
Want your audience to look forward to your next talk? End with a cliffhanger.
A cliffhanger works. Just ask Hollywood.
Will Sylvester Stallone, make it or fall?
In the movie 'Cliffhanger' is that the moment your breath stops. That is the power of a good cliffhanger: you need to know what happens next.
And you can use that same trick in your presentation.
Why cliffhangers work
Think of your favorite series. The tension builds, you’re fully hooked... and then – BAM. Episode over. Your mind races. Your brain’s on high alert.
That’s not a coincidence. Cliffhangers spark curiosity. They trigger mental activity and make us hungry for the next step.
And that’s exactly what you want in your presentation: an audience eager to hear more.
How to use them:
- Hold back the reveal.
Right before your key point... pause. Hint that it’s coming.
Then insert something else, short.
The tension builds. They want the answer.
- Split a story.
Tell a personal or client story and pause halfway.
Say: “Then something unexpected happened... But first, let me show you this.”
They’ll stay sharp, wanting to know: what happened?
- Use a visual teaser.
Show a graph with no data: “What is this? I’ll get back to it in a moment.”
- End with a question.
“What would you do?” Let them discuss or vote. More interaction = more impact.
And in your next presentation?
Start with your answer. Turn curiosity into a bridge to the next step.
Let it linger.
A strong cliffhanger keeps your topic alive, even after you’re done. It sticks in memory. And that’s the goal: a presentation that stays with them.
Not because you gave it all away… but because they want more.
One tip can make a difference.
But the training shows you how to build strong presentations – faster, smarter, and with real impact.
Presentations that land, persuade, and stick.