If you want to be remembered as “the most amazing speaker” your audience has ever seen, you can’t leave your ending to chance.
Truth is, most people will judge your ENTIRE presentation based on the final five or six minutes.
Ergo, how you leave them is how they’ll remember you.
How To Make Your Last 5 Minutes Count
I studied the science of standing ovations and noticed a pattern.
That pattern led me to create what I call the Fireworks Finale: a grand, emotional crescendo that sends people out on a high.
It’s about moving people’s heartstrings, wrapping it up with humor, connection, and thought-provoking ideas so they walk away thinking, I can’t even express what I just experienced!
If you’ve ever watched a speaker who had the whole crowd on their feet at the end, it probably wasn’t luck.
There’s a pattern behind it and I want to show you exactly how it works.
The Fireworks Finale Formula
I used to think ending a speech with that kind of power was just talent.
A divine gift, if you will.
But after studying over 20 years of world championship speeches, I noticed something: there’s a repeatable pattern the best speakers use that works almost every time.
To use it well, you have to understand the emotions matrix of vocal variety.
Picture a graph where the Y-axis is energy (high or low) and the X-axis is speed (fast or slow).
A Fireworks Finale moves you through these quadrants in a specific sequence:
- Start in one quadrant (often calm and steady).
- Move to another with higher energy or faster pace.
- Shift again, changing tone and tempo.
- Build momentum.
- End back at the top (high energy, high emotion).
This back-and-forth in pace and energy keeps your audience hooked while you guide them toward the emotional peak.
It’s Not Just What You Say, It’s How You Say It
When you execute this Fireworks Finale, it almost doesn’t matter what you say.
The emotional journey you create is just as important as the content itself.
For example, if I were wrapping up a talk about storytelling, I might say:
“It is our stories that connect us.
Imagine how your life might change if you started telling more stories.
Imagine if people knew who you really were. Imagine if you asked others to share their stories.
We wouldn’t see people as opposition, we’d see them as fellow humans.
And that perspective changes everything.”
(Take a second to watch the video at the top of this article to hear me say this part ^ out loud and hear the emotions in my voice.)
Next Steps to Master Your Speaking Skills
If you want to become a pro at stagecraft, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
At Brand Builders Group, we turn average speakers into world-class presentation professionals.
Want to start getting more standing ovations?
Schedule a free brand call and we’ll show you how to make it happen.
