Discursive Practices in Business – SMBD II

UNIT 5. CONCLUDING A PRESENTATION

STARTER

Look at these final statements from different conclusions. Which ones do you find most
effective? Work with a partner to rank them (1 = most effective, 8 = least effective).

a. Thank you very much for your attention.

b. In conclusion, I’d like to highlight our company’s highly innovative products.
c. So, to put it in the words of the famous H. Gordon Selfridge, ‘The customer is always right.’
d. Well, I don’t know whether this was helpful but I’d like to leave it here.
e. We have all the facts. Let’s get to work now!
f. The one last thing I’d like to say is: it’s your choice.
g. So, that’s all I have to say. I hope you haven’t all fallen asleep!
h. To conclude, I want to come back to that story I told you at the start of my presentation and
say one word: apple pie!

What do the presenters try to achieve with the different endings?

1. Listen to the conclusion of a presentation and answer the questions.

1. What was the brief?

2. What are the options?
3. What is the best solution?
4. What does the presenter recommend?

2. Look at these sentences from the presentation and put them in the correct category in
the table.

1. I’ll just run through the three different options ...

2. We’d suggest...
3. Now I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
4. We’d therefore recommend that we ...
5. Before I stop, let me go through my main points again.
6. Well, this brings me to the end of my presentation.

CONCLUSION OF A PRESENTATION

Signalling the end of the presentation

Summarizing the main points

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Recommending or suggesting something

Inviting questions

Now add these phrases to the table above.

a. Thank you all for listening.

b. In my opinion, we should ...
с. We just have time for a few questions.
d. To sum up then we….
e. OK, I think that’s everything I wanted to say…
f. Are there any questions?
g. I’d like to run through my main points again ...
h. As a final point, I’d like to ...
i. I’m now nearing the end of my talk ...
j. Just to summarize the main points of my talk ...
к. What I’d like to suggest is ...

3. Unscramble the sentences to make typical sentences from a conclusion.

1. Well,/the end of/today/brings me/to/my talk/that

……………………………………….
2. Before I/key issues/go over/the/stop,/let me/again
.………………………………………
3. As a/means/let me say/for us/what this/final point,
….…………………………………….
4. Finally,/like to/issue/highlight/I’d/one/key
.…………………………………………………….
5. To sum/looked at/product range/up then,/the new/first/we
………………………………..……………….
6. That/logistics/just about/to say/about/I wanted/everything/covers
………………………………..……………….

4. Complete the sentences with words from the box.

• come back • figures we have • final point • briefly summarize • my

opinion • now approaching • suggest that • to highlight

1. If I may……………..the pros and cons.

2. Based on the……………………,it is clear that we must act quickly.

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3. Well, I’m …………….the end of my talk.

4. OK, I’d now like………the key figures.
5. Let me make one…………………..
6. In…………….we need a new sales strategy.
7. Let me……………………………to the key issue.
8. I…………………………….we work together with our French partners.

5. Use the notes and follow the flow chart to practise the end of two talks.

Signal the Summarize Highlight Explain the Make your Invite

end of your the key one significance final questions
talk points important statement
point

Update on new software project

Main points
- talked about delays with first trails and how we’re dealing with them
- reviewed partners involved in project / how we can work with them most effectively
- the next steps – where we go from here
Key point: IRG Design is involved! Important to success of project! (a lot of experience in this
area, good reputation for quality)

6. Listen to four conclusions and say which technique is used in which presentation (1- 4).

Technique Presentation no.

Call to action
Story
Question
Quotation

Which sentences (a-d) come from which presentation? Write the number of the presentation in
the box. Then listen again and complete the gaps.

a) So,…………………… this opportunity to get ahead of our competitors?

b) I’d just like to……………………………………………. former US president Bill
Clinton once said: ‘You can put wings on a pig, but you don’t make it an eagle’.
c) ………………………………………….. . Set up an appointment with our project
manager and our SAP consultant and we can work out the Best Practice solutions that suit
your business.
d) …………………….. . I told at the start of my talk……………. the sales meeting in
Vienna with the disappointed Japanese businessmen? ... ………………. that knowing your
entire product range is the key to success.

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EFFECTIVE CONCLUSIONS

Using questions
After all, isn’t that why we’re here?
Let me just finish with a question: If we don’t do it, won’t somebody else?

Quoting a well-known person

As ... once said,...
To quote a well-known businessman,...
To put it in the words of...,...

Referring back to the beginning

Remember what 1 said at the beginning of my talk today?
Well,...
Let me just go back to the story I told you earlier.
Remember,...

Calling the audience to action

So that’s the plan. Now let’s go and put it into practice!
So now it’s your turn.
Now let’s make a real effort to achieve this goal!

7. Match the two parts to make final statements from conclusions.

1. To put it in the words of Albert Einstein,

a) ‘Look for your choices, pick the best one,
then go with it.’
2. I would like to finish my talk b) with an important question.
3. Let me go back to c) about the new branch in Tokyo?
4. So, now it’s d) get down to work!
5. Remember that story 1 told you e) what I said at the start of this talk.
6. As the famous basketball coach Pat Riley f) ‘The important thing is not to stop
said: questioning.’
7. OK, and now let’s g) up to you.

8. Complete the sentences with prepositions from the box.

• about • by • for • in • on • out • through • to

1. Based_____________ what we know, we can optimize our procedures.

2. _____________ my opinion, we should go ahead with the project.
3. OK, this brings me_____________ the end of my talk.
4. What does this mean_____________ our business?
5. Let me just go_____________ the key issues again.
6. We found_____________ that our sales force needs more support.
7. Well, that’s all I wanted to say_____________ strategic planning.
8. We saw that the delays were caused_____________ technical problems.
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9. Use the clues to complete the crossword puzzle.

ACROSS
4. I would like to begin my presentation
with a ... from a great leader.
5. Anagram: TGUSSGE
6. I will now... some important points for
discussion.
9. Another verb for ‘summarize*.
10. OK, that's... I wanted to tell you
about new technologies.

DOWN
1. What’s the preposition? Let me run ...
the main points again.
2. After weighing the pros and..., we
think a merger would be the best option.
3. The most important points or the ...
issues.
7. Another word for ‘target’- I'm sure we
can reach this....
8. These results are excellent. They show
that we are on the right....

USING YOUR VOICE EFFECTIVELY

How you say something is often just as important as what you say. You can use your voice and
the way you stress words or make pauses in sentences to make your presentation more
interesting and easier for the audience to follow.

Stressing words
By emphasizing particular words or parts of words you create certain effects. Notice how you
can change the meaning of a sentence by putting the stress on a different word.
We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (it’s more than just difficult)
We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (you and I agree on this)
We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (but they don’t)

Making pauses
You can use pauses to slow your pace down and make your sentences easier to understand.
Group words into phrases according to their meaning and make pauses between the phrases.
In my opinion we should go into other markets.
In my opinion // we should go // into other markets.

On the other hand, the figures prove that we are on the right track.

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On the other hand, // the figures prove // that we are on the right track.

10. Look at the clues in brackets and underline the word which should be stressed in
each sentence.

1. Clearly, we need to look at this again, (it’s obvious!)

2. Clearly, we need to look at this again, (twice wasn't enough)

3. We will never get such a perfect opportunity again, (this is our only chance)
4. We will never get such a perfect opportunity again, (but perhaps the competition will)

5. I’d like us to work out a strategy, (and nobody else)

6. I’d like us to work out a strategy, (a plan is important)

7. There hasn’t been a dramatic increase in production costs, (but there has been an increase)
8. There hasn’t been a dramatic increase in production costs, (the increase was in personnel
costs)

9. I think we’ve made a good start, (but you might not agree)
10. I think we’ve made a good start, (but there is still a lot to do)

11. This is not the only option. (There might be others)

12. This is not the only option. (I have a better one)

13. Sales this month have been quite good. (But not brilliant)
14. Sales this month have been quite good. (We are pleased)

15. Where do we go from here? (I have absolutely no idea)

16. Where do we go from here? (Normal question)

Now work with a partner and practise reading out the sentence pairs with the correct stress.
Can she or he hear the difference in meaning?

11. Read the following text. Underline the words which you think should be emphasized
and use double slashes (//) for pauses in the sentences. Then listen and check.

Finally, let me come back to the key points of my talk. I told you that in the first quarter,
more than half, or 52%, of our revenues came from overseas. This is in line with the targets we
set out in 2004 when we decided we wanted to continue to rely on overseas markets, especially
China, to keep growing. In the past three months, we’ve added more new customers in China
than in any other country. Now what are our targets for the next few months? The first major
step will be the introduction of our PayPal payment service in China. And then we will focus on
finding customers in existing markets, such as the US and Germany, who haven’t tried buying
from our website yet.

12. Put the words in the right order to make sentences with expressions from this unit.

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1. summarize me important let the results most

2. points again go I’d through like to the main
3. opinion strategy sales to our change my we in have
4. recommend market focus Asian I’d that we the on
5. now end presentation approaching I’m of the my
6. all now put let’s practice into it

13. It’s your turn now. Follow the checklist to practise making conclusions. Try to use
words and phrases from the unit.

CHECKLIST FOR CONCLUSIONS

1. Signal the end of your talk.
2. Summarize the key points.
3. Highlight one important point.
4. Explain the significance.
5. Make your final statement.

OUTPUT

On his website, the American presentations guru Charlie F. Elroy, talks about his
strategies for good conclusions.

Make a good last impression!

Don’t forget that last impressions are just as important as first impressions. I personally
think the end of your talk is even more important than the beginning because people tend to
remember most the last thing that they are told.

Make them listen!

When you move from the main part to the conclusion, use a sentence that signals to the
audience that now they really have to sit up and listen!

Make a lasting impression!

Your conclusion is the place to make sure that you have planted the key ideas of your talk
in your listeners' minds. Don't miss this opportunity!

Here are some of my strategies for effective conclusions:

1. Summarize the main points
This the most widely used method but borrrrrring!! However, sometimes you will find it's
the best strategy. Just sum up the main points you have covered in the middle section.
2. Quote a famous person
Quote something from a famous person that fits the content of your talk and use it as a
final statement. You can find lots of quotations on the Internet. If you can't find one, make it up.
As long as it fits, no one will ever know.
3. Ask a provocative question or make a surprising statement

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Ask a question which surprises, shocks, or provokes your audience - anything to make
them think and to make a lasting impression. Or you can just say something unusual, unexpected,
or even shocking to help support your key points.
4. Use the ‘sandwich’ technique
Think of your presentation as a sandwich with two slices of bread (introduction +
conclusion) and the cheese in the middle (main part). The ‘sandwich’ strategy means that you
have a connection between the beginning and the end of your talk. If, for example, you start
telling a joke or (funny) story in the introduction, stop at an exciting moment and move on to the
main part. Then finish the story/joke in the conclusion.
5. Thank the audience
Forget standard phrases such as ‘Thank you very much for your attention' or ‘Thank you
for listening'. After a good presentation, it is the audience who should be thanking you

OVER TO YOU

Which tips do you think are the most useful? Which are not useful at all? Why do you
think that?
Can you think of any other strategies for making good conclusions?
How might cultural differences between you and the audience affect the way you end a
presentation?
Do you remember a conclusion you found particularly effective? What did the presenter
do?