How to End a Public Speech

The audience often remembers the last thing that a speaker says, so a speech's conclusion gives the speaker a chance to make a final impression. Daydreaming audience members often wake up as the speech's conclusion draws near.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Almost always repeat your main points. Don't explain them again; just restate them. This helps the audience to remember what you said.

Abraham Lincoln

2. End with a striking statement. This gives the audience something to think about. Here are a couple of famous examples:

• Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address: "... government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." How could anyone forget that ending? Lincoln did not just say that the Union should continue the Civil War (which was part of his purpose), but also reaffirmed the nation's most basic values. This placed his speech on a higher plane.

• William Jennings Byran, "Cross of Gold:" "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold." Bryan's speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention was directed against the gold standard. This was an arcane economic issue that few people really understood very well. So, ending his speech, Bryan emphasized that the gold standard would (in his opinion) oppress the ordinary working American. His dramatic conclusion placed economic issues on a more human level. 

William J. Bryan

Both of these famous speakers understood that they needed to end their speeches memorably.

3.  End with a call to action. Ask the audience to vote, to support your plan, to donate to your charity, to attend your program, or whatever.

4. End with a story. Actually, a really good method is to begin the speech with a story, but don't complete the story. Give the rest of the speech, and tell the audience the end of the story in the conclusion. This ties things together, and the suspense helps the audience pay attention all through the speech.

For tips on beginning a speech, see my earlier post.