Think about a speech that left you motivated and inspired. What was it about the talk that changed or reinforced your opinions on the topic? It’s most likely the conclusion you remember.
Speeches that capture the listener’s attention or even change their lives follow a pattern:
- Start by enticing the audience to listen
- Develop and back up main points while holding the audience’s interest
- End strong with a memorable conclusion
Like an introduction to a speech captures the audience or reader’s attention, a speech conclusion needs to leave the listener with a clear message summarizing the main points of the address. Great speeches, especially persuasive speeches, use the conclusion also as a call to action to energize and motivate the audience.
Leaving a solid impression the audience will remember is one of the essential parts of the speech.
Always Include In A Conclusion
A conclusion brings closure and ties everything discussed together through unity. A well-written and presented ending needs to be between 5 to 10 percent of the entire speech. If it is shorter, the ending is too abrupt. If it is longer, it is probably droning on.
The conclusion to a speech needs to achieve the following:
- Reinforce the message
- Summarize the main points
- Close with a story or rhyme
- Use vocal inflection, audience participation, laughter, tone, speed, and facial expressions
- Create a sense of closure
- Use the right words to signal the end
Never Include In A Conclusion
Hearing Porky Pig end a cartoon by stammering, “That’s all folks!” may work for Warner Brothers, but it’s not an excellent way to conclude a powerful speech. There are a few things that should never happen in a speech conclusion.
- Never start new arguments or discussion topics, including further information not previously mentioned in the conclusion portion.
- Never suddenly switch viewpoints or take on a different position.
- Never abruptly end with a weak phrase such as, “And that’s it!” or say “thank you,” or “that’s all I have to say,” or “The end!” to indicate the speech is over.
- Never fiddle with papers or appear nervous by pulling at your clothing or stammering at any time during the speech.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Sound conclusions don’t usually happen off the cuff. A powerful resolve generally requires careful thought and planning. Plan your words carefully.
Ask yourself:
- What is the speech’s purpose?
- How do you want your listeners to respond?
- What actions do you want your audience members to take after hearing your speech?
- How can you inspire or motivate the audience?
- What story can you tell that relates to the audience?
Use Words to Signal End
While you don’t want to abruptly end by saying, “That’s it!” or, “OK, I’m done speaking now!” you will want to use words to signal to the audience that your speech is close to wrapping up. Metaphorically, you’re bringing the plane in for a landing.
Starting the conclusion portion with words like “in conclusion” or “finally” queue the listeners to tune in for the end. Sum things up by saying, “in summary” or “as we talked about” to capture their attention for your important last thoughts on the matter.
These concluding phrases clue them in to listen. Be careful, however, never to use these concluding phrases anywhere else in the speech but at the end. Otherwise, you could confuse the audience into thinking your talk is almost over, but instead, it drags on.
Reinforce the Message
If the speech were an essay, the main message would be called a thesis. Review the thesis statement to find points to address in the closing comments. Bring the issues to full circle by revisiting your opening statements and stories that led you to the climax ending. Don’t assume the audience remembers your opening lines. Restate them in the conclusion.
Summarize the Main Points
The main goal of a conclusion is to draw all of your points together to answer the question:
“So what?”
Sum up the reason for the speech by answering the reason for the speech, “So what?” Ask yourself what you want to inspire or motivate your audience to do.
Sometimes, it’s easier to figure out your main points by thinking about the action you want your listeners to take away from your talk and writing the conclusion first.
Close With a Story or Rhyme
Audiences often relate to stories. It serves as a moral to the story or a reason for the speech. Sum up all of your main points by closing with a story. Don’t be afraid to include a personal anecdote.
If you cannot develop a powerful story, turn the ending points into a rhyme. People tend to remember words put to rhythm. Recite quotes from a powerful historical speech, song lyrics, poetry, memorable short phrase, or word to create an easy-to-remember slogan that drives home your points.
Change Your Tone, Speed, and Facial Expressions
Unlike an essay or written words, your tone of voice and the speed at which you deliver it are fundamental. Don’t rush it, but also don’t drone on and on.
Slow down or speak louder when telling a story or emphasizing a vital point, stressing one word or phrase. Use dramatic pauses to give your listeners time to take in what you are saying. Make your voice inflection go up at the end of a word to drive your point home.
Smiling is something that is uplifting, so smile at the happy points. But, also remember to show serious facial expressions when appropriate. Also, use visual aids and audience interaction.
Laughter Is Good Medicine
Bonus points if you can make the audience laugh. Laughter tends to relax the crowd and open them up to listening.
Create a Sense of Closure
Hopefully, your speech’s introduction captured the audience’s attention. Maybe you used a story, quoted an impactful line, listed statistics, or posed a rhetorical question. Whatever tactic you used in the introduction of the speech and captured the audience’s attention, revisit it in the conclusion. Circling back to the beginning signals to the audience that the address is drawing close to a final point.
Think about your speech’s purpose, and use the opening attention grabs as either a call to action or a way to prove your point. Now is a fantastic part of the speech to present a surprising fact emphasizing the call to action and the need to change.
A few other ways to create a sense of closure include:
- Express a list of benefits if the audience members take action based on the points you presented.
- Restate the problem and provide a solution in one or two sentences.
- Introduce the speech with a rhetorical question, and conclude it by answering the question.
Finally, make your last words powerful with verbal inflections and body language queues that it’s over and OK to applaud.