Adam Anderson from Zipwhip talks about the importance of text messaging in digital marketing and how data and AI will help in drafting the future of Martech
AI is based on data consumption and processing, and so nurturing that approach with your business will be helpful in terms of building the infrastructure, but also fostering a culture of naturally looking for data to guide decisions and investing in technology that leverages that information for scale and relevance
1. Tell us about your role in Zipwhip?
As vice president of Revenue Marketing at Zipwhip, Adam promotes Zipwhip’s solutions with the goal of increasing customer sign-ups and product usage through scalable marketing techniques.
2. Can you tell us about your journey into this market?
Zipwhip was founded as a B2C organization and provided cloud texting over the internet so people could text each other using their computers. Then iMessage came along and at the same time, Zipwhip’s founders realized that the ability to text from your computer could be game-changing for businesses. So they pivoted Zipwhip’s offering to become a B2B service. They went to the landline and mobile operators in the US and struck up a deal to connect the networks and enable texting between mobile and landline phone numbers. Zipwhip technically invented landline texting in doing so, and now gives businesses the ability to text from their existing landline, VoIP or toll-free phone number.
3. How do you think technology is upgrading marketing Sector?
In general,
technology has presented marketers with unprecedented amounts of data about customers. This has enabled really effective programmatic marketing tactics, which can deliver a more relevant, segmented and timely campaign.
The key is for tech companies to use this data responsibly and with their best interests at heart, always with the consumers’ full consent and knowledge. Technology has also provided so many channels to reach customers, which is an opportunity and a challenge. It’s an opportunity in that there are more ways to reach a customer, but it can be difficult to navigate that person’s preference, in addition to breaking through the competition for that person’s attention.
4. How has increased use of smartphones empowered marketing campaigns?
The proliferation of cell phones as an essential personal accessory is well known. And with that you have nearly constant access to people and businesses. It’s enabled a ton of commerce and communications options, and so it’s really been one of the biggest opportunities for marketers. It brings challenges, too, like how to cut through the clutter and get the mindshare you need.
5. Can you explain how does your platform help retailers in better marketing and sales?
Texting plays a perfect role in many digital marketing use cases: abandon-cart campaigns, promotions and lead generation (keywords), customer engagement and retention efforts. And in terms of efficiency and consistency, texting works best when it’s from the business’s main phone number. It’s much simpler and easier to offer a single line for both phone calls and text messages.
6. What features of your texting solution differentiates it in the market?
With Zipwhip, you can use your existing business phone number to send and receive texts – a number customers already know. Our relationships with the major Tier 1 and Tier 2 carrier networks also make our platform more reliable and secure than our competitors’. We offer powerful and flexible features specifically designed for businesses such as automations like autoreply, scheduled texts and keywords; integrations into common business software platforms; longer message character limits; security and compliance features… the list goes on. And rather than solely offering a web app like some texting alternatives, we offer a desktop app, mobile app and browser extensions. Even with all of our added functionality and features, another big differentiator is price. We have plans starting at $19, which is the lowest in the industry.
7. What advice would you like to give to the technology Start Ups?
Think about how you scale the business efficiently. Usually it’s by using technology. Automation, programmatic acquisition and engagement campaigns, data-based decision making – these are key to scaling fast without wasting time and resources. When you do it right you can offer an awesome customer experience that grows with the business.
8. What work related hack do you follow to enjoy maximum productivity?
Take breaks during the work day. I find that when I am powering through the day one meeting and task after another, it’s mentally fatiguing. I do better work, and enjoy it more, if I take little breaks to do something different: walk, read a book, work out, hang with my kids, go get lunch. And then I just come back to it later. I don’t mind if this means that sometimes I work a bit at night, or on the weekend, or in other unusual times.
9. How do you prepare for an AI-Centric world?
I think you continue to invest in collecting and leveraging data and using automations.
AI is based on data consumption and processing, and so nurturing that approach with your business will be helpful in terms of building the infrastructure, but also fostering a culture of naturally looking for data to guide decisions and investing in technology that leverages that information for scale and relevance.
10. What are the major developments you are planning, in recent time?
We’re always updating and adding to our platform to give customers features that make their workflows easier. Soon we’re launching a partnership that will enable secure mobile payments over SMS. That’s going to be a gamechanger for many of our customers. We’re also working with the carriers on an RCS rollout strategy. RCS will replace SMS as the standard for texting, and it will open up many features and functionality that SMS currently doesn’t provide. Typing indicators, mark as read, large file attachments, even things like mobile boarding passes or restaurant menu items. RCS will change the way businesses and consumers text, and we’ll be among the first to offer it.
11. Can you tell us about your team and how it supports you?
As I mentioned, it’s all about scalable marketing, and we use technology and a modern marketing framework for acquisition, conversion and engagement. The team includes a performance media group focused on SEM, display advertising and paid social. We also have a great content marketing team that is churning out all this high value content to attract people to our site, and in some cases request their contact info for the privilege of getting access to some of our first-party research, join a webinar, etc. I have a digital engagement team that is all about programmatic marketing using technology: email automation, lead capture and scoring, chatbot, in-app marketing. The core of our strategy is getting visitors to and through our site and into our self-serve checkout, so I also have a senior web manager to act as developer and producer of this important asset. The team includes a dedicated data analyst that provides the essential function of running our reporting to inform our decision-making. Finally, we have a couple of engagement specialists who are available to help people get through the check out process if they require assistance.
12. What movie inspires you the most?
The Shawshank Redemption. Its protagonist, Andy, is a model in stoicism: focus on what you can control, stay determined, temperate and persevere.
13. Can you give us a glance of the applications you use on your phone?
Sure! I of course have the Zipwhip App, which enables me to send and receive texts through my office line. And, I also have and use the basic text messaging app that came with the phone. I mention this because every cell phone has a standard text messaging app, which is why business texting works so well. No need for your customers to download something new like other messaging apps. It works with every phone, period.
Other interesting apps: Power BI helps me keep track of my business analytics in real time. I love Reddit, it’s my favorite social media app for keeping connected with communities that share hobbies and interests. I read the New York Times app every day because their journalism is top-notch, but also to support them as they serve an essential function in our society.
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As vice president of Revenue Marketing at Zipwhip, Adam promotes Zipwhip’s solutions with the goal of increasing customer sign-ups and product usage through scalable marketing techniques. He is a 20+ year veteran of marketing in the technology sector, with vast experience that spans B2B and B2C practices across North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. With expertise in communications, brand marketing, performance marketing, advertising, digital engagement and content marketing, he combines multiple marketing disciplines into cohesive and holistic strategies that deliver business results and delightful customer experiences.
Adam is a spirited athlete, reader, father, outdoorsman, woodworker, gamer, cook and musician who makes up for his lack of talent with enthusiasm.
Zipwhip is the leading business-texting platform in North America, helping more than 35,000 organizations engage their customers and drive growth through texting. Zipwhip has text-enabled more than 5 million landline and toll-free phone numbers so that businesses can reach their customers immediately, on the channel they prefer. Organizations can text-enable their business lines in minutes and seamlessly fit texting into their existing workflows using Zipwhip’s out-of-the-box software or customizable APIs. And with the most direct carrier connections of any texting provider, Zipwhip offers the fastest and most reliable message delivery in the industry so you know your customers get the message every time.