We’ve just passed the halfway point of the Customer Love Challenge, and I thought it would be a good time to take another look at the blog post that started it all. And who better to re-energize us than the woman who inspired #customerlove to begin with?
I spoke to Naomi Dunford of Ittybiz.com about an hour ago, and couldn’t wait to post the interview. And she offered to start things off by doing the introduction:
Right-click to download MP3: Naomi Dunford 28 min. 20 sec.
Naomi talked about:
- Making sure you’re focusing on the people who BUY.
- How to toot your own horn: Just DO it — use what you have.
- how to use segmented lists to target specific subsets of people.
- The subtle mental shift between just trying something like #customerlove out — and getting serious.
Naomi, Johnny B. Truant, and Lee Stranahan are hosting a “ridiculously awesome,” pre-Blogworld Expo event on Oct. 13th in Las Vegas: Question the Rules Con 2010 — and she REALLY wants to see you there. I committed in the interview to at least showing up in the lobby and waiting for peeps to come out so I can meet you all. So look for the lady with the long, grey pony tail looking all socially anxious. Please say hi.
Thanks, Naomi!
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[…] know me from Eve, Naomi graciously tweeted about the #customerlove challenge, agreed to do an interview with me, wrote the introduction to the Customer Love ebook [pdf], and allowed me to write a guest […]
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Good stuff Lavonne. This is the first interview that I’ve heard with naomi. I need to get her on BlogcastFM soon, most likely after blogworld. As I mentioned on Twitter, I have a bunch of ideas for you. So, hopefully that will help.
Awesome, Srini! Looking forward to hearing your ideas!
~LaVonne
Yes, get Naomi. {Naomi, you listening?}
Seconded!!!
~LaVonne
Looking forward to meet you at BlogWorld Lavonne. 🙂
Great interview you two!
Thanks Nathalie, I’m looking forward to meeting you too!
~LaVonne
That was good. Thank you, LaVonne and Naomi. I’ve been dragging my feet about starting a list. And I love the idea of going to a conference location and just hanging out. Er, I suppose, that’s another phrase for “stalking.” 🙂 Still, that was an informative interview. Great job!
Thanks for the comment, Rhonda! I found starting a list to be intimidating,
frankly, but MailChimp is free and has video tutorials to help you get
through it. Naomi talks about segmenting a list, which I’m just starting to
think about doing. It’s a little more complicated, but MailChimp talks about
that too. You know, somebody should put together a course about setting up
and managing email lists!
Hope to see you in Vegas. 🙂
~LaVonne
This was a great interview, LaVonne! Always love the interviews with Naomi. And yes Srini, get her on BlogCastFM asap!
I’ve actually bumped into The Complete Flake. I don’t know when, but it was memorable. I remember you were a voice coach, so that’s already awesome! Now I also know you as the person who interviewed Naomi.
Keep rocking!
Thank you so much, Henri! Yes, we’ve bumped into each other online
somewhere, and I can’t remember where either, lol. Maybe Dave Navarro’s
Group Mentorship forum?
~LaVonne
Great interview, LaVonne & Naomi – thank you. Even though I’m as useless as a chocolate teapot right now, I thought it was inspiring.
Oh sweetie, I’m sorry you’re feeling bad. But you’re never useless – just
being you is very useful! Love you.
~LaVonne
Love the interview. I learned lots. Thank you.
Thanks so much for visiting and commenting, Michaela!
~LaVonne
Great interview. I learned a lot! (Even though I’m not technically part of the #customerlove challenge and I’m just sitting on the sidelines as a cheerleader). This is a good reminder to pull together an email list (or lists).
Naomi hit the nail on the head about the two kinds of people thing. As much as I love supporting all the people involved in the challenge, I’m pretty much broke so I won’t be buying anything from you guys right now. (Sorry.) But that doesn’t mean I won’t buy stuff in the future. It also doesn’t mean that I don’t have contacts that wouldn’t otherwise know about you if I didn’t shout it from my personal rooftop/twitter/Facebook account. And I know I’m not alone in that. So, if nothing else, this challenge broadened everyone’s horizons and friend lists and potential client lists. So, of course, Naomi is right again – you can’t lose here.
Oh good god. you’re NOT going to buy from me? I’m outta here! (can you see the steam harrumphing from my ears?!)
I love you for you.
And what I’m finding is that my “friends” people somehow lead to the customers — if for no other reason than the fact that they keep me authentic and real and well, me. Your feedback is key to me because you’re my friend.
You are sweet Peggie 🙂 – and I actually did buy from you when you had a special deal for “quick reads”! It was wonderful and very helpful. And so much fun because I got to talk to you finally. So I’m good for a few bucks lol!
well of course You did — because you rock like that and because I want to encourage all my peeps to get a “taste” of what I do and get rewarded with specials and “quickies”. I think I need a sales page called quickies, what do you think?
Sheesh I need to start sleeping more before mouthing off. lol
Ditto!
~LaVonne
Can I just say ~ DITTO ~ to everything Slackermomspeaks said please ?
Good because it was spot on for me too !!
Yes you may! And thank you for another delightful comment!
~LaVonne
Cheerleaders are an important part of the team, so thank you for
contributing your positive energy!
~LaVonne
Thanks much for the the “Naomi shot”. I always feel inspired or re-inspired when I hear her voice and even when I read her posts. I’m really feeling challenged on how to build the list. I’ve got to get a list… Thanks!
Thanks, Margie. I always get a good shot in the arm when I listen to or read
Naomi. I know what you mean about being challenged about how to build a
list. For me, the first problem was overcoming my fear of setting one up.
MailChimp is free and has lots of video tutorials that are helping me
navigate the maze. As far as getting people to sign up… the best advice
I’ve heard is to ask. And remember what Naomi says — “If you’ve got
something good and you don’t promote it, you’re a dick.” Harsh but true!
~LaVonne
LaVonne —
I wondered how TWO of your commenters have the exact same baby. Then I realized that that’s your new avatar for the Gravatar-less. Right on! 🙂
Loved the interview. Knew I would. Good going.
— Abby
Wow. That totally freaked me out, too. And I would never have figured out the gravatarlessness thing either. #I’mCuteButNotTooBright
Hmm, I just put that baby in there because I love looking at it. Too
confusing?
~LaVonne
Do you think the baby is confusing? I just love to look at that little
buddha-face.
~LaVonne
Great interview. And I hope it’s not wrong to say that I just love the way Naomi says Abooot.
and yeah. good stuff.
I’m on like 3 of those subsets.
Thanks, Peggie! I wish I could interview Naomi every week and just pick her
brains. She’s awesome.
~LaVonne
Wow, reality check and “Customer Love Challenge” boost all at the same time.
Best advice – Your Twitter people will probably not buy from you.
Really good to know that, so I won’t bust my ass to sell to them and feel all let down by them when they don’t buy, but stick to my subscribers instead. If my Tweeps buy, great, but those pals can definitely be there for moral support and help me when I’m stuck and need a kick in the pants or a virtual hug.
Good points, Marlene, and even if they do buy from you, eventually that well
runs dry. Your list has made it clear they want what you’ve got. I need to
pay more attention to my list!
~LaVonne
Oh just one thing ….
It was a ‘Bloody Brilliant’ interview from both of you!!
Loved your voices . . . very melodious to one’s ears . . . thank you very much!!
And ~
Great questions and great answers ~
Damn but you girls are good!!
warm hugs
{From someone with a terrible aussie ‘accent’}
You are so bleeping sweet — I love your comments, thank you! And what do
you mean, ‘terrible aussie accent’? Don’t you know we yanks are nuts about
Aussies?
~LaVonne
Really enjoyed listening to this interview, LaVonne. Thanks.
Thank you so much, Sarah, and thanks for visiting!
~LaVonne
Thank you both! Excellent interview.
Thanks, Mike, and thanks for visiting!
~LaVonne
Nice interview – and I can’t remember her cussing – did you aim for a family friendly PG rating ? 😉
Anyways – especially the last part about being on a mission and really burning the bridges hit gold with me. There’s merit in being under pressure, even though that’s not a healthy permanent state 😉
Nice work you two !
Thanks, Mars! Naomi is a dream to interview. 🙂
~LaVonne