I’m doing a free teleseminar – join me?

FROM MY PRESS RELEASE:

Cookie Tuminello announced today that she will be hosting a free seminar for Business Owners, CEO’s and Managers titled “From Good to Great – Effective Leadership and Team Building in a Changing Marketplace” on October 6, 2009.  This event is open to the public free of charge.  Space is limited so reserve your space now to ensure your seat.

“From Good to Great – Effective Leadership and Team Building in a Changing Marketplace” will be held at the LEDA conference room located at 211 E. Devalcourt St., Lafayette, LA.  Registration will begin at 8:30 am and the seminar will start promptly at 9:00 a.m.

Some of the topics that will be covered include:

–    How to improve interpersonal skills and performance.
–    How to create powerful, cohesive teams
–    How to unlock the door to productive communication, positive relationships and increased performance

Cookie Tuminello has a proven track record of empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999.  She provides action oriented coaching programs, workshops and trainings. For additional information or to register for this seminar please call (337) 984-1506.

4 Steps to Getting and Keeping “A” List Clients

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.” – Brian Tracy

Last week, we talked about letting go of “D” List Clients, but this begs the question, “How do you get “A” List clients?” Believe it or not, it is not that hard. We just make it difficult. The Law of Attraction says that if you expect it, and you can picture it in your mind, you will create it, which is actually a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The number one reason that most leaders sabotage their success is that they don’t take the time to get really clear about what types of clients they want to work with. And no, warm, breathing and having expendable cash does not constitute your target client. Whether you are just starting a new business or growing an existing business, the above statement applies. Growing a business is about building ‘win/win’ relationships. The sooner you get clear about your expectations for clients, the sooner you’ll start attracting them into your business.

Here are 4 steps for attracting “A” list clients that will make a difference in your bottom line and stress levels when conducting business:

1. Get clear about what your expectations are for your target client. Paint a picture in your mind. What do they look like? How old are they? What’s their income bracket? What type of personality traits do they possess? What do they spend their recreational time? And how will you know them you see them? Answer all these questions then write down your observations. You need to make a ‘wish’ list if you will to get the perfect clients for your business. And like I said, warm, breathing, and having cash in their pockets doesn’t count.
2. Set clear guidelines and expectations for your relationship and your service with this new client. What do you expect from your clients and what can they expect from you? Providing excellent service may be a cliché but it’s still applicable in today’s business world. Be crystal clear about your offerings and set boundaries of what you can or cannot do so there won’t be any communication breakdowns. Remember the saying, ‘Under Promise, Over Deliver.’ You’ll never go wrong.
3. Communicate your expectations to your clients at the onset of the relationship. Yes, I mean conduct a real live conversation. For some, this may be considered a difficult hurdle to overcome, but it really shouldn’t be. Breakdowns and misunderstandings occur in business relationships because clear expectations are not communicated and established in the beginning. By having one, if not several, actual conversations with your new potential client, you can clearly outline your values, level of professionalism and your commitment to giving your best to your client. Another reason to have this conversation is to gain clarity about what they expect from you as well. By writing down and discussing what you need as well as what your client expects to receive from you gives you something concrete to fall back on should there be breakdowns or misunderstandings that occur between you.
4. Be willing to let go of the client. Don’t wait until it’s too late before you address breakdowns or when commitments are not being honored. This step also includes any areas in which you may not be able to fulfill your original commitments. Everyone values honesty and the sooner you address the issues as they arise, the happier everyone will be. If you find that the client simply isn’t a good fit for what you have to offer, let them go. Be polite and clear about the reason why you’re releasing them from their original obligation to you so they’ll not take it as a personal insult.

Clearly knowing who your ideal client is will save you a lot of grief and stress in the long run. While I know a lot of you need that immediate cash infusion into your business to keep it afloat, connecting with too many “D” list clients will only waste your time and patience – two items that are often in short supply for business owners. Quit wasting your efforts trying to mold a client to suit your needs. It’s better to focus your energy and attention in attracting 4 or 5 solid “A” list clients than to have to deal with 10 “D” types. By practicing active attraction, your peace of mind will thank you for it.

And if you’re having trouble figuring out how to attract “A” list clients and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

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© 2009 Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive weekly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com. workshops and trainings, Cookie provides her clients with powerful tools and tactics to engage, inspire, and energize them to attain amazing, sustainable results. Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members with a occasional coddle or occasional kick in the pants!

Find out more about Cookie, get her FREE Report “50 Ways to go from Overwhelmed to Empowered ” and receive FREE Weekly Success Tips at www.cookietuminello.com.

Weekend Update!

Last week was fantastic. This past week was challenging to say the least. On Monday, my land lines went out and it took the phone company until Friday to do the repairs. No phones, no voicemail, no nothing. So, if anyone tried calling me last week and got no response, I do apologize. Boy, you don’t realize how much you rely on technology until you don’t have it. The good news is I did I use the quiet time to get some projects completed.

This past weekend, I went to see my oldest grandson’s, Brady and Zach (12), football game. This is their first year to play on a team. They reluctantly let me take a picture of them after the game. They look so cute. Oh, their team won 24 – 0. Ah, Mimi Hearts are growing up.

Love ya,

PS:  Keep up with Cookie during the week… Join my Facebook family!

Letting Go of “D” (Difficult) Clients

“They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.” – Mahatma Gandhi

I wish I had a nickel for every time one of my clients told me that they had a client that was driving them crazy and they were afraid to let them go because they didn’t want to lose their business. Enough already!

Listen up folks. Whether you are just starting out or have been in business for awhile, makes no difference when it comes to saying goodbye to a client who is not a good fit for you. As long as you allow the dollar allure of a client to dominate your business, you will never be free. You must always remember that you run your business, not your clients. You can’t run a successful business if you’re constantly living in fear. If you do, you give away your self respect and your integrity. And who wants to live like that?

I’m certainly not suggesting that you give less than stellar service to those difficult clients. I’m just telling you that you don’t have to be a doormat and ‘put up’ with people who do not value your time, effort, or offerings.

Here are 4 sure-fire ways that can help you determine when it is time to let those “D” clients go.

1. When they start telling you how to run your business. This one is pretty self-explanatory. If that confused client starts telling you how you should be doing your job, then it’s obvious that they don’t believe in your worth. Offering free advice is one thing – telling you how to conduct your business is another.

1. When you allow them to take away your integrity because of fear of loss of income. If you find yourself clenching your jaw while saying ‘yes’ to your client’s demands, then this is a sure sign you’re agreeing to work with them solely for the money. Yes, money is important, and yes, you need clients to generate income, but if you’re grinding your teeth and having trouble sleeping at night because Mr. or Ms. “X” asked you to do something that goes totally against your integrity, then it’s time to part company.

1. When you start agreeing to things that aren’t in keeping with your core values. When a client tells you that you ‘have’ to do something that you know in your heart of hearts is wrong, let them go. Your core values are what allows you to hold your head up high and be proud of the work you do. There’s a distinct difference between butting heads over which way is the right way to do a task and doing something that may lurk around the fringes of being illegal or immoral. If what they’re asking you to do causes you to experience fear, then say adios.

1. When they abuse your time and expertise. Everyone who is in business will eventually have one of these types of clients. You know, the “I’ll only take a minute of your time” people who then chew up the better part of an hour getting free expertise from you. Time is money and giving away a large chunk of your business hours to chit-chatters isn’t going to increase your bank account anytime soon. Asking for an occasional favor is fine – it’s when those favors turn into lost billable hours that it becomes a problem. If your clients don’t show respect for your time, then they most likely don’t respect your business either.

I’m certainly not telling you to get rid of all clients who occasionally rub you the wrong way. I’m talking about the perennial abusers – those who nitpick, complain about your invoices or rates, call you every hour on the hour and whine about their latest beef with you etc. As my good friend says, these are the people you need to let go and ‘free up their future’ so they can move on and find someone who is better suited to their needs and personality.

Life is short people. Take action to let your “D” (Difficult) clients go to make room for the “A” List clients who will come once you’ve let go of the old. Your brain, (and nervous system!), will thank you for it!

And if you’re having trouble getting rid of those “D” clients and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

Mimi’s Hearts

The family is growing especially with Deuce and Heather’s latest addition, Ella Kate, 2 months old. Mimi’s Hearts are growing up so fast. I can hardly believe Emily and Bella are in school now. Phew! It’s a juggling act trying to spend time with each one of them (6 total). I haven’t been able to get Brady and Zachary (12 going on 20) to pose for a photo lately. I think I’m going to have to catch them on the football field now that they are playing football.

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Bella's First Day At School!

Emily & Trey - Ready For Church!

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I have one of my newest additions, Ella Kate, 2 months old, to the right here and then my other babies’ pictures are on my blog, www.coffeewithcookie.com. Enjoy!

Success Principle: What Does Success really look like to you?

Every business is started from a dream. What is your dream? And what does success look like to you?

Have a prosperous and productive week.

Ella Kate - 2 Months Old!

Love ya,

What Does Success really look like to you?

“All my life I’ve wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should’ve been more specific.” – Jane Wagner, Playwright

Every business is started based on a dream. We get a great idea for a super product that will help thousands of people, or have a desire to share our knowledge with others so they’ll enjoy a better life. But the bigger question is, what do you really want out of your business? What does success really look like to you?

Let me explain. Do you simply want to be the leader – the head honcho of your company? Do you want to be the team leader who motivates others to create a successful business? What is the tangible end result you want to achieve as you go forward to create your empire?

Like the quote above says, who is that ‘somebody’ and what do they desire? What does that elusive word ‘success’ actually mean to you?

When I first started coaching, I just wanted to help people be successful. Right! That was about as clear as mud. It’s no wonder it took me so long to get where I was going. And yes, I would whine because I didn’t get what I wanted. Imagine that. Thank goodness, I have had excellent coaches and mentors who taught me that if you want to get somewhere in your life, you’re going to have to get a lot more specific if you want to get there. You’re going to have to start asking different questions than the ones you’ve been asking.

Here’s are some hard hitting questions for you to answer this week that will help you get specific about the direction you want your business or your career to take.

You want to be content and have your business sales soar!Okay, what does that look and feel like? Does contentment involve more ME time or more fun? What do you need to do to see your bottom line prosper? Create new products or offerings? Get your action plan in place.

Will your quest for success allow you to be in tune with your Core Values?

If you’re not sure what core values are, give me a call. I can help.

What actions will you have to take to get there?

Do you need to further your own education to get the results from your business that you desire? Remember this: you can’t be a perfectionist and do it all by yourself, or you won’t be around to enjoy your success.

What kind of support would you need and from whom?

Do you have the right people on your team, or do you need to source out some of the more complicated tasks to an expert? Do you have a coach to help you brainstorm, strengthen your leadership skills, create powerful strategies for you and your team?

How committed are you to getting there?

Are you just hoping that it will all work out or are you taking targeted action and doing whatever it takes to reach your goals? Either you’re in this for the long haul or you might as well throw in the towel right now.

Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?

You’ve got to be willing to do the work, and make no mistake about it, growing a successful business IS work! Walt Disney may have created Tinkerbell, but she certainly didn’t wave her magic wand and create his empire for him!

Are you starting to get the picture? The road is not as hard or as long when you know where you are going and you get really specific. Try it and see what happens.

And if you’re having trouble defining what success looks like to you in your in your business and you need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

© 2009 Success Source, LLC

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Cookie Tuminello, THE Team Builder of the South, has been empowering teams and igniting productivity since 1999. Learn more about how Cookie empowers CEO’s, managers, business owners, and team members in her FREE Report “50 Ways To Go From Overwhelmed to Empowered” and receive weekly Success Tips at www.CookieTuminello.com.

What does your 90 Day Plan look like for your Business?

“Procrastination is like a credit card; it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill.” – Christopher Parker

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September has arrived folks and that means there are only three months left to 2009. Answer this question: Are you still sitting on the curb waiting for the world to change so you don’t have to, or have you taken action on all those goals you set way back in January?

As the old saying goes, ‘Time flies when you’re having fun,’ but it also zips by at warp speed when you’re procrastinating on doing something as well. Everyone starts off a brand new year with the best of intentions, yet by the time September rolls around we start to panic as there sits our “To Do” list, staring us in the face, and at best we’ve only crossed off half of it. Now what to do?

This is where the rubber meets the road folks. It’s not like you can take your sweet time and expect to stay in business, especially not in this new economy. It’s time to make a concerted effort on developing a targeted action plan that actually produces results. We only have 90+ days until we say goodbye to 2009, so roll up your sleeves and let’s get to it.

Here are 3 steps to revitalize your efforts and make a change for the better in your business RIGHT NOW!

1. Set up your priorities. Going off in 50 different directions only causes mass confusion. Revisit that list you made in January and pick your top 5 from the remaining items to start working on now. Choose the ones that will a) excite and inspire you and your team to action, b) add value to your business, your life, and your client’s experience, and c) boost your bottom line and add dollars to your bank account.

2. Are your goals really goals? Sometimes we add topics to our ‘To Do’ list that aren’t really goals. They’re more like a ‘wish list’ of things we’d like to see happen. For example, redecorating your office is based in wishful thinking, (unless you happen not to have a working computer or a desk to sit it on, then it becomes a goal). ‘Wish’ items are just that – things we hope that might happen, but it won’t affect our livelihood if they don’t.

3. Get rid of your bad habits that no longer serve you. Remember how I mentioned procrastination? That habit in my mind is the number one goal killer! Putting things off until ‘the time is right’ or until you’ve ‘got some spare time’ will not get accomplish anything! Waiting, wishing and hoping the Amazing Finishing Fairy shows up and does things for you isn’t going to happen. All this does is give you a convenient excuse to put off to another day something you really don’t want to face doing today. Plus procrastination breeds another stressful condition called guilt – guilt because you didn’t finish what you needed to get done, and another layer because you know you probably won’t do it tomorrow either. Phew! That’s a load of stress to pile on your already complicated life. The bottom line is this: if you are not committed to making it happen, let it go.

As I said, you’ve got 90+ days to put the final touches on your goal list. Are you going to spend them productively, or are you going to simply wait until the snow flies, go into hibernation, and forget about them?

The choice is yours.

Want Change? Start with Patience!

“Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better.”
– Richard Hooker

I couldn’t have said it better myself! As you know, I’m all for making changes to better our lives and businesses, but I have to admit that in the past 2 weeks my tolerance levels have been sorely tested. I’ve had to relearn patience skills and there were times that I’m sure my perseverance quotient on a scale of 1 to 10 was at -20.

As you know, I’ve been restructuring my business to better reflect the needs and desires of you, my valued clients. Consequently I’ve spent the last few weeks going over new designs, changing my website content, and doing a complete overhaul of my collateral. After jumping more hurdles than a sprinter at the Olympic Games, last week I finally hit the ‘wall.’ Nothing seemed to be working properly on my site and I found myself getting totally frustrated from juggling too many balls and putting out fires. At one point I even wondered why I was going through all this agony. I was not so lovingly reminded that change is great, but it definitely takes perseverance and patience to implement something new into your life.

I’m going to share with you two techniques that I adopted to get through this transition phase and still stay sane.

1. Just breathe. Phew! I’d forgotten about this one until I caught myself almost hyperventilating at the latest snafu. When overwhelm knocks you down, find a nice quiet place and comfy chair and let your body relax by taking 5 nice long, even breaths. Make sure you close your eyes and cancel out the chatter in your brain. In my case, I popped my Calming The Chaos Audio CD from my Personal Power Mini Pack in my computer. After listening to 5 minutes of my CD, I felt rejuvenated and once again able to tackle the next ‘breakdown du jour’ with a clear head.
2. Re-adjust your timeline, not your head. Remember that TV commercial where they tried to fit 20 or so people into a tiny compact car? That’s what happens when you try and do 50 things at once. Your brain is getting so many signals of what is a priority that it can’t figure out which one of the 25 tasks you’re trying to do is supposed to take the #1 spot. Setting deadlines is great to keep up motivated to reach the finish line, but there are times when we have to take a step back and determine if we need to re-adjust our timelines. When you find yourself unable to complete just one task due to your endless ‘To Do’ loop that’s playing in your head, then you know you have to adjust your schedule. As far as I know they haven’t discovered a 25th hour in the day, so be realistic in what you can and can’t achieve in your working hours. Plus when making that infamous ‘To Do’ list, make sure you prioritize it according to how much time is needed to complete each task.

Running around like a chicken with its head cut off and tearing your hair out isn’t going to make your changes happen faster. All you’re going to achieve is a raging migraine and the need to visit your hairdresser to purchase a wig!

Be patient with yourself, (and others), and know that everything will come together in its own time. That’s called perseverance – the knowing that all will be right with your world… just sometimes not on your timeline.

If you’re having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com

© 2009 Success Source, LLC

Is your Inaction Costing you Business?

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – August 18th, 2009**

“There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the risks and costs of comfortable inaction” ~ John F. Kennedy

This quote from John F. Kennedy completely explains one of the major problems that some business leaders and their team members suffer from, namely inaction.

Playing the wait and see game in your business could be costing you business.

Talk is cheap, and there can be no success in business without action. Just thinking about what you would like to do, but waiting for the right time to do it is not going to cut it. There will never be a right time. The right time is always now.

You are responsible for the success of your business. You can’t just sit back and blame the economy for everything that is happening or not happening in your business. You must always be looking forward, not back. You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone and try new things.

The consequences of your inactions are far greater than the fear of making the wrong move. The only wrong moves in business or your life are the ones you never take. Inaction breeds indecision, inertia, lack of confidence, resignation, and above all, no future potential or possibilities.

If one door closes, you open another one. If one solution doesn’t work, you try another one. And you keep trying until you get to the right one.

There can be no success without change. Change requires you try new things and walk through your fears. Change requires adaptation and action.

You can write all the visions statements and make all the ‘to do’ lists you want, but if you keep sitting on the fence playing a ‘wait and see’ game, you’ll never realize any of your goals and dreams. All you’ll end up with is splinters in your behind from wiggling back and forth on that fence.

The success of your business depends on four components: courage, responsibility, action, and tenacity. You can’t have one without the other three.

If you are the leader, then you have to lead, and not just talk about it, but by taking concrete steps to get to your final destination. YOU have to make the changes. YOU and only you are accountable and responsible for the direction you want to take your business. There are no magic genies trapped in a bottle hidden somewhere in the lunchroom waiting for you to appear and discover them. There are no wrong decisions, only opportunities to learn, grow, unleash your potential, and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.

So, what are you waiting for? Start creating your plan of action and set a date to get moving on it now. Like I said last week, the economic shift is beginning to happen. If you’re not taking action now then you’re going to be left out in the cold without a winter jacket!

If you are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.

Goodbye Information Age – Hello Conceptual Era!

**ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED – August 11th, 2009**

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.”~ Les Brown

I’m probably not the first person who is going to break this astounding news to you, but I do want to make sure all you savvy business people are aware of the shift in business models that will definitely change the way you may doing business now.

By 2010, the days (and ways) of doing business via simply supplying your clients with the right information are going to be gone. No longer will cash registers ring from sales simply because ‘cheap’ is good enough. The new era of consumers are smart… and they’re going to make buying decisions based on what their ‘heart’ tells them versus what their ‘head’ used to dictate was right.

Don’t misunderstand me here and think I’m going all soft and gushy on you because I’m not. I’m simply telling you what this new era of business is going to look and feel like, with the emphasis on the ‘feel’ part.

I’m going to look at three new trends that are starting to emerge in the marketplace so you can start the necessary mind shift to steer your business in the right direction to be successful.

Here are my top 3 trends that will dictate the Conceptual Era:

1. Heart versus Head Spending. No longer will people choose the cheapest, easiest or fastest way to getting what they want. They’re going to want to conduct business with people who sell from a place of integrity. In short, the new consumer wants to be able to place 100% of their trust in YOU and your business. They want to know what your values are, how you operate your business, and what practices you have in place to ensure that your customer will leave your place of business feeling as if they’ve just made a ‘new’ best friend.
2. Right Brain versus Left Brain Business. Left brain selling is going to fade away like the dinosaurs. Appealing to people’s logical and mathematical senses in order to make a sale is going to disappear. The left brain or analytical part of your thinking is not going to make your final buying decisions. This shift in thought patterns will allow your right brain, (or emotions), to dictate your ultimate choice of whom you’ll conduct business with. Remember the old saying from the ’60’s that went, “If it feels good, do it?” Well, that way of thinking is going to make a comeback in a BIG way.
3. Manipulating, High Pressure Tactics versus Selling with Integrity. The days of slick talking salespeople are coming to a close. The new consumer wants to be able to ask questions and get real answers, not hear huff and fluff about why Brand X” is simply THE best thing since sliced bread. These new consumers are capable of doing their own research thank you very much, and they already know what they want before they set foot in your store. They’re not going to tolerate up-selling, cross-selling, or any kind of ‘hype’ selling as they view that as an insult to their intelligence, and rightfully so. They want to be treated as equals by you, the owner. They want you to acknowledge their requests, take their interests to heart, and provide them with the best possible solution to their buying excursion. In short, they want to ‘see’ your level of integrity and honesty. If you try to pull the proverbial wool over their eyes, they’re going to be on you like white on rice.

So, are you ready to serve this new breed of consumer, or are you still stuck in the ’70s? Better get your interpersonal skills ramped up now or you’re going to miss hearing that lovely ‘cha-ching’ sound of your cash register!

If you are having trouble creating a vision and a plan of action for you and your team and need some direction, email me for a Get Acquainted Session today at: Info@CookieTuminello.com.