Be you, everyone else is taken. When you embrace that simple concept of authenticity, you'll see your results soar. Being authentic is perhaps the most important aspect of delivering a great presentation. I've certainly seen it work during the course of 8,000 presentations over the past 35 years. The ones that work are the ones that are "me."

Authenticity matters because:

• We live in a world of openness and free sharing. Audiences expect to see the real you.
• When you step to the front of the room, you are the center of attention. But people are watching you when you're offstage, too. 
• Bad things happen when we are not being authentic.

Want to know three bad things that happen when you aren't authentic?

Click the player above to listen or, better yet, subscribe to the Get Your Message Heard podcast in iTunes or your favorite podcast app.

Also Mentioned in Today's Episode: The 5D System For Being Authentic

1. DECIDE who you are going to be and commit to be that person every day, every time, in every situation without fail, even when it is hard.
2. DEFINE what that means to you. How do you live your brand promise and deliver that experience to those you serve.
3. DESIGN your business around your expertise/experience. Map your experiences and mine the lessons, then seek audiences that need them.
4. DEVELOP your skills to be the best you possible. Learn what works for you and what doesn't. Experiment, get feedback, and adjust.
5. DELIVER the messages that only you can deliver. Craft your content based on you and your authentic journey. Be vulnerable and real to reach your audience.

Pro Tip For Increasing Impact

Take 5 minutes today to reach out to someone who helped you somewhere along the line and say thanks! You can call, email, send a handwritten note, or even give them a shout-out on social media.

Question Of The Week

This week's question comes from podcast listener Amy Robles who asks:

I know speakers get more gigs as their reputation grows. So, how does someone just starting out get that very important first speaking gig?

Listen to the podcast to hear three great ideas for Amy...and one bonus tip.

A reminder to Get Your Message Heard listeners: If you have a question, please send it to [email protected]. I will respond on a future episode and send you a copy of my book, Public Speaker Secrets.

Grow Your 6-Figure Business With The Vision Speaker Mastermind

If you are looking to grow your 6-figure speaking business, you need to know about the Vision Speaker Mastermind.

As entrepreneurs, we tend to work in isolation too much. One of the most underutilized secrets to growing your business is getting the advice and insight of others.

We oftentimes find ourselves feeling unsure about the next step to take.

But what if you had a group of people you could share your doubts, fears, hopes, and dreams with?

That is exactly what the Vision Speaker Mastermind program will do for your business. This new program will be launching soon.

Go to michaelhudson.com/vsmastermind and sign up to be the first to know. It could be the next step you need to take to achieve your goals in 2017.