If you’re reading this, you probably want more than just “send an email and hope for the best.” You want to actually reach people—maybe through push, SMS, in-app, or more—and do it without tripping over confusing settings or random “best practices” that don’t fit your business. This guide is for marketers and product folks who want to use Braze to build real, useful multichannel messaging workflows. No hype, just the nuts and bolts.
Why multichannel workflows matter (and when they don’t)
Let’s get this out of the way: multichannel isn’t always better. If your customers only check email, don’t spam them with push. But if you have a mobile app, a web product, and a diverse customer base, sending a thoughtful mix—across the right channels—can actually help. The trick is to coordinate, not just blast.
Some real reasons to use multichannel in Braze:
- You want to nudge users who ignore email with a push or SMS.
- You have time-sensitive updates that can’t wait for someone to check their inbox.
- You’re trying to catch users wherever they are—phone, web, or app.
Skip it if:
- You only have one reliable channel (don’t pretend SMS will help if you don’t have consent or a good list).
- Your team can barely keep up with one channel already.
- You just want to tick a “multichannel” box—nobody cares.
Step 1: Get your basics set up in Braze
You can’t run before you walk. Before you start building workflows:
- Channel integrations: Make sure email, push, SMS, and in-app are set up and tested in Braze. Don’t trust the “integration complete” checkmark—send test messages to yourself.
- User profiles: Multichannel only works if Braze knows which user can get which message. Emails, device tokens, phone numbers—all need to be in place and mapped.
- Consent management: You must have explicit consent, especially for SMS and push. Braze won’t always stop you from sending to the wrong people, so be careful.
Pro tip: Don’t skip the boring setup. If you blast 10,000 people with SMS they never asked for, it’s not “innovative”—it’s expensive and annoying.
Step 2: Map your customer journey—don’t overthink it
Before you click anything in Braze, sketch out the customer journey you want to support. Don’t get lost in the weeds.
- Pick a single use case. Example: “Win back users who abandon sign-up.”
- Decide what makes someone eligible. (e.g., started but didn’t finish registration in 24 hours)
- List the channels you’ll use. Email first, then push if ignored, maybe SMS as a last resort.
A basic flow could look like:
- Trigger: User abandons sign-up.
- Wait: 1 hour.
- Send email.
- Wait: 12 hours.
- If no engagement, send push.
- If still nothing after 24 hours, optional: send SMS.
Don’t draw a spaghetti chart with 20 branches. Start simple—you’ll thank yourself later.
Step 3: Build your Canvas workflow in Braze
Braze calls their visual workflow builder “Canvas.” It’s where the magic (and some headaches) happen.
- Create a new Canvas.
- Set your entry criteria: This is who gets pulled in. Use filters and segments—don’t just dump everyone in.
- Add messaging steps: Drag in an email, push, SMS, or in-app message. Configure each one.
- Add delays/waits: Space things out. Nobody wants three pings in two minutes.
- Add decision splits: These are the “if/else” branches. For example, “Did the user open the email?” If yes, stop. If no, move to push.
What works: - Use “Holdout Groups” to compare your workflow to doing nothing. Braze makes this easy. - Personalize where you can, but don’t go nuts—basic personalization (first name, recent activity) is often enough. - Use exit criteria so you don’t keep bothering people who already converted.
What doesn’t: - Overusing “random splits” or making a maze of conditions. You’ll build something nobody (including you) can debug. - Launching without testing. Always run yourself through the workflow first.
Step 4: Craft messages for each channel—don’t just copy-paste
The temptation: write one “catch-all” message and blast it everywhere. Resist.
- Email: Longer, can have more detail, maybe a CTA button.
- Push: Short, urgent, one clear action.
- In-app: Friendly nudge while they’re in your product.
- SMS: Extremely brief, direct, and only if it’s really needed.
Pro tip: Don’t say the same thing three times across three channels—it feels spammy and lazy. Adjust your message to fit how people use each channel.
What to ignore: Don’t obsess over subject line “best practices” or emoji hype. Write like a human, not a marketing robot.
Step 5: Set up tracking and reporting—measure what matters
Braze gives you a ton of analytics. Most of it’s noise unless you know what you’re looking for.
- Set clear goals: What outcome matters? Logins, purchases, completed sign-ups?
- Track conversions, not just opens or clicks. Opens are cheap vanity metrics.
- Compare channels: See which channel actually moves the needle—not just which one gets the most eyeballs.
- A/B test, but don’t overdo it: Test big changes, not just button colors.
What works: - Use Canvas reports to see drop-off points. Fix the leaks, don’t just add more messages. - If a channel flops, cut it. No shame in trimming dead weight.
Step 6: Launch, monitor, and adjust—don’t “set and forget”
The first launch is not the finish line.
- Monitor the first sends closely: Watch for errors, complaints, unsubscribes.
- Be ready to pause: If you see high unsubscribe or complaint rates, don’t wait—hit pause and fix it.
- Iterate based on real data: Kill steps that don’t work, add new ideas slowly.
Pro tip: Document your workflow decisions. Six months from now, nobody remembers why you set a random 36-hour delay.
Real-world pitfalls and what to actually avoid
- Overcomplicating everything: The more branches, the more things break.
- Ignoring mobile vs. desktop: Push and in-app don’t work if users aren’t using your app.
- Assuming consent: If you aren’t 100% sure you have permission, don’t send.
- Not coordinating with other teams: If marketing and product send at the same time, users get hit twice.
Keep it simple, review often
Multichannel workflows in Braze can be powerful—or they can turn into a mess. Start with a single journey, keep the workflow lean, and focus on what actually helps your users. Check your results regularly, and don’t be afraid to delete what isn’t working. Simpler is almost always better.
You don’t need to do everything at once. Iterate, learn, and remember—nobody ever said, “I wish this marketing workflow was more complicated.”