Ep. 60 | The Lead Buying Playbook for the AI Era

Bill Rice joins Carson Poppenger to examine the next phase of consumer-direct lead generation.Drawing from three decades of experience across intelligence, internet banking, mortgage, fintech, lead management, and demand generation, Bill explains how consumer behavior is changing and where AI fits into the modern sales journey.They discuss the evolution of speed to lead, phone anxiety, consumer preference for text and scheduled communication, AI-supported qualification, contact-center efficiency, and the importance of preserving human interaction for trust and complex decisions.Bill also introduces the idea of “zero UI,” where personal AI agents may research companies, products, and lenders without requiring consumers to visit traditional websites.The conversation explores the challenge of balancing consumer value, regulatory compliance, and monetization while building a more accurate and sustainable lead-generation model.