I once talked with musician Tom Robinson, and he explained why.
“You’ve been up on stage and given the audience your best. Part of the process is that we as the audience like to say thank you in return. If the performer doesn’t give us that chance, we feel like our part hasn’t been played.”
Tom also told me that the most important part of any song he played live was the end. “You can have an average song, but if you close it off with a clear riff and a bang, the audience will love it. They also need to know when to applaud, so give them a definite and clear ending moment.”
Tom’s tips can easily be translated into your presentation approach.
• Firstly, make your summary interesting. Instead of having seven bullets that you read one by one, make it visual; choose an image or one single word to represent each main point. This is worth rehearsing many times, as the last 60 seconds can be as important as the first.
• Secondly, ensure you finish on a big issue; for example; “And finally, we’ll launch Product X in September, and the goal is to reach 10,000 sales by end of the year!”
• “To close off, we have three big projects to complete this year; first, complete transformation X; second, re-organise division Y; and third, reach sales of 5,000 with new product Z.”
• Thirdly, be clear about the ending. After you say your last sentence, finish with a simple and firm, “Thank you!” Then stand and take the applause; in most situations, the audience will show their appreciation for you.
Of course, there is a risk that no one claps. That is a small possibility if you use these tools, but if it does occur, walk off after a couple of seconds and don’t worry about it. You’ve done your job, and if the audience didn’t get it...? Well, that happens sometimes. But only rarely, as long as you’ve done your preparation, created clear slides, and finished on a high.