Why Your Presentation Lost the Room

Tell the ending first, or save it for last? Depends who’s listening.

Author

Anna Ong
September 16, 2025

Tell the Ending First, or Save It for Last?

It depends who’s listening.

A client once showed me their pitch deck.

Slide 1: Market research.
Slide 2: Data analysis.
Slide 3: Competitive landscape…

By Slide 12, the executives were checking their phones.

Not because the content was bad—because they still didn’t know the point.

What if she’d started with: “We can save $2M by switching suppliers,” then shown the proof?

Two Ways to Tell Any Story

Option 1: Ending First

“We’re going to lose customers. Here’s why: complaints doubled, wait times tripled, satisfaction scores dropped.”

Use this when your audience is busy, needs decisions fast, or will tune out without the point up front.

Option 2: Ending Last

“Complaints doubled over six months. Wait times tripled. Satisfaction scores dropped from 8 to 4. We’re going to lose customers.”

Use this when your audience has time, wants to understand the reasoning, or enjoys the journey.

At my storytelling events in Singapore, we save the ending for last. Audiences love suspense—they lean in for the twist.

In boardrooms? Tell the ending first. Executives want the headline up front.

The Fix (and a 60-Second Exercise)

Before you present anything, ask: Does this audience want the punchline first, or do they want to discover it with me?

  • Busy people = punchline first.

  • Curious people = discovery journey.

🧪 Try this: Label each slide (or section) as Ending First or Ending Last.
If it leans too hard one way, rebalance before the meeting. That one-minute audit will stop you from losing half the room.

Your Story Prompt

Next time you talk about your weekend, try both:

  • Lead with “It was amazing,” then explain why.

  • Or build up to “It was amazing.”

See which lands better for that person.

Encouragement

You’re not boring—you’re just mismatching the story to the listener. Get this right, and your ideas land with clarity and connection.

CTAs

👉 Ready to practice reading the room?

👉 Want the full breakthrough?

Includes free access to Seed to Stage Online (Sep 6–Oct 25)

Also Coming Up

✨ Forward-to-a-Friend
Know someone who keeps losing the room? Forward this.

Reply

or to participate.