Thank You Slide in PowerPoint Presentations
9 minutes read
You may wonder: should you end your presentation with a thank you slide, or with another creative conclusion? Find out in this video and tutorial.
It’s easy to spend all your time on the introduction and main body of your presentation. You’re wrapped up researching statistics and data, prepping your slides, and trying to wow your audience with engaging content.
However, have you ever considered how vital the conclusion might be? Many presenters automatically use a thank you slide for PPT as their conclusion. But is a thank you presentation slide the best way to conclude your presentation?
In this article, we’ll discuss the use of thank you slides in PowerPoint. You might be surprised to learn that it’s not always the best way to close out a presentation. You’ll discover how to design other slides that can lead to a more successful conclusion.
I’ll also include top-quality premium templates that provide slide layout options beyond just a thank you slide for your final slide.
Should You Add a Thank You Slide to PowerPoint? (QuickStart Video)
Are you ready to start learning about adding thank you slides in PPT? Watch this quick video to find out what you need to know before you create a thank you slide:
Or study the complete written tutorial below for more detailed information.
What Is a Thank You Slide for PPT?
You’ll see thank you slides at the end of many PowerPoint presentations. It’s a classic way to show that your presentation is complete and to thank your audience for their attendance.
A thank you slide for PPT is a good choice in the following scenarios:
- At a celebration event: Close out the presentation by thanking the team for their contributions and hard work on a thank you slide.
- If you asked your guests to travel: A thank you goes a long way to show gratitude for the extra time and expense.
- If your audience has assembled voluntarily: For instance, if they offered their time to help on a project, a thank you can build momentum for that project.
But is it the best way to end your presentation? Many presentations end with thank you slides, and it often feels like a default option.
While a thank you slide for presentations can be sufficient, there are usually better choices. Read on to discover more about alternatives.
When to Avoid a Thank You PowerPoint Slide
There’s nothing wrong with expressing gratitude at every chance you get. However, it might be better to avoid thank you slides in these situations:
- If you’re delivering tough news: Such as layoffs or changes to benefit plans; saying thank you might feel insensitive.
- If you want to engage your audience: A thank you slide for PPT might come across as a premature conclusion, prompting your audience to leave before you’re finished. In this case, use your final slide to remind them of an important task, like completing benefits enrollment or assigned training.
In the rest of this tutorial, you’ll find smart alternatives to the traditional thank you PowerPoint slide.
Should You Use a Thank You Presentation Slide?
As always, the answer is “it depends.” A “thank you” PowerPoint slide doesn’t fit every situation. If you’re wrapping up your presentation and want to show sincere gratitude, a thank you PowerPoint slide can be appropriate.
Nevertheless, most presentations should consider bypassing a “thank you” slide as the conclusion. In the sections below, you’ll see alternatives that can create much more impact.
“Thank you” slides are often perceived as weak because they aren’t asking for anything from the audience. Often, it’s more effective to write a conclusion with a call to action that encourages the audience to take the next step.
There’s no universal answer to whether you should use a thank you presentation slide. However, don’t default to it simply because you lack ideas for a conclusion. Throughout the rest of the tutorial, you’ll find ideas for creative conclusion PPT slides.
In short: don’t use thank you PowerPoint slides just because they seem to be the only option. Use them when the occasion calls for it.
3 Alternatives to Thank You Slides for PPT
Presenters have plenty of choices for concluding a presentation. If you feel the traditional “thank you slide” for PPT doesn’t fit your content, consider these other options:
The end slide can inspire your audience to take action or create a dialogue with the right design. Let’s explore alternative thank you PowerPoint slides:
1. The “Any Questions?” Slide
When considering the last slide of a presentation, one effective approach is to involve the audience!
An “any questions” slide can help engage the audience, sparking dialogue and encouraging discussion.
Every presenter fears having an “Any Questions?” slide go unanswered. Here are three tips to kick off a discussion:
- Ask for questions ahead of time: Send your audience key details about the presentation and encourage them to prepare questions.
- Ask a question yourself: Sometimes, just one icebreaker can initiate a discussion. You might say, “One question you might be wondering after my presentation is…”
- Seed a question in the audience: Ask a trusted friend to pose a question as an icebreaker.
On Tuts+, we created a guide to creating an “Any Questions?” slide. Be sure to check it out for this format:
“Thank you” PowerPoint slides mark a definitive end to a presentation. However, asking for questions can foster conversation. Instead of an abrupt conclusion, they provide an opportunity to engage. Use an “Any Questions” slide to flip the traditional speaker/audience presentation structure.
2. The “One More Thing” Slide
Apple is renowned for its dramatic reveals. CEO Steve Jobs mastered this art, often saving a significant reveal for the end of a presentation, making the phrase “one more thing…” synonymous with Apple.
To delight your audience, consider saving something special as your last slide, presenting it as “one more thing.”
3. The “Start a Conversation” Slide
Presentations can serve as a platform for building relationships with your audience. An effective conclusion slide can initiate a conversation.
Of course, you may not be able to start a conversation during your presentation. The goal here is to continue the dialogue afterward.
At the end of a presentation, include your contact details for follow-up, allowing you to connect with the audience later. It also helps to mention speaking points about connecting outside the presentation, such as looking for new team members or partners.
How to Make a Closing Slide
In this section, we’ll put our learning into action. Let’s walk through creating several conclusion slides that serve as effective alternatives to a simple thank you. You’ll find these slides might work better for your presentation, especially if you want to engage the audience.
I’m going to use slides from a template on Envato Elements, which offers an all-you-can-download service for creatives, providing everything you need for an exceptional presentation, including ideas for thank you slides.
We’ll work with the Agency Proposal PowerPoint template from Envato Elements in this section. It features clean slides suitable for almost any purpose, including alternatives to thank you slides for presentations.
1. How to Create an Any Questions Slide
An “any questions?” slide can initiate a great discussion with your attendees and is simple to design. When you create an “any questions?” slide, your goal is to not distract your audience.
Slide 5 in the Agency template is perfect for this purpose. With just one text box, you can type your prompt to spark discussion.
Your “any questions?” slide can be as simple as you like. The key is to support it with the speaking points we mentioned earlier. Remember, starter questions are an excellent way to launch a Q&A session.
2. How to Create a One More Thing Slide
To create a “one more thing” slide, use animations as a presentation punchline. Animations allow you to reveal slide points one at a time, creating suspense as you share your big reveal.
Let’s say we want to showcase an upcoming mobile app or website. Showing the product in a real-world scenario helps build credibility and excitement. For this, we can use slide 21 to tell our launch story.
Start by slimming down the slide. Delete unnecessary elements, then add a relevant image or screenshot.
Next, create a big reveal with animations on your key objects. Select the text headline and design elements, then apply animation effects to stage these objects for an impactful presentation.
Learn all about PowerPoint animations for your closing slide in the post below:
3. How to Create a Start a Conversation Slide
Starting a conversation with your audience involves leaving them with your contact details. Whether it’s an email address or social media channel, enable your audience to reach out.
Use a slide that includes your contact details. Listing all your active platforms and channels provides multiple ways for the audience to connect. Slide 1 in the Agency template works excellently for an end slide.
Remember, a presentation on-screen isn’t all you need for continued conversation. Providing your contact details on printed materials, like handouts or business cards, is equally important.
The Best Source for Unlimited PowerPoint Templates (With Great Thank You Presentation Slides)
Earlier, we featured slides from the Agency template, which can be easily adjusted for thank you slides in your presentation.
This template is part of thousands of presentation templates available with a subscription to Envato Elements. This creative subscription offers you unlimited downloads of PowerPoint templates—and so much more.
Elements has everything you need to create an excellent presentation, including unlimited stock photos and graphics to enhance your PowerPoint.
There’s a template to help you kickstart your designs, whether you’re creating a thank you slide or one of the alternative slides mentioned above.
Build an Effective Last Slide of Your Presentation
“Thank you” slides for presentations can create a solid finish. They signal a clear end and express gratitude toward your audience. Thank you PowerPoint slides remain a popular choice.
However, remember: a “thank you” slide for your presentation may not be the best choice. There are specific situations where they work perfectly as the last slide of a presentation, but if you aim to start a conversation or encourage your audience to take action, consider other options.
With the help of a PowerPoint template, you can access pre-built “thank you” presentation slides. Don’t hesitate to explore a template from Envato Elements to find the perfect pre-built end slide. Why not download one today?