If you’re trying to juggle texting, email, and maybe even social DMs for a campaign, you know it’s easy for things to get messy fast. If you’re using Spoke—the open source texting tool—a lot of guides make it sound like multi channel is just a toggle you flip. Truth is, it takes some real planning and a bit of trial and error to get it right.
This guide is for folks who want to run coordinated campaigns across text, email, and other channels in Spoke, without burning out your team or drowning in spreadsheets. Let’s get into what actually works, what’ll waste your time, and how to keep your campaign running smooth.
1. Know What Spoke Can (and Can’t) Do
Before you start planning a big multi channel push, get honest about what Spoke actually handles out of the box—and what you’ll need to patch together.
Spoke strengths: - Fast, scalable peer-to-peer texting - Simple branching scripts for volunteers - Basic opt-out and compliance tools
Where Spoke falls short: - No built-in email or social messaging—text is the king here - No cross-channel tracking by default - Integrations with CRMs and other tools require setup and maintenance
Pro tip: If your campaign depends on seamless email/SMS/social orchestration, you’ll need to connect Spoke with other tools (Zapier, APIs, or custom scripts). Don’t bank on Spoke doing everything natively.
2. Map Your Channels Before You Build Anything
Multi channel shouldn’t mean “spam people everywhere.” Decide up front: - Which channels matter? (Usually text and email. Social is rarely worth the hassle unless you’ve got a very online audience.) - What’s the role of each? Text for urgent asks/RSVPs, email for longer info, calls for high-touch follow-up, etc. - What’s your fallback? If someone opts out of texts, are you emailing them? If so, how do you handle that data?
Draw this out on paper or a whiteboard. Trust me, it’s easier to spot holes before you have real people in the system.
3. Segment (But Don’t Overthink It)
The temptation: set up 20 hyper-granular lists and drive yourself crazy updating them.
Reality: Most campaigns do fine with 2-4 basic segments: - New contacts - Engaged supporters - Volunteers/staff - Opt-outs/unsubscribes
Keep it simple. Segment by channel preference if you can: “text-only,” “email-only,” “both.” Don’t get bogged down creating segments you’ll never use.
4. Set Up Source-of-Truth Data (Don’t Rely on Spoke Alone)
Spoke is great for texting, but it’s not a database. If you’re serious about multi channel, you need a real source of truth (like Airtable, a CRM, or even a shared Google Sheet).
Why? - You’ll want to track who was contacted where, and when. - Spoke’s data exports are fine, but not built for cross-channel reporting. - Opt-outs and bounces need to sync everywhere, or you risk annoying your list (and breaking the law).
What works: - Daily or weekly exports from Spoke into your master list - Using unique IDs (email, phone, etc.) to stitch together activity across channels - Setting up simple automations to move opt-outs between systems
What to skip: Trying to use Spoke as your only list manager. It’ll bite you later.
5. Build Campaigns in Batches (Not All at Once)
Don’t try to launch every channel at the same time. Instead: 1. Start with texting. Spoke shines here. Get your message and workflow tight. 2. Add email next. Use your source-of-truth data to send matching or follow-up emails. 3. Layer in calls or social only if you have the bandwidth. Most teams never do.
Batching lets you spot problems early, without blowing up your whole list.
6. Write Channel-Smart Scripts
What works in email usually stinks in a text. Keep these in mind: - Texts: Short, direct, and personal. Use Spoke’s script branching to handle common replies (“Who is this?”, “Stop texting me”). - Emails: More detail, but still skip the fluff. Use clear subject lines—people won’t read long intros. - Calls/social: Save for deep follow-up, if you’re actually staffed for it.
Don’t: Copy-paste the same script everywhere. People notice, and engagement tanks.
7. Train Your Team for Multi Channel (and Set Realistic Expectations)
Volunteers and staff need to know: - Which channel they’re working in (text, email, etc.) - How to log outcomes and opt-outs correctly - What to do when someone replies on a different channel (“You texted me, but I’m replying by email…”)
Reality check: Most volunteers prefer texting because it’s fast and less awkward. Don’t force them into calls or social unless you have a clear plan (and scripts).
8. Stay Compliant (TCPA, Opt-Outs, and More)
Multi channel means more ways to screw up compliance. Here’s what matters: - Opt-outs: If someone says “STOP” by text, remove them from all channels. - Consent: Only text folks who’ve opted in, or you risk big fines. - Record-keeping: Keep logs of outreach and opt-outs. Spoke exports help, but don’t count on them being bulletproof.
What to ignore: Overly complex legalese. Just make it easy for people to unsubscribe everywhere, and document what you’re doing.
9. Track Results (But Don’t Obsess Over Vanity Metrics)
What matters: - Response rates per channel - Opt-out rates (spikes mean you’re over-messaging) - Actual conversions (event signups, donations, etc.)
What doesn’t: - “Impressions” or “opens” (especially for texts—these numbers are meaningless) - List size for its own sake (a smaller, responsive list is always better)
Pro tip: Check results weekly, not hourly. Chasing tiny metric swings just burns energy.
10. Iterate and Prune
The best multi channel campaigns get better by trimming what doesn’t work: - Drop a channel if it’s dead weight (social DM, I’m looking at you) - Refine your segments if too many people are getting irrelevant messages - Re-test scripts regularly—what worked last month may flop today
“Set it and forget it” doesn’t work here. But don’t overcomplicate things, either.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Learn as You Go
Multi channel campaigns in Spoke aren’t magic—you’ve got to plan, test, and tweak. Most successful teams keep it simple: strong texting, smart follow-ups, and a clean list. Don’t chase every shiny integration or overthink your segments. Start small, watch what works, and build from there.
And if something’s a pain to manage, there’s a good chance your supporters feel it too. Stay focused, keep your data clean, and don’t be afraid to cut what isn’t working. That’s how you actually win with multi channel.