As AI disrupts and reshapes our interactions with brands and people alike, how do we genuinely connect with the voices around us? Conversational AI challenges us to rethink engagement with both technology and each other. What does it mean for brands to have a voice, and how can this change redefine connection and accessibility?

In this episode of The Trending Communicator, host Dan Nestle sits down with the dynamic duo behind Pragmatic Digital, a strategic marketing agency at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge technology for tangible business results. Susan and Scot Westwater, authors of Voice Marketing: Harnessing the Power of Conversational AI to Drive Customer Engagement, share their journey from traditional marketing to becoming trailblazers in the world of voice and conversational AI.

This episode offers a comprehensive look at the conversational AI ecosystem, from voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant to the integration of voice capabilities in mobile apps and customer service platforms. The Westwaters provide invaluable insights on how businesses can harness these technologies to enhance brand experiences, streamline operations, and create more meaningful customer interactions.

They educate Dan on some of the finer points of conversational AI and discuss its impact on marketing and communications, offering strategies for implementing voice technology in various business contexts. The conversation highlights the importance of intentional design in creating effective voice experiences, balancing automation with human oversight in AI-driven customer interactions, and the future of agentic AI and its potential applications in business.

Whether you're a seasoned marketer, a communications professional, or a business owner looking to stay ahead of the curve, this episode provides actionable advice on integrating conversational AI into your strategy. Susan and Scot's expertise demystifies complex concepts, making them accessible and applicable to businesses of all sizes.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from two of the industry's leading voices on how to leverage conversational AI to drive customer engagement and propel your business forward in the digital age.

Listen in and hear about... 

• Embracing conversational AI as a powerful tool for customer engagement
• How voice technology democratizes information access and distribution
• Crafting brand personalities for AI-driven interactions with customers
• Balancing human oversight with AI automation in business processes
• Leveraging voice assistants and chatbots across multiple communication channels
• Practical steps for integrating AI into existing marketing and PR strategies
• The future of agentic AI and its potential impact on business operations

Notable Quotes

On the Power of Voice in Communication:

"Spoken word suddenly became this way of being able to transfer information in a much more democratic method. You didn't have to be able to read. There were opportunities to put things in language. It was starting to get back to the roots again of how information was kind of pulling down some of the gatekeeping." - Susan Westwater [08:04 → 08:35 ]

On the Evolution of Brand Personality:

"These were all really interesting, rich experiences that come into play, which is what really geeked me out. Now, Scott was a lot. I would say I was more of the heart and emotion of the possible. I would say Scott was much more of the rational nut to put to." - Susan Westwater [08:35 → 08:51 ]

On the Accessibility of Conversational AI:

"It reduces friction. It removes literacy out of the equation. You don't have to know how to use a computer. Literally, as long as you can ask a question, you can get some sort of response." - Scot Westwater [10:08 → 10:21 ]

On the Versatility of Conversational AI:

"Chatbots are part of conversational, voice assistants are part of it. Voice Mode and ChatGPT, they're all different flavors of it. You're physically using your voice to ask a question and getting some sort of response from a system." - Scot Westwater [10:34 → 10:49 ]

On the Importance of Intentionality in AI Voice:

"We have to be intentional then, by the way, about who it is we want our audiences to speak with. And that can work from a B2B perspective just as much as it can work from an external customer engagement perspective." - Susan Westwater [17:02 → 17:17 ]

On the Practicality of AI in Business:

"In practical business you probably don't, you probably don't need AGI, quite frankly. A lot of what we're talking about is automating basic business processes, whether you're using AI or other tools." - Scot Westwater [1:01:22 → 1:01:37 ]

On Getting Started with AI:

"Do what you did and just get started now, whether it's learning or experimenting or use case identification, like, just start. There is so much fear out there. There's so much, quite frankly, misinformation related to AI and it's just a matter of getting in there, getting comfortable, getting those quick wins, seeing how it can actually help your process." - Scot Westwater [1:05:28 → 1:05:52 ]

Resources and Links

Dan Nestle

• Inquisitive Communications | Website
• The Trending Communicator | Website
• Communications Trends from Trending Communicators | Dan Nestle's Substack
• Dan Nestle | LinkedIn
• Dan Nestle | Twitter/X

Susan and Scot Westwater

• Susan Westwater | LinkedIn
• Scot Westwater | Linkedin
• Pragmatic Digital | Website
• Voice Marketing: Harnessing the Power of Conversational AI to Drive Customer Engagement | Amazon

Timestamped key moments from this episode (as generated by Fireflies.ai)

🎙️ Introduction to Conversational AI (00:00 - 01:10 )

• Daniel Nestle expresses his journey towards embracing conversational AI and voice technology.
• Daniel acknowledges his initial reluctance to adopt video and voice chat despite being involved in AI.

🤝 Guest Introduction: Susan and Scot Westwater (01:10 - 02:17 )

• Daniel introduces Susan and Scot Westwater, co-founders of Pragmatic Digital, highlighting their expertise in making AI accessible for businesses.
• They are recognized for their contributions to voice marketing and conversational AI.

🌐 Background of Susan Westwater (02:17 - 07:40 )

• Susan shares her career journey from traditional marketing to digital and voice technology.
• Emphasizes the importance of voice as a democratic tool for information transfer, recalling historical shifts in communication.

🔍 Background of Scot Westwater (07:40 - 10:12 )

• Scot discusses his background in visual design and user experience, focusing on the rise of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant.
• Highlights the accessibility of voice technology, reducing barriers for users.

📊 Understanding the Conversational AI Ecosystem (10:12 - 13:00 )

• Scot outlines the major players in conversational AI, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.
• Discusses the potential of voice-enabling mobile apps to enhance user experience.

📈 Applications of Conversational AI (13:00 - 17:00 )

• Susan explains the concept of voice as part of brand experience, enhancing customer engagement.
• Discusses the importance of intentio