You want to expand your B2B reach, and you know just firing off cold emails won’t cut it. Maybe you’ve heard about Crisp, the all-in-one messaging platform, and you’re wondering if you can actually build a multi-channel outreach workflow in it—or if it’s just another live chat tool with a slick UI. This guide is for folks who care about results, not buzzwords.
Let’s walk through how to set up real, multi-channel outreach in Crisp, what works, where it falls short, and how to avoid busywork that just looks productive.
Why Multi-Channel Outreach Matters (and What to Skip)
Reaching B2B buyers means cutting through crowded inboxes and ignored InMails. Multi-channel just means you don’t put all your chips on one channel—think email, chat, SMS, WhatsApp, maybe LinkedIn. Realistically, most teams default to email and maybe one other channel. That’s fine. More isn’t always better.
Where Multi-Channel Wins:
- Better reply rates: Not everyone checks their email, but most people check something.
- Warmer conversations: Catch leads on channels they prefer, not just where you want them.
- Faster feedback: You’ll know pretty quickly which channels are actually working.
Where It Falls Down:
- Channel overload: Trying to be everywhere usually means you’re nowhere.
- Hard to track: If you don’t centralize replies, you’re chasing your tail.
- Spam risk: More channels = more ways to annoy someone if you’re not careful.
Crisp does a decent job centralizing several channels, but it’s not a magic bullet for outreach. Use the tools, but don’t buy the hype that it’ll “10x your pipeline” on its own.
Step 1: Set Up Crisp for Outreach (Not Just Support)
Crisp pitches itself as a customer messaging platform, but with the right setup, it can handle outbound outreach too. Here’s what you need to do:
- Create your Crisp workspace (skip if you’ve already got one).
- Connect your channels:
- Email: Crisp lets you send and receive emails. For outreach, set up a dedicated shared inbox (e.g., sales@yourcompany.com).
- Chat widget: Install on your site. Even if you’re not focused on inbound, it’s good for warm leads who reply there.
- WhatsApp, SMS, Messenger: Crisp supports these, but it’s not always plug-and-play. You’ll need to upgrade to paid plans and sometimes go through approval steps.
- Invite your team: Outreach isn’t solo work. Add team members so you can assign and track conversations.
Pro tip: Don’t waste time connecting every channel “just in case.” Start with email + one messenger (WhatsApp or SMS) and scale up if you see traction.
Step 2: Organize Contacts and Segment Your Audience
You can’t run targeted outreach if all your leads are dumped in a single bucket. Crisp has basic contact management—it’s not a CRM, but it’s enough for early-stage teams.
- Import your leads:
Use CSV import or connect Zapier to pull in leads from your CRM or LinkedIn exports. - Segment with tags:
Tag contacts by industry, persona, campaign, or stage. Keep it simple (e.g., “SaaS CEO,” “Webinar Lead”). - Custom fields:
Add fields for company size, last touch, or anything else you’ll actually use.
What to ignore: Don’t waste time building out elaborate contact profiles in Crisp. For more complex needs, sync with a real CRM like HubSpot or Pipedrive.
Step 3: Build Your Outreach Sequences
Here’s where most teams overcomplicate things. You don’t need 12-step workflows with fancy conditional logic. Focus on a clear, 3-4 touch sequence across two channels.
Example Outreach Sequence:
- Day 1: Personalized email introducing your solution.
- Day 3: Follow-up email with a case study or value prop.
- Day 5: WhatsApp or SMS (“Hey, just checking if you saw my email…”).
- Day 10: Final touch (email or message), offering a quick call or demo.
How to build in Crisp: - Use Crisp Campaigns (available on Pro/Unlimited) to automate emails. - For messenger/SMS touches, set reminders to send manually—automation here is limited and sometimes regulated. - Use templates (called “Shortcuts” in Crisp) for faster outreach, but personalize the first line every time.
What works:
Short, clear messages. Don’t copy-paste sales scripts from LinkedIn “gurus.”
What doesn’t:
Mass-blasting the same message on every channel, or automating WhatsApp without consent (that’ll get you blocked fast).
Step 4: Track Replies and Manage Conversations
Multi-channel only works if you keep all the replies in one place. Otherwise, you’re hunting through inboxes and missing leads.
- Crisp Inbox: Every reply—email, chat, WhatsApp—lands in your shared inbox. Assign conversations to yourself or teammates.
- Set statuses: Use “open,” “pending,” and “closed” to track progress. Don’t overthink it.
- Internal notes: Jot down context for teammates (“Talked to Sarah last week, she’s interested if budget allows.”).
Reality check: Crisp’s conversation management is fine for small teams. If you’re juggling hundreds of leads, you’ll eventually want deeper reporting and CRM sync.
Step 5: Measure and Optimize
You need to know what’s working, not just what feels busy. Crisp’s analytics are basic, but they’ll tell you: - Open rates and reply rates (for emails). - Channel usage (which channels get the most replies). - Team performance (who’s handling what).
How to get more out of it: - Export data to a spreadsheet or BI tool for deeper analysis if needed. - Look for patterns: Are WhatsApp touches getting faster replies? Are certain email templates bombing? - Kill what isn’t working. Don’t be sentimental about a channel or message just because you spent hours setting it up.
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over vanity metrics like “messages sent.” Focus on real conversations started and meetings booked.
Honest Pros and Cons of Using Crisp for B2B Outreach
Let’s not sugarcoat it:
What Crisp does well: - Centralizes replies from multiple channels—less tab-hopping. - Easy to get started, especially if you’re already using live chat or shared inbox. - Decent automation for basic email sequences.
Where it falls short: - Contact management is no match for a real CRM. - Multi-channel automation is limited—some channels (like WhatsApp) can’t be fully automated, and you risk compliance issues if you try. - Analytics are basic. You’ll need exports or integrations for deep reporting.
When Crisp isn’t enough: - If you need advanced lead scoring, deal tracking, or complex workflows, you’ll outgrow Crisp for outreach. Use it as a hub, but sync to a proper sales tool.
Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Chase Hype
Building a multi-channel outreach workflow in Crisp is totally doable—if you keep it simple and focus on action, not complexity. Start with email and one messenger. Segment leads just enough to stay organized. Use clear, short sequences. Ignore the urge to automate everything or add every possible channel.
Most teams fail because they chase “perfect” workflows or believe a tool will do the hard work for them. The truth: It’s about consistent, real conversations. Set up your basics in Crisp, track what matters, and be ready to tweak as you go.
You’re not trying to impress anyone with a fancy dashboard. You’re trying to start more real conversations with B2B buyers. That’s it.