If juggling email, calls, LinkedIn, and other channels for outreach feels like running an endless relay, you’re not alone. This guide is for sales teams and SDRs trying to bring some sanity and results to their multi channel outreach—specifically using Sailes. We’ll cut through the noise, show you what actually works, and call out what’s mostly a time sink. No fluff, just clear steps and real talk.
1. Know Your Channels—But Don’t Spread Yourself Thin
Multi channel outreach sounds good—reach people where they are, right? Sure. But it’s easy to overdo it and burn out your team (and your prospects). Here’s what matters:
- Email is still king for most B2B. Reliable, easy to personalize, and scalable.
- Phone works for direct conversations, but expect a lot of voicemails.
- LinkedIn is great for research, warmer intros, and light touches.
- SMS, WhatsApp, Twitter DMs, etc.: Use sparingly (if at all) unless your audience is really there.
Pro tip: Don’t add a new channel just because it’s trendy or because a competitor does it. Only use what you can manage well.
2. Set Up Sailes the Right Way (So It Doesn’t Become a Mess)
Before you build a single sequence, get Sailes working for—not against—you. A little admin work now saves hours later.
- Segment your contacts. Break down your list by persona, industry, deal stage, or whatever makes sense. Generic blasts are ignored. Use Sailes’ tags and custom fields so you can filter later.
- Clean your data. Bad emails and wrong numbers waste time. Run a list cleanup before importing.
- Connect all the channels you’ll actually use. If you’re not planning to use LinkedIn, don’t bother connecting it “just in case.”
- Set user roles and permissions. Only give people access to what they need. Less room for mistakes.
What doesn’t work: Sloppy imports, “just winging it” with sequences, or letting everyone edit everything. You’ll regret it.
3. Build Sequences That Respect People’s Time
Spammy sequences are dead. The best ones are clear, concise, and relevant. Here’s how to keep your outreach human:
- Mix up your touchpoints. Alternate channels (e.g., email → LinkedIn → phone) instead of hammering away on one.
- Keep steps short and actionable. Don’t bury your ask in a wall of text.
- Space things out. Give people breathing room—2–4 days between touches is usually right.
- Personalize, but don’t overdo it. A little research goes a long way, but rewriting every message is a productivity killer.
Ignore: Templates that promise “guaranteed open rates,” or anyone selling “AI” that writes your emails for you. The best sequences sound like a real person.
4. Use Automation Carefully—Don’t Lose the Human Touch
Sailes gives you automation, but blasting out hundreds of generic messages will tank your response rates. Use automation to handle the boring stuff, not the actual conversation.
- Automate scheduling and reminders. Let Sailes nudge you when it’s time for a follow-up, or automatically trigger the next step.
- Semi-automate personalization. Use fields like {{first_name}} and {{company}}, but always check the result before hitting send.
- Pause sequences when someone replies. Nothing kills a deal faster than a tone-deaf follow-up after a prospect has already responded.
What doesn’t work: Fully automated “spray and pray” campaigns. The volume might look impressive in a dashboard, but real replies will be rare.
5. Track What Matters—And Ignore Vanity Metrics
It’s tempting to obsess over open rates and clicks. But here’s what actually moves the needle:
- Reply rate: Are people actually engaging?
- Positive responses: Are you getting meetings or next steps?
- Time to first response: How long does it take to get a bite?
Set up Sailes dashboards to highlight these. Don’t get distracted by “impressions” or “profile views”—they don’t close deals.
What to skip: Weekly meetings where everyone just reads out their activity numbers. Focus on real results.
6. Coordinate Your Team (So Prospects Aren’t Annoyed)
Nothing turns off a prospect faster than getting hit up by multiple reps from the same company. Avoid this with:
- Clear ownership rules. Assign contacts to specific reps in Sailes so there’s no overlap.
- Shared notes. Log every touchpoint (even the “no response” ones). If you don’t, someone will follow up blindly.
- Internal alerts. Use Sailes to flag when someone’s getting too many touches, or if you’re stepping on another rep’s toes.
What doesn’t work: Slack DMs and side spreadsheets. Keep it in the CRM or you’ll lose track.
7. Review and Adjust—But Don’t Overthink It
No sequence is perfect. The best teams iterate quickly:
- Review results every week or two. What’s working? What’s getting ignored?
- Kill underperforming steps. If a LinkedIn message is never getting replies, cut it.
- Test one thing at a time. Change subject lines or timing—not everything at once—so you know what made the difference.
- Ask prospects for feedback. If you get a “not interested,” reply and ask what turned them off. You’ll learn more than from any analytics dashboard.
Don’t: Obsess over A/B testing tiny tweaks if you only have a few dozen leads. Focus on the big wins first.
8. Common Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)
- Trying to be everywhere. Pick 2–3 channels and do them well.
- Forgetting to update statuses. If you don’t mark replies or bounces in Sailes, your data will be garbage by next quarter.
- Over-automating. If you wouldn’t send it to a friend, don’t send it to a stranger.
- Ignoring compliance. Don’t spam people or you’ll end up blacklisted. Sailes can help you manage opt-outs—use it.
Keep It Simple, Ship It, and Iterate
You don’t need a 15-step sequence across five channels to get results. Start simple, see what works for your audience, and adjust as you go. Sailes is a tool—it’s only as good as the process and discipline behind it. Get the basics right, don’t get distracted by shiny features, and you’ll be ahead of most teams out there.
Now, go clean up your sequences. Your future self (and your prospects) will thank you.