So you’ve got a message and you want it to actually get seen—email, SMS, social, maybe even a WhatsApp blast for good measure. You’re not looking for “reach.” You want real engagement. If you’re using Hothawk, this guide is for you. I’ll walk you through running multichannel campaigns that actually work, with zero hand-waving and no buzzwords.
Ready to stop guessing and start getting results? Let’s dig in.
Step 1: Know What “Multichannel” Really Means (and Why It’s Not Magic)
Let’s get this out of the way: Multichannel just means you’re using more than one way to reach people—email, SMS, social posts, maybe push notifications. It’s not a silver bullet. If your message stinks, blasting it everywhere won’t help. But if you’re thoughtful, using more than one channel can mean more people pay attention.
Don’t fall for the “more is always better” trap: - More channels = more complexity, not guaranteed results. - Only add channels if you have time to do them well. - Think about your audience: where do they actually respond? (Not just where you wish they’d hang out.)
Pro tip: If you’re new to multichannel, start with two channels you can manage. Add more only if you’re seeing results and not burning out.
Step 2: Set Up Your Channels in Hothawk
Before you plan your campaign, you need to connect Hothawk to your channels. Hothawk handles email, SMS, Facebook, Instagram, sometimes WhatsApp, and maybe a few others—depending on your region and plan.
Here’s what actually matters: - Email: Authenticate your sending domain. If you skip this, your emails will land in spam faster than you can say “unsubscribe.” - SMS: You’ll need an SMS provider plugged in (Twilio, Plivo, etc). Make sure you’ve got credits. - Social: Connect your Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn accounts. Sometimes you’ll need admin rights or have to deal with API headaches—blame the networks, not Hothawk. - Push notifications: If you’re using them, get your app or site set up with the right tokens.
Ignore: The urge to connect every possible channel “just in case.” Focus on the ones you’ll actually use.
Step 3: Build Your Audience—Don’t Spray and Pray
You can’t engage people you don’t know. In Hothawk, audiences are built from your contacts list. The better your list, the better your results.
What works: - Segment your audience. Don’t send the same thing to everyone. Use tags, filters, or behaviors (opened last email, clicked a link, etc). - Clean your list. Remove dead emails, old phone numbers, and social profiles that haven’t engaged in months. - Map contacts across channels. If you have someone’s email and phone, you can reach them in both places—but don’t annoy them by duplicating the same message.
What doesn’t work: - Buying lists. Hothawk might let you import them, but you’ll likely get flagged for spam, your deliverability tanks, and your “engagement” is bots and angry people. - Ignoring opt-in best practices. Make sure people have agreed to hear from you, especially via SMS—nobody likes surprise texts.
Step 4: Plan Your Campaign—One Message, Many Paths
Here’s where Hothawk actually shines: you can build a campaign, pick your channels, and control timing from one spot. But don’t just blast the same message everywhere.
How to do it right: - Tailor your content: Short and punchy for SMS, more detail in email, visuals for social. - Stagger timing: Don’t send everything at once. Maybe an email in the morning, a follow-up SMS later, and a social post the next day. - Sequence matters: If someone clicks your email, maybe they don’t need the SMS nudge. Set up “if/then” logic in Hothawk to avoid overkill.
What to ignore: - Overcomplicated branching logic if you’re just starting out. Start simple (email → SMS if no open), then get fancier if you see results.
Step 5: Build and Schedule in Hothawk
Alright, get into Hothawk and start building. Here’s the no-nonsense workflow:
- Create a Campaign: Give it a clear name (not “Spring Blast 2024 FINAL FINAL”).
- Select Channels: Tick the boxes for email, SMS, social, whatever you’re actually using.
- Draft Messages:
- Write for each channel separately—don’t just copy/paste.
- Use personalization where you have the data (first name, company, etc).
- Set Triggers & Timing:
- Schedule send times for each channel.
- Add logic (e.g., “If not opened email in 24 hours, send SMS”).
- Preview & Test:
- Send test messages to yourself. Check links, images, and that your SMS isn’t gibberish.
- If you’re using social, preview what your posts look like on mobile and desktop.
Pro tip: Don’t trust that everything will “just work.” Every platform has quirks. Test on real devices/accounts.
Step 6: Launch—Then Watch Like a Hawk
When you hit “go,” don’t disappear. The first few hours are when most things go wrong (wrong links, broken images, angry replies).
What to do: - Monitor deliverability. If you see high bounce or spam rates, pause and fix. - Watch replies and engagement in real time. Hothawk shows opens, clicks, unsubscribes, replies—use it. - Respond quickly if something’s off. Sending SMS to the wrong segment? Don’t be afraid to stop the send.
What to ignore: - Vanity metrics. “Impressions” and “reach” sound good in a report, but they don’t mean anyone cared. Focus on replies, clicks, and actual engagement.
Step 7: Analyze, Learn, Repeat
This is where most people drop the ball—they blast, then move on. Don’t do that.
Smart moves: - Look at channel-by-channel results. Did SMS outperform email? Did social even move the needle? - Check your audience segments. Maybe one group blew up your inbox and another ignored you. - Learn why things worked. Was it timing, subject line, channel, or just luck?
What to ignore: - Overanalyzing tiny differences. If your SMS click rate was 3.2% and email was 3.3%, it’s close enough. Focus on big swings.
Iterate: - Drop channels that didn’t work. Double down on what did. - Keep your messages fresh—don’t copy last month’s campaign and hope for the best.
A Few Honest Lessons
- You can’t automate your way to genuine engagement. Tools like Hothawk make it easier, but you still need to know your audience and write like a human.
- Multichannel isn’t a set-and-forget deal. It’s more moving parts, more stuff to break. Start simple, then layer on complexity.
- Don’t get distracted by new features. Stick to the basics until you’re nailing them.
Keep it simple, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to tweak things as you go. The best campaigns aren’t the most complicated—they’re the ones that actually get a response. Good luck!