Why SMS Still Converts in 2026

Juliana Yorio

Alright, let’s get right into it. So people keep asking—why are we still talking about SMS in an era where every marketer is pitching the next AI messaging platform? The reality is, SMS just works. And it’s not just, you know, my opinion—a pile of recent data out there backs it up. Conversion rates for SMS, like, actual business cases—not just pie-in-the-sky stats—are still blowing email and push notifications out of the water.

Simon Carver

Yeah, totally. I mean, I had a friend who runs a local gym, and they always thought, “Hey, email’s good!” But—almost nobody even opened their promos. Meanwhile, the moment they sent a simple, not-at-all spammy SMS—boom, class bookings shot up. I think part of it is that, well… SMS just lands in your pocket. If you’re not abusing it—like, sending, “Hey, here’s 20% off, again”—it feels personal.

Juliana Yorio

Exactly. And that’s the crucial bit: not spamming. When SMS is done intentionally— not just blasting, but really structuring those messages— the results are just consistently better. Speaking of—one of my clients in retail, they were honestly skeptical at first, right? But after we helped them refine their SMS drip sequence, so the texts were light, timely, super relevant… their lead response rates literally doubled, just on that one tweak. Not complicated. Just thoughtful, direct communication at the right moments.

Simon Carver

That’s wild. And it makes sense, right? SMS sits somewhere between being personal and just being convenient. I mean, it’s not as intrusive as a phone call, but way harder to ignore than, like, another email in your “Promotions” tab. And when it feels like an actual person wrote it—not just a bot—you pay attention. When it doesn’t… well, you swipe, you delete, whatever.

Juliana Yorio

That brings us to why some texts work and others, honestly, are just noise. Personalization and segmentation—especially with AI—are game changers right now. Like, I’ve seen B2C services, ecommerce stores, you name it… using AI to segment lists way more granularly. Instead of “Hey, here’s a deal,” you get “Hey, it looks like you started a cart with sneakers, want a size check before they run out?” It doesn’t just increase open rates, it gets real replies.

Simon Carver

And the timing, too. I always thought, “Just send the text now, someone will see it eventually.” But, I mean, there’s totally a difference. Like, I don’t wanna get a text about a sale at 3am—I’m not gonna be a happy camper—or a reminder about a meeting after the meeting already happened. AI’s getting great at figuring out when people actually want to hear from you. What are your thoughts there?

Juliana Yorio

Totally. Timing is 90% of the game. There’s a big difference between, you know, sending a mass text mid-day versus strategic, split follow-ups. And to your earlier point, Simon, founders and operators get caught in these generic traps, right? Like, every text starts with “Dear valued customer…” I had a SaaS client—we literally ran A/B tests where the only difference was swapping that intro for something like, “Hey, quick heads up—saw you peeked at our new report, want the summary?” The second version? Doubled the reply rate. So the fix: Make your opening line about the recipient’s action, not your generic promo. There’s no magic, it’s just respect for their time and context.

Simon Carver

So, it’s kinda like—imagine texting a friend, versus, I dunno, sending a letter to your accountant. You’d never start, “Dear valued human…” right? Makes sense. But I—can I just say, I always butcher personalization in my own outreach. Is it okay to be casual, or is there, like, a line you don’t cross?

Juliana Yorio

Yeah, totally fair question. There’s a line, for sure—no one wants fake chatty if it sounds forced. Best thing is, use their name, reference something specific they did, and drop the overly formal tone. Just keep it natural. If it doesn’t sound like you’d say it in a quick conversation, probably ditch it. AI can help automate that, but you’ve gotta feed it the right style and data to keep it human.

Simon Carver

So, you mentioned something before that I love—when SMS is actually part of a conversation, not just, like, an automated blast. I mean, there’s a lot of fear around AI “robot texts.” But when you craft these SMS flows with the right amount of human… I don’t know, empathy?… it feels way better, right?

Juliana Yorio

Absolutely, and this is something we’re seeing more: it’s not automation for the sake of it, it’s creating a sequence that feels, well, responsive. Especially when you layer voice into the touchpoints. It’s like, first they get a genuinely useful SMS—then, maybe a quick call from a rep or even an AI voicebot if they don’t respond. It keeps the engagement rolling, and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks without, well, offending the senses.

Simon Carver

Yeah, real quick—this reminds me of that mortgage brokerage you were telling me about. Can you walk us through how pairing AI SMS with voice actually worked for them? I know folks are curious about the nuts and bolts, not just theory.

Juliana Yorio

For sure. So, they’d had this pain point where leads would go dark after filling out a form—classic, right? What we put in place was a workflow where AI-driven SMS started the convo, really short and helpful—like, “Hey, saw your request. Is there a good time to call, or do you have a quick question?” If the lead didn’t reply, the AI would book a ring-through to a rep or voice AI, right in the same window. What happened? They actually recovered about 30% more leads who otherwise would’ve ghosted. And because the flow felt like a real, two-way conversation instead of a script, those people stuck around and converted at a much higher rate. It’s simple, but it works—just by being proactive and real, across text and voice.

Simon Carver

That’s awesome. I guess the big takeaway for founders listening is—it doesn’t have to be a giant overhaul, right? Just tying smart, conversational SMS with timely voice touchpoints—and making sure every message feels human—gets you most of the way there.

Juliana Yorio

Yeah, and it’s something literally every operator can start with, wherever they’re at. Alright, I think that’s a wrap for today. Next time we’ll dig in even deeper—so if you love practical stuff like this, stick around. Simon, always fun jamming with you.

Simon Carver

Always, Juliana. Thanks everyone for joining us on Prosprus: AI Insights. Catch you next time!