If you’re juggling email, LinkedIn, calls, and maybe even SMS to reach prospects (or customers), you know how easy it is for things to get messy. Multichannel campaigns can move the needle—but only if you set them up right and keep them under control. This guide is for marketers, SDRs, and founders who want practical, step-by-step help using Winn to run smarter, not noisier, campaigns.
No fluff, no wild promises—just what you need to know to actually get results without losing your mind.
1. Get Your Channels and Data Ready
Before you even touch the “Create Campaign” button, make sure your tools and data are in decent shape. Bad inputs = bad outputs.
- Decide on your channels. Winn supports email, LinkedIn, calls, and SMS. Don’t use every channel just because you can—pick two or three that actually fit your audience.
- Clean up your contact lists. Garbage in, garbage out. Double-check emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn URLs. A campaign with 40% bounce rate is a waste of everyone’s time.
- Connect your accounts. Make sure your email, LinkedIn, and phone integrations are working. If you skip this, you’ll spend more time troubleshooting than actually running your campaign.
Pro tip: If you’re new to multichannel, start with just email and LinkedIn. Calls and SMS can be powerful, but they’re also easy to mess up if you’re not ready to respond quickly.
2. Plan Your Campaign Steps on Paper First
It’s crazy tempting to dive into the software and start building, but you’ll move faster if you map your campaign flow on paper (or a whiteboard, or a napkin) first.
- What’s the goal? Be specific: Book meetings? Get replies? Drive signups?
- How many touches? Research says it takes anywhere from 6–12 touches to get a response. But more isn’t always better. Plan for 4–7 thoughtful steps.
- Order and timing. Alternate channels so you’re not spamming someone’s inbox five times in a row. Leave breathing room between steps (at least 1–3 days).
Example flow:
- Email → 2. LinkedIn connection request → 3. LinkedIn message → 4. Follow-up email → 5. (Optional) Call or SMS
Don’t overcomplicate it. You can always add more steps later. Get one sequence working first.
3. Build Your Campaign in Winn
Time to create the actual campaign. Here’s how to do it without getting lost in the weeds.
a. Start a New Campaign
- Go to Campaigns and hit “New Campaign.”
- Name it something clear (not “Test 123”—you’ll thank yourself later).
b. Add Your Steps
- For each step, pick the channel (email, LinkedIn, call, SMS).
- Write your message. Short and relevant beats clever and cute every time.
- Set the delay/wait time between steps. Resist the urge to stack steps too close together—people need time to breathe (and respond).
What works: Personalization. Even simple things like using someone’s name or mentioning their company can double your reply rates.
What doesn’t: Templates that read like they were written by AI or legal. And using every channel for every step—nobody likes a stalker.
c. Set Up Conditional Logic (Optional)
Winn lets you branch steps based on what people do—like “If no reply to email, send LinkedIn message.” Use this, but don’t go wild. Too many branches = confusion.
d. Import Contacts
- Import your list (CSV, CRM sync, whatever you use).
- Double-check mapping fields—one wrong column can mess up the whole flow.
- Use tags or lists to keep things organized if you’re running multiple campaigns.
e. Assign Owners
- If you’ve got a team, assign who’s sending each message or making each call.
- Make sure everyone knows what they’re responsible for—otherwise things fall through the cracks.
4. Personalize (But Don’t Paralyze Yourself)
Personalization matters, but you don’t need to write a novel for every contact. Here’s how to make it work without killing your productivity:
- Use Winn’s dynamic fields (like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}) for the basics.
- For key accounts, add a sentence or two that shows you actually did your homework.
- Don’t waste time over-customizing for low-value leads. Save your energy for the ones that matter.
What to ignore: Tools or plugins that promise “hyper-personalization at scale.” If it sounds like magic, it probably turns out generic.
5. Launch—and Don’t Panic
Ready to go? Double-check everything:
- Test your campaign on yourself or a teammate first. This catches embarrassing mistakes.
- Make sure sending limits are set to something sane (don’t blast 500 emails at once unless you like getting blacklisted).
- Hit “Start.”
Now, step away. Don’t hover over the “Sent” counter refreshing every 10 seconds. Give it a day or two—most responses don’t come instantly.
6. Monitor, Respond, and Adjust
This is where most campaigns fall apart: set-and-forget is a myth.
- Check replies daily. Fast, human responses beat automation every time.
- Track key metrics. Open rates, reply rates, meetings booked. Ignore vanity stats—who cares how many people “clicked” if nobody replies?
- Pause to fix issues. If bounce rates spike or too many people unsubscribe, hit pause and figure out why (bad data, bad messaging, or both).
Pro tip: Don’t just look at averages. Dig into the outliers—if one step has a 1% reply rate, it’s probably the problem.
7. Iterate Without Overhauling
Most first campaigns are mediocre. That’s normal. Here’s how to improve:
- Change one thing at a time. Tweak subject lines, change timing, or swap a LinkedIn message for a call—but not all at once.
- Talk to your team. The best insights come from the people actually running the outreach.
- Archive what doesn’t work. Don’t let old campaigns clutter up your dashboard.
What to ignore: Advice that says “just copy this sequence, it works every time.” Your audience is different. Test, tweak, and repeat.
8. Stay Compliant and Respectful
It’s easy to get caught up chasing metrics and forget you’re messaging real people.
- Follow laws—GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and whatever else applies. Winn has some safeguards, but you’re still responsible.
- Don’t over-message. If someone asks to opt out, honor it—fast.
- Avoid tricks like fake “Re:” or misleading subject lines. It works once, then burns your reputation.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Keep It Human
Multichannel campaigns are powerful, but they’re also easy to overcomplicate. Start small, keep your messaging honest, and don’t obsess over perfection. The more you test and adapt, the better your results.
Remember: It’s about real conversations, not just hitting send. Good luck.