Omnichannel Outreach: Beyond the Buzzword
Every sales tool now claims to be "omnichannel." The term has been diluted to meaninglessness. But the underlying concept—coordinating outreach across multiple channels to increase response rates—is sound when executed properly.
Why Single-Channel Fails
Cold email response rates have declined steadily for a decade. Inboxes are overwhelmed. Spam filters are aggressive. Even good emails get buried. Relying solely on email means competing with hundreds of other messages for attention.
Cold calling works better for reaching decision-makers but has its own problems: gatekeepers, voicemail, and the declining willingness of people to answer unknown numbers. LinkedIn messages suffer from platform limitations and saturation.
Each channel alone is insufficient. Combined strategically, they create multiple touchpoints that increase the probability of a response.
The Orchestration Problem
Omnichannel isn't about blasting the same message across every platform. That's just spam multiplication. Effective omnichannel means:
- Different messages tailored to each channel's format and expectations
- Coordinated timing that creates presence without harassment
- Awareness of which channels a specific prospect is most active on
- Graceful handling when a prospect engages on any channel
A Practical Sequence
Email #1 — Problem-focused, personalized opening. No pitch. Ask a question.
LinkedIn connection request — Brief, reference the email if appropriate. No sales pitch in the connection request.
Email #2 — Add value: relevant article, case study, or insight. Still not a hard pitch.
Phone call — If no email response, call adds urgency. Leave a voicemail that references emails.
LinkedIn message — If connected, soft message acknowledging prior attempts. Offer different angle.
Email #3 — Break-up email. Acknowledge they're busy. Leave door open. Creates urgency.
What Most Teams Get Wrong
They automate without thinking. Automated sequences that fire across channels without awareness of prospect engagement create terrible experiences. If someone replies to your email, your LinkedIn automation shouldn't send a message the next day as if nothing happened.
They optimize for volume over quality. True omnichannel requires research: knowing which channels a prospect uses, what they've posted recently, what their company is doing. This takes time. Sending mediocre messages across five channels is worse than sending one excellent email.
They give up too early—or persist too long. Six touchpoints over three weeks is reasonable. Thirty touchpoints over three months is harassment. Know when to stop.
Measuring What Matters
Track by sequence, not by channel. What percentage of prospects who enter your sequence eventually respond? That's the number that matters. Obsessing over individual channel metrics misses the point—the channels work together.
Track negative responses separately. If your omnichannel approach generates lots of replies but they're all "stop contacting me," something is wrong. Response rate without response quality is a vanity metric.