Thank you so much for all the incredible responses about my “dilemma” of whether to move forward with another Inner Circle group or restructure it.  I was thrilled to see how many smart & empathetic people are out there – and wow – all on my list.  That was so great – awesome advice for any business owner going through the same thing.  I suggest you do a quick read.  It may very well help you in your business.  Click Here

I was shocked though at not only the time many people put into their posts to me but how many people, even those who desperately want to re-new the mastermind this year, were telling me it would be sad for them, but they would support me if I closed it down as they want what is BEST for ME.

Wow.

I am humble person to begin with, but that greatly impacted me.  How often do we hear that from people?  I know I must be doing something right in my business to garner that reaction from people.  I am used to adopting that attitude for you but I have never expected it returned.  How amazing.

In order for so many of you to say that to me, it just proved to me that I AM making an impact with people and you have no idea how great that  made me feel.  After all, I do what I do to HOPE to affect other lives but this was one way you reflected it back to me.  I, like you want to serve others, and I get my motivation to continue when I get feedback that my purpose IS making an impact.

I THANK YOU for that.  Thank you. Thank you.

So you being so gracious to me, you helped me to find a way, find room in my life to HANDS DOWN keep helping and working with my special Inner Circle group.    You are like family to me!   I would MISS you if you weren’t there.

Now I am laughing as I write this cause you guys are either the most brilliant sales people to me (with your sneaky reverse marketing technique) Ha Ha. Or you just opened up my heart and once again REMINDED me of WHY I chose to do this work.

Either way…you guys are so cool!  How blessed I am to be able to know you and work with you.

So here’s what I did…

I am going to work on both…move forward with my ‘capture the big market’ plans (but it may just take an extra few months) and part of that is next year to work on a program where I can train new TEACHERS to carry on my message.  So if you are interested in teaching what I teach – let me know.

As far as the inner circle – I have way too much fun at the live events to give that up – so I streamlined my one-on-one time to what you ‘really use anyway – cut out the fat’ (so you still get that special time working with me solo – and it’s a generous amount – not skimpy) and I will be on majority (if not all) of the mastermind calls but I found an awesome person to step in on the rare occasion I am travelling or something.  But again, it will be rare and feedback from my mastermind partner has been people falling in LOVE with him – so you may want him more than me – Ha Ha.  And of course I will be there full force at the live events.

Plus I added NEW features for this year – that will knock your socks off.

And drum roll please…..I still am keeping it affordable – because as much as I admire others business style to sell less for triple the price I still feel weird about that choice for myself.

Anyways, check it out, see what you think, I feel you will be THRILLED with the NEW design.  And yes it will take up ‘my time’ – so I’m going to require a strong group – so make sure YOU my friend, STEP up and make it worth it for both our lives and time!!!

So it’s on your shoulders now – Ha Ha (that was my attempted evil laugh).

We’re in this together!  I’m not showing up next year – if you show up half-way – so only apply if you’re ready to shine!!!!

PS – for those of you who asked for the private 1 x 1 FULL day for me – go for the Platinum as it’s CHEAPER to buy this package than buy my time separately.  Or don’t – hey my time is the same and I earn more if you book it separately – so I won’t mind if you don’t’ go for it now.  Just PLEASE don’t pass on it now and complain to me later – ok. I seriously have to have a deadline on the Platinum & Gold packages as they begin in the New Year.

I am so excited to hear what you think.

Oh – here’s the link: http://www.hartofsuccess.com/circle

Jeez. Almost forgot that!

Have a GREAT weekend and I’ll be looking over applications next week.

I expect we’ll close the offer by week’s end, judging from last year (which was 2 days).  So please act now if you want this – I can’t bring stragglers in after the teams have been assembled (even really cool stragglers).  Logistically it looks bad for us.  So please check it out.

THANK YOU again for all your comments – you are so amazing!!!

Much love,

Stefanie

OK. What happened this month?  August was fun, then for some reason everyone I know practically contacted me or is doing something this month. Typically we promote maybe 2-4 events per year for others, so if its weirding you out that this past week we’ve sent 3 – then don’t worry its weirding me out too.    Bu the good news is they are all REALLY cool events that I just wanted to make you aware of (as personally I hate missing out on stuff).

Here’s some things that we are going too:

Will I see you at any of them?  If so, please let me know or find me at the events so I can meet you and make powerful introductions for you.

September 25th – 27th – My Mastermind Group meets in Vancouver – we’re all EXCITED about it. This is a CLOSED event. You can’t even peek into our windows.

Monday Sept 28th – I am speaking at Dov Baron’s $5,000 person event (which I got you 80% off which is amazing) in Richmond so take advantage of it. www.tinyurl.com/qwm-stefanie

Sept 30th – Oct 4th – Engage Now event (see below) in Calgary Alberta. I’ve been invited to dine with Branson, which is hard to pass up, but I am not sure I can do so much traveling in this time, I will have to decide tomorrow.  But if you want to attend you should go as this sounds like a really unique event. See below for details but the Dali Lama, Richard Branson and other mega authors will be there. www.stefaniehartman.com/recommendation/engagenow

October 10/11 – I will have a booth at a San Diego Social Media Conference. Should be interesting.  It’s been awhile since I was a “booth babe”.  But my partner and I are showing off and pre-viewing our social media set up and marketing package there (which we’re not making public till Oct/Nov).

October 30/31 – I will have booth & will be speaking at Rick Frishman’s Author 101 event in Vegas. It’s a smaller more intimate event – will be cool to meet people. PLUS it’s Halloween so I may be partying in Vegas (without my husband which is funny – well not funny for him) or I will have a quiet dinner with my business partner and maybe clients and cool people. www.stefaniehartman.com/recommendation/author101  Either way that’s probably what I’ll tell him I’m doing- oops, I think he’s on this mailing list too.

Today, let me tell you about the Engage Now event:

My friend Gail is putting this together and as a favor to her and Jill who’s also helping out, I wanted to let you know about it.  It certainly is an unusual event that may not come around again.

As I said, the Dali Lama, Richard Branson and other mega authors will be there including Dr. Steven Covey, Barbara DeAngelis, the CEO of Zappos (who just sold for over $900 Million to Amazon). Read more here: www.stefaniehartman.com/recommendation/engagenow

Maybe I will see you at some of these places, if not , I’ll be thinking of you and will bring you any tips I find.

Warmest regards,
Stefanie

I am speaking at 2 events coming up soon.  I will be speaking at Rick Frishman’s Author 101 event in October ( www.stefaniehartman.com/recommendation/author101 ) and hope to see you there, but today I wanted to tell you about an event here in Canada from a man who is doing incredibly powerful work with people and by the way I pulled in a favor and negotiated 80% off his $5,000 event (keep this between us – k?).
 
His name is Dov Baron. While his name “Dov” may sound like a peaceful spiritual bird, Dov in my experience is a man who gives you guidance, but in a way that is hard to ignore. 
 
He means business.  He doesn’t let you get away with excuses. 
 
He has a great big heart and genuinely cares whether you succeed in life, whether you are getting training that will actually help you (and not just “sell” to you) and wants you to live to your true potential.
 
This “Dov” is more like a spiritual soldier, fighting on your behalf. And quite frankly that may be exactly what you need.
 
If that is the case, I suggest you check out this event that he has asked me to “train at” (notice not just “speak at”) as well his other events.
 
And hey – you get to see me in person again (which I would love).
 
So here’s the info, check it out, and it should give you 80% (almost at cost) which is my way of paving the way easier for you. But others are paying full price for this 4 day event, so take this as a gift and sign for you to attend.
 
www.tinyurl.com/qwm-stefanie
 
Read Dov’s message to you below:
 
From desk of Dov Baron…
Do you or did you have a dream about what you wanted your life to be like…
Has that dream seemed impossible?
What if you had your own team who could take your dream and make it into a reality?
 
Perhaps you believed that success & wealth are simply a matter of luck.
 
During this “recession”, like so many others, have you experienced the anxiety of watching your savings slowly drain?
 
Believe me, right now you need to know how to build what I call your “Me-conomy” and make yourself recession-proof.
 
www.tinyurl.com/qwm-stefanie
 
I have some bad news: If you’re not experiencing the kind of abundance you know you need, a lack of money is not the problem; it is merely a symptom of what’s going on inside of you.
 
Here’s the Good News: At the Quantum Wealth Mastery event you will learn what’s actually been holding you back from the wealth & success you deserve.
 
But it’s more than MINDSET!
 
You’ll be taken by the hand by me and 6 other expert mentors and given the step-by-step process to begin creating your wealth and success immediately.
You’ll walk away with a raised resonance, powerful easy to use tools and strategies, and the mindset you need to achieve massive wealth now.
 
At this transformational 4-day event, you’ll learn how to:
 
* Take control of your financial future… discover what you’ve got that ‘they’ will break down your door to pay you for.
* Begin to discover your purpose so that you get up every morning excited to go to work in and on your passion.
* Focus on creating abundance while others are focused on fear and lack.
* Train your “ego-mind” to work for you instead of against you.
* Create your own personal Me-conomy that thrives in any economy.
* How your friends and family maybe unwittingly keeping you broke, and what you can do about changing it… Now!
* And much more…
 
 
Enjoy, Stefanie

Ever imagined how incredible it would be to sit down for coffee (no pun intended here) with the President of the super successful Starbucks Company AND get his advice of how you could make YOUR BUSINESS better?

How much would that be worth?

Actually his advice could be worth millions! He’s already proven he has – he personally grew the business from 28 stores to 400.

Well, understanding this, I made some high powered phone calls ON YOUR BEHALF and personally arranged for 2 lucky JV Club Members to get this very opportunity. Now realize I COULD HAVE taken this opportunity for myself – but I didn’t, instead I have chosen to help YOU, not me. Tell me how many Entrepreneurship coaches are really that committed to help their students?

Answer: no-one.

I am putting you first.

So stop sitting on the side lines, and take advantage of it! Have yourself be chosen to receive FREE PERSONAL one-on-one mentoring from Howard Behar, past President of Starbucks Company.

Ask any question that can help YOU in your own small business.

Think of what your friends and family and competitors will say when you tell them you took a meeting with the President of Starbucks. I see jaws dropping.

Look I have been “the nice gal”, helping those that come to me when they are ready and providing real-world step-by-step strategy and guidance but quite frankly I am tired of some people passing these opportunities by, (and I say this with love), you are a TOTAL IDIOT if you don’t get your butt in the game and begin to realize how BIG these opportunities (such as the JV Contest, the club and this private mentoring) is for you.

Looking from the sidelines is only going to get you depressed, feeling sorry for yourself, broke and to nowheresville.

If I really think about it, I have to say WOW – it’s really crazy and exciting what is happening inside the club lately, last month, several members received collaboration LIFETIME partnership deals from huge players (a big break for them) and this month 2 people will be chosen to get advice from the BIG MAN himself.

In the real world they only take meetings with other big CEO’s of Multi-billion dollar companies. Trust me; this doesn’t happen often – if ever. Period.

And am I charging you $5000 for that privilege? – NO! A Measly $40/month.

That’s crazy.

I am seriously considering making this a more exclusive club – charging that higher fee and only giving it to those who really appreciate it (and quite frankly deserve it).

So stop feeling sorry for yourself, or too small, or not ready. Join the club – meet down to earth people just like you who will become your friends, allies and give you a breath of fresh air or support when you get together.

Just that part of the club alone (people meeting and connecting) is powerful, and you also get live coaching and help with YOUR business from our coaches (at no charge). I get email after email from people who tell me they can’t believe how positive people are in the club, how willing to help and how nice and how casual and easy it is to get advice and assistance from others. They don’t feel alone anymore and are thrilled. If you want to be considered to speak directly to the Starbucks President,

here’s how:

Step One: Become an active member
http://www.privatejvclub.com/becomeamember

Step Two: Go the “Millionaire Mentors” section (button on the left, inside the club) to get the secret email address to let us know you should be considered for this mentoring.

It happens LIVE on Sept 11th – so we need ALL applications in this week.

Warmest Regards,
Stefanie

Remember the Wisk commercial in my last blog?  Here’s another vintage commercial:

I bet you didn’t even know you needed Space Food Sticks until you saw that!  LOL!

Out with the old . . . in with the new.   Download your free copy of The Hartman Report now.

There was a time, not so long ago, when consumers relied heavily on expensive paid advertising to make their spending decisions.  Remember this?

Before seeing that commercial, viewers may not even have known that their husbands were suffering disdain and mockery due to the rings around their collars.  Luckily, the commercial not only educated them about the dreadful plight of grey-collared office workers, but it also offered them a solution — Wisk Detergent.  They would be spared the shame that the poor woman on the commercial suffered.  Their washers wouldn’t taunt them each time they opened the door.

With the advent of the internet, consumers make their decisions a little differently now.  As a heart-based entrepreneur, this is a great thing for you.   When your potential clients are confronted with pricey ads from mega-corporations, it takes them minutes to do more research.  They click on their favorite  sites to check reviews on the company.  They listen to podcasts.  They Google the product and look for product reviews.  They might even hit up WikiAnswers.com:  “Is ring around the collar even a big deal?”

You may not have a massive advertising budget, but you have a global marketplace right at your fingertips, and consumers are talking to each other.  The MarketingGuy tells us that according to a survey from 1&1 Internet, 89% of shoppers say they purposely stay away from small online retailers with negative customer reviews on the web.  Referrals and recommendations are important.  So how can you make this trend work to your advantage?

• Make sure you deserve your good reputation. Determine what your clients need, and deliver it.
• Build incentives for referrals into your processes from the beginning. Referrals are extremely effective, but your clients may not think of it if you don’t suggest it.
• Follow up with your clients to make sure they’re satisfied, then ask for referrals. Make sure you hand out at least three business cards

If you’re taking the time to know what your customers need and giving it to them with a true service attitude, you don’t have to worry if you have a small or no advertising budget.  Clients who are referred to you will trust you more, and research shows that they are willing to spend more as well.  What are you doing to earn referrals for your business?  I’d love to see your comments below.

To learn more about the changing face of marketing and how to take advantage of it, download your free copy of The Hartman Report now.

I just spent some time with my friend and colleague Jill Lublin, the famous publicity expert.  I’m so thrilled that she came to my hometown, Vancouver BC — rarely do experts come here!  If you haven’t taken her one day seminar, you should.  You can find out more about her and her seminar at: www.JillLublin.com.
In the meantime, I learned some cool tools.  Here’s a hot tip I wanted to share with you…

“Are you ready to become the big fish in a small pond?” asks Scott Gerber of Entrepreneur Magazine. “From aquatic sporting goods for dogs to Michelle Obama-inspired fashion websites, niche products and services have the potential to generate big bucks if they capture the hearts, minds and wallets of a dedicated consumer base.”

As you know, I’m a huge believer in setting aside that “get the numbers -beat the competition” approach to business.   As our population ages — people aged forty and older now make up the largest adult population in North America — more and more entrepreneurs are looking for opportunities that are not only profitable, but meaningful.  This often leads to niche businesses — businesses that are tailored to specific markets that are often overlooked by the large franchises.

Mr. Gerber’s article, “Five Steps to Building a Successful Niche Business,” gives a terrific example of how the internet has changed the world, creating endless possibilities for entrepreneurs who are following their passion instead of the dollars.  He mentioned Google as an example of how niche businesses can find tremendous success by providing a simple service — a search engine ranked by backlinks — and doing it well.

So how can you profit by serving your specific niche?  Mr. Gerber says:

• Create a Simple Service. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, choose a specific market that has a specific, unmet need and meet that need.
• Become the leading expert of your niche.
• Be Specific, Distinctive and Relevant.
• Copy, Past and Repeat. Keep hammering that message home.

It’s a new era in business.  Consumers have lost interest in corporations that treat them as numbers or a prize to be won.  If you know what your customers want and set about delivering it with a customer service attitude, they will be drawn to you.  If you approach other entrepreneurs with an eye toward finding win-win ideas, you’ll both grow your business.  Thanks to the internet, you can do both of these in a way that hasn’t been possible before.

If you still wonder whether putting people above profit will dampen your success, remember Google’s declared Code of Conduct:  “Don’t be evil.”  The Google prospectus notes:  “We believe strongly that in the long term, we will be better served — as shareholders and in all other ways — by a company that does good things for the world even if we forgo some short term gains.”

Empower yourself and grow your business by learning more about the changing landscape of business.  Download your FREE copy of The Hartman Report now.

You can mail out the most riveting email showcasing your product, but if you don’t target it to the right audience, you won’t get results.

Check out this funny video to see what I’m talking about!

Need help targeting your email newsletters for maximum impact and profit?  Check out our Get it Done series.  Let us concentrate on your marketing needs, so you’re free to take care of business.

I just read a terrific post from David Riklan of Self-Growth on the effectiveness of email advertising.  He addresses the question:  “Does email newsletter advertising really work?” His answer  is a firm, “That depends!”  Some products — health products, financial services, and help for relationships and self-improvement — tend to fare better than others with online marketing. Continue Reading