{"id":1597,"date":"2026-06-10T16:45:26","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:45:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/?post_type=chapter&p=1597"},"modified":"2026-07-23T17:52:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:52:22","slug":"9-3-the-final-impact","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.hcfl.edu\/speechcomm\/chapter\/9-3-the-final-impact\/","title":{"raw":"8.5\u00a0The Final Impact","rendered":"8.5\u00a0The Final Impact"},"content":{"raw":"

8.5 The Final Impact<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n\r\nYou have riveted your audience with an engaging introduction. Your introduction led to a compellingly written and logically organized speech. Now, it is time to wrap up the entire experience, but how? Do not make the mistake of thinking, \u201cWell, my speech is just about over at this point, so it doesn\u2019t matter how I end it.\u201d\r\n\r\nYou need a conclusion just as dynamic and memorable as your speech opener. How do you feel when a movie has a disappointing ending that does not wrap up the story or, worse, simply leaves you hanging? You feel frustrated, quite possibly like you wasted your money and time. Your audience will feel the same way if your closing remarks do not provide effective closure for your speech. Too many speakers do not realize that when a speech fizzles out, the audience is left with a negative impression.\r\n\r\nYour speech introduction and body may have included the most profound words known to man, but it could be said that a speaker is only as strong as her\/his last sentence. You want your final sentences to be ones that are remembered and valued.\u00a0 The conclusion is the last opportunity to share anything with the audience; you don\u2019t want to waste those valuable seconds.\r\n

What a Speech Conclusion Is Meant to Do<\/h3>\r\nThe speech conclusion has four basic missions:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. Wraps things up: This portion is often referred to as a \u201c[pb_glossary id=\"333\"]Brakelight[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>.\" Much like brake lights on a car warn us the car will be stopping, this \u201cbrake light\u201d or transitional statement warns the audience that the speech is ending.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Summarizes: A solid conclusion briefly restates the preview statement in past tense to remind the audience of the main points that were covered in the presentation.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Tells the audience where to go from here: Depending on the purpose of your presentation, this component may play different roles. If your goal was to inform the audience, this is where you might tell them of a rich source they can go to for more information if their curiosity was piqued. If your goal is to persuade, this spot serves as a great opportunity to challenge the audience to take action based on the goals of your speech. Tell them what you want them to do now that they heard your speech.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Closes the speech: The note of finality, clincher, closing statement, or whatever you want to call it is an important element that leaves the audience reflecting on the topic.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    Wrapping Things Up: It Says, \u201cWe Are Nearing the End!\u201d<\/h4>\r\nHopefully, your audience will want you to speak for an hour, rather than just five or eight minutes. However, when you transition into your conclusion and use appropriate signposting, your audience realizes that the speech will come full circle. Usually, the first transitional phrase is a \u201cbrake light\u201d of sorts. It lets the audience know that you are starting to wrap up your presentation. You may use a transitional statement to illustrate this such as \u201cIn conclusion\u2026\u201d \u201cIn summary\u2026\u201d or \u201cTo wrap things up\u2026.\u201d\r\n

    The Summary: It Tells the Audience, \u201cHere\u2019s What I Told You.\"<\/h4>\r\nJust as you used a mapping statement to preview your main points, now you will [pb_glossary id=\"579\"]summarize[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> your points within your conclusion. Simply rewording\u2014or even restating\u2014your original thesis statement or preview statement in the past tense will effectively summarize your speech. While this will feel very repetitive to you as a speaker, it is useful in helping the audience understand and retain the information you covered.\r\n\r\nWhile you may be tempted to revisit all the details of your speech, this element is best served by a clear, concise, declarative sentence that restates the main points you addressed.\r\n\r\nYour conclusion for the fire extinguisher speech might begin with wrapping up and a summary for the audience.\r\n\r\n\u201cIn conclusion, I have explained how to safely use a fire extinguisher.\u00a0 We have to talk about the PASS system of pulling the pin, aiming the nozzle, squeezing the trigger, and sweeping the fire.\u201d<\/em>\r\n

    Where to Go From Here: It Says, \u201cHere\u2019s What To Do Now!\u201d<\/h4>\r\nThe conclusion is the last chance you have to speak to the audience about this topic. Depending on your general purpose, this portion of the speech will vary.\r\n\r\nInformative speaking often creates an interest in the audience to learn more about your topic. It\u2019s best to give the audience a good resource to check out if they want to learn more information. Avoid telling the audience to \u201cgoogle it.\u201d We all know how to do that. Since you\u2019ve done the research, tell us the best one you found. An example is, \u201cIf you\u2019d like to learn more about the history of Stillwater, I recommend visiting The Sheerar Museum at 702 South Duncan here in Stillwater.\u201d\r\n\r\nPersuasive presentation conclusions want to utilize the last opportunity to challenge the listeners to action. A conclusion in a persuasive speech is where the call to action or advocacy is provided and is what makes your speech truly persuasive. This portion gives you a specific opportunity to tell them what you hope they do as a result of hearing your speech. You may say something like \u201cAs you leave here today, I challenge you to pick up five pieces of trash as you walk back to your dorm or car.\u201d\r\n

    Note of Finality: It Lets the Audience Know, \u201cThe Speech Is Over.\u201d<\/h4>\r\nYour speech conclusion is a mental takeaway for the audience, and you will want a strong [pb_glossary id=\"633\"]note of finality[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong>. Your conclusion should contain enough memorable words and phrases that will help the audience positively recall the experience\u2014and even recollect certain points that you made. Do not forget to include that \u201cta-da\u201d moment.\r\n\r\nThe last statement of your presentation should be thoroughly planned to let the audience know you are done. You want your final statement to leave a strong lasting impact. It should leave the audience reflecting on your topic and your information. Some speech writers like to reference the attention-getter as a nice way to bring the speech full circle by revisiting a story, question, or video clip they used originally to grab the audience\u2019s attention.\r\n\r\nAfter your closing statement and applause from the audience, you are, of course, welcome to thank them for their attention and\/or attendance.\r\n\r\nTo complete our fire extinguisher speech, we might end strong by saying, \u201cWhile a fire can be a scary event, having the knowledge to put it out can make all the difference for loss of property or even lives.\u201d<\/em>\r\n

    Putting It All Together<\/h3>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_167\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]\"lined Image from It\u2019s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe introduction and conclusion are the last part of creating your speech, but they should receive the same attention as the body of your speech.\u00a0 This is the opportunity to get the audience\u2019s attention and draw them in, and to leave them something to think about.\r\n\r\nYour introduction and conclusion should be thought of as bookends to the speech, holding up the body and all the important information the speech is sharing.\u00a0 Bookends are similar but not exactly the same.\r\n\r\nWhen creating your introduction and conclusion, you are setting the tone for the speech; how do you want the audience to feel about this topic?\u00a0 Choose an introduction that creates that feel. If the speech is scary, use a quote or startling statistic; if the speech is fun, use humor or a recent event. When you conclude, you want to bring the speech full circle, back to where the speech started.\u00a0 If you used humor in the introduction, you want to leave the audience with a laugh, if the speech was scary, you want to help them find more information.\r\n\r\nEverything in a speech is planned, and the introduction and conclusion help to make the speech memorable and interesting to the audience.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c5JGl3jZb2M\r\n\r\nHow to End a Presentation: AI Audio Described Version <\/a>(note AI can make mistakes)\r\n
    \r\n
    \r\n

    Licenses and Attribution<\/h3>\r\n

    CC Licensed Content, Original<\/h4>\r\nSpeech Communication<\/em> was created by Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres. Independently created original and AI-assisted content developed specifically for this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.\r\n\r\nThis educational material includes content generated or revised with the assistance of large language models. Lana Iapicco and Marie Torres reviewed, edited, and take responsibility for the final published content.\r\n

    CC Licensed Content, Previously Shared<\/h4>\r\n

    The Final Impact<\/h5>\r\n\u201c8.5 The Final Impact\u201d<\/a> by Douglas Marshall, James Yeargain, June Pulliam, Sara Kim, and Victoria VanNest, published in It\u2019s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century<\/a><\/em> by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network, was adapted for this section.\r\n\r\nThe source material is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. The material was revised, reorganized, condensed, and supplemented with original and AI-assisted content for this edition.\r\n\r\nAdapted portions derived from this source, including revisions to those portions, are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>. Independently created portions developed specifically for Speech Communication<\/em> are licensed under the book\u2019s Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License<\/a>, except where otherwise noted.\r\n

    CC Licensed Image<\/h4>\r\n

    Books Supported by Stick Figures<\/h5>\r\nImage from \u201c8.5 The Final Impact\u201d<\/a> in It\u2019s About Them: Public Speaking in the 21st Century<\/em> by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network.\r\n\r\nLicense: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License<\/a>.\r\n\r\nChanges: The image was resized, and its alternative text and caption were revised for this edition. The source chapter does not identify a separate creator or image-specific license.\r\n

    Other Content Included<\/h4>\r\n

    YouTube Video<\/h5>\r\nHow to End a Presentation<\/em>\r\n\r\nExpert Academy (GLOBAL)\r\n\r\nLicense: Standard YouTube License.\r\n

    Third-Party References and Links<\/h4>\r\nVideos, webpages, museums, organizations, examples, trademarks, and other third-party materials referenced in this section remain the property of their respective creators, publishers, organizations, and rights holders.\r\n\r\nThe inclusion of these names, examples, citations, and links does not imply endorsement and does not place the underlying third-party materials under the Creative Commons licenses applied to Speech Communication<\/em>.\r\n\r\nUnless a separate license or public-domain status is specifically identified, third-party content may not be copied, redistributed, or adapted independently of the permissions provided by its copyright holder or applicable law.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

    8.5 The Final Impact<\/h2>\n
    \n

    You have riveted your audience with an engaging introduction. Your introduction led to a compellingly written and logically organized speech. Now, it is time to wrap up the entire experience, but how? Do not make the mistake of thinking, \u201cWell, my speech is just about over at this point, so it doesn\u2019t matter how I end it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    You need a conclusion just as dynamic and memorable as your speech opener. How do you feel when a movie has a disappointing ending that does not wrap up the story or, worse, simply leaves you hanging? You feel frustrated, quite possibly like you wasted your money and time. Your audience will feel the same way if your closing remarks do not provide effective closure for your speech. Too many speakers do not realize that when a speech fizzles out, the audience is left with a negative impression.<\/p>\n

    Your speech introduction and body may have included the most profound words known to man, but it could be said that a speaker is only as strong as her\/his last sentence. You want your final sentences to be ones that are remembered and valued.\u00a0 The conclusion is the last opportunity to share anything with the audience; you don\u2019t want to waste those valuable seconds.<\/p>\n

    What a Speech Conclusion Is Meant to Do<\/h3>\n

    The speech conclusion has four basic missions:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Wraps things up: This portion is often referred to as a \u201c