So, you want to run a campaign that hits more than just email? Maybe you’re juggling SMS, social, and a newsletter, and you want it all to make sense… without losing your mind. This guide is for you if you’ve heard Sendler can help, but you’re not sure where to start, or you keep getting stuck in a mess of tabs and half-finished drafts.
I’ll walk you through getting your first multi-channel campaign off the ground using Sendler—no fluff, no hype, and no assumptions that you’ve done this before. By the end, you’ll know what actually matters, what to skip, and how to avoid the usual pitfalls that trip up beginners.
Step 1: Understand What “Multi-Channel” Really Means (and Why It’s Not Magic)
First, let’s get clear: “multi-channel” just means reaching people in more than one way—email, SMS, maybe even social media or push notifications. It sounds impressive, but don’t let the terminology fool you. More channels don’t automatically mean better results. In fact:
- If your message sucks, spreading it everywhere just wastes more time.
- Each channel has its own quirks—what works on email might flop on Instagram.
- You don’t have to use every channel. Pick the ones where your audience actually pays attention.
Pro tip: For your first campaign, stick to two channels you’re comfortable with (like email + SMS). Nail those before adding more complexity.
Step 2: Set Up Sendler (Without Drowning in Settings)
Before you can launch anything, you’ve got to get Sendler ready. Here’s how to set things up without getting lost:
2.1 Create Your Account and Workspace
- Sign up, confirm your email, and log in.
- Create a workspace (think: “Marketing Team” or “Spring Sale”).
- Add your teammates if you’re not flying solo.
2.2 Add Your Channels
Sendler lets you connect different channels under one roof. Here’s what you need for the basics:
- Email: Plug in your sending domain (you’ll need to verify it, so have access to your domain host). If this sounds like a pain, it is—but it’s non-negotiable if you want your emails to actually land.
- SMS: You’ll need to connect a provider (Twilio is common). Yes, there’s an extra step here—providers want to avoid spam.
- Other channels: Social or push notifications might require extra setup or approval. Skip for now unless you really need them.
Ignore: Fancy integrations, webhooks, or API stuff unless you actually know what those are. You won’t need them for a basic campaign.
Step 3: Build Your Audience List (Don’t Overthink It)
You can’t send anything until you’ve got people to send to. Here’s the simple version:
3.1 Import Contacts
- Upload a CSV with your contacts. Name, email, phone number—keep it clean and simple.
- Tag or segment people if it makes sense (“newsletter,” “VIPs,” etc.), but don’t get bogged down in micro-segments for your first campaign.
3.2 Opt-In and Privacy
- Only upload people who’ve actually agreed to hear from you. Sending to scraped lists or old address books is a great way to get blocked or fined.
- If you’re using SMS, double check that you’ve got explicit consent. The fines for spamming are nasty.
Pro tip: Less is more. A clean list of 100 real fans beats 10,000 randoms who’ll just mark you as spam.
Step 4: Plan Your Campaign (Keep It Simple)
A campaign isn’t just one message. It’s a series of touches that (hopefully) move someone to act. But you don’t need an MBA to plan one.
4.1 Define Your Goal
- What do you want people to do? Buy? RSVP? Download something? If you can’t say it in one sentence, it’s too complicated.
4.2 Map Out Your Touchpoints
- Email: Great for longer updates, offers, or announcements.
- SMS: Short, urgent, or time-sensitive stuff (“Sale ends tonight!”).
- Sequence: Example—email on Monday, SMS reminder on Thursday.
Draw it out on a sticky note if you have to. Don’t overcomplicate with flowcharts and conditional logic yet.
4.3 Write Your Messages
- Write like a human. Avoid templates stuffed with “Dear valued customer.”
- Each message should have one clear action (click, reply, whatever).
- Use names or basic personalization if it’s easy, but don’t sweat it if you’re not sure how.
What to ignore: Don’t get lost in endless A/B tests or fancy graphics. Text that’s clear and honest will always beat a pretty email nobody understands.
Step 5: Build Your Campaign in Sendler
Now the rubber meets the road. Here’s how to stitch your channels together.
5.1 Create a New Campaign
- Inside Sendler, hit “New Campaign.”
- Name it something obvious (“Spring Sale - April”).
5.2 Choose Your Channels
- Select the channels you want for this campaign. Don’t pick more than you need.
- Assign your audience list (from Step 3).
5.3 Add Your Messages
- For each channel, paste in your copy.
- Set the schedule. You can send everything at once (not recommended), or stagger messages over a few days.
- Preview each message. Send a test to yourself—catch typos and weird formatting now, not after you hit send.
Pro tip: SMS has strict limits (160 characters is the magic number if you want a single message). Go short.
5.4 Set Up Basic Automation (Optional)
- You can set up simple automations, like “If they click the email, don’t send the SMS.” But for your first go, manual is fine.
- The “wait X days, then send” feature is usually enough.
Ignore: Complex branching logic and endless triggers. You’ll just confuse yourself (and your audience).
Step 6: Launch—But Double-Check First
Ready to go live? Slow down and check:
- Are all your links correct? Click every one.
- Are you sending at a reasonable hour? No one likes a 3am alert.
- Have you tested with a real device? Especially for SMS—emojis and links can break in weird ways.
When you’re sure, hit send (or schedule).
Step 7: Track Results (But Don’t Obsess)
Sendler will give you dashboards with open rates, clicks, and replies. Here’s what actually matters:
- Did people do what you wanted? (Bought, RSVP’d, whatever)
- Did anyone complain or unsubscribe? If you get lots, check your targeting or message.
- Were there technical issues? (Bounces, delivery failures)
You’ll see lots of other metrics (open rates, click rates, “engagement scores”). Most are fine to glance at, but don’t let them distract you from your real goal.
Pro tip: For SMS, reply rates matter more than “opens” (which can’t be tracked). For email, clicks > opens.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
Works: - Clear, short messages—especially on SMS. - Focusing on one or two channels, not five. - Personal touches (using a real name, replying like a human).
Doesn’t Work: - Copy-pasting the same message everywhere. - Sending too often (or at weird hours). - Ignoring consent and privacy rules.
Ignore (for now): - Advanced automation and segmentation. - Fancy integrations (Slack, Zapier, etc.) unless you have a real need. - Obsessing over every metric. If your campaign moves the needle, that’s enough.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Multi-channel campaigns aren’t rocket science. Get your basics right, send something simple, and see what happens. Don’t get paralyzed by options or features you don’t need yet. The beauty of tools like Sendler is they scale as you grow—but only if you start simple.
Launch, learn, and tweak as you go. You’ll get better with every campaign. And if you mess up? Welcome to the club. Just fix it and try again.