Rock Your Inbox: Signal vs. Noise: How to Evolve Your Communications Without the Chaos

Adding SMS, in-app messaging, or another channel to your marketing mix can create more ways to reach customers, but without a clear strategy, it can also create more noise. In this fireside chat, Sydnie Hickey, Senior Manager of Email Marketing at the Country Music Association (CMA), joins Customer.io to share how CMA evolved from relying primarily on email to building a more intentional multi-channel communication strategy across email, SMS, and in-app messaging. Drawing on CMA's experience communicating with fans before, during, and after CMA Fest, Sydnie shares how her team decides which messages belong on which channels, uses customer preferences and behavioral data to personalize communications, and puts guardrails in place to avoid over-messaging. You'll learn how CMA: ✦ Expanded beyond email to SMS to reach fans where they prefer to communicate ✦ Uses SMS for high-value moments, including exclusive offers, timely updates, emergency communications, and first-access opportunities ✦ Adjusts its channel strategy during CMA Fest, when fans are more likely to see a text message than check their email inbox ✦ Uses in-app messaging for focused use cases like data collection and quick customer surveys ✦ Asks customers directly whether they prefer email, SMS, or both, then uses that preference to inform segmentation and messaging ✦ Uses behavioral data, including artist interests and festival activity, to personalize communications and support artists throughout the year ✦ Sets goals and success metrics before adding a new messaging channel ✦ Uses messaging limits, send-time restrictions, relevance, and audience segmentation to prevent communication fatigue. The takeaway: a successful multi-channel marketing strategy isn't about being everywhere. Start with the customer and the goal, choose the channel that best supports that goal, respect communication preferences, and make sure every message earns its place. 00:00 Introduction 01:01 Evolving From Email to Multi-Channel Marketing 02:08 Inside CMA's Email & Lifecycle Strategy 05:26 Why CMA Added SMS to Its Channel Mix 08:19 Using SMS During CMA Fest 09:13 Deciding Which Messages Belong on Each Channel 11:22 Lessons From In-App Messaging 13:12 Personalization, Segmentation & Customer Preferences 16:16 Using Fan Behavior to Personalize Communications 20:02 How to Build a Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy 23:12 Frequency Caps, Relevance & Messaging Guardrails 27:22 Audience Q&A 29:32 Keeping Fans Engaged Year-Round 31:38 Wrap-Up