Oct 22 • General discussion
Closing out your talk
One of the things that is not practised enough is what to do at the end of your talk.
Often, this results in the speaker hurriedly bolting from the stage. Which is terrible! If you have created a moment of rapport with your audience and they are applauding, turning your back on them too soon feels like you are snubbing them.
Equally, speakers are worried that the audience won't realise they are finished. So they say 'Thank you' as a signal. I personally don't like that approach. As a speaker, you should not thank the audience unless you did a terrible job and you are thanking them for their forbearance! 😉
Here are some better ways to signal the end of your talk:
- Stillness and Pause: Many great speakers use a purposeful pause. After the last line, standing still and letting silence fill the space can be powerful. It signals confidence and closure. Don’t fidget or move away immediately; settle your body, make eye contact, and allow the ending to land. For those who use a lot of gestures throughout their talk, simply dropping their hands to their sides is a signal.
- Smile or Soft Expression: Using your face to reinforce the conclusion is common. A brief smile or gentle expression—matching the tone of your talk—can reinforce your message and invite applause.
- Gaze and Eye Contact: Looking out at the audience (versus down or away) after the last line creates a strong visual cue. Purposeful eye contact, especially across different sections of the room, can be effective.
- Physical Gesture or Nod: A subtle nod or dropping of the shoulders (relaxing) can also communicate a finish, especially if naturally timed after a concluding line.
And as I mentioned before, there is no rush! Avoid immediately walking off or stepping back. Allow a moment before leaving the “red dot.” This slight pause gives both the audience and speaker time to process and shows composure. If you are being applauded, graciously accept it with a smile for a few moments before you leave the stage.
I thought I might add some clips of speakers ending their talks, and I decided to do that with speakers from last year's TEDxUoWaikato.
But these are my thoughts, and there is no one way to do anything. So please add your thoughts or suggestions in the comments below.
3:38
3
2 comments
Closing out your talk
powered by
skool.com/compelling-communicators-3405
A group for people who are passionate about compelling verbal communication and want to learn more about speaking or pitching from the stage.
Suggested communities
Powered by