good laugh? Ending your speech with humor can help you to do so. 

But you need to use them with caution. Tell jokes that are related to your speech. And avoid telling offensive jokes.

You can add anecdotes and funny stories that have happened in real life since it’s easy to relate to and, if said in a correct manner, you can have your audience laughing while hitting your message home!

Tips to deliver a good humor:

• Surprise your audience by breaking their expectations with the help of a good setup and punchline. Setup creates a specific expectation in people’s minds and a punchline reveals the surprise. For instance, “I believe that each person can make a difference (setup), but it’s so slight that there’s basically no point (punch)”
• Try and impersonate your dialogues or the characters as it will make your listeners feel they are in the scene
• You can twist the literal meaning of a word. Example- Everybody looked up to me in college because I was the tallest of all
• You can also incorporate the rule of three that works similar to the setup and punchline technique i.e. setup, setup, punch. Take an example of Elicia Sanchez, “I was a super nerd when I was a kid. I liked video games, I liked comic books, I was the youngest mage in the D&D campaign I was part of with 30-year-olds at the Yardbirds in Centralia, Washington.”

Apart from this, always test and rehearse the humor that you are going to incorporate and ask for honest feedback. Also, make sure the jokes and stories you use add value to your point and are insightful

9) Yubing Zhang

Speech ending line: “As the words said high on the bungee platform, “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”

How to end a speech using the circle theory?

Here, the idea is to take your audience on a journey and get them back to the place from where you started, making a circle.

Meaning, you refer back to what you started with (movie, words, quote).

Yubing Zhang begins her speech with- Life Begins at The Edge of Your Comfort Zone” and ends with the same. 

You can bookend your speech in different ways:

• You can end by referencing your opening
• Concluding words can contrast from your opening words.
• Open with a question and answer it at the end 

We have written an in-depth article on 7 Techniques to Bookending Your Speech: Guidelines and Examples . Review it for some inspiration!

10) BJ Miller

Speech ending line: “Parts of me died early on, and that’s something we can all say one way or another. I got to redesign my life around this fact, and I tell you it has been a liberation to realize you can always find a shock of beauty or meaning in what life you have left, like that snowball lasting for a perfect moment, all the while melting away. If we love such moments ferociously, then maybe we can learn to live well — not in spite of death, but because of it. Let death be what takes us, not lack of imagination.”

How to close a speech with an inspiring note?

Okay, let’s be real here. We humans are dealing with problems, difficulties, challenges, disappointments, setbacks, and temporary failures.

Ending your speech with an uplifting talk that gives a ray of hope might encourage your audience.

“Inspiring your audience is all about helping them see their own vision, not yours.” Anonymous

If your hope is to inspire your audience then your material needs to be about them and ways on how they can grow .

To do so you can opt for stories or share your personal experiences to get your message alive, but you need to paint a picture of what your audiences’ vision is when it comes to themselves and how you can help them achieve that vision by your talk.

11) Dr. Shashi Tharoor

Speech ending line: “95% of our 12 year-olds across India can read and write. So the future looks good. And as far as the workforce is concerned, if we can get all these other pieces in place, we can say to the rest of the world, “We are coming.”

How to end your speech with facts?

Adding only facts in a speech can make it boring, right? Because there’s nothing entertaining about that.

Well, this wouldn’t be a case when you use the right facts in a proper way and at a proper time. 

Adding facts as a speech ending line can be a way through which you can re-engage your audience, leaving them mesmerized. 

Incorporate only those facts that are relevant to your topic because you don’t want to make them apathetic towards you.

Present your facts in a creative manner. For instance, asking a question after when you stated the fact, audience poll, or add humor.

Trying to add facts in your speech without making it sound boring? Here’s an article- 11 Steps to Add Facts in A Speech Without Making It Boring that can guide you. 

12) Cameron Russell

Speech ending line: “If there’s a takeaway to this talk, I hope it’s that we all feel more comfortable acknowledging the power of image in our perceived successes and our perceived failures.”  

How to leave your audience with a piece of advice?

This works similar to the fact concept.

Your advices should get your audience encouraged about something and not discourage them or make them feel incompetent.

Try to chunk your advice into simple steps that your audience can follow. Inject emotions, relate it to your own experience (if possible) and make it inspirational.

The sole purpose of giving advice is to help someone. Don’t forget that!

Because a lot of times the advice is created on the basis of expectation and not understanding others. To simplify it, you need to understand the problem that your audience is facing and then advise them keeping your expectations and judgements aside.

Look at how Cameron Russell makes people feel good about themselves by empowering them regardless of the topic.

13) Nora Mclnerny

Speech ending line: “But yes, absolutely, they’re going to move forward. But that doesn’t mean that they’ve moved on.”

How to use a title close to end your speech?

To give your speech a title close, your speech needs to have a provocative title that encapsulates your message memorably. 

Use the title of your speech as your closing words to stir your audience to think more fully about what they just heard, reinforcing the title of your speech mentioned earlier.

14) Alfred Chuang

Speech ending line: “A new world is on the horizon. And it will be more incredible than any of us can possibly imagine. Our greatest innovations are ahead of us, not behind. But we need great engineers to build that world for us. And that’s you. We need you to not give up. Ever. We need you to finish your projects. Done, done, done. We need you to leverage the power of an immigrant-rich workforce. And we need you all to be a little insane.”

How to make a direct call to action at the end of your speech?

A well constructed and presented speech is the one that changes people’s mind and ignites action.

The call to action comes right before the end of a persuasive speech. Here, you clearly tell the audience the role they can play after they leave your talk.

It serves as a road map that your listeners can follow after when they are thoroughly gripped to your idea. Because they exactly know what they need to do.

In the above example, you can see how Alfred Chuang delivered a powerful CTA, as he clearly explains what listeners can do to push his idea forward.

Barring this type of a CTA, the other forms include signing a petition, buying your product, visiting your website.

15) Barack Obama

Speech ending line: “So let’s get to work, people. Let’s bring this home. I love you, Philadelphia. Honk if you’re fired up, honk if you’re ready to go. Are you fired up?”

How to use an appeal to end your speech?

The most common closing for a persuasive speech can be an appeal for action.

You can shape your appeal according to who your intended audience is and the purpose of you talking to them.

One of the best ways to make an appeal is by tapping into their emotions in order to form a deeper connection with the listeners.

Avoid making your message too pushy. Instead, try and make your content relatable and valuable for them. This is when the audience is much more likely to pay attention to you.

Valuable reads: The Secret of Writing a Persuasive Speech 

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Final Thoughts

Depending on the type of speech you are presenting, you will be asking the audience for something. And that can be- asking them to act in a certain way, or to change their attitude towards a certain person or topic or simply make them understand what you’re trying to say.

Nonetheless, the conclusion of your speech is to leave the audience positively motivated towards you and the topic you have been presenting. 

Hopefully, these 15 examples will guide you to create your own speech ending line that is impactful.

Let us know in the comments below which one worked for you.

Still looking for inspiration? Check out this video we made on closing remarks:

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• How to end a speech effectively

How to end a speech memorably

3 ways to close a speech effectively.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Knowing how, and when, to end a speech is just as important as knowing how to begin. Truly.

What's on this page:

• why closing well is important
• 3 effective speech conclusions with examples and audio
• 7 common ways people end their speeches badly  - what happens when you fail to plan to end a speech memorably
• How to end a Maid Honor speech: 20 examples
• links to research showing the benefits of finishing a speech strongly

Why ending a speech well is important

Research *  tells us people most commonly remember the first and last thing they hear when listening to a speech, seminar or lecture.

Therefore if you want the audience's attention and, your speech to create a lasting impression sliding out with:  "Well, that's all I've got say. My time's up anyway. Yeah - so thanks for listening, I guess.",  isn't going to do it.

So what will?

* See the foot of the page for links to studies and articles on what and how people remember : primacy and recency.

Three effective speech conclusions

Here are three of the best ways to end a speech. Each ensures your speech finishes strongly rather than limping sadly off to sure oblivion.

You'll need a summary of your most important key points followed by the ending of your choice:

• a powerful quotation
• a challenge
• a call back

To work out which of these to use, ask yourself what you want audience members to do or feel as a result of listening to your speech. For instance;

• Do you want to motivate them to work harder?
• Do you want them to join the cause you are promoting?
• Do you want them to remember a person and their unique qualities?

What you choose to do with your last words should support the overall purpose of your speech.

Let's look at three different scenarios showing each of these ways to end a speech.

To really get a feel for how they work try each of them out loud yourself and listen to the recordings.

1. How to end a speech with a powerful quotation

Your speech purpose is to inspire people to join your cause. Specifically you want their signatures on a petition lobbying for change and you have everything ready to enable them to sign as soon as you have stopped talking.

You've summarized the main points and want a closing statement at the end of your speech to propel the audience into action.

Borrowing words from a revered and respected leader aligns your cause with those they fought for, powerfully blending the past with the present.

For example:

"Martin Luther King, Jr said 'The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.'

Now is the time to decide. Now is the time to act. 

Here's the petition. Here's the pen. And here's the space for your signature.

Now, where do you stand?"

Try it out loud and listen to the audio

Try saying this out loud for yourself. Listen for the cumulative impact of: an inspirational quote, plus the rhythm and repetition (two lots of 'Now is the time to...', three of 'Here's the...', three repeats of the word 'now') along with a rhetorical question to finish.

Click the link to hear a recording of it:  sample speech ending with a powerful quotation .

2. How to end a speech with a challenge

Your speech purpose is to motivate your sales force.

You've covered the main points in the body of it, including introducing an incentive: a holiday as a reward for the best sales figures over the next three weeks.

You've summarized the important points and have reached the end of your speech. The final words are a challenge, made even stronger by the use of those two extremely effective techniques: repetition and rhetorical questions.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours.

Can you do it?

Will you do it?

The kids will love it.

Your wife, or your husband, or your partner, will love it.

Do it now!"

Click the link to listen to a recording of it: sample speech ending with a challenge . And do give it a go yourself.

3. How to end a speech with a call back

Your speech purpose is to honor the memory of a dear friend who has passed  away.

You've briefly revisited the main points of your speech and wish in your closing words to  leave the members of the audience with a happy and comforting take-home message or image to dwell on.

Earlier in the speech you told a poignant short story. It's that you return to, or call back.

Here's an example of what you could say:

"Remember that idyllic picnic I told you about?

Every blue sky summer's day I'll see Amy in my mind.

Her red picnic rug will be spread on green grass under the shade of an old oak tree. There'll be food, friends and laughter.

I'll see her smile, her pleasure at sharing the simple good things of life, and I know what she'd say too. I can hear her.

"Come on, try a piece of pie. My passing is not the end of the world you know."

Click the link to hear a recording of it: sample speech ending with a call back . Try it out for yourself too. (For some reason, this one is a wee bit crackly. Apologies for that!)

When you don't plan how to end a speech...

That old cliché 'failing to plan is planning to fail' can bite and its teeth are sharp.

The 'Wing It' Department * delivers lessons learned the hard way. I know from personal experience and remember the pain!

How many of these traps have caught you?

• having no conclusion and whimpering out on a shrug of the shoulders followed by a weak,  'Yeah, well, that's all, I guess.',  type of line.
• not practicing while timing yourself and running out of it long before getting to your prepared conclusion. (If you're in Toastmasters where speeches are timed you'll know when your allotted time is up, that means, finish. Stop talking now, and sit down. A few seconds over time can be the difference between winning and losing a speech competition.)
• ending with an apology undermining your credibility. For example:  'Sorry for going on so long. I know it can be a bit boring listening to someone like me.'  
• adding new material just as you finish which confuses your audience. The introduction of information belongs in the body of your speech.
• making the ending too long in comparison to the rest of your speech.
• using a different style or tone that doesn't fit with what went before it which puzzles listeners.
• ending abruptly without preparing the audience for the conclusion. Without a transition, signal or indication you're coming to the end of your talk they're left waiting for more.

* Re  The 'Wing It' Department

One of the most galling parts of ending a speech weakly is knowing it's avoidable. Ninety nine percent of the time it didn't have to happen that way. But that's the consequence of 'winging it', trying to do something without putting the necessary thought and effort in.

It's such a sod when there's no one to blame for the poor conclusion of your speech but yourself! ☺

How to end a Maid of Honor speech: 20 examples

More endings! These are for Maid of Honor speeches. There's twenty examples of varying types: funny, ones using Biblical and other quotations... Go to: how to end a Maid of Honor speech    

How to write a speech introduction

Now that you know how to end a speech effectively, find out how to open one well. Discover the right hook to use to captivate your audience.

Find out more: How to write a speech introduction: 12 of the very best ways to open a speech .

More speech writing help

You do not need to flail around not knowing what to do, or where to start.

Visit this page to find out about  structuring and writing a speech . 

You'll find information on writing the body, opening and conclusion as well as those all important transitions. There's also links to pages to help you with preparing a speech outline, cue cards, rehearsal, and more. 

Research on what, and how, people remember: primacy and recency 

McLeod, S. A. (2008).  Serial position effect .  (Primacy and recency, first and last)  Simply Psychology.

Hopper, Elizabeth. "What Is the Recency Effect in Psychology?" ThoughtCo, Feb. 29, 2020.

ScienceDirect: Recency Effect - an overview of articles from academic Journals & Books covering the topic.

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How to Write a Powerful Closing

by Allison Shapira | Mar 31, 2016 | Speaking Tips , Writing Tips , Newsletter | 9 comments

Absolutely! In fact, the opening and closing sentences are the two most important parts of any speech or presentation.

Every speech is an opportunity influence people’s behaviors, beliefs, or actions. That’s an incredible opportunity and a deep responsibility to make your speech matter. One of the ways to do that is through writing a powerful closing.

Before you write your closing, it’s important to identify the emotion of your speech . How do you want people to feel after your speech: Inspired? Outraged? Excited? Your speech should build toward that feeling and your closing sentences should be the culmination of that feeling.

Before you write your closing, it’s also important to identify the goal of your speech. What do you want people to do as a result of hearing you speak: Vote for you? Hire your company? Join your company? Identifying this in advance helps you write a closing that reinforces the goal of the speech.

Here are some options for ending your speech:

• Close with an inspirational quotation.  Find a short quote that captures the feeling you want the audience to have. Set it up with a transitional sentence that introduces the quote and its relevance to the audience, something like, “The author Marianne Williamson said it best when she wrote…”
• Include a call to action. Once you identify what you want people to do as a result of your speech, conclude with a clear call to action that specifically tells the audience how they can get involved. Make sure it’s a reasonable request as opposed to something too unrealistic. For instance, asking the audience to introduce you to potential investors is an easier “ask” than asking them to become investors themselves. If you truly know your audience, you will know what “call to action” is important. Be sure to mention how this call to action benefits the audience, not just you.
• Tell a story. If you’ve just delivered a presentation that’s an overview of a subject with facts and figures, make it personal by telling a story that helps the audience visualize the subject on a more human level. For instance, “Finally, let me show you an example of this work in action…” [Tip: This technique works really well as a speech opener as well, though you will frame it differently]
• Describe the impact of what happens if the audience does what you ask. If your speech is about changing people’s actions, then paint a picture of a positive future to help them visualize the outcome. For instance, “By working together, we can all live in a world where…”
• Transition to Q+A. After ending with a concluding sentence, pause and then confidently ask if there are any questions in the audience. That transition from speech closing to Q+A is very important to maintain your authority in the room. Don’t end with, “So, yeah” and then look questioningly at the audience. Practice that transition with confidence and purpose.
• Match the opening sentence. Ideally, the opening and closing sentences should relate to one another in meaning and intensity. As you write your closing sentence, re-read the opening sentence and see how you can refer back to it or build on it. You might need to re-write the opening sentence to match the conclusion. In fact, I often write the two sentences at the same time to make sure they match.

Should I thank the audience?

Toastmasters International often advises its members against saying “thank you” to the audience, but in my experience I think it can be appropriate when said authentically. However, the words “thank you” should not replace your closing; they should be said after the meaningful, momentum-building closing we discussed above. If you do thank the audience, pause after your final sentence, then look the audience members in the eye and say “thank you.”

A few other tips:

• Memorize your final sentence. This helps you make direct eye contact with the audience which really drives home your message. Don’t end your speech by staring down at your paper or staring at your feet and mumbling something unintelligible.
• Speak slowly when you conclude. Many people feel rushed to finish their speech so they wind up rushing their conclusion. That can leave the audience confused as to whether or not the speech is over. Speak the final sentence slowly, with confidence and meaning.

Jon, thanks for requesting this topic! I’m sure other readers had similar questions. By using the above methods, you insure that your speech builds to a powerful conclusion that moves your audience to take action. That creates a truly dynamic closing.

Very helpful

Thank you so very much for your comment and for taking the time to read it!

Very Informative

Very good information and really practical tips.

Thank u for such great info

hi i read this a year later but thank you! so much!

Very helpful information, thank you

Very helpful It is a site for best tips for an outro for your speech.. Thank you very much for sharing these best tips!

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How to Close a Speech – 15 Unique Ways

The question of how to close a speech is an important one that every presenter must ask, given the weight those final words have on your audience.

As the open of your speech sets the stage, your close seals the deal. It is your last chance to restate a key idea, make a final impression, inspire the audience, move a group to action, or change a person’s perspective. A tall order, yes, but it’s far from impossible.

When speakers think about how to close a presentation, there are several key elements to consider when it comes to their close:

• Is it engaging?
• Does it reiterate your message?
• Have you clearly identified the next step you want your audience to take?

Too often, speakers mistakenly believe that the audience will be able to infer what they should do next. The truth of the matter is even the most talented presenter can benefit from sending the audience off with a clear call to action . When it is specific, easy to execute, and aligns with their needs, wants, and concerns, they are more likely to take you up on your request.

Since these final words are so important, you’ll want to make a singular impression.

Here, we offer 15 unique ways to close a speech.

15 Unique Ways to End a Speech

These presentation closes highlight many different approaches in how to end a speech that work for our clients in our public speaking classes . What they are not are recipes for quick escapes. Save the “thank you for your time,” “feel free to email or call me with questions,” and “that’s all I have for today” for another day. Your close is what you want them to remember, so make sure it’s something they can’t forget.

1. The Summary Close –  Let’s talk turkey. This close is about the most straightforward, direct, and unequivocal one in the list. In the annals of how to close a presentation speech, it also could be called the “recap” close. If you opt to close a speech with a summary, you want to be clear with your biggest idea and convey to the audience that it is what you want them to remember. That doesn’t mean, however, the summary close is never engaging.

For example, you’re a doctor who is encouraging an audience to adopt lifestyle changes that can lead to longevity. You could end your talk by saying:

“In conclusion, while genetics plays an important role in our lifespans, there are decisions you can make that can improve your chances for a longer and more productive life. There are three letters I want you to remember, “i”, “a,” and “n.” Why? They come at the end of three important words: octogenarian, nonagenarian, and centenarian. If you plan to be active in your 80s, 90s, and 100s, you better start eating better, getting more exercise, eliminating unnecessary stress, and scheduling those routine screenings. A thriving future is in your hands.”

2. The Illustrative Close – The artistry in this close comes from your ability to appropriate a first- or third-person anecdote, case study, or fable; an apocryphal (fictional but plausible) tale; or another storytelling device to serve as an illustration of the main points you made during your talk. Quick tip: Many talks begin and end in this manner.

Example No. 1: You are a senior vice president of a nonprofit that provides health and humanitarian care to locations around the world. You are talking to a group of would-be donors about the significance of their contributions. You decide to end your speech with a personal experience.

“I’ve spent the past 20 minutes encouraging you to dig into those pockets to help make the world a better place for others. I want to tell you one more story. It’s about a personal decision I made some 10 years ago after visiting a coffee shop. I plunked down my two dollars, grabbed my coffee, and headed out the door. During my five-minute walk back to my office, my one-minute walk up the stairs, and the four minutes I spent catching up on email, I had finished it. In 10 minutes, I had managed to spend and consume the amount of money that the world’s poorest people live on in a day. Could I give up that coffee to help others? You bet I could, and I did. Since then, no matter what else I donate each year, it always contains $520, what I call my “coffee fund.” Simple measures not only add up but have the power to change lives.”

Example No. 2:

You are a guidance counselor who is speaking to a group of students who are applying to college. Throughout your talk, you impress upon them the importance of planning and setting deadlines. You could end your speech by referencing Aesop’s fable The Ants and the Grasshopper .

“I want to tell you all a story, and perhaps it is one you remember. Long ago, a grasshopper decided to spend his summer making music and otherwise lazing about. In contrast, a group of ants busily set aside food for the winter. The grasshopper thought he would be fine if he waited to the last minute. He wasn’t, nor will you be if you put off the tasks that need to be done today. Applying for college is an intense and important process that can’t be rushed at the end.”

3. The Surprise Close – Some of the best movie endings of all time were wicked twists, surprising conclusions, and outright shockers. Why are they so memorable? First, they are unexpected. It turns out our brains are more active when we experience something we didn’t anticipate. Second, we expected a different conclusion. When a pattern is broken, we become particularly attuned to what comes next . When you close a speech with a surprise ending , you are signaling to your audience to listen up. Here are some ways to do that:

• Your talk is about how positive thinking gives you the power to overcome overwhelming obstacles. Your talk has been about a woman who “beat the odds.” At the end, you reveal that person is you.
• You lead a school building committee, and you are giving a presentation about the renovation plans for an 80-year-old school. You want to persuade the community to back the plan. As you end your speech, you concede that speaking about the design is a lot less effective than seeing it. You could close with this:

“We all know seeing is believing. So, while I do not have an actual building to show you, I want to take you on a virtual tour of our new middle school. You are the first to see this. (You reveal a screen and project a short video.) This plan provides for the students’ futures and doesn’t keep them stuck in the past.”

4. The Metaphor Close – When it comes to how to close a speech, you may feel that you are drowning in options, but if you take a careful look at your topic and what you want to convey, you will find it’s as easy as pie. We bet that’s music to your ears. Welcome to the metaphor close. We just gave you three. Metaphors are figures of speech that make an indirect comparison between two things that are symbolically similar but literally different. You are not literally drowning in options, but it sure can feel that way.

Here’s a way to employ this close: You are a spokesperson for a technology company that is releasing a new residential surveillance product. You outlined its merits throughout your talk and have arrived at the end. Here, we show you two closes, one without and one with a metaphor.

Example No. 1 (Without)

“Our proprietary technology makes our product stand out. By installing our surveillance system, you have – at your fingertips – one of the industry’s strongest lines of defense against would-be thieves, intruders, and other unwanted visitors.”

Example No. 2 (With)

“When you install our surveillance system, it is as if you have dozens of lookouts guarding your home.”

5. The Forward-Looking Close – Calling all dreamers and visionaries: Paint a picture of what the world might look like in the future. This speech close is a good option if you are talking about recommendations to adopt or future trends that could have a bearing on your topic. It’s important to create a vivid and vibrant picture to help the audience better visualize what it is you hope to accomplish. Say you are a financial advisor talking to a group 15 years away from retirement. During your talk, you have shared a portfolio of products and your firm’s approach to investment. Your close could be this:

“I have shared with you some tips and techniques that will help you to grow your money, so you have it when you need it most. We have talked about your bottom line, market variability, and the strategies that go into investing. But, I want to leave you with a different picture. When you pay attention to your investments today, your tomorrows will be spent poolside, hiking mountains, traveling the globe, learning a new skill, or finally attaining what you have always dreamed of doing. You will no longer be working for your money. Your money will be working for you.”

6. The Backward-Looking Close – We move away from the future and reach into the past. Some audiences, including those who are discouraged or complacent, may need to be reminded of how far they have come. Say you are the manager of a sales team that has spent the past two years working full tilt to hit revenue goals. During your speech, you outlined an ambitious approach to the coming year that some audience members believe is unattainable. Your close, then, encourages them to move forward with confidence, given their past successes. You could offer this:

“I know how hard you all worked these past two years to increase revenue and create a more thriving and vibrant environment. You may not think it, but I can hear your silent groans of frustration. Yes, we do have an ambitious path before us. However, I have no doubts that you are all up to the task. In the past two years, you have taken a company with $500,000 a year in sales to one that clears $1 million. The expressions of doubt and concern that face me now were the same I saw two years ago. But guess what? During these past two years, whatever challenges we faced were met and managed quickly – and that is entirely due to your work ethic. I know we can do this. I know we will do this.”

7. The Next Steps Close – You probably have several to-do lists in your life. There are those that cover daily needs; others focus on short-term goals. There’s likely one lurking out there for long-term dreams, too. Although the timeframe may be different, each list has its own set of tasks that must be met to ensure that things get done. You can close a speech with a similar list. In this case, you want to lay out the sequence and timeline of steps needed to make a decision or achieve a goal.

8. The Rhetorical Question Close –  You don’t have to wait until the end, as rhetorical questions are effective throughout a talk. However, asking one at the conclusion of your presentation is powerful since the audience leaves with your question rattling around their minds. One of the most famous rhetorical questions came during a 1980 presidential debate between President Jimmy Carter and his challenger, Governor Ronald Reagan. In the ensuing years, Reagan’s message has become an oft-asked question during every presidential election cycle: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” Here’s what he said to end that 1980 debate:

“Next Tuesday is Election Day. Next Tuesday all of you will go to the polls, will stand there in the polling place, and make a decision. I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we’re as strong as we were four years ago?” And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. If you don’t agree, if you don’t think that this course that we’ve been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have.”

9. The Provocative Close – Merriam-Webster defines provocative as “serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate.” Of course, every presenter hopes to stimulate the minds of their audiences, but a provocative close snaps people to attention. Here’s how to end a presentation speech provocatively. For instance, you are:

• Delivering a wake-up call – You conclude with a forceful call to action. This is particularly effective if you have power or hold sway over the group to whom you are presenting. For example, you have just delivered a talk to employees about a new technology they are going to have to learn – no ifs, ands, or buts.
• Talking to a group that resists change – You could end with the consequences if no action is taken regarding your topic. You want to paint an “if we fail to act” vision, but it’s also important to take it easy. Too much negativity could lead to a sense of hopelessness, and hopelessness is not the greatest of motivators.

10. The PowerPoint Close – When you dispense with cluttered visual presentations and instead offer an image that draws your audience in, PowerPoint can create a memorable close. Powerful visuals encourage curiosity. Here are a few options to close a speech with a PowerPoint slide. You might project:

• A photo that is seemingly unrelated to your speech topic and requires your explanation.
• An image that is humorous but makes a profound point.
• A line graph showing two potential outcomes – one if the audience gets involved and another if they don’t.

11. The Recommendation Close – In the long-running game show “Let’s Make a Deal,” contestants, who are dressed in outlandish costumes, are urged to, yes, make a deal for cash and prizes. They must choose a prize or gamble for another, which is often behind a curtain or some other wall or obstruction. “Let’s Make a Deal” contestants don’t know what’s behind the curtain, but your audience will. With the recommendation close, you provide your audience with the plusses and minuses of several different options – no curtains or costumes needed.

To be viewed as credible, however, you should offer honest pros and cons for each recommendation. It should not appear to the audience as if you are stacking the odds in favor of one column over the other. Just be mindful not to tip your hat, and the audience will get an unvarnished look at the options before them.

12. The Activity Close – As you can see, how to conclude a presentation speech is as unique to the presenter as it is to the message. In this close, you engage in an activity that drives your main message home. For instance, you could employ a group “pop quiz” to see how many of your key points landed. ( Added bonus: The feedback affords one more opportunity to clarify and reiterate what you want the audience to remember.) You could also end with some of the following activities:

You are a representative for a cosmetics company and are unveiling a new foundation. For your close, you break the audience into groups, provide samples, and ask the groups how it delivered. You run a government agency that is implementing a new program for requests for proposal. You are running some information sessions for contractors, consultants, and other businesses. For your close, you could lead participants through one test round of the system.

13. The Takeaway Close – Parents of young toddlers and teenagers do this every day, to mixed results, but when used to close a speech it can be entirely effective. You ask the audience to reflect on two or three things they heard you say that resonated with them the most. You might even ask them to write them down. The exercise has a twofold benefit – you get to see whether your messages stuck, and the audience is forced to recall what you said, but on their terms.

14. The “Since I Started Speaking” Close – This close works well when talking about a health issue, a societal phenomenon, or anything that can be explained through statistics and further broken down into concrete examples. Say, for instance, you are a spokesperson for a smoking cessation program, and you are talking to a group of employees about the dangers of smoking. After you have outlined how smoking leads to disease and is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, you could end with this:

“In the 60 seconds it will take me to finish my presentation, someone in the United States will have died from cigarette smoking. That happens every minute, making smoking the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The dangers are real, and the dire consequences of smoking are relentless, yet it remains an unhealthy habit that too many are unable to quit. What will it take to make that change? After you leave here today, why don’t you take a minute and think of how much it costs you to smoke. Then think of what you could be doing with the money instead. Vacations? Home renovations? New bikes? A new wardrobe? Philanthropic pursuits? Find the incentive that finally gets you to stop lighting up. Quitting is difficult, but it isn’t impossible. And we’ll be here to help you, even if you fall down a few times along the way.”

15. The Relevance Close – In today’s fast-paced society, yesterday’s news ain’t what it used to be. A fresh tidbit during the morning news cycle is stale by lunchtime. Such an environment can make it hard for a presenter whose talk is historical or retrospective in nature. How to close a speech in this scenario? Connect old ways or thoughts to contemporary norms or thinking. Perhaps, you find that your topic reflects an adage that stands the test of time. Say you are a museum curator whose latest exhibition delves into the history of work and the machines that revolutionized different industries. You have just wrapped up a presentation about the show to a group of donors. You have laid out the main points and are heading for the close. Here are some closing techniques:

You might remind the audience how the machines of yesterday were once the state-of-art technology of their day. Then, encourage them to think about what will replace current technology and how that will affect the nature of work. Map out the historical line between an object of today with its predecessors to show how the technology of work is ever evolving. Find an adage or quote that covers the overall theme of how technology and human industry have been and will be linked into the future.

One caveat: For most talks, speakers would want to establish such a relevance early on (i.e., what now seems old was once state of the art). However, for some talks, such as the one referenced above, the moment might have more impact and resonance if it is saved until the end.

Need Help Closing Your Speech?

While every presenter needs to think about how to close a speech, the answer is not always going to be the same. It’s a personal decision that should reflect your personality, your goals, and the content of your presentation. You might choose one that is straightforward, traditional, creative, or innovative.

Whichever you choose, aim to end on a high note. This is not the time for quick goodbyes, mumbled thank-yous, or body language that suggests all you really want to do is flee. There are many public speaking tips  we share with our clients, and a key one is to remember that a presentation’s close is one of its most important parts.

It’s your last chance to make an impression on your audience – which in turn will help you to inspire them to think big, persuade them to change their perspective, or move them to action. Make it count!

Most speakers benefit from teaming any of these unique endings with a second close, which can make for a more powerful and memorable ending. Want to learn more? In this post , we delve into the art of wrapping up your talk with two closes, rather than just one. 

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How to End a Speech: The 15 Best Tips and Examples To Elevate Your Speech Closing

When it comes to giving a speech, the conclusion is just as important as the introduction and body. It’s the final impression you leave on your audience, and it can make or break your entire presentation. A powerful and memorable conclusion can leave your audience inspired, informed, and engaged.

Crafting a Memorable Conclusion

1. Summarize Your Key Points

One of the best ways to conclude a speech is to focus on the key points you’ve made throughout your presentation. This helps highlight your message and ensures that your audience remembers the most important takeaways.

For example, if you were giving a speech on the importance of environmental conservation, you could conclude by summarizing the key actions individuals can take, such as reducing waste and conserving energy.

Before that, it is crucial to memorize the speech , and each detail of it in the right order. That will help you to act like a pro in your presentation.

2. End with a Powerful Quote

Quotes can be a powerful tool to end a speech, as they can encapsulate your message and leave a lasting impression. Choose a quote that relates to your topic and resonates with your audience.

For instance, if you were giving a motivational speech, you could end with a quote like, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts,” by Winston Churchill.

Engaging Your Audience

3. Ask a Thought-Provoking Question

Engage your audience by asking a thought-provoking question in your conclusion. This can encourage them to reflect on the topic and even initiate discussions after your speech.

If you were delivering a speech on the future of technology, you could ask, “What do you envision for the future of human-technology interaction?” This prompts your audience to consider the possibilities.

4. Tell a Personal Anecdote

Sharing a personal anecdote related to your speech topic can humanize you as a speaker and make a deep connection with your audience . This can be particularly effective when giving a persuasive or motivational speech.

In case you were speaking about overcoming adversity, you could share a personal story of a challenging experience you faced and how you persevered. This personal touch can leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Creating a Memorable Conclusion

5. End with a Call to Action

If your speech is meant to inspire action, a strong call to action in your conclusion is essential. Clearly state what you want your audience to do or how you want them to apply the information you’ve provided.

If your speech is about volunteer opportunities in your community, conclude by encouraging your audience to sign up for a specific event or join a local organization.

6. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a compelling way to conclude your speech, especially if you’ve used them throughout your presentation . You can end with a powerful image, graph, or chart that reinforces your message.

For example, if you were giving a speech on the effects of deforestation, you could conclude by displaying a before-and-after image of a deforested area that has been restored.

Captivating Your Audience

7. Employ Humor

Ending your speech with a touch of humor can be a great way to leave your audience with a smile. A well-timed joke or witty remark related to your topic can help lighten the mood and make your conclusion more memorable.

However, be cautious with humor , as it should be appropriate and inoffensive to your audience.

8. Use a Visual Metaphor

Visual metaphors are a creative way to conclude your speech. They involve using a physical object or action that symbolizes your message.  For instance, if your speech is about the power of unity, you could conclude by bringing two puzzle pieces together to illustrate how unity can solve complex problems.

Demonstrating Confidence and Gratitude

9. Express Gratitude

Showing appreciation to your audience is a gracious way to conclude your speech. Thank your listeners for their time, attention, and engagement. Expressing gratitude not only leaves a positive impression but also reinforces the connection you’ve established with your audience.

You can say, “I want to express my sincere gratitude to each of you for being here today and for your dedication to our cause.”

10. Maintain Eye Contact

Maintaining eye contact with your audience during the conclusion is crucial. It conveys confidence and sincerity, making your message more impactful.  Avoid looking down at your notes or staring at a distant point. Instead, connect with individual members of your audience as you wrap up your speech.

Inspiring and Motivating

11. End with a Vision

Paint a vivid picture of the future in your conclusion. Share a vision that inspires and motivates your audience. This approach works well in speeches related to goals, aspirations, or change.

When you are speaking about the future of renewable energy, describe a world where clean energy sources power our cities and protect our environment.

12. Leave a Rhetorical Question

A rhetorical question in your conclusion can leave your audience pondering your message long after your speech has ended. It encourages reflection and engages your listeners on a deeper level.

Moreover, if you’re delivering a speech on the importance of education, you could conclude with a rhetorical question like, “Can we afford to neglect the potential of the next generation?”

Achieving Impactful Closure

13. Connect to Your Opening

A powerful technique for closing a speech is to circle back to your opening statement or anecdote. This creates a sense of closure and reinforces the theme or message you introduced at the beginning.

If you began your speech with a personal story, bringing that story full circle in your conclusion can be particularly impactful.

14. Use a Poignant Quote or Poem

Consider ending your speech with a meaningful quote or a short poem that encapsulates your message. Poetry, in particular, can evoke strong emotions and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Choose a quote or poem that resonates with your speech’s theme and delivers a profound message.

Practice and Feedback

15. rehearse and seek feedback.

Lastly, practice and feedback are essential for a successful conclusion . Rehearse your ending multiple times to ensure that your delivery is confident and polished.  Seek feedback from trusted individuals who can provide constructive suggestions to help you refine your conclusion further.

Should I memorize my conclusion word-for-word, or is it okay to improvise?

Memorizing your conclusion word-for-word is generally not recommended. While it’s crucial to know the key points and structure of your conclusion, sounding too rehearsed can come across as insincere. Instead, aim to understand the main ideas and transitions in your conclusion, allowing for some flexibility in your delivery. This approach can make your conclusion feel more authentic and engaging.

Can I use multiple techniques in a single conclusion?

The key is to maintain coherence and relevance. For instance, you can end with a powerful quote followed by a call to action or a thought-provoking question, as long as they flow naturally and support your speech’s objectives.

Is it acceptable to use humor in the conclusion of a serious or formal speech?

It can be acceptable to use humor in the conclusion of a serious or formal speech, but it should be used judiciously and in a way that is contextually appropriate. Humor can help break the tension or lighten the mood, but it should not detract from the overall message or tone of your speech. Ensure that your humor is respectful and relevant to your audience and topic.

The Bottom Line

Ending a speech effectively is a skill that can be honed with practice and attention to detail. Remember that the conclusion is your final opportunity to connect with your audience, so make it count by crafting a memorable and impactful ending.

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Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

Writing the Conclusion of a Speech

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

One of the best ways to conclude a speech is to tie the conclusion into the introduction. For example, you might begin your speech by telling a suspenseful story that relates to your topic, but save the end of the story for the very end of your speech. Or refer back to the same quotation. Or refer to the joke that you told. Any of these strategies will give your speech a sense of connection and closure, and will leave the audience with a great final impression.

If you are delivering a persuasive speech, you might try a slightly different ending because your goal is not just to be remembered, it’s to inspire people to take action. One way to do this is to issue a call-to-action. This means that you specifically tell your audience what actions you expect them to take related to your speech. Another way to inspire action with the conclusion of your speech is to appeal to their emotions. If you create a desired emotion within your audience, and then leave them with that emotion, they will take that emotion with them. For example: If you leave them feeling guilty about not-recycling by painting a bleak picture about the state of the Earth that their grandchildren will live in, then they might recall that emotion the next time they choose not to recycle and alter their behavior.

Leaving a strong final impression is the most important aspect of the conclusion, but their are some other necessary steps as well:

• Making a smooth transition from the body of the speech to the conclusion is crucial. To do this, use a signpost known as a concluding statement. The most common concluding statements include: “in conclusion”, “I leave you with”, “finally today”, and other similarly obvious endings.
• Just as it is important to preview a speech in the introduction, it is important to summarize the speech in the conclusion. The more the audience hears your main points, the more likely they are to remember them. By previewing, discussing, and summarizing your main points your audience will be exposed to them at least three times during your speech.

A good conclusion should be about 5-10% of the total speech length. Anything shorter that 5% means that the ending has come too abruptly. Anything more that 10%, and the audience may become restless. This brings up another point: If it sounds like a conclusion, you need to finish your speech in a reasonable amount of time. The conclusion is not the place to add new material.

Effective ways to end a speech

• Summarize the main speech topics or main points.
• Repeat a few keywords or phrases by using the rhetorical figure of speech repetition.
• State how your points prove your general and specific goal.
• Restate and reinforce the central idea.
• Repeat the tie between the needs and interests of the listeners, and your thesis.
• Refer back to an anecdote or quotation in the introduction text.
• Offer a so-called moral of the story.
• Call them to act and offer them how-to-do-it steps.
• List the benefits or available applications; very effective ways to end a speech.
• Restate the problem and provide your solution in two sentences.
• Visualize the outcome of your call to action with a prop or visual aid.
• Transform your central idea or even the discourse title into an easy to remember slogan.
• Recite a couple of lines from songs, poems or citations and quotes from a historical presentation.
• End with a heart-felt human interest story in which all comes together.
• Finish with a clinching personal anecdote.
• Close with an illustrative design example.
• End with a joke or funny remark. Must say that only choose these ways to end a speech if it’s really funny.
• Connect your speech topics with the common grounds and thoughts of the public speaking audience. This way to end a speech brings the overall speech topic in their hearts and minds.
• Ask a rhetorical question and answer with an easy to remember oneliner.
• Give the ultimate answer on an important question you proposed earlier in your introduction.
• Surprise with a shocking fact or figure that empahizes the need for change.
• Draw the contours of the ideal situation you propose. Visualize that they will see paradise if they do, think or act as you want.

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2 thoughts on “Writing the Conclusion of a Speech”

Great information,but need samples to further help us understand

I want to have and example of conclusion please

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