What are the best ways to create a memorable presentation opening and closing?

I always start off with a funny memorable story associated with the topic I am presenting on. For example: if the topic is Starting in Cybersecurity... I start with how Harry Potter got me into cybersecurity ... It keeps them engaged. Then, the closing call to action highlights that it's not magic but motivation and dedication for constant change and provide where to find the resources to make them always better.

People remember stories, they don't remember bullet points, so a narrative is important. But it has to be something that draws the audience in, and that can be difficult to achieve, especially in the large groups. Personally I like to use historical examples: stories that the audience might not have heard, but involving people they will have heard about.

An old pitch of mine started with 'I'm one of the one in five adults in the UK who's experienced thoughts of suicide.' A later version started with 'The great philosophers Blink 182 said: "Work sucks, I know." In both instances, the hook creates a strong reaction from the listeners. They might be shocked by the mention of suicide, taken aback by the statistic, or maybe feel nostalgic about the Blink 182 reference! It creates an emotional or physical reaction that sticks with them. This engages their interest within a few seconds of speaking, and will often stick with them long after you've delivered your talk. When scripting, I always workshop the opening line more than any other part of a speech to make it as impactful as possible.

I often start with a question. For example, when I'm presenting on resilience I open with a slide of several photos of current events and ask people how they are doing, what they are feeling. I move through the audience and invite people to tell me. Folks start speaking up, sharing. I've drawn them into the topic and set the tone for back and forth dialogue and sharing throughout. I often close with one of my favorite quotes from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." This is my way of thanking them for the work they do and offering vision for moving forward, leaning into the challenges.

I love the approach Ryan Hawk has taken with his podcast: start with a story, hit them the science/facts/subject matter, and then apply the science/fact/subject matter to the lives of your audience. I have used this approach in a wide range of settings, including in our Leadership Institute at Monsignor Farrell HS -- teenagers can be an incredibly challenging audience in terms of keeping their attention -- and it has worked well. Mix in some humor, including self deprecating humor. Vacillate your pace, tone, and volume. Embrace the pause and some periods of silence. Ultimately, you take them on an emotional journey as well...

There are many kinds of a "hook" - but you definitely need one. I agree with Tracy about posing a question. You can also start with a gripping image. If it's a clinical talk, you can start with a puzzling case presentation that you wrap up neatly at the end. The "call to action" is a business term that we scientists undervalue. Leave the audience with something they can put to use, or at least something to think about. Finally, although guilty of it myself, I advise against closing with a quote; it can get overdone.

When I was in 8th grade, I ran for student council and started my speech by saying “Oh my gosh, I forgot my speech.” (pause). But you know I’m only joking, because an Elefant (my surname) never forgets!”. I didn’t win but got tons of laughs and learned that a good joke is a way to start a speech.

Remember that it is not about you, the speaker. It is about sharing knowledge, hope, experience and in a way, the audience is captivated. And take the time to research the audience for an opener they can all relate with.

Storytelling is how we make sense of the world. It’s where we turn when the world doesn’t make sense to us. It’s an elixir to heartbreak. The hero’s journey contains the truest and tried elements of any great story. Let that be your guide. Between the title slide and the appendix lies a world of possibilities, brought to life not in bullet point, but in storytelling. A maestro at this is Chris Watson, who is a luminary in crafting compelling stories for leaders and organizations to find themselves and their purpose amidst change. To transform an organization you must first transform yourself. That’s the hardest story of all. And to tell it, you must first live it. “Can you see my slides?” Soon we’ll say, “Can you see my story?”

As Rod Sterling used to say in The Twilight Zone, "You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into… the Twilight Zone." I like to share a short story and then ask the listener a question about the story. An example might be something like this: Imagine you are sitting at your desk in your office; it is the end of the day, and few people are left on your floor. Suddenly, you hear what you think is gunfire. And you see a man carrying a weapon running down the hall. What is your first thought? And then…what do you do next?

Indeed, posing a question: "Did you know..." or "Have you ever thought..." are great ways to connect with the audience and have them paying attention to what you're saying!

Absolutely right. Perhaps you should gather information about your audience prior to preparing your presentation. Such as level of knowledge and cultural differences of your audience about the topic that you are presenting. Obviously being familiar with logistics settings is also important to consider.

A good question requires a compelling, non-obvious answer. That answer can serve as the core of your presentation. In an academic presentation, elaborating on both your question and, especially, your answer gives you an opportunity to demonstrate all that you have learned in the course of your research and studies. The key, I believe, is to provide a scaffolding for your discussion. A good structure will help you avoid presenting your audience with a litany of facts that, while interesting, do not cohere into a graspable narrative.

A question can be a fantastic hook not only to set the intention of the presentation, but also getting the audience engaged from the start. A meticulous choice of words and a provocative nature of the question can carry the power of the presentation till the end. Tying the question to the main takeaway as an ending allows the audience to get away with a powerful thread of clarity in the message communicated. In addition to that, it helps the presenter to drive a clean process in the sequence of ideas when preparing the content.

Adding question is fine but the audience should feel that they also contributed in answer building at the conclusion of the presentation

This is especially effective in creative discussions where one is opening the stage for ideas and brainstorming solutions to a problem. However one risk that follows for more sensitive issues is that, the speaker does not know what the audience might say, and it can off-road the discussion. In this case it’s better to ask a rhetorical question.

Poser une question en phase de présentation est selon mon expérience très risqué. Si la question est technique elle risque d'embarrasser l'auditoire qui pourrait y voir une envie de votre part de les tester afin de vous montrer d'emblée comme plus savant, plus compétent, plus intelligent que votre public. Dans ce cas, une question posée jetterait un froid sur l'assistance avec bien sûr diverses réactions allant de la réserve à la timide tentative de répondre, toujours avec cette crainte d'échouer ou de répondre à côté. Le public réagit mieux à une mise en confiance avec une fausse interrogation qui montrerait que l'orateur est là pour discourir avec son assistance plutôt que de les éprouver.

Presentations are often extremely boring. They are rarely dynamic and there are few times in a persons life where they sit down and listen to someone that speaks for 1 hour. Conversations are much more interesting and engaging. In order to change a presentation to a conversation, one must ask questions to keep their audience engaged and on their toes.

In my presentations, I ensure the conclusion includes a strong call to action, as this is crucial for lasting impact. For instance, if my presentation is about the importance of sustainability in business practices, I would conclude by directly encouraging the audience to implement at least one sustainable practice in their own businesses within the next month. I make this call to action specific by suggesting they could start with something as simple as reducing paper usage or implementing a recycling program. By doing so, I provide a clear, achievable action that aligns with the presentation's content, emphasizing its urgency and relevance.

I would like to mention that usually I end my presentation with a Quote and a message for action The Quote and message must co-Relate with a theme and it has a long lasting impression that makes it memorable for self as well as the listeners

Concluding with a strong call to action that energizes your audience to want to say not only yes, but wanting to be involved in the execution is key to success. If they walk away with "well that was an hour I won't get back" or "great, another action item", expect your idea to wither and die on the vine.

In Crisis Management, we have the opportunity every day to make a difference in the world. We have the opportunity every day to influence the company, the people, and the community in which the company operates. At the end of every talk, I always circle back to how important the work is and the difference they are making in so many lives. I then reinforce the points of that presentation – tying it back to the value proposition. And lastly, I always like to touch on the importance of self-care – this can be very challenging work…and we all must be standing at the end.

If you don’t ask for the yes, you’re leaving your message in the table. In my time as a presenter, I have found a much more successful close ratio when I asked for the ‘Yes’.

Call to action should be: 1. Clear communication 2. Detailed with Pictures & actual pathway 3. Shouldn’t look like generic sales pitch presentation 4 Each & every person sitting in the audience should be relate to the product/service and clear about how it can help to cater their requirements?

For people to consider next steps, a strong call to action goes a long way. The auxillary information re: email, contact, etc. can be on the page but the highlight is to ensure you leave them hungry for more.

Brining ideas to Life is the best slogan ever.. Do not give up.. Sky is the limit Increase your confidence by making sure you engage yourself with the world best experts and always ask for advice

Concluding your presentation with a strategic call to action tailored to your topic is essential. In the final moments of your presentation, imagine you're having a sincere conversation with a friend. You want to leave them not just with information but a genuine reason to act. Your call to action should be like a heartfelt request, explaining why taking a specific step matters. Make it as personal and relatable as if you were asking for their support or encouraging them to embrace a meaningful change.

Use pictures instead of bullet points. Next time you meet the audience and show the pictures they will remember you and your message!

I take the main themes of the speech and reiterate them again at the end – like a quick shopping list of “must dos”. If possible, I use images on slides rather than text or tie the main messages back to a story or two that I have told. They remember the story; they remember seeing themselves in that tale more than they will ever remember the list of “to-dos.” Weave them into the main points so they can see themselves in your take-home messages.

Summarizing the key points of a topic is a great way to land the essence of your message; And when planning your content, it can also be helpful as a guide for creating content. It’s powerful in both directions. In planning your content, I suggest coming up with a theme or topic area, identifying the top three points related to that topic, sharing the details of the three points, and then wrapping up with a summary, and a call to action. The three points could be “the top three things”, “the three things you need to know”, “the first three steps”, “the three things not to do” and so on. Approaching content this way makes coming up with the content easier. Wrapping up with your key points makes it more memorable. Win-win.

You can also ask the participants to summarise. Lead it yourself, ask them what was the main point in issue 1, then issue 2 and then 3, those being the main points you wanted them to remember. I usually use only 3 main points for one presentation

Summarizing the presentation I always try to top it with a statement that can stimulate their interest or engage them into transforming the key points to potential action(s)

In my best presentations, I have found making my main points applicable to the listener's life in some form or another helps them remember my statements better!

In my experience, the old adage holds true. Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you’ve told them. It’s important to drive home your point multiple times to ensure retention .

In crafting the conclusion of my presentations, I always emphasize summarizing the key points to reinforce the core message. For example, in a presentation about the benefits of a balanced diet, I would succinctly revisit the main points: the health benefits of a varied diet, the risks of processed foods, and practical tips for meal planning. This summary acts as a mental 'bookmark' for the audience, highlighting the most critical aspects of my talk. I ensure that this recap is not just a repeat, but a concise, clear consolidation of information that ties everything together. This strategy aids in retention and helps the audience leave with a clear understanding of the presentation's key takeaways.

I agree but I would place this before “call to action” in the flow of presentations instead of after so that i bring everything we learnt together to perspective then asking them to do the call to action

I like to use as few words as possibly in the presentation for these main points. Using pictures and graphs to demonstrate to main points has been extremely helpful. People are visual creatures at the end of day.

I love quotes. I fill the books and articles I have written with quotes. And I use them in speeches as appropriate. I try to find the “right person” who has said the “best quote” for the points I am working to drive home. I keep a library of quotes under major themes in Evernote (a handy searchable notetaking and task-management app). I want to ensure that the quote delivers the message and that it comes from someone who fits the moment. I work to ensure that the quote's author reflects the times, the audience, and the organization I am speaking to.

My preference is jokes. Create or find a joke that fits the topic. Weave occasional references to the joke throughout your presentation. This is even better if there are memorable references to the joke in your visuals. Your conclusion should bring the audience back to the joke that is now a thread throughout your presentation. A good joke thread challenges the listeners to be more attentive and it leaves them with a smile. Even if they do not remember all the facts, they will remember the message and that they enjoyed the presentation.

I always use brainyquote.com to search for quotes by keywords or topics. Enter your specific topic in the search bar, and you should find a collection of quotes related to that subject, then choose the most relative quote to your topic

Quotes are a great way of grounding your messages in a broader context. Thoughtfully used, they can drive your message using an alternative, compelling voice. The key is to find a voice that resonates with you and leaves an impression or offers food for thought leaving your address/speech. Also be sure to do a little research. It’s easy for quotes to be taken out of context and you want to make sure your message isn’t undermined by an unhelpful context that you didn’t take the time to get to know. Finally, consider tying it up with why you selected the quote rather than just dropping it in. The listener will likely appreciate you doing the legwork to bring it home and tie it all together!

Each part of this response is designed to provoke thought and inspire action, encouraging a continuous engagement with the content and the message it conveys. Choose a quote, a message a story that your audience can relate to that also relates to your content. Emotive journeys work well here.

If you can, you should conclude by reconnecting with the first thing you said, enhanced and illuminated by the talk you've given in between. If you don't do this, your opening story will feel a little bit orphaned. If you do, it will feel incredibly thoughtful and coherent to the listener.

Opting for a recap of key takeaways at the session's closure, rather than a quote, would be my preference. Summarizing actionable points on one slide provides the audience with specific items to implement in their applications or architectures. This method is often underrated, but serves as a tangible win from the delivered session.

Truly this is so cliche, whether it's a quote or a joke it will undermine your work and leave people feeling like they attended something that was written by an AI list. Close with what's meaningful to your topic. Close with an invitation to share food and mingle and discuss casually. Close with a song. Close with asking others to share thoughts. Close with questions. This isn't a grade school speech - throw out these old frameworks and meet people as real people. Have you ever really felt impacted by a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote in a business meeting? Doubt it ;)

I love quotes! The one I've used in almost all of my presentations because I think it speaks to most people is: "Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But the better way is to think how can I make people's a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come." - Richard Branson. I think this is true for speaking - if you can share a way people can improve their lives, you are likely to have provided a valuable presentation.

Concluding a presentation with a powerful quote or anecdote can leave a lasting impression with the audience. It reinforces the topic of the presentation while also resonating with the audience. It also provides a final opportunity to showcase your personal style and personality as a presenter. You want to stand apart from others!

At the end of my presentations, I always make it a point to express my gratitude to the audience for their engagement and attention. For instance, after concluding a talk on innovative marketing strategies, I would sincerely thank the attendees for their time and participation. I follow this with an invitation for feedback, questions, or further discussion, emphasizing that their opinions and insights are valuable and appreciated. This not only demonstrates respect and appreciation for the audience but also fosters an interactive and open environment. Being prepared to respond to their queries confidently and clearly then becomes an extension of the presentation, offering additional value and deepening the audience's understanding.

Including your website or contact details is helpful and shows that you are open to feedback and to communication. It sends a great collaborative message.

In smaller audiences. I usually ask for the audience to share how this is relevant to them, in different ways, to solicit open conversation and how this topic is relevant to them. It usually keeps the door open for conversation and networking after I am done speaking. No one likes to be preached at😀 Being gracious shouldn’t just be expressed at the end of speaking, but in ways throughout as well.

A simple thank you always wins the heart of any audience. It shows courtesy and empathy in your approach, especially thanking the organizers and people involved in the program/ event (although I would advise for this to be the first thing you say before you fully start)

A really good way I have found is to be appreciative of the participants and the learning they have provided me with. I will mention the learning points I will take from the audience and get them to either verbally let me know one thing they will take with them or put them onto a Post It Note for me to take away. I will also formally check that I have met their expectations and they have not felt that I have taken their time for granted. Infact this is in my opening remarks which I will end with as well.

One thing I've found helpful was that it aloud me to engage with the audience. It would make them feel that I was an easy person to talk to and get along with.

Set up for the end in the beginning of your presentation. If you want feedback from the audience, tell them early that you will collect their feedback and how and when you will do that! A lot of people give better feedback if they have more time to prepare, and this way you give them that extra time. Else many will give the feedback that first comes to mind, which often is the last part of your presentation.

As I conclude my presentation, I make it a habit to thank my audience for their time. I thank them for their engagement and thoughtful attention. I let them know I appreciate them. I also let them know if they have any feedback, questions, or suggestions, to share them.

En el cierre con el "gracias" (imprescindible), se debe invitar a la audiencia a compartir comentarios o preguntas. Si es posible realizar turno de preguntas en ese momento, perfecto. Si no (y en cualquier caso es recomendable hacerlo aunque haya rueda de preguntas), facilitarles los canales para que lo hagan (dirección de email, redes sociales, website, etc....). Ello ayuda a crear comunidad y a que unos nos beneficiemos de otros, es decir, crecer en el aprendizaje.

This works, but not the most powerful ending. It will be a good ordinary, safe, and traditional way to end a presentation. I would consider ending with some humor and inviting questions or feedback.

Turn a monologue into a dialogue by using 3 “Did you know?” Questions. “Did you know there are 1.8 + billion vaccinations given every year? Did you know almost a third of them are given with re-used needles? Did you know we’re spreading/perpetuating the very diseases we’re trying to prevent? Imagine if they were a painless, one-use needle for a fraction of the current cost? You don’t have to imagine it, we’re doing it.” That’s the opening I crafted for Kathleen Callendar of PharmaJet that helped her win millions in funding. Next time, don’t tell people what you’re going to tell him, tell them, then tell them what you told them. That’s an Rx for being a bore, snore or chore. Instead, start by asking “Did you know?“ Sam Horn, POP!

Open with passion, energy and excitement. Often time speakers open boring and bland and then try to turn up the volume on their voice. You could have a great story, stat or fact but if your energy is infectious you could lose the audience and never get them back!

The critical thing is to find your unique storytelling voice. Try to make the stories personal, but always remember the crucial question is, “What is in it for the audience?” Why should they care about it? Your messages and stories should not be self-serving.

Three items I always do before going on stage: 1. Introduce myself to as many people in the room before I have to go on stage. Less strangers in the room, the less nervous you get. 2. Breathing exercise before going on stage and reminding myself to "Slow Down". 3. High energy and short bursts of eye contact (if possible).

In my experience, be prepared for anything. For example, know how to deliver your whole presentation in 10 min and 45 minutes, and anything in between. Be able to edit or add based on circumstances. Knowing how to flex your content timeline allows you to show up strong, regardless of unforseen situations. Don't be technology dependent. If you are suddenly presenting without slides are you able to keep your audience engaged? Slides should be supportive, but not required. Anything required should be printed or available via a QR code and landing page. Don't underestimate your need to personally connect with your audience. Know who you're talking to and what matters to them. Use an active voice and express yourself with confidence.

Your greatest strength is authenticity. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Don’t be afraid to stand out. People know when you are not being yourself. After all there’s only one you.

Be genuine, be engaged, be prepared, be open and look people in the eyes. Be there with your heart and soul from the very beginning to the last second! Your storytelling success starts with you, the energy and belief you put on it no matter how many times you already shared it!

A call back helps an idea or concept stick. Begin with story that illustrates the problem or issue at hand. End with that story with an ending that showcases a change.

Define things. Ask the audience to connect experience with definitions. Connect definitions. Present as simple as possible. Recall the audience to remember where each experience stands.

You want to be intentional about making the opening and closing impactful. For the opening in particular, you want to make it catchy and captivating in some way shape or form e.g. using a story, shocking statistic, a thought provoking question etc. Often times being intentional about the opening and the closing means memorising and rehearsing their delivery. This ensures your opening and closing are punchy and not unnecessarily long winded. This also ensure you have clear and distinct transitions between your opening/closing and the body of your presentation/talk. Another added advantage is that if you end up scrambling for time, you still have a well rehearsed closing to wrap everything up succinctly without it feeling rushed.