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Speaking of closing remarks, many assume this to be the nonsignificant part of the speech, where the speaker simply bids adieu to the audience. But this is in fact one of the most important sections of the entire speech and has the capacity to make or break the entire speech.

How do you close a speech in a way that impacts the audience? What needs to be avoided, and how can one improve the end of their talk to close it with a bang?

Common Errors to Avoid While Closing a Speech

Often, individuals who write speech content focus on the beginning of the task and write out a mind-blowing introduction. They spend time – naturally – on the body, which is the primary content of the speech. But when it comes to the conclusion, it’s like all creativity has dried out. Many end it with a simple Thank You or a rushed summary.

What the listeners hear last leaves an impact on them and usually makes them think about the topic longer. Recalling the speech can eventually make them act on what they heard, which is often the main purpose of speeches.

Let us take a quick look at some common mistakes individuals make during their closing remarks whilst ending their speech.

1. Not summarizing the content of the speech

The speech that one gives must revolve around one central point, or a group of well-defined points or values. The individual giving the speech must be knowledgeable about the meaning of these points and values.

One should give the audience well-built content without them having to guess what the speaker is talking about. The points must be in sync with each other and be in chronological order. The closing remarks of the speech must be a summary of all the main points discussed in the speech.

This must include the important values and themes that were discussed during the speech. The closing remarks must recap everything presented, refreshing the minds of the listening audience. This is crucial, since the audience can’t necessary retain everything they just heard during a 2-hour speech.

What the speech ends with is usually the message that the audience leaves with. The ending must not be too complicated and needs to be worded so that the audience can relate to the content and retain it.

Also, one must not make the closing remarks too long. It shouldn’t be a speech in itself. Using a phrase or quote usually does the trick. If this feels too cliched, making up a quote can give a personal touch.

One should make sure the time spent on presenting the closing remarks of the speech is not a waste of time – for the speaker and for the audience.

2. Using complicated jargon during the closing remarks

One would assume that if they use fancy jargon and complicated terms during their speech, the audience will be impressed. While this may be true when giving a technical or scientific speech about a specific concept or product, jargon often makes the speech boring and challenging to understand.

When a speaker speaks to their audience, they must know what the mental understanding level of the audience is and match their speech up to it. This is especially true while imparting closing remarks to the audience.

Speaking over-complicated words and terms will not only bore the audience but will leave them even more confused and likely less informed about the topic of discussion.

If one is forced to use jargon, one should make sure that it is explained somewhere in the speech and that the audience knows what one is talking about. If one uses acronyms that are not explained, the audience will be left clueless at the end of the entire talk. This, in turn, may ruin the entire value of the speech.

The closing remarks must be clear, cohesive, concise, and complete. If one is prone to making closing remarks lengthy, one can consult a peer or a friend about how the closing remark sounds. Test them to ensure they are suitable.

In the case where the audience is filled with professionals who are well-versed in the field, the content of the speech and the closing remarks can contain technical terms and jargon. But still, one must keep it to a minimum.

3. Ending with a sign-off

A sign-off is a common way of ending a letter and many keynote speakers indulge in this when they impart their closing remarks. Though it might seem professional in rare situations, it is boring and mediocre to the listeners most of the time.

An example of a sign-off could be a simple “Thank You” or “Take Care.” The speech givers often tend to end the speech with “Have a nice day.” This adds no value to the speech and is not an actionable comment either. It doesn’t leave the audience thinking more about the content that was discussed.

For this reason, it is always best to end the speech with a sentence that actually matters. The sentence can also reflect the speech’s entire point in a single sentence. It can also be a quote said by a famous person that the audience can relate to – although one must ensure that it is relevant to the topic, and not selected at random.

A sign-off can also give the audience the impression the speech was interrupted abruptly. If not considered, the flow of the speech could come to a sudden end without a proper closing remark, leaving the audience feeling like they are attending a lecture at a university or college.

It is important to create an impact with the closing remarks with a strong summary. The sign-off can follow this, depending on how formal or informal the event is.

4. Preparation without practice

Though some people are naturally born with the talent of public speaking, others take time and practice to reach the stage where they can confidently give a speech without stuttering, fumbling, and stammering in the middle.

Though one can write out a speech and read it when on the podium, practicing it once before an audience or a closed intimate group is better than going and presenting it in front of thousands of people for the first time. The worst-case scenario is that one prepares a speech without practice and makes a mistake in front of the audience. This is especially the case during closing remarks, which must be presented in full confidence.

Mistakes radiate a negative impression of the speaker. The audience will also lose the connection that they otherwise should have been developing with the speaker throughout the course of the talk.

If an individual is new to the field of public speaking, assuming that they can wing it on the big stage is quite a huge risk that they would be taking. In addition to this, the risk would not be worth it if the individual loses their train of thought on the podium. This can be embarrassing for the speaker in addition to creating an awkward situation for the audience.

The closing remark of the speech is something that cannot be winged. In fact, it has to be practiced quite a few times before it can be performed in the best way possible. The audience should leave pleased and contemplative about what they have heard.

5. Leaving loose ends

A speaker is also human, and mistakes are bound to happen on stage. It may be due to nervousness or just due to them simply forgetting to mention some content of the priorly prepared speech. A well-skilled speaker would know how to correct him or herself in such situations.

For instance, if a speaker promises the audience that they will be providing 10 points and only speaks about 9, the audience will notice, as a majority of them take notes.

Thus, if the speaker realizes their fault while giving the speech or when they are nearing the end of the speech, they can correct themselves and mention it during the closing remarks. They can also cover up their mistake and address the missed points as a portion of their speech.

This tactic would leave the audience in awe of the speaker and save the speaker some embarrassment. This also eliminates any panic situation for the speaker on stage and regrets missing some important points in their content.

Tying up loose ends is an art that one develops in time. If one cannot recollect the missed point, making up a point smoothly in the end and adding it as part of the closing remarks is also a great way to deal with such a scenario.

In addition, being transparent with the audience by apologizing for the missed point/s helps the audience and the speaker connect. This is one of the best ways to present closing remarks.

6. Not focussing on inflection and body language

The speech one has prepared may be of the highest quality and one that the audience would love. However, not adding appropriate body language and inflection in the voice while giving a speech would put the audience to sleep.

Thus, no matter how great the speech is, it’s important to look into the previously mentioned factors, especially when one gives the closing remarks. This will create an impression on the audience.

The type of content, type of audience, how educated the audience is on the topic, are some factors that one must examine throughout the speech as well as while ending it.

Often, speakers and audiences alike have great energy at the beginning of the speech but tend to lose it as the speech extends. It’s better to have a higher amount of energy at the speech’s closing remarks to deliver the best closing remarks possible.

Energy, gestures, a louder voice, and inflections help gain the attention of the audience. One should put in all they’ve got just before one gives the closing remarks, since this will make the audience attentive and active. It will also indicate that something important and exciting is coming up.

To give the best closing remarks to the speech, one must ensure that the closing remarks are not spoken out in a monotone and have some life in them. Only then will the closing remarks reach the hearts and minds of the audience, and the speaker’s real message will also be conveyed to them.

7. Forgetting to add a Call To Action

A Call To Action or a CTA is a marketing term that is also used in the world of communication and public speaking. This term helps gain the audience’s attention by inviting them to take a particular action that will lead to a direct result.

The primary purpose behind public speaking is to instigate an idea and get some action from it. Including this within the speech is extremely important, as this part of the speech will get the audience motivated to implement what they gained from the talk. A CTA transforms a speech into real-life action.

Most experienced public speakers attach this Call To Action to their closing remarks. This helps improve the quality of the speech. The best closing remarks are those that affect and even reshape the audience in a beneficial way.

Furthermore, the Call To Action used here must be strong and come with actionable meaning. It should also be decisive and give the audience a lot to think about.

Being transparent and direct while imparting the Call To Action to the audience is also of the essence, especially if it’s a part of the closing remarks.

To top it all off, the Call To Action must tell the audience precisely what to do, i.e., the very next step after they leave. If the CTA is strong and clear enough, the audience might just end up doing it as soon as one finishes their speech, or even as they are leaving or on their way home.

Examples of Good Closing Remarks

Good closing remarks come in both a formal and informal way. These tend to vary depending on the occasion and situation in which the speech is given.

Impressive final remark examples include phrases such as “It has been an honor to be part of such an esteemed panel” or “I thank you for your precious time.” Formal final remarks would also include a quote, or a phrase related to the topic, or could be motivational in nature.

On the other hand, a good, funny final remark example could be “It’s time to end your excruciating pain as we have finally come to the close of the speech,” or “It has been quite a pleasure to torture you all with all the jargon.”

Apart from this, a suitable closing remark can also be personalized. This means that the speaker can come up with their own quote or witty statement. An example of this could go something like, “Take control of the power, but do not let the power take control of you.”

In the case of a speech being a motivational one, or even a formal one, using quotes by great famous motivational speakers can enhance the quality of the speech and motivate the audience to take action in their life, instead of forgetting what was departed to them over the course of the speech.

But one must always remember to keep the topic or subject of the speech in mind while choosing an appropriate final line in the closing remark.

The Takeaway

Giving a speech to a large audience can be quite overwhelming, mainly if one is not accustomed to delivering speeches. As the speaker approaches their closing remarks, they usually rush ahead to be done with the speech, instead of honing and presenting a tight summary.

Nervousness and lack of practice are common factors that make for poor closing remarks.

For the best closing remarks, one must not miss a conclusion or a summary. The speaker should present and summarise the gist of the principal values and tie up loose ends. A speech is not a script of a movie – the audience has no use for any cliffhangers.

The best closing remarks are confident, concise, and high in energy. A CTA is of utmost importance and must not include complicated jargon. Preparation and practice lead to perfection – one must spend energy on not just the intro and body, but also on the closing remarks.

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They will help you get the most out of your time on stage. You may likely recall a moment when you could not concentrate while listening to a lecture or other presentation. As you struggle to keep your eyes open, you start to feel dizzy. You put forth every effort to avoid being the person in the front row who is caught in a never-ending cycle of head bobbing between wide awake and fast asleep. It’s a place we’ve all been.

This article will discuss the do’s and don’ts of public speaking, tips for preparing for public speaking, and how to do public speaking.

Following are the Do’s and don’ts of public speaking:

DO’s of Public Speaking:

1. Demonstrate your passion for your profession by being upbeat and upbeat about it

Keep your audience engaged in your study by becoming interested in it yourself. Make it clear that you care about your work and are raving about it. Keep your energy upbeat throughout your presentation so that the audience can feel your passion. Remember to smile and have a good time! The way you begin your speech can impact how your listeners perceive the remainder of it.

2. Don’t forget to connect with your audience

It’s critical to grab the audience’s attention right away throughout your presentation. Knowing your audience and what they care about is one method. As a result, you may talk about your subject in a way that engages people directly. You may also use stories to elicit an emotional response from your viewers. The use of stories may arouse your audience’s emotions and draw their attention to you as the speaker.

3. Don’t be afraid to get the people in the room involved

It’s challenging to keep your lecture exciting when you’re trying to engage the audience. Methods include connecting to the audience’s interests and delivering a tale. Another easy strategy is to arouse curiosity in the audience by posing a thought-provoking question, displaying attractive imagery, or providing a startling statistic. Other options include providing a handout or facilitating group conversations when there is time.

4. Make certain that the message on each slide is very clear

How many times have you seen a presentation with 30 slides and thought, “This could have been covered in around 10 slides instead?” This is, unfortunately, a common occurrence. Consolidate your ideas after you’ve prepared your presentation. Go through each slide and ask yourself what it’s trying to say. Consider changing or eliminating that slide if you can’t think of a primary theme. Adding extra slides to a presentation can make your audience feel like they are wasting their time listening to your talk.

5. Make good use of your time management skills

When a presentation is scheduled, one of my pet peeves is when it goes over schedule. Always keep in mind that your target audience has a limited amount of time and attention to give you. This means that you must respect your audience’s time by estimating how long your speech will last and how long your listeners are willing to put up with it. Practice your presentation, but don’t forget to leave time for questions after you finish your talk.

6. Define any unfamiliar terms for the audience

Use conversational words as much as possible to keep your audience up to date on the science involved in your research. Be prepared to use more complex words when discussing scientific subjects, so be sure to define any terms that your audience may not understand. Because of the curse of knowledge, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that other people are unfamiliar with the concepts behind your project.

When you suffer from the curse of knowledge, you fail to recognize the knowledge you have that others do not. This can lead to confusion and distraction for your audience. You should always define unfamiliar terms to be on the safe side.

Be aware of the knowledge gap when addressing an interdisciplinary group. In contrast to a biochemist, a developmental biologist may not have the same background in materials and procedures. Even something as straightforward as RT-PCR may be confusing to some people.

7. Don’t forget to incorporate animations into your speech

Animated transitions may be obtrusive when utilized incorrectly, but they can also serve as a nice break between ideas. To make bullet points display sequentially as people speak, one approach is to employ animation effects. As a result, the audience isn’t distracted by the long list of points you’re making as you talk about each one.

What Not to Do

1. Avoid going into too much detail about your procedures

Most consumers lose interest in a presentation during the techniques portion, according to our survey. When it comes to techniques and processes, they can be quite comprehensive and difficult to grasp in a short amount of time. Include just the information required to comprehend the project or to support your research’s findings. The rest of the sentence can be omitted. If someone wants a more in-depth explanation of your procedures, you can always point them to your paper.

2. The section on methods: 4 tips for a memorable methods section

I. Explain your actions, including what motivated you to take them. Explain to the audience the value of the steps you took and why you chose to do them in that order.

II. Explain the steps you took to achieve this. Demonstrate your interpretation of the data so that the audience may make their inferences.

III. Explain the significance of anything you’ve said. Tell your audience about the relevance and ramifications of the findings you came up with. Keep in mind that unless you explain to the audience how the data supports your study, many of your findings may appear meaningless.

IV. Make your methods section interesting while allowing the rest of your presentation to flow smoothly with these pointers.

3. Keep your eyes off the computer screen

Many people make the blunder of staring at the screen too much during a presentation because it’s less intimidating that way. If you do this, your audience may feel that you don’t know enough about the subject to look away from your slides. Avoid staring at the screen by making eye contact with your audience, looking around the room, or even walking around the stage.

On that note, it’s critical that you don’t overstuff your slides with text and don’t have your entire presentation prepared in advance. When this happens, your audience’s attention will be diverted away from you and toward your slides.

When writing, refrain from using phrases like “as you know…”  Not everyone in the audience understands what you’re saying, and you’ll rapidly lose their attention. Additionally, it might give the impression that you’re arrogant, so refrain from using language like this.

Identify your crutch words and eliminate them from your vocabulary as soon as possible. Pro Tip: Student radio DJs learn about the crutch word, which they use as a transitional term on air. Use the word “literally” as a preposition to emphasize a point, for example. You may also use the phrase “you know” or “ok” after every sentence, remark, or point.

However, one of the most commonly used crutch phrases in academic lectures and speeches is “So.” Yes, beginning an answer to a topic or idea with a “So” may seem intelligent at first, but as it becomes more often, your audience will notice, search for, and get slightly frustrated.

Also Read: How Leadership Has Changed in 2021

4. Don’t go off on tangents

This approach goes hand in hand with avoiding using extra slides to stretch out your presentation. It’s important to keep your audience engaged, so use concise language wherever you can. If you’re prone to rambling on due to nerves, consider approaching your speech like a conversation instead. This will help you remain composed and on target.

Know the warning indications that you’re starting to ramble. Losing your breath because you’re talking too fast and without pauses, might be an indication. Other signs include repeating yourself and going into great detail on a topic you originally mentioned briefly.

5. Use arrows to draw attention to key details in difficult-to-understand figures.

If at all possible, avoid using complex figures. However, arrows can show the audience where the section of the numbers they should concentrate on when comprehending your study’s procedures or results. Use a laser pointer to draw attention to particular points in your speech if you have access to one.

Pro tip for do’s and don’ts of public speaking:

Be true to who you are

Being yourself is one of the best things you can do, and it’s something many people overlook. Include a little fun if you like to make people laugh. Show your quirky side if you’re a quirky scientist. Reminding the audience that you are a human being with flaws will help establish your relatability. Just keep in mind to maintain the appropriate level of formality for the circumstance.

Tips for preparing for public speaking:

Following are the best ways and tips for preparing for public speaking:

Make sure you know your audience so you can adapt your speech and presentation accordingly. Your language, speech length, and topic selection will all benefit from keeping your audience in mind. Make sure your audience will have a good time and that the knowledge you give will be useful to them.

Familiarize yourself with your surroundings and the event’s appearance on the day of the event. Find out as much as you can about the venue where you’ll be giving your presentation. Be certain to double-check whether or not you’ll be on stage and equipped with a podium or microphone.

Especially if it’s a big event, figure out how you’re going to get there. As a speaker, you may need to utilize areas like the backstage or alternative entrances. Plan ahead of time by bringing water, a computer, a notepad, and a pen.

Focus and organization are achieved by outlining the speech’s major topics in advance. Make an effort to build your speech around these key ideas.

Consider creating a keyword outline for your speech. An outline benefits from keywords since they are easier to recall. You may quickly scan your notes for terms that will keep you on track.

Give a copy of your speech to a friend or coworker who you trust, to read it once you’ve written it down. Having a fresh set of eyes on things can help you see where you’re going wrong. Request that they make any necessary changes or additions to aid in the content’s flow.

Learn how much time you have for your speech and practice on your own. It’s important to time yourself when you’re training so you can see how long it takes you from the beginning to the end. Use notecards or a script the first few times, but when you get the hang of it, limit your use to instances when you’ve forgotten a line. Making eye contact with your audience is an effective way to engage them.

When explaining concepts, using hand gestures is an effective tool. Using hand gestures can improve your connection with the audience and aid your memory of certain events. Use your ears as an example while discussing audiobooks. This connection between the spoken word and the body’s movement might assist you in recalling your speech.

When practicing alone, pronounce your words aloud in front of a mirror so that you can hear yourself. You’ll be able to get a better idea of how you’ll seem to the audience this way. Seeing what hand motions and facial expressions look like helps you incorporate them more readily.

You may video record yourself using your phone while working on a skill. Record your complete speech while you practice. Once you’ve finished, you may listen to the tape again to see how you did. Consider what went well and what you need to work on further.

The greatest approach to becoming comfortable with public speaking is practicing before a smaller audience, even if that audience is just you. You will feel more at ease if you become accustomed to being watched and listened to as you talk. Invite your audience to provide feedback on your performance by inviting them to provide it at the end of your speech.

Use the stage: Take advantage of the stage if you’re giving a presentation in front of a large group. Walk gently during the presentation to make the most of the available area. Your audience’s eyes will automatically follow your motions if you make little gestures. By shifting your posture, you’ll be more visible to the rest of the crowd.

How to do public speaking:

Know who you’re talking to. Instead of focusing on yourself during your speech, remember that it’s about them.

Consider who your message is meant for before you start writing it. Find out as much as you can about your audience. Your word choice, information level, organisation pattern, and motivating message will all be influenced by this.

1. Organise your information in the most efficient way to achieve your goal

Make a plan for your speech and stick to it. Make a list of the major points, including the topic, general-purpose, particular goal, and primary concept. In the opening 30 seconds, be sure to capture the audience’s attention.

2. Please pay attention to feedback and make adjustments based on it

Don’t lose sight of who you’re speaking to. Keep an eye on their emotions, tweak your message as necessary, and be open to new ideas. Even the most committed listeners will be confused or lost if you deliver a prepared speech.

3. Allow your uniqueness to shine through

Stay true to yourself and avoid sounding like a broken record in any communication. By letting your personality come through, you’ll gain credibility, and your audience will have more faith in what you have to say.

4. Use humor, stories, and language that is clear and concise

If you inject a humorous tale into your presentation, your audience will be captivated. A personal touch in a speech is typically well-received by the audience. That information can be found in a story.

5. Read only when necessary. Create an outline of your tasks and work from it.

Breaking the interpersonal connection by reading from notes or slides damages the relationship. You keep the attention on yourself and your speech when you maintain eye contact with the audience. A concise outline can act as a good memory aid and help you stay focused on what you’re doing.

6. Make effective use of your voice and your hands. Leave out twitches and jerks.

The majority of information is conveyed through body language and facial expressions. A good performance does not draw attention to itself but effectively and unobtrusively delivers the speaker’s thoughts.

7. To keep readers’ attention, start with a bang and finish strong

Does it excite you when a speech begins, “Today I’ll talk to you about X.” Most people aren’t aware of it. Instead, use a shocking statistic, an intriguing anecdote, or a brief quotation to make your point. Finally, leave your listeners with a great conclusion and a lasting impression.

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