If you’re running B2B campaigns and sick of juggling a dozen tools, you’ve probably wondered if there’s a smarter way to manage everything in one place. Or maybe you just want to be sure your multichannel efforts are working — not just making your dashboard look busy. This guide’s for you. We’ll walk through how to create and track multichannel campaigns in Theswarm, and I’ll call out what actually matters, what’s just noise, and how to avoid the usual pitfalls.
Why Multichannel (And Why It’s Actually Hard)
Multichannel campaigns mean reaching your prospects in more than one place — email, LinkedIn, cold calls, maybe even direct mail if you’re feeling retro. Sounds great, but let’s be honest: it’s easy to end up with a mess of half-connected tools and no idea what’s really working.
Theswarm promises to bring everything under one roof. But it’s not magic. You still need a plan, and you still need to know what to ignore.
Step 1: Get Your Accounts and Data Ready
Before you touch a campaign builder, make sure you’ve got your basics handled.
- Connect your sources. Theswarm works best when you plug in your email, LinkedIn, and any other channels you plan to use. Don’t skip this. If you’re missing a channel, you can’t measure it.
- Clean your data. Bad lists make for bad campaigns. Run your contacts through a tool to check for duplicates, typos, and junk addresses before you import anything.
- Set up user roles. If you’ve got a team, decide who can see or change what. Too many cooks can blow up a campaign before it gets out the door.
Pro Tip: Don’t try to launch on every channel at once. Start with two (usually email and LinkedIn for B2B) and add more only if you can actually keep up.
Step 2: Plan a Real Multichannel Sequence (Not Just a Blast)
Here’s where most folks mess up: they think “multichannel” means “send the same message everywhere.” That’s not how buyers work. You need a sequence: different touches, on different channels, with a plan.
How to map your sequence:
- Pick your channels. Email and LinkedIn are the default for most B2B. Add calls or ads only if you know you’ll actually use them.
- Decide the order. For example: Email 1 → LinkedIn connect request → Email 2 → LinkedIn message → Call.
- Space your touches. Don’t carpet-bomb people. Give at least 2-4 days between messages.
- Adjust your message. Don’t copy-paste your email into LinkedIn. Each channel has its own vibe. LinkedIn messages should be short and casual; emails can go longer.
What to ignore: Templates that promise “proven sequences.” They’re overused and usually get flagged as spam. Write your own, or at least personalize the first lines.
Step 3: Build Your Campaign in Theswarm
Now you get to use the tool. Here’s how to actually set up a campaign in Theswarm that’s worth your time.
- Create a new campaign. Name it something you’ll recognize. (“Q2 SaaS Leads” is better than “Campaign 7.”)
- Choose your audience. Import your cleaned list or pick a segment you already have.
- Set up your steps. Theswarm’s drag-and-drop builder lets you add “steps” like Email, LinkedIn, Call, etc. Match this to the sequence you mapped out.
- Write your messages. Type these in directly, or paste from your docs. Use merge tags for first names, companies, etc., but don’t overdo it.
- Schedule your sends. You can set delays between steps. Don’t be creepy — spreading out your messages is more believable.
- Set rules for replies. For example, if someone replies to Email 1, you can have Theswarm automatically pause the rest of the sequence. This keeps you from pestering hot leads.
- Test everything. Always send test messages to yourself (and your team). Check for broken links, weird formatting, or merge tag fails.
Pro Tip: If you’re not sure which channel to start with, run a mini-campaign with just one or two steps and see how it feels. You can always add more.
Step 4: Go Live, But Watch Closely
Launching is the easy part. What matters is what you do next.
- Monitor deliverability. If your emails start hitting spam, pause and fix it. Theswarm gives you basic warnings, but you still need to pay attention.
- Check response rates early. Don’t wait a month. If you’re getting zero replies after the first wave, something’s off — probably your targeting or messaging.
- Don’t chase vanity metrics. Open rates are nice, but replies and real conversations are what count. The dashboard looks fancy, but look for signals that actually matter to your sales team.
What doesn’t work: Sending more messages to fix a bad campaign. More noise just annoys people (and kills your sender reputation).
Step 5: Track Results and Actually Learn Something
A lot of tools track everything, but most of it isn’t useful. Here’s what actually matters for B2B multichannel:
- Response rate by channel and step. Which touch actually got them to bite?
- Meetings booked. This is the only metric your sales team cares about.
- Time to first response. If it takes 5-6 touches to get a reply, your sequence might be too long or too generic.
- Drop-off points. Where do people stop replying? That’s your weak link.
Theswarm gives you a dashboard for all this, but don’t just look at pretty graphs. Download the data, compare across campaigns, and actually talk to your sales reps about what’s working (or not).
Pro Tip: Set a reminder to review your campaigns every 2 weeks. Kill what isn’t working, and double down on what is.
Step 6: Optimize Without Losing Your Mind
Optimization is where most folks get overwhelmed. Here’s how to keep it simple.
- Tweak one thing at a time. Change your LinkedIn message, not your whole sequence. Otherwise, you’ll never know what made the difference.
- Ignore A/B testing for tiny lists. If you’re running a campaign to 200 people, don’t bother. Test big changes, not subject lines.
- Don’t chase “best practices.” If you’re seeing replies, you’re doing better than most. Don’t fix what isn’t broken just because a blog told you to.
What to ignore: Shiny features you don’t need. Theswarm is loaded with integrations and automation, but start basic. You can always get fancy later.
Step 7: Keep It Legal (and Respectful)
A quick but important aside: B2B campaigns still need to follow the rules.
- Get consent where required. GDPR and CAN-SPAM aren’t just buzzwords. Make sure you have a legit reason to contact people.
- Easy opt-out. Theswarm can add unsubscribe links to emails. Use them.
- Don’t spam LinkedIn. Too many connects = account restrictions. Slow and steady wins here.
Bottom line: treat your prospects like people, not just “leads.”
Final Thoughts: Iterate, Don’t Overcomplicate
Multichannel campaigns work — but only if you keep them simple and actually pay attention to what’s happening. Don’t get lost in dashboards or automate yourself into irrelevance. Start with a clear plan, watch your results, and tweak as you go.
If you’re using Theswarm, remember: it’s a tool, not a strategy. The best campaigns are the ones you can actually run — not the ones that look best in a demo. Keep it simple, stay honest, and don’t be afraid to kill what isn’t working. That’s how you’ll actually win in B2B.