Effective Presentation Skills: Opening and Closing
When you stand in front of an audience you have five seconds to get their attention and thirty seconds to develop interest and curiosity. How you open is critical to the success of your presentation. In those opening words you must hook your audience, establish rapport, set the mood, demonstrate your credibility and introduce your topic. Yes, all this in seconds. You cannot afford to waste a moment or 'wing' your opening.
Establishing Rapport
Establish rapport with your audience. Let them know you understand how they are thinking and feeling. For example: Some of you may
be thinking you haven't got the time to be sitting here listening to me, but today provides real opportunities...
Being Credible
Your credibility is likely to be less to do with your academic qualifications and professional experiences and more to do with having a strong posture, quality eye contact and being enthused about your message.
Tips for Closing
Not only is the opening critical to the success of your presentation, so is your conclusion. Prepare your closing and know exactly what you are going to say and do. Create something memorable for the audience to take away with them - a present, if you like. It needs to be purposeful and memorable and linked to your objectives: to what you want your audience to think, feel and do.
The Things to Do
1. 'Feel-good' ending
Aim for something catchy - a story, a phrase, a thought, an image
- that will continue to play in people's minds for hours, days or weeks. This is the time to deliver your take-home message straight to them eye to eye and person to person.
2. The closing summary
The closing summary is useful when the presentation is intended to convey information and not a call to action: So we have seen that... and this means ...
3. A call to action
Remind your audience of the benefits of taking action and stir their emotions. Remember, feelings are a catalyst to action.
Beware of padding out your speech to the allotted time. If you finish early most people will consider this a bonus! Rather than overstay your welcome, leave them wanting more. Remember:
- Always plan your closing
- Make it catchy, brief and to the point
- Link to the main points of your talk
- Stand confidently and look directly at your audience
- Leave your audience wanting more
- Summarise the main points and answer the question 'now what?'
If your presentation is to be followed by a question and answer session, the impact of your final sentences can be diluted. You
can counter this by a second very brief closing after accepting a series of questions.
How you end is how people will remember you. The lasting impression is formed from your final words, be they uplifting and motivating or empty and wishy-washy. Your closing is your signature. You might want to leave your audience feeling upbeat, needed and special.
