Brian Stafford

CEO @theNativeMsg. Helping brands own the conversation with RCS messaging. Posting what I'm learning about messaging, AI, and building B2B audiences.

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Every scam text your customers got this year made your brand more valuable.

That sounds backwards. Here's the logic.

People now open their texting app braced for a fight. Unknown number. Shortened link. "Your package is being held." They've been trained to assume the worst, and they're usually right.

So suspicion became the default filter on the highest-attention channel that exists.

Which means:

1. Every unbranded black-bubble blast now pays a tax it didn't pay three years ago
2. A verified sender — your name, your logo, a checkmark — walks straight through that filter
3. You're not competing with other brands in that thread. You're competing with fraud, and you win by simply being real
4. Trust stopped being a value on a slide and became a measurable conversion advantage

The inbox got worse. That's exactly why being the verified thing inside it is worth what it's worth.

Nobody's fighting you for that lane yet.

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Everyone's panicking about AI killing their search traffic.

Almost nobody is doing the obvious math.

If AI answers eat 30% of your organic clicks, you don't fix that with more blog posts. You fix it by owning the audience instead of renting it.

Here's what a decade in messaging taught me:

1. A subscriber you can text is worth 50 followers an algorithm controls
2. Most texts get read in minutes. No feed, no ranking, no middleman
3. RCS turned that channel from plain text into carousels, buttons, and branded verified senders
4. Inbound conversations convert better than outbound blasts, but the winners run both
5. The brands building messaging audiences now will look like geniuses in 18 months

Search was never your audience. It was borrowed attention.

Own the conversation instead.

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

What your messaging looks like when it shows up branded, verified, and actually interactive. Customers browsing products, placing orders, answering surveys, all inside the message thread.

No app. No landing page. Just a conversation.

Interested in giving it a try: https://t.co/zbjeaKa9En

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

✨ You just found the smartest way to text.

Meet Native IQ — your AI-powered messaging assistant that works 24/7, answers questions, captures leads, and books appointments… all through simple, human-like conversations.
📷 Smarter messages.
📷 Happier customers.
📷 Try it out or see it in action: https://t.co/cmSxb6fzt7

#AIConversations #TextSmarter #CustomerExperience #SmallBusinessTools #ConversationalAI #RCSMessaging #nativeMsg #SMSMarketing #AutomateYourBusiness

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

RCS vs. SMS: Sometimes a Simple Side-by-Side Says It All 👇

It's easy to get lost in tech jargon. But when it comes to connecting with customers, sometimes seeing the top, clear advantages of RCS for Business next to traditional SMS makes all the difference.

1. Experience:
🔴 SMS: Plain text, limited characters. Basic.
🟢 RCS: Rich media (images, video, carousels), longer messages, app-like feel. Engaging. ✨

2. Interaction:
🔴 SMS: Requires users to type replies or click external links. More effort.
🟢 RCS: Interactive buttons ("Shop Now," "Track Order") & suggested replies built-in. Effortless. ✅

3. Trust & Branding:
🔴 SMS: Often from unknown numbers. Less trust.
🟢 RCS: Verified sender with your logo & brand name clearly displayed. More trust.

Seeing it laid out simply highlights the advantages RCS brings: richer engagement, easier customer actions, and enhanced brand trust, all within the phone's native messaging app.

At nativeMsg, we help businesses leverage these advantages. Ready for a messaging upgrade?

#RCS #SMS #BusinessMessaging #Comparison #CustomerEngagement #CX #MobileMessaging #SimpleTruth

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Apple just announced RCS support in iOS 18. Who is ready to get started?

#rcs

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

We are getting ready for #RICE24's second day. As we move into day two, we plan to share even more of the exciting news about RCS. Visit booth #307 to find out more.
#nativeMsg #Innovation #ConversationalMessaging

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Which one is Ben?

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

Our very own Ben Stein, visited the National Restaurant Association Show. We enjoyed networking with other amazing businesses and sharing the word about RCS and its advantages for the restaurant industry. Thank you for having us, @WeRRestaurants! #2024restaurantshow

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

RCS Messaging can transform your text messaging campaigns from stale to sexy, join nativeMsg for an upcoming webinar on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, from 10-11 CST, led by Michael C Lamb, President / Co-founder of nativeMsg, Inc.
https://t.co/eU11zH9yDX

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

weatherNative is the best way to get your local weather using RCS Messaging. Try it by texting HELLO to 1-262-400-2100. https://t.co/Cig7vKjK8G #rcs #rcsmessaging #weather via @thenativemsg

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

I found a better way to get my weather using RCS messaging. Text HELLO to 1-262-400-2100 to try it out.

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

RCS Messaging Virtual Experience: RCS Style Experience across all Smartphones and Networks https://t.co/j4eUmdL7Wd via @staffordbrian

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

nativeMsg RCS Development Platform: Next Generation of SMS with Leading Edge Messaging Features #RCS https://t.co/rbh6dtUKQ4 via @staffordbrian

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

“RCS Messaging and Chatbots: The Silver Bullet for Upping Chatbot Adoption?” by @teejaywrites https://t.co/eRMaJjZ4Cb

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Made a desktop app of @theNativeMsg in minutes.

Web2Desk: Turn your favorite websites into a desktop app in one click https://t.co/bMBzjGN8qf via @Felix_Josemon

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

nativeMsg enters RCS Business Messaging Space with the Google Early Access Program. #ConversationalAI solutions delivered within next generation texting functionality. Learn how. #nativeMsg #nativeMsgEAP#mobile #RCS #RCSMessaging #mobilemarketers #chatbots https://t.co/9ySVJoqzy1

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

#nativeMsg Co-founder Michael Lamb's interview this week on the podcast @TheChatBubble. Here's how his & others' pioneering experiences in early days of #messaging can inform successful #chatbot application now. Thanks to The Chat Bubble's Michael Sabat!
https://t.co/OtOutwA19y

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Chatbots for Marketing: 6 Go-to Strategies You Haven’t Heard Yet https://t.co/tXeRGUp9rM

[nativeMsg @TheNativeMsg]

Introducing Nat, our new #chatbot! Click on the link to take a short tour with Nat, and see how your business can improve productivity and customer experience with a conversational interface. #nativeMsg #retail #insurance #travel #healthcare https://t.co/7JQGG0iA6Z

[Brian Stafford @staffordbrian]

Best Chatbot to Human Customer Service Solutions: StartUps, Retail, Travel https://t.co/nZlUNO0jp2