Guide
9 min read
A multichannel sequence coordinates outreach across email, LinkedIn, and phone in a way that makes each touch more effective by building on the ones before it. Done correctly, it makes a prospect feel seen and followed up with thoughtfully rather than pursued across platforms by a bot.
Done incorrectly — which is how most multichannel sequences are run — it produces the opposite effect: a prospect receives the same pitch three times on three different channels in the same week and concludes that the sender has no judgment about what is appropriate.
The key principle in multichannel sequencing is that each channel should do something the others cannot. Email allows for rich personalisation and attachments. LinkedIn allows for relationship-building and social context. Phone calls allow for real-time conversation. A sequence that uses all three doing the same thing — pitching the same offer in the same way — gets nothing from the multichannel investment.
Design sequences where each channel contributes something unique. Email delivers the detailed pitch with evidence. LinkedIn establishes the connection and builds context through profile visibility and content. A call, if used, follows after enough context has been established that the prospect knows who you are before they answer.
Email is the backbone of most multichannel sequences because it scales well, allows for detailed personalisation, and creates a written record of the conversation that prospects can return to. Build the email sequence first — five to seven steps over three to four weeks — before adding other channels.
The email sequence should be coherent on its own. If a prospect only receives the email touches, they should get a complete, multi-angle pitch that makes sense as a standalone sequence. The other channels supplement and reinforce the email story; they do not replace it.
For high-priority accounts — the top tier of your list, not the full list — add LinkedIn touches alongside the email sequence. A connection request on day one or two, before or alongside the first email, establishes a social connection that changes how subsequent emails are received. A message after the connection is accepted that references the email sequence creates coherence across channels.
Do not automate LinkedIn messages in the same way you automate email. LinkedIn messages should be written individually or personalised at a level that feels genuine. A message that reads as automated is worse than no message at all on a platform where the prospect can see exactly who you are.
Calls should enter the sequence only after some context has been established. A cold call to a prospect who has not seen any email or LinkedIn outreach is the most difficult type of call — you are starting from zero. A call to a prospect who opened three emails and accepted a LinkedIn connection is a different conversation: they know you exist and have shown some level of engagement.
Insert a call step after three to four email touches, or after LinkedIn connection is established. Keep the call short and direct — you are not delivering a pitch, you are checking whether the timing is right for a more substantive conversation. "I've sent you a couple of notes — just wanted to put a face to the name and see if this is something worth talking about" is the right tone for a cold call that follows a warm sequence.
Multichannel sequences need careful spacing to avoid feeling aggressive. A prospect who receives an email on Monday, a LinkedIn connection request on Tuesday, and a call on Wednesday will feel pursued, not engaged with. The right approach is slower: email day one, LinkedIn day three, follow-up email day seven, LinkedIn message after connection day ten, call day fifteen if no reply.
The spacing signals patience and confidence. It mirrors how a thoughtful human would follow up — not frantically, but persistently and with something new each time. Configure your automation tool to enforce these gaps rather than letting individual steps fire too close together.
Track performance by sequence and by channel combination. Compare reply rates for prospects who received email-only versus email-plus-LinkedIn versus the full multichannel sequence. This tells you whether the additional channel investment is producing additional replies or just additional complexity.
For most industrial B2B markets, the incremental lift from adding LinkedIn is real but requires more effort per prospect. Prioritise multichannel for your top-tier accounts where the incremental deal value justifies the investment. Run email-only for the broader list.