Why song endings often need more arrangement work than introductions

Bands usually discuss how a song begins, but endings are often left as “we will feel it”. That can work, yet unclear endings are one of the quickest ways to make an otherwise strong performance sound under-rehearsed.

Useful options include a fixed final figure, a repeated chorus with a defined cue, a held chord with a nominated cutoff, or a deliberate segue into the next song. The choice should suit the lyric and energy rather than being added mechanically. I find it helpful to write the final eight bars separately and rehearse them from several entry points.

Which types of endings work best in your material, and how do you communicate cues without making them visually obvious to the audience?