Short Presentation Tip – TTT

One of the most common mistakes people make when using a screen to project their presentations is speaking to the screen rather than the audience. It’s a habit that can cause your words to be lost, and turn a good presentation into a fiasco. But it’s also something you can easily avoid. A simple mnemonic will help:

TTT, or Touch, Turn, Talk

You spend a lot of time going over your presentations and getting them just right. In fact, most of the time, you know the content of each slide without even glancing at it. And you probably have the slides in front of you on your computer while you are speaking as well. If you think about it, it’s almost never necessary for you to look at the screen during a presentation.

The screen is a visual aid for your audience. The only time you need to engage with it is when you want to point out something on a slide. So, each time you put up a new slide, read aloud or elaborate on its headline and content while maintaining eye contact with your audience. If you want to refer to something on the slide, remember to use the TTT rule: Touch the part of the slide you wish to speak about (or point to it with your laser pointer); Turn back toward your audience; and then Talk about the part of the slide you referenced.

With a well-designed presentation and TTT, your message will come across loud and clear.