President's Tip of the Week

How to End Your Speech with a Bang
(7/28/08)

The introduction by the Toastmaster and your opening set the stage for your speech, but it's the closing that your audience will remember. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make in their speeches is a weak and/or rushed closing. The closing is the message you want people to take away from your speech. Treat it with the respect it deserves.

Here are three great closing gambits you can use, borrowed from Laura Bergells of the Maniactive blog and rewritten for our setting.

Time management is a critical skill we teach in Toastmasters. Make sure you know exactly how long you need for your closing. I use the timer on my stove when I practice. I know where I need to be in my speech when the green light comes on, where I need to be when the yellow light comes on, and most importantly, I know exactly how much trouble I'm in if the red light comes on and I haven't started my closing yet. If I am telling a final story that requires 45 seconds, then I know that once I see the yellow light I'd better start it PDQ.

Your closing is too important to rush through or ad lib. This is the one part of the speech that I recommend to everyone that they write out and memorize word for word. Plan ahead and make it the best part of your speech.

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If you'd like to read Laura's full article on closing with a bang, click here.