MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM7001 St Andrews Rd #414 Columbia, SC 29212, USA • www.MusicAcademySuccess.com

Members OnlyGold Newsletter

DECEMBER 2013

• Practicing What I Preach

• Hot Questions From Facebook

PRACTICING WHAT I PREACHOn the MASS Members OnlyFacebook page awhile back(It’s been so long I can’t locate theoriginal thread but I remember itwell enough to paraphrase)Gold + member Tyler Tullockposted a comment that is important.After receiving the memo from me regarding the March Conference being close to sold out, AND more importantly LISTING WHO had actually REGISTERED for the conference, he said something to the effect of: “Wow Marty, way to demonstratescarcity and stress urgency.I’ve now registered for the conference. Glad you practice what you preach! I salute you.”

You get the gist.

Tyler I look forward to meeting you in Columbia. And YES I always practice what I preach. For homework item #1 thismonth, you all can learn a lot by really studying how I operate MASS. It’s the same way that I operate my music schools.

It’s not lost upon me that many of you: -Never attend the live calls.

-Never read the weekly e-mails.

-Never will attend a live event.

-Never read this newsletter.

(Continued on page 2).

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM (Practicing What I Preach from page 1).

-Never interact with others on the members only Facebook group or message forum.

-Never book one on one time with any business coach to get intensive coaching to move your business forward faster.

You lurk around the group and casually read, casually study, but you never really step up to the plate.

As a result these are the same members (a small handful) that will e-mail the office saying “Why Am I NOT AchievingMASSive Success Like the Other Members And Or Like Marty?”

I’m not afraid of the question. But you will be afraid (and more likely just pissed off) by the honest answer.

I just care a lot more about my business than most owners do. I’m also completely dedicated to EVOLVING as an entrepreneur and I ‘all in’ take part in coaching and continuing education seminars for myself.

I am now and will always be a member myself of various high dollar coaching programs to help me to continue to evolve. I am very excited to be joining one this year that the minimum income for joining is $100,000 annually. It’s a very cool concept to seperate by income and it’s my first time in such a group. The “DIamond” level so to speak is $500,000 minimum annual income for that group to even be considered (Dan Sullivan’s http://www.strategiccoach.com/). Cost for the year will be close to $9,000 before travel expenses, but I guarantee you I will make back the investment x 10 in how it will help me to grow.

I just had a great one on one session that I paid for with Dan Kennedy last week. If you can afford the $18,800 per dayfor his one on one fee, then I would encourage you to do the same.

Also at every local and regional Mastermind that I am a member of, I am (purposefully) the low man on the totem poll.The other guys in both groups are all self made millionaires who are doing better and better each year. I look to themfor the ‘next step’ on the mountain to follow in their lead.

When I was struggling years ago I was earning $19,000 per year (according to my tax return and social security statement). So if you are struggling, believe me I’VE BEEN THERE. But as of today, not only have I ascended, but I CONTINUE to ascend. The reason? I go ‘all in’ in my business, self improvement, and frankly I just care more than most. So this month, here’s some more home work to help you succeed in 2014. I know a lot of you care, but are you takingACTIONS that will facilitate success? And though I know you care, can you honestly say you care as much as others?

Homework #1: Start studying every facet of how I operate the MASS program and my two schools and ask yourself “Why Is Marty Doing This?” The reason being THERE IS ALWAYS A DAMN REASON!.

Many of you feel helpless in your business and that has got to stop!

You are in COMPLETE control. If you DO NOT feel that you are in CONTROL, you need to keep reading and startgetting control. YOU are the captain of your ship and you have to start to believe (with Faith • Belief • Action) that you can weather any storm. So start documenting and become able to “SEE” the reasons I do the things I do to sell, succeed, teach, coach and more so that YOU can do the same. That’s the goal here. I want YOU to develop the same marketing chops, thesame management strength, the SAME success. Homework #2: In 2014 be dedicated to going ‘all in’ with your MASS experience. Not in terms of what level you are (as I really don’t care) but in terms of how ACTIVE you are as a participant. Get on every Gold call (it’s a part of your membership), read every newsletter, listen to two archived audios every week, read past newsletters, make friends on the members only Facebook, read every book twice, read every article on the website twice, come to the conference once a year (it’s only ONCE a year for crying out loud to be able to network with 100 other music school owners. Should be a no brainer.). So if you’re already achieving success, go MORE all in this year. If you’re not achieving enough, see above.

So back to Tyler’s comment, this month let’s look at an actual example of ‘MASS’ scarcity that is used at the ColumbiaArts Academy and Lexington School of Music.

(Continued on page 4).

ONE TIME ONLY HOW TO ENROLL 130 STUDENTS

IN 60 DAYS! MCE 2014

Thursday, March 6 - Saturday, March 8, 2014 • Columbia, SC

• Not to be repeated • Not to be included in the MASS manuals and or website.

• The only time a tour of Marty’s Lexington location will be offered. • The LAST time that Marty will give away a visit to a member’s

school as a prize. • Only room for 100 attendees! Will SELL OUT!WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?

When Marty opened his second location, he enrolled 130 student in just 60 days. At the MCE 2014, one time only, Marty will share with you everything he did to fill his new school at a recordshattering pace. A - Z Marty will show you every marketing piece, business operations and done for youmaterial so that you can do the same. WHAT WILL THIS DO FOR YOU? If you’ve ever said to yourself that you would like to have a 2nd location, this is the conference that will showyou the way, removing all of the guess work and errors that business owners make. If you already have a 2nd location, this will help you to grow it even more. If you don’t want a 2nd location, there will still be thebest and last ‘School of the Year Contest’ in which Marty will give away a full day consultation at a members school, networking opportunities, NEW PONDS and the latest on how to take your school to the next level. *Gold Plus and Diamond members and one guest come for FREE!

Thursday, March 6 - Saturday, March 8, 2014 Special conference rate of $89.00 per night!

Register online: www.MusicAcademySuccess.com/mce2014

*Be sure to take advantage of the Diamond membership offers at the 2014MCE so that you and a guest can come for free or upgrade to Gold Plus!

ONE TIME ONLY HOW TO ENROLL 130 STUDENTS

IN 60 DAYS! MCE 2014

Thursday, March 6 - Saturday, March 8, 2014 • Columbia, SC

• Not to be repeated • Not to be included in the MASS manuals and or website.

• The only time a tour of Marty’s Lexington location will be offered. • The LAST time that Marty will give away a visit to a member’s

school as a prize. • Only room for 100 attendees! Will SELL OUT!WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?

When Marty opened his second location, he enrolled 130 student in just 60 days. At the MCE 2014, one time only, Marty will share with you everything he did to fill his new school at a recordshattering pace. A - Z Marty will show you every marketing piece, business operations and done for youmaterial so that you can do the same. WHAT WILL THIS DO FOR YOU? If you’ve ever said to yourself that you would like to have a 2nd location, this is the conference that will showyou the way, removing all of the guess work and errors that business owners make. If you already have a 2nd location, this will help you to grow it even more. If you don’t want a 2nd location, there will still be thebest and last ‘School of the Year Contest’ in which Marty will give away a full day consultation at a members school, networking opportunities, NEW PONDS and the latest on how to take your school to the next level. *Gold Plus and Diamond members and one guest come for FREE!

Thursday, March 6 - Saturday, March 8, 2014 Special conference rate of $89.00 per night!

Register online: www.MusicAcademySuccess.com/mce2014

*Be sure to take advantage of the Diamond membership offers at the 2014MCE so that you and a guest can come for free or upgrade to Gold Plus!

ONLY 5 SPOTS LEFT

AS OF

12/23/13!

ONLY 5 SPOTS LEFT

AS OF

12/23/13!

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM7001 St Andrews Rd #414 Columbia, SC 29212, USA • www.MusicAcademySuccess.com

(Practicing What I Preach continued from page 4)

(Continued on page 6)

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM

DIAMOND MYSTERY SHOPPER CALL REMINDER: All Diamond members be sure to call in for our monthly mystery shopper call training with Chris Mullins: December, January 31st, 3 p.m. ET* (Time subject to change)

Check out the Diamond section of the membership site for call in numberand confirmed time closer to the call date. We will also e-mail out reminders toall Diamond members about the call date/time. Is your office staff converting prospective students on the phone as well as they should be? Mystery shopping has been one of the best tools MASS members are using to convert more students on the phone. Each month, MASS Diamond members get on the group call with myself, the office staff of the Columbia Arts Academy and Chris Mullins, CEO of Mullins Media Group. In our monthly training, MASS members get their academies mystery shopped, we listen to the play back and then cri-tique the call to improve their phone sales. Their office staff gets to join in too. You also get to listen to MY academy get mystery shopped! This is a great resource that is paying big dividends for our members.

Not a Diamond member yet? Upgrade to Diamond by e-mailing Stephanie @ Stephanie@MusicAcademySuccess.com WHAT DID YOU THINK OF OUR NOEVMEBER CALLS? To make MASS the best program for you, I need to know what you want more of and what you want less of.

Please let us know what you thought of the last call by sending an e-mail to Stephanie@MusicAcademySuccess.com or fill out this form and fax it to 1-800-517-3617 What did you think of the call? _______________________________________________________________________

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What topics would you like for us to cover this year on the future calls? ________________________________________

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What support materials (calls, products) should M.A.S.S. offer that we don’t currently? ____________________________

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MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM

You can learn a lot by reading the Columbia Arts Academy newsletters each month athttp://www.ColumbiaArtsAcasdemy.com

I’m always trying new things to keep my schools moving forward so use that as a resource..

For the past few years I’ve been demonstrating scarcity the same way in my school newsletters: 1. By listing the new students coming in.

2. By listing which teachers are sold out.

I encourage you all to do the same via your hard copy monthly newsletters and e-newsletters.

But after five years of the same format, frankly I was past due to update the message.

This is instructive on a lot of levels: Homework #3: Are you refreshing your message, so that you’re still stressing capacity and scarcity and theDan Kennedy “Malibu Effect” (and if you don’t know what that is, ask me on a Gold call), but in NEW ways?

Homework #4: Are you revamping your direct mail campaigns so they look NEW to your lists? Different layouts (horizontal, vertical), different fonts, different pictures, different offers.

Homework #5: Are you updating and rotating your referral campaigns to keep your referral numbers up? Homework #6: Are you doing new contests and initiatives to keep your students AND YOURSELF from gettingBORED with your business?

A great homework item for 2014, is to write down and plan out: Homework #7: What are you going to do to make your business fun this year? It was fun for you at the beginning. But then we all (and if you haven’t yet you will) go through the doldrums of boredomwith our business. The first tell tale sign is if you are getting distracted by thinking of opening a second business (brick and mortar school or info biz) but you have not yet reached 500 students in one location yet.

There is a REAL danger to this.

When I knew many years ago that I wanted to create MASS, I FORCED myself to do nothing until I had reached 500students in one location. I like you also wanted to do other business ventures, but I WAITED and FORCED myself to have fun with my schools until I reached 500.

Many of you are at the 150, 250, 300 level and I’m so excited that you’re growing (Diamond members Tim Benson, MarlaMorrison, Jen Hickle, Barbara Hendricks, Jeff Comas, Zeljko Pavlovic, Anna and Joe Backer, Jeff Novack, Ryan and Wanda Cullen, Steve South and Chris Duncan, Jeremy and Gwen Michor, Karen Suedmeier, Jeff McKee and Josh Brown, Gold Plus member Jim Skelton, Gold member Jeff Davis, they all come to mind). But I’m also scared for all of you. The reason being is that you’re in real danger of cutting your growth short (or really delaying it) by getting bored with your school.

LEGAL DISCLAIMERS AND TERMS OF USEYou do not have resell rights or giveaway rights to any portion of this Publication Only customers that have purchased this publication are authorized to view it. This publication contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the author. Violations of this copyright will be enforced to the full extent of the law. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided, the author assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation on the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights of individuals or organizations are un-intentional. The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. No guarantees of income are made. The author reserves the right to make changes and assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever on behalf of any purchaser or reader of these materials. Marty Fort, MASS and its management and employees are not attorneys or accountants, and therefore none of the System, Materials, or Information should be construed as legal or accounting advice. Your use of any aspect of the System, Materials, or Information is not intended to create and does not create an attorney-client or attorney-accountant relationship between you and MASS. You should seek qualified legal or accounting professionals in your area before making a final determination on any legal or financial decisions. Anyone submitting questions, materials, or content to the newsletters agrees that their submissions in no way constitute authorship of the MASS system. They also agree by submitting information for publication that they will not be compensated in any form for their submissions and that participation is voluntary. All information provided in connection with or as a part of the System (the “Information”), includ-ing without limitation the content of the Materials, is provided for your use solely for general informational purposes. If you have any questions about a specific situation or the current law in your jurisdiction, you should always consult a licensed attorney or accountant. © 2013 Music Academy Success LLC

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM

There’s also plenty of dangers in this for me.

Music Academy Success is not the end game for me. I have other business to launch.Some in brick and mortar locationos and some in the info biz space.

And frankly, even though it’s years away, there will come a day when MASS will end. The reason beingthat I just won’t have the time for it and or it will become cost prohibitive to run it compared to other business ventures.

To be honest, it’s not always fun to write this newsletter each month. It would be MORE fun to launch a new concept,create something new and different and keep myself entertained.

But I am too disciplined to let that happen prematurely.

I have growth goals for MASS, in the same way that I had them for the schools (and still do for both). Until those benchmarks are met, I have to say NO to diversion and YES to staying on course.

Homework #8: What are you going to do this year, to make sure that you do not get hit/hurt by distractingopportunities, and instead focus ‘all in’ , with 100% of your time and energy going towards growing the school and MASSive opportunity you already have set up?

My biggest advice is to make it fun for yourself. In this month’s news I’m really opening up to the mindset and entrepreneurial behavioral practices that have lead me to six figures. It’s imperative that you do the same.

On a recent Diamond call one of my members asked me “What should I do if I really want to achieve six figures?”

My answer to him was to “not be distracted by other more interesting opportunities. But to stay the course with your school until you reach a net six figure annual income.” Once you’ve achieved that goal you will be an entirely different person. And then it’s time to start doing other stuff (and you’ll have the funds necessary to do so!).

Promise me you’ll make 2014 the year you FOCUS ALL IN on YOU.

“FOCUS ALL IN” everyday to achieve Music Academy Success.

Lastly, you’ll see that the picture on the cover of the newsletter says “1,000 students”.

That picture is of a sign hanging in my office. When I started MASS I had 500 students in one location. I now haveover 800 in two. I could break 1,000 in 2014 (2015 at the latest).

So I look at that sign everyday and I ask myself “What have I done today to get a student?”. Then I ask myself “What have I done today to keep our students?”. This is a great exercise that has transformed the enrollment and bankaccount of many MASS members. Homework #9: Make your office sign and do the exercise above daily. If you have 50 students, make a sign that says 100. If you’re at 250, then make a sign that says 350, etc.

There’s a lot of GOOD work to be done and SUCCESS to be had this year people. As Kid President says “You air breathing through your nose!” (Check out Kid President on YouTube.)

Get to work, BUT make it fun for yourself. Keep watching my school newsletters for ideas to short cut the process.

HOT QUESTIONS FROM FACEBOOK: It’s been great seeing the posts on the Members only Facebook page and there’s lot of great (HOT) questions flyingaround. Here’s some that stuck out to me this month that I thought deserved comment as the answers willbe helpful and instructive to many of you in your MASS journey: Gold member Helen Hayes writes:

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM RESOURCE DIRECTORY!

WEBSITE DESIGN If you need a new website and or a website, be sure to reach out to Harry at Cognostek. Be sure to tell him you’re a MASS member as he’s did Marty’s mobile site and he’ll know exactly what you need. Very economical rates for music school owners. harry@cognostek.com

DIRECT MAIL AND NEWSLETTER PRINTER RESOURCE

If you want to get your newsletters and direct mail done for the same price that I do, I highly encourage you to contact my printer Apex Graphix as they know exactly how to print and mail them at a great cost and they will do wok for any MASS member in any part of the country.

John Runyinfo@apexgraphix.net803-779-7660

E-mail John, tell him you’re a MASS member, that I referred you and he will take care of you.Please note, that to get this pricing you have to prepare your PDF so that it is ready to print and your mailing addresses have to be set up on an Excel spreadsheet that is mail merge ready (ask me on a monthly call if you have any questions about this). Your folds need to be at the bottom of your mailer. Please see the prep file or e-mail John Runy BEFORE you create your file if you have any questions.

Visit the members only site so that you can download templates of my:

Newsletter

InDesign Version, PDF Version, JPEG 1 Version, JPEG 2 Version and the Apex Graphix USPS Print Prep File

You can also download my direct mail pieces

InDesign Version, PDF Version, JPEG 1 Version, JPEG 2 Version

DIRECT MAIL LIST RESOURCE

Contact my list sales rep:

Patience WilliamsInfoUSA patience.williams@infogroup.com Phone 402.836.1411

Be sure to reference Marty Fort and Music Academy Success so she will be familiar with your needs and my list criteria.

ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS RESOURCE

ACH Direct. The LEADER in music school electronic payment processing.

Fill out this form to request more information on AutoPay:

www.MusicAcademySuccess.com/autopay

MUSIC ACADEMY SUCCESS SYSTEM

(Facebook questions continued) from page 7:

“(I have a) possible new location: Much better visibility! (Can’t see my current build-ing from the street.) On a street with decent traffic. I get the whole building. 6 teach-ing rooms upstairs, plus good size reception/waiting area & 2 bathrooms. Freshly painted, decent carpet. Downstairs is not quite as nice. 2 big rooms plus storage and 1 bathroom. I teach early childhood classes, and one of the downstairs rooms is big enough for that.Now the negative - only street parking in the front. More parking in the back. There is a back door that enters downstairs. Good for my classes, but those entering there do not automatically pass the front desk. Not sure how that would work. Also, if I do my classes downstairs, where do kids wait?

Bigger negative right now is cost. I’m struggling now. Hopefully Jan. will be better. But I expect it to be at least $400 more.

This would be a great question for a Gold call (hint, hint) but I did want to break down how profitable visibility can be.

At my Rosewood location, we pulled 76 students from the sign this year.

Total profit: $53,124.00

So Helen for $4,800 more per year, if you get 10 more students from it you break even. If you get 20 more students from ityou double your money, etc.

You DO have a logistical challenge with the front desk, but by thinking outside of the box you can find a way I’m sure.My Lexington location only got 20 students from it’s sign this year, as you cannot see it from the road. So do the math: $14,000 profit from sign for Lexington, versus $53k for Rosewood. The numbers are important, instructive and staggering. Make sure that you do your math in regards to your signage and enrollment.

Gold member Jeff Davis writes: I’ve been thinking about your (another member’s) picture day. What about having people reserve a time with a credit card, and either won’t be charged or will receive a credit to their account when they DO come?

We really enjoy Picture Day at Columbia Arts Academy. It’s free for our clients and we’re able to use the pictures forall kinds of ads.

Here’s how we do it: 1. Announce in the newsletter and e-mail the dates. Let parents sign up by phone, e-mail or at the desk via sign up sheet.2. Explain that it’s free and show past pics from previous years.3. NEW: Create a “Wall of FAME” waiver so that parents know their child could be put on the walls of the school and moreimportantly in ads, newsletters, website etc. You DON’T want an angry parent, who even though they signed a releaseform, had no idea Johnny was going to be on the full back page of a local paper.4. Parents can buy pics online via a shutterfly.com link.5. Due to light purchases, we now pay the photographer to do the shoot as the pics are just too awesome and I really NEED them each year to make my marketing FUN, STAND OUT and to keep me from getting BORED with my school(See how that loop came full circle?).

Check out the 2013 Picture Day pics at http://www.ColumbiaArtsAcademy.com andhttp://www.LexingtonSchoolofMusic.com

They speak for themselves.

Homework #10: What are YOU going todo to have a ROCKING Picture Dayin 2014? Ask me for help on a Gold calland I’ll be happy to guide you to YOUR Music Academy Success!

Marty