Multichannel Outreach

Key differences:

(1) Email-only platforms excel at high-volume automation (50,000+ emails/month) but are limited to a single channel

(2) Multichannel platforms coordinate touchpoints across email, LinkedIn, calls, and SMS, but often send lower volumes per channel

(3) Email-only tools typically have better deliverability infrastructure and A/B testing capabilities

(4) Multichannel platforms have stronger CRM integrations and account-based features

When to use each: If you're doing pure cold email at scale (50,000+ emails/month), email-only tools are more powerful. If you're running account-based plays targeting 100-500 accounts with multiple touches, multichannel platforms are essential.

Common use cases include:

(1) Account-based sales targeting enterprise accounts with multiple stakeholders (need to engage via LinkedIn, email, and phone)

(2) High-value prospect sequences where personalized multi-touch is worth the effort (6-12 touches across channels)

(3) Breaking through to hard-to-reach executives who ignore email but respond to LinkedIn or calls

(4) Re-engagement campaigns for cold leads who didn't respond to initial email outreach

(5) Event follow-up sequences that combine email, LinkedIn, and direct mail

(6) Sales development teams that need to hit activity quotas across multiple channels

Pricing tiers:

(1) Basic plans: $50-150/month per user for email + LinkedIn automation with basic sequences

(2) Mid-tier platforms: $150-400/month per user adding phone dialer, SMS, and advanced workflows

(3) Enterprise solutions: $500-1,200+/month per user with API access, custom integrations, and dedicated support

Additional costs: LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($80-135/month), phone credits ($0.01-0.05/minute), SMS credits ($0.01-0.03/message).

ROI calculation: If multichannel sequences generate 2.5x more meetings than email alone, and each meeting is worth $500 in pipeline, you need just 1-2 extra meetings/month to justify the cost.

Best practices include:

(1) Start with 2-3 channels maximum and master them before adding more (most teams start with email + LinkedIn)

(2) Space out touches across channels (don't email and LinkedIn message on the same day)

(3) Personalize the message for each channel (LinkedIn messages should be conversational, emails more formal)

(4) Use phone calls strategically for high-value prospects, not as a spam tactic

(5) Track response rates by channel and double down on what works for your ICP

(6) Respect channel norms (LinkedIn connection requests should be genuine, not spammy)