Leveraging Social Media for SMS and Email Growth with Jesse Clemmens, Co-Founder & CEO of HiTide

Jesse Clemmens, Co-Founder & CEO of HiTide, a Shopify solution for growing email and SMS lists through direct message automation. Jesse shares HiTide's journey from helping creators manage messages to focusing on Shopify brands, emphasizing the importance of bridging social media engagement with direct messaging for retention. He highlights that 60% of social followers engaging with posts are not yet subscribed to email or SMS lists, presenting a significant untapped market. Jesse also discusses best practices for direct messaging, emphasizing the need for timely, personalized communication to avoid spam and enhance customer relationships. Episode Timestamps:  1:51 Jesse's Background and HiTide's Origin Jesse introduces himself as one of the co-founders of High Tide, a solution for Shopify brands to grow their email and SMS lists. He explains that High Tide focuses on direct message automation, bridging the gap between social and brand-owned channels. Jesse shares his background, including his experience at Meta and Google, and the initial idea of helping creators organize messages. He describes the pivot from the Creator space to the Shopify ecosystem, emphasizing the success of their current platform. 8:00 The Role of Social Media in Retention Mariah and Jesse discuss the importance of social media in the Shopify ecosystem and the challenges of managing inboxes. Jesse explains the inconsistent reach of social media and the value of direct messages in reaching consumers. He highlights the potential of SMS as a personal and professional communication channel, with consumers signed up to fewer brand text lists. Jesse shares insights on the high conversion rates of SMS opt-ins and the importance of measuring the value of subscribers. 13:12 Best Practices for SMS and Email Marketing Jesse outlines the best practices for SMS and email marketing, including the importance of welcome automations and event-specific campaigns. He emphasizes the need for brands to understand the value of individual subscribers and measure the success of new channels. Jesse discusses the importance of having a well-tested program for both welcome automations and event-specific campaigns. He highlights the role of SMS platforms in optimizing messages and the importance of measuring the output of new channels. 21:07 Segmentation and Retention Strategies Mariah and Jesse discuss the importance of segmenting customers based on their engagement and purchase history. Jesse explains how High Tide helps brands fill out customer profiles and send targeted messages based on engagement data. He highlights the potential of re-engaging customers who have previously opted out of SMS or email lists. Jesse shares insights on the untapped potential of social followings and the importance of capturing serendipitous interactions. 30:40 Leveraging Social Media for Retention Mariah and Jesse discuss the potential of social media for retention, emphasizing the importance of timing and engagement. Jesse shares examples of how brands can use social media to alert customers about product availability and sales. He highlights the importance of capturing moments of engagement, such as comments and tags, to build long-lasting impressions. Jesse emphasizes the role of direct messages in building trust and winning lifelong customers. 41:29 Best Practices for Direct Messaging Jesse provides an overview of the best practices for direct messaging on social media platforms. He explains the importance of reactive messaging and the rules set by Meta to avoid spam. Jesse highlights the potential of direct messages to convert social followers into subscribers and the importance of following specific rules. He emphasizes the role of High Tide in keeping accounts safe and ensuring compliance with Meta's guidelines.