In this chat, Sean, Scott, and Garin dive into the absolute spam-fest that is modern SMS marketing—especially the political kind that makes you want to throw your phone into a lake. They rant about the spam overload, bad data practices, and why politicians basically gave themselves a free pass to blow up your phone. Then they slide into the nitty-gritty of SMS vs. WhatsApp for marketing—because hey, one annoying text channel isn’t enough, right?

The trio also tackles how brands need to stop acting like desperate exes blowing up your phone. Instead, they should actually gasp care about what customers want and space out their messages so people don’t hate them. The conversation ventures into how AI, SMS, and email are turning marketing into a futuristic, slightly creepy, but highly efficient stalker game. They touch on AI’s ability to turn data into money, how younger generations are basically glued to their phones, and how brands need to get smart about personalization—because blasting the same lame ad to everyone is so 2002.

They also geek out over new tech like RCS, which is basically SMS on steroids, and share their vision for a future where marketing doesn’t suck as much (we hope).

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Takeaways

1. The proliferation of SMS for marketing has increased significantly in recent years.
2. Politicians are exempt from many regulations that govern SMS marketing, leading to increased spam.
3. SMS marketing is becoming more accessible and cost-effective for brands.
4. Customer engagement through SMS can lead to higher conversion rates compared to email.
5. Brands need to adopt a customer-centric approach to SMS marketing to foster loyalty.
6. The effectiveness of SMS marketing diminishes when messages are too frequent or irrelevant.
7. WhatsApp offers a broader range of messaging capabilities compared to SMS.
8. International markets often prefer WhatsApp due to lower costs and higher usage rates.
9. Understanding customer behavior is crucial for effective SMS marketing strategies.
10. Brands should focus on providing value through their messaging rather than just pushing for sales. Generational shifts are driving changes in technology adoption.
11. Shoppable SMS is effective for repeat purchases but not for new brands.
12. AI can enhance consumer engagement through personalized interactions.
13. Personalization requires understanding the context of consumer behavior.
14. RCS will revolutionize SMS marketing with rich content.
15. AI’s role in marketing is growing but requires human input.
16. Companies must integrate all marketing channels for better results.
17. Understanding consumer values is crucial for brand loyalty.
18. AI can help uncover insights for better product recommendations.
19. The future of marketing lies in personalized, context-aware strategies.

Chapters

00:00 The Rise of Political SMS Spam

08:40 Trends in SMS Marketing

17:57 Building Effective SMS Strategies

24:10 WhatsApp vs. SMS: A Global Perspective

31:53 Generational Shifts in Technology Adoption

35:25 The Role of AI in Consumer Engagement

36:26 AI’s Impact on Marketing Strategies

41:45 The Future of AI in Marketing

49:12 Personalization and Consumer Understanding

53:02 Emerging Technologies in SMS and Email Marketing