#DemandGen 8: Email Is Done. Now It’s B2B Texting w/ Ryan Quinn

WEBVTT 1 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:10.669 Wouldn't it be nice to have several thought leaders in your industry know and Love 2 00:00:10.910 --> 00:00:16.149 Your brand? Start a podcast, invite your industries thought leaders to be guests 3 00:00:16.269 --> 00:00:21.350 on your show and start reaping the benefits of having a network full of industry 4 00:00:21.350 --> 00:00:29.820 influencers? Learn more at sweet phish MEDIACOM. You're listening to be tob growth, 5 00:00:30.260 --> 00:00:34.619 a daily podcast for B TOB leaders. We've interviewed names you've probably heard 6 00:00:34.619 --> 00:00:38.490 before, like Gary vanner truck and Simon Senek, but you've probably never heard 7 00:00:38.530 --> 00:00:42.850 from the majority of our guests. That's because the bulk of our interviews aren't 8 00:00:42.890 --> 00:00:47.409 with professional speakers and authors. Most of our guests are in the trenches leading 9 00:00:47.450 --> 00:00:52.280 sales and marketing teams. They're implementing strategy, they're experimenting with tactics, they're 10 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:56.880 building the fastest growing BTB companies in the world. My name is James Carberry. 11 00:00:56.920 --> 00:01:00.479 I'm the founder of sweet fish media, a podcast agency for BB brands, 12 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:03.679 and I'm also one of the CO hosts of this show. When we're 13 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:07.549 not interviewing sales and marketing leaders, you'll hear stories from behind the scenes of 14 00:01:07.629 --> 00:01:11.269 our own business. Will share the ups and downs of our journey as we 15 00:01:11.349 --> 00:01:15.670 attempt to take over the world. Just getting well? Maybe let's get into 16 00:01:15.670 --> 00:01:25.340 the show. Hello and welcome back to be tob growth. I'm your host 17 00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:30.859 for today's episode on Sheila Cleft Corn, CEO of Ko Marketing. This is 18 00:01:30.900 --> 00:01:34.890 the eighth episode in the Hashtag Demand Jin series and I'm joined today by Ryan 19 00:01:36.010 --> 00:01:40.370 Quinn, CEO and founder of Bright Guest Ryan, thanks for being on the 20 00:01:40.409 --> 00:01:42.450 show. Hey Chi look, thanks so much for having me. Sure so, 21 00:01:44.010 --> 00:01:48.159 Ryan and I. Ryan and I are fellow members of the Arizona Technology 22 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:53.480 Council and I've experienced the amazing stuff that your platform does and I'm so excited 23 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:57.560 today because I wanted to have you share it with our bob growth listeners. 24 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.230 This is new, cutting edge stuff and it's really working well. For those 25 00:02:01.310 --> 00:02:06.109 be tob marketers out there who are struggling with trying to cut through the noise 26 00:02:06.189 --> 00:02:09.189 with email, trying to cut through the noise with retargeted ads, this is 27 00:02:09.270 --> 00:02:14.669 another marketing channel for you to consider and I'm just thrilled to have you join 28 00:02:14.789 --> 00:02:17.300 us today, Ryan, for this podcast. So, before we jump in 29 00:02:17.620 --> 00:02:21.460 with our topic, which is how to cut through the noise with be tob 30 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:25.340 text messaging I'd like you to just introduce yourself tell us a little bit about 31 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:30.129 your background and about how bright guests came to be. Yeah, so I 32 00:02:30.530 --> 00:02:38.569 am a startup founder in the Phoenix, Arizona scene and it's a blooming startup 33 00:02:38.650 --> 00:02:44.050 culture here and super exciting. A lot of amazing companies coming out of here, 34 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:49.439 and I found a break guest some figures back with the idea. You 35 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:53.120 know, we all live in this on demand, mobile obsessed culture that craves 36 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:59.909 connection and there's some enabling technologies that have emerged that compete for our attention and 37 00:02:59.990 --> 00:03:04.710 they've really shifted the paradigm. So with so many channels, there's more opportunities 38 00:03:04.750 --> 00:03:10.030 for distraction and the amount of available content actually makes us more selective. So 39 00:03:10.469 --> 00:03:16.740 organizations across all industries are trying to play catch up and adapt and if you 40 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:21.699 look at email open rates, they've been on a steady decline. Organic reach 41 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:25.900 on social media is hard and blasting out on channels that are being ignored isn't 42 00:03:25.939 --> 00:03:30.330 working. It just adds to the noise. So that's why I create a 43 00:03:30.370 --> 00:03:36.810 bright guest. We empower organizations to easily personalized content workflows and messaging its scale 44 00:03:37.490 --> 00:03:43.199 and create authentic connections with their people on the channel they use most, text 45 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:49.280 messaging. So our SAS solution enables our customers to create personalized conversations that build 46 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:53.520 relationships and increase engagement and revenue. That's exciting. Thank you, Ryan. 47 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:59.949 You know, you're so right about text messaging being a place where people really 48 00:03:59.990 --> 00:04:03.870 live, both be Toc but even in the Bob Space, and your platform 49 00:04:04.030 --> 00:04:09.509 is truly amazing. The way you pull in personalized, rich media content along 50 00:04:09.550 --> 00:04:14.740 with plain text text messages is really powerful. So today we're going to talk 51 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:17.139 about how to cut through the noise with the to be text messaging. I'm 52 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:21.579 really excited about it and and my first question to you is just to talk 53 00:04:21.620 --> 00:04:26.810 a little bit more about how attention has shifted. Yeah, it definitely has. 54 00:04:27.490 --> 00:04:31.329 It's changed. We went from the launch of the smartphone to the rise 55 00:04:31.490 --> 00:04:36.649 of social media, you know, access to on demand everything and the expectation 56 00:04:36.889 --> 00:04:44.240 of curated, personalized experiences. You know what I like finds me so everyone 57 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.839 short on time and on the go with their phone glue to their hand, 58 00:04:46.959 --> 00:04:51.870 multitasking in front of more than one screen. And if you're trying to compete 59 00:04:51.870 --> 00:04:56.230 for attention, like it's two thousand and nine. You're really not winning that 60 00:04:56.350 --> 00:05:01.589 game. Organizations have to adapt and change with it just as fast as consumers 61 00:05:01.629 --> 00:05:04.790 adapt. If you don't, it can cost to tens of thousands of dollars 62 00:05:04.829 --> 00:05:12.060 per month on missed engagement and connections. So it's really about treating attention like 63 00:05:12.379 --> 00:05:17.139 a scarce commodity and focus on bringing value to your audience and investing in tools 64 00:05:17.139 --> 00:05:21.569 that make its scalable. Absolutely I think you're so insightful about that. So, 65 00:05:21.810 --> 00:05:27.730 in addition to the attention, how important do you think the channel and 66 00:05:27.850 --> 00:05:32.129 the messaging relevancy is to marketing these days? Yeah, that is such an 67 00:05:32.209 --> 00:05:36.879 important thing to consider because of the availability of so many channels, it takes 68 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:40.839 multiple touch points, and I've heard you hit on this and some of your 69 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:45.759 talks before. You know, multiple touch points across all channels to compel action. 70 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:50.310 But people are they're over in personal mass marketing messages right. You can't 71 00:05:50.430 --> 00:05:57.230 blast the same generic message across email, adds, social media, your website. 72 00:05:57.750 --> 00:06:02.029 You consume content differently based on the channel, so that the content that 73 00:06:02.230 --> 00:06:05.819 we put out needs to be tailored to that channel. Just a quick example, 74 00:06:05.819 --> 00:06:10.420 a how to blog, for instance, on your website, to increase. 75 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:14.339 You know, the likelihood that you show up in organic search when potential 76 00:06:14.420 --> 00:06:16.699 customers are looking for what you offer. Take the most, you know, 77 00:06:17.180 --> 00:06:20.970 interesting quote from that blog and turn it into a fun graphic to share an 78 00:06:21.009 --> 00:06:26.649 instagram. Then share the quote on twitter. Published part of the blog post 79 00:06:26.810 --> 00:06:30.370 as an article on Linkedin. So you know, break it up into segments 80 00:06:30.410 --> 00:06:32.920 that makes sense for the channel. It's important to take a look at what 81 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:39.519 channels are resonating with your audience. If some channels aren't working, invest more 82 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:42.839 in the ones that are and figure out what you need to do to add 83 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:46.550 value to the channels that aren't working. From a content and messaging perspective, 84 00:06:47.110 --> 00:06:50.670 for example, if your email open rates have been declining, the answer isn't 85 00:06:50.709 --> 00:06:56.509 to send more emails, it's to be smarter with your outreach. So conversate, 86 00:06:56.629 --> 00:07:00.949 conversations and authenticity are so important. Now we're always on our phones, 87 00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:03.980 but we still want to have those authentic connections and conversations, you know, 88 00:07:04.060 --> 00:07:08.420 out and and they need to feel like they're in real time at the same 89 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:13.019 time that they're relevant right exactly. Conversations and even with be to be the 90 00:07:13.100 --> 00:07:16.050 end receivers, still a person. So we have to humanize our brand and 91 00:07:16.170 --> 00:07:20.689 speak like a human. So that probably leads into my next question, which 92 00:07:20.810 --> 00:07:25.050 is why do you think text messaging works for be to be? I know 93 00:07:25.129 --> 00:07:29.129 a lot of people will get anxious and think, are are we opted in? 94 00:07:29.649 --> 00:07:30.920 You know, are is this going to be received? Well, that 95 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:33.600 kind of thing. You do this at scale, so you have a lot 96 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:39.399 of experience. How does text messaging work for be to be? You know, 97 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:41.639 it's a just so if you look at some of the recent polls, 98 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:45.910 almost eighty percent of people wish they could text with a business. One of 99 00:07:45.949 --> 00:07:49.350 the things about texting is that it's opten only and so it's highly protected compared 100 00:07:49.470 --> 00:07:54.310 to, you know, email. People want conversations, which is why texting 101 00:07:54.389 --> 00:07:59.579 works for organizations. It's the most widely used communication channel, with greater than 102 00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:03.860 ninety percent open rates, and our customers see greater than thirty percent click through 103 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:07.379 rates, many times much greater. Compare that to email, which is less 104 00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:09.819 than twenty percent open rates and less than three percent click through rates. It's 105 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:15.449 a huge difference. So why is an important organization? Imagine what kind of 106 00:08:15.569 --> 00:08:18.649 increase that can do for your calls to action, and more and more people 107 00:08:18.649 --> 00:08:24.529 are giving organizations pretation to send them texts. So do you have an immedia 108 00:08:24.610 --> 00:08:28.399 called action that makes sense to initiate through texting? Try it out. You 109 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:31.080 can also use texting to amplify your other channels, to augment them, like 110 00:08:31.320 --> 00:08:37.360 setting a text win and important emails in your leads inbox. texting enables you 111 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:41.470 to own the micromoment where decisions are made and be there in real time. 112 00:08:41.110 --> 00:08:46.230 For our customers, it's a powerful anchor point to capture that attention and a 113 00:08:46.309 --> 00:08:50.230 mobilize action. One of the things that makes our software unique, though, 114 00:08:50.870 --> 00:08:54.990 is that our dashboard makes it easy for our customers to create mobile pages and 115 00:08:54.070 --> 00:09:00.139 guided content work flows quickly, think under like fifteen minutes, without relying on 116 00:09:00.259 --> 00:09:03.580 developers. So they can create, they can take the conversation outside of the 117 00:09:03.659 --> 00:09:09.419 text message bubble and deliver personalized content in browser. I think that's one of 118 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:13.330 the most powerful things about it, is that there's content that surrounds the text, 119 00:09:13.450 --> 00:09:16.570 that's in rich media, and it's so easy to create an easy to 120 00:09:18.049 --> 00:09:22.649 personalize it at scale for a lot of contacts. It's one of the main 121 00:09:22.769 --> 00:09:26.720 reasons we decided to do a pilot with you, and one of our shared 122 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:33.080 clients was like bowled over about how well it worked. So can you tell 123 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.679 a little bit about one how you set up a campaign like this, and 124 00:09:37.080 --> 00:09:39.909 it kind of what happened with this case study that we work come together. 125 00:09:41.429 --> 00:09:46.149 Sure. Yeah, so the content workflows are extremely important because the content is 126 00:09:46.230 --> 00:09:48.909 what really resonates with people in the more personalize it is, the more likely 127 00:09:50.029 --> 00:09:54.539 that called action will be taken to an example of a successful be to be 128 00:09:54.700 --> 00:10:00.179 texting is one of our customers recently used bright guests for bb legion. This 129 00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:05.740 customer tended a big national consumer electronic show and wanted to generate leads during the 130 00:10:05.820 --> 00:10:11.129 conference. The call to action was to text in the book a tour which 131 00:10:11.210 --> 00:10:16.009 was promoted through targeted social media adds. Fifty percent of the leads the texted 132 00:10:16.169 --> 00:10:20.330 in went on to book a tour. So huge conversion rate for a very 133 00:10:20.450 --> 00:10:26.759 qualified call to action. EFTY percent. Fifty percent converted. Wow, converted 134 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:31.120 to booking and in person tour. So not only did this produce a successful 135 00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:35.950 conversion rate, but it doesn't end there. Now the organization has permission to 136 00:10:35.110 --> 00:10:39.950 send follow up text messages to these leads to continue the conversation, build and 137 00:10:41.070 --> 00:10:46.669 nurture the relationship and increase the likelihood that leads turn into clients. That's great. 138 00:10:46.070 --> 00:10:48.950 So, having worked on this with you, I know that the client 139 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:52.940 was thrilled. You know, we've been doing a lot of emails that kind 140 00:10:52.940 --> 00:10:58.299 of thing, and this is exactly the additional set of touches we needed to 141 00:10:58.539 --> 00:11:05.450 create a really personalized, nice experience for these prospects, and that's part of 142 00:11:05.570 --> 00:11:09.129 why the conversion rate was so, so high. I mean, fifty percent 143 00:11:09.330 --> 00:11:13.250 is really high for a campaign like this. I'm delighted that they're happy. 144 00:11:13.730 --> 00:11:16.769 That's great. So we're going to be wrapping up here, but just thinking 145 00:11:16.850 --> 00:11:20.600 about be to be and text messaging, something that a lot of companies don't 146 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:24.879 do. What are some key points that you would leave our listeners with? 147 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:30.120 Okay, so one, if you're if you're trying to compete for attention like 148 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.710 it's two thousand and nine, that's not a game you can really win anymore. 149 00:11:33.029 --> 00:11:37.029 So you have to adapt with the fast pace of technology, because that's 150 00:11:37.029 --> 00:11:41.269 exactly your audience is doing. So keeping step with your audience, investing in 151 00:11:41.669 --> 00:11:50.419 innovation is crucial. To listen to your audience, align your communication with how 152 00:11:50.500 --> 00:11:54.019 your audience consumes content. Don't do more of what is at working, don't 153 00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:58.899 just add to the noise. And finally, you have to humanize your brands. 154 00:12:00.460 --> 00:12:03.970 Speak like a human. It's be to be but you're still engaging with 155 00:12:03.250 --> 00:12:09.889 people. Such good points and I think just thinking about text messaging as an 156 00:12:09.929 --> 00:12:13.409 additional touch point. I mean Google data now shows that it takes seven to 157 00:12:13.690 --> 00:12:18.519 sixteen touches just to get somebody to move to the next stage, not even 158 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:22.480 to buy or take a demo, and so considering text messaging in the B 159 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:28.120 tob space as an additional set of really personalized touches can be very, very 160 00:12:28.200 --> 00:12:31.429 powerful. You know, Ryan, this has been a great conversation. I've 161 00:12:31.429 --> 00:12:37.269 been so excited to have you on. I love your perspectives on Channel Marketing 162 00:12:37.590 --> 00:12:41.710 and and which channels to use and how text messaging has helped you keep so 163 00:12:41.950 --> 00:12:46.059 many companies breakthrough. If anyone has questions, fill up questions or would just 164 00:12:46.179 --> 00:12:48.580 like to connect with you, what's the best way for them to find you? 165 00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:52.899 Yes, so you can connect with me on Linkedin. Just Search Ryan 166 00:12:52.940 --> 00:12:58.769 Quinn and broadcast and you'll find me. or You can text Ryan to twenty 167 00:12:58.850 --> 00:13:01.649 seven thousand. That's Ryan to seven zero, zero, zero. To get 168 00:13:01.690 --> 00:13:05.889 a taste of our tool and action and connect with me there. But, 169 00:13:05.049 --> 00:13:09.289 like you said, it takes so many touch points and it's all about building 170 00:13:09.370 --> 00:13:13.559 that relationship over time. Definitely, and I do encourage you to reach out 171 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:16.919 and text him and see what the experience is like. I think I think 172 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.600 you'll be delighted. If you'd like to talk to me at Keo Marketingcom, 173 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:26.039 I'd love to connect with you. Or she look left born at Linkedincom. 174 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:30.149 Ryan, thanks again for being on the show. Really appreciate it. It 175 00:13:30.269 --> 00:13:31.750 was great to have you on and I know our listeners are going to love 176 00:13:31.789 --> 00:13:39.830 this. Thanks so much for having me. Thanks. We totally get it. 177 00:13:39.149 --> 00:13:43.539 We publish a ton of content on this podcast and it can be a 178 00:13:43.659 --> 00:13:46.700 lot to keep up with. That's why we've started the BDB growth big three, 179 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:52.299 a no fluff email that boils down our three biggest takeaways from an entire 180 00:13:52.419 --> 00:13:56.889 week of episodes. Sign up today at Sweet Fish Mediacom big three. That 181 00:13:58.049 --> 00:14:01.169 sweet PHISH MEDIACOM Big Three