How to conclude a PowerPoint presentation

Concluding a PowerPoint presentation effectively is essential to leave a lasting impression on your viewers. The conclusion should summarize the key points of your presentation and provide a clear idea of what viewers should remember. In this guide, we will explore some of the best practices for concluding a PowerPoint presentation effectively.

Why is the conclusion important?

The conclusion of a presentation is the last opportunity you have to influence your audience. It's the moment when you can reinforce the key messages of your presentation and motivate viewers to act or think differently about a particular topic. A good conclusion can also help you create a memorable experience for your audience, which could lead to future business contacts or collaborations.

  • Example: If you're giving a presentation about your professional skills, the conclusion could include a call to action to invite participants to contact you for any job opportunities or future collaborations.

Review the main points

Before concluding your presentation, make sure to review the main points that you covered. This will help you reinforce the message you want to convey and ensure that the audience remembers what you said better.

Use a summary

An effective way to review the main points is to use a summary. Choose the most important information from your presentation and put it together in a clear and concise manner. You can do this through a dedicated summary slide or simply repeat out loud the main points while showing their respective slides.

Ask questions to the audience

Another way to review the main points is to ask questions to the audience. Ask them to recap what you said or list the key points of your presentation. This way, not only do you ensure that the audience understood what you said, but also that they remember the main points.

  • Review the main points of your presentation before concluding it
  • Use a summary to put together the most important information in a clear and concise manner
  • Ask questions to the audience to check their understanding and make sure they remember the key points

Be concise

The conclusion is the last opportunity you have to communicate your message to the audience. For this reason, you need to be concise and clear.

Remember that most people won't remember all the details of your presentation, but they'll focus on the main ideas. So, your conclusion should recap the key points of the presentation and summarize concisely what you covered.

Avoid adding new information in the conclusion. Instead, emphasize the important elements of your presentation and highlight how these can be useful for the audience.

  • Summarize the key points of the presentation
  • Be concise and avoid adding new information
  • Emphasize important elements and underline how they can be useful for the audience

Add a concluding slide

The concluding slide is the last opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your presentation. In this slide, you should include a summary of the key points of the presentation and a call to action.

Summary of key points

Repeat the main points of the presentation concisely and clearly. This will help the audience better remember what you said and appreciate the coherence of your speech.

  • Synthesize the most important data;
  • Repeat the main conclusions;
  • Highlight proposed solutions.

Call to action

A call to action (CTA) is an invitation addressed to the audience to do something after seeing your presentation. The CTA should be relevant to the theme of your presentation and could include:

  • An invitation to visit your website or social media profile;
  • An invitation to subscribe to your newsletter or follow your blog;
  • An invitation to contact you for further information or to request advice.

Remember to make your CTA clear, brief, and easy to understand. Use strong words to motivate your audience to take action.

Example of a concluding slide:

This is an example of what a concluding slide might look like:

  • Summary of key points: we have seen that technology X can improve your business efficiency and reduce costs;
  • Call to action: visit our website to learn more about how to implement technology X in your company.

Use images or videos

Images and videos can be a great way to effectively conclude a PowerPoint presentation. These visual elements can help reinforce the message of your presentation and keep the audience engaged until the end.

Insert images

Images can be used to create an emotional impact on your audience and make your presentation more memorable. Make sure to choose the right images that are relevant to your topic and support the message you want to convey.

You can insert images in different parts of your presentation, for example:

  • In the final slide as a visual conclusion
  • As a background for your slides
  • As an integral part of your graphs and diagrams

Embed videos

Videos are another powerful way to conclude a PowerPoint presentation. You can use videos to show practical examples, demonstrations, or interviews that support your message.

Remember to choose appropriate videos that are relevant to your topic and do not exceed the recommended maximum duration of three minutes.

Insert the video into the final slide or any other part of your presentation where you think it is most appropriate. Make sure that the volume is adjusted correctly and that the audience can see and hear the video without difficulty.

By using images and videos in your PowerPoint presentation, you can create a lasting impact on your audience and effectively conclude your presentation.

Conclusion

The conclusion of a PowerPoint presentation is an important moment, as it can influence the final impression that the audience will have of your presentation. Always remember to summarize the key points and conclude your presentation clearly and concisely.

In addition, use the tools available to make your conclusion memorable. For example, you can use animations to highlight your final message or add a slide with a quote that summarizes the theme of the presentation.

Remember that a good conclusion not only reinforces the main message of your presentation, but also leaves the audience with a positive and lasting final impression.

  • Summarize the key points
  • Conclude clearly and concisely
  • Use available tools to make your conclusion memorable

By following these tips, you will be able to confidently and successfully conclude your presentation.

Ruggero Lecce - Consulente senior di personal branding in Italia

Michael Anderson - Software Engineer

My name is Michael Anderson, and I work as a computer engineer in Midland, Texas.

My passion is sharing my knowledge in various areas, and my purpose is to make education accessible to everyone. I believe it is essential to explain complex concepts in a simple and interesting way.

With GlobalHowTo, I aim to motivate and enrich the minds of those who want to learn.