Multi-Channel Outreach Vs Cold Email Outreach – Difference

Businesses constantly seek innovative strategies to engage with their target audience and drive sales.

Two widely used methods for customer acquisition are multi-channel outreach and cold email outreach. However, it is not surprising to see that 80% of prospects like reps to contact them via email owing to its least intrusive nature.

While both outreach methods have their own merits and can be successful in their own right, understanding the differences between these approaches is crucial to optimizing your marketing efforts. If you don’t know it yet, this blog post is for you.

We’ll dive deep into the distinctions between multi-channel outreach and cold email outreach and explore how each strategy can impact your business differently.

What Are The Different Channels For Cold Outreach?

Let’s take a look at the different channels for cold outreach and how you can use them effectively,  

1. Email 

Cold email outreach involves sending targeted emails to find ideal potential customers interested in your product or service.

Cold outreach emails are pretty effective in finding promising leads. Emails can be the primary channel for cold outreach as they are less intrusive. The main advantage of cold emailing is that you automate the whole process. Automation makes it easy to send 100 cold emails with a single click. 

Here’s a step by step approach to how you can use cold emailing effectively,

1. Find an email outreach tool that has the features you desire. While there are many out there, you have to draw valid comparisons to decide which one will work best for you. 

2. Create dynamic email templates. Before starting your campaign, you have to be ready with your email copy. 

3. Collect contact details of target prospects. This one is an essential step.

4. Reach out to the prospects and close deals.

2. LinkedIn 

Social selling works in B2B as social networking platforms are tremendously powerful in making connections. You can use platforms like LinkedIn and send connection requests or messages to prospects to begin a conversation with professionals. LinkedIn is a significant source of B2B leads. In addition, you have 740 million LinkedIn users from 200 countries. The sheer number is enough to tell you that there is a lot of potential in LinkedIn outreach. 

Following is a step-by-step approach,

1. You have to find a reliable tool that automates LinkedIn outreach for you.

2. Make sure that it has all that you would expect such a tool to have.

3. Create dynamic messages and personalize them for every prospect. 

4. You can leverage the power of LinkedIn InMail Templates for sales to reach out to people who seem to be promising prospects.

3. Cold calling

Cold calling may seem to be an old-school approach with a bad reputation, but it works when you combine it with other outreach channels. If you choose only cold calling, then it will give you a low ROI. Statistics say that you need to make 209 cold calls to generate one single appointment.

Therefore, it is better to call only when a prospect is warmed up and shows interest in your product. 

Phone calls can work well for small and medium-sized businesses when you use effective cold calling techniques.

Here’s how to use cold calling effectively,

1. Create a list of prospects who will possibly use your product and reach out to them through email.

2. You can then call those who have given a positive response to your email. 

4. SMS

There is nothing that can match the efficiency of SMS outreach. It has an open rate of 98%, and 90% of the messages get read in the first 3 minutes. It also gives a higher response rate than other outreach channels. 

The fact that we use phones a lot has made SMS outreach a big hit. Mobiles have outdone desktops. What’s more, SMS is a channel that doesn’t require an internet connection, and there are no spam filters for it. You only need the correct number to make your message reach the intended destination. However, there are specific guidelines that you have to follow for SMS outreach as it is a highly personal approach. 

What Is A Multi-Channel Outreach Strategy?

Now that you have an idea of the main channels for effective cold outreach let’s move on to multi-channel sales outreach and know what it is about. 

Multi-channel outreach refers to the process of reaching out, connecting, and also engaging with prospects using several different channels. 

In addition, using multiple outreach channels gives prospects the options to choose from to engage with you and your product or service. Additionally, when you think of your prospect’s needs first, you can see your business grow. 

B2B SaaS sales, you have to reach out to businesses that will find your SaaS product valuable for their business function. However, there is a need to deal with different types of customers, and they are categorized as:

1. Most aware – These are loyal to your brand.

2. Product aware – They know about your company but didn’t purchase from you yet.

3. Solution aware – They know that there is a solution for your problem but don’t know about your company.

4. Problem aware – They know about their problem but don’t know that there is a solution.

5. Unaware – They don’t know about their problem. 

Some potential customers would be looking for a solution, while others don’t even know about its existence. Therefore, you can’t deal with everyone the same way. 

Which channel you use for cold outreach depends on the preference of the target audience. You have to focus on the channels preferred by your ICP or Ideal Customer profile in your multi-channel sales outreach strategy.

What Makes Multi-Channel Outreach Better Than Single-Channel Outreach?

There are a lot of advantages of using a multi-channel approach to outreach, and they are the following, 

1. Increased reach

Multi-channel outreach allows salespeople to reach a wider audience by leveraging different communication channels. By using multiple channels such as email, social media, phone calls, and direct mail, salespeople can connect with potential customers wherever they are, increasing their chances of reaching and engaging with them.

2. No dependency on a single channel

Over time, outreach channels get saturated. Having multiple channels can reduce your worry as you have other options to your rescue. It can prevent your results from getting affected. By using more than one way of reaching out to prospects, you are not dependent on a single channel. In short, when one door closes for you, another one stays open. 

3. Can discover a channel that gives you better results

When you try out new outreach channels, you might discover one that gives you a better return on your investment. For instance, if you used only cold calls to reach out to prospects, incorporating email can fetch you better stats.

4. More options to choose from

The preferences of the two prospects need not be the same. For example, some people may like email, while some may prefer calls. When you give options to prospects, you can increase their chances of positively responding to you, which will get you a better outcome.

5. Increased conversions

Multi-channel outreach can help salespeople convert more leads into customers. By using different channels to stay top-of-mind with prospects, salespeople can build trust and familiarity, making it easier to close the sale.

A Detailed Look At Cold Emailing

Before jumping on to the Multi-Channel Outreach vs. Cold Email debate, let’s take a closer look at cold emailing. 

What is Cold Emailing?

By definition, cold emailing refers to reaching out to prospects with whom you don’t have an existing connection. 

Essentially, it is a way to start and maintain a professional relationship with prospects in the current age. It is also a means to begin conversing with those who know very little or nothing at all about your product or service. A cold email aims not to close the deal but to help the prospect and you progress from being strangers to business friends. 

When the concept of cold emails was new, it was all about sending sales pitch-like messages to a massive group of people without bothering about personalization or segmentation. The copy-paste of messages at scale and the aggressive tone rendered cold emailing ineffective. 

Over the years, cold emailing has moved beyond being a medium to pitch your offer. It is more of a relationship-building approach now. Rather than sending one-size-fits-all emails to prospects bragging about your product or service, you now focus on the prospect. Also, you can get the prospect interested in your offering with hyper-personalized cold outreach.

As salespeople, you have to step into their shoes and see things from their point of view. Right from the first cold email, you must make the prospect feel that you are trying your best to understand their business and the challenges. It would be best if you then waited for the prospects to tell you more about their problems, and you can then show how your product and service can be of help to them. 

How To Craft Perfect Cold Emails?

You have to use the tactic of cold email personalization to win over prospects. There is a lot more to keep in mind while crafting cold emails. Let’s take a look at them,

1. Use an attractive subject line for your cold email.

It is the subject line that decides the fate of your email. Prospects would form their opinion about your business based on your email subject line. So, you must pay special attention to it. Personalize it as much as possible, sound like a human and evoke the interest of the prospect. 

2. Grab the attention of the prospect with a compelling introduction.

Instead of talking about yourself and the product/services you have to offer, focus on the recipient. Add a hint of flattery and show them that you have done your research well before reaching out to them.

3. Present a suitable sales pitch.

Keep a non-sales tone in your sales pitch. Mention the benefits of your product or service instead of talking about its features.

4. Add a relevant CTA.

Using a suitable call-to-action, you can direct prospects to do what you want them to do with your email. It can be booking a meeting, a call, or also an in-person meeting. 

5. End it with a signature.

The signature is an essential part of your cold email, and you should leverage its potential. It tells the recipient about who you are and also where they can get more information about you or your company. 

Cold Email Templates

Here are a few templates for cold emails,

Template #1: 

Hi {{Prospect_Name}},

As a {{Prospect_Role}}, you must be aware of the difficulty of handling {{pain_point}}

By using {{name_solution}}, there is a reduction in stress and there is an increase in {{benefit}}. 

Here’s what a happy customer has to say,

{{Customer’s_testimonial}}

Do you also want to enjoy similar benefits? Please feel free to get in touch with me. It would be great if we could schedule a call for next week.

Thanks,

{{your_name}}

In the above template, you show how your product or service is beneficial to the prospect’s company and also provide social proof in the form of a customer testimonial. 

Template #2:

Hi {{Prospect_Name}},

I am {{your_name}} with {{Company_Name}}. I happened to look at your website and realized that you are using {{competitor’s_product}}. Can I know how well it is working for you? 

We have a similar product and our customers say that we offer better {{features_benefits}} that can work well for you. 

It would be great to connect on a quick call and see what we can do best for {{Prospect_company}}. I am sharing my calendar link, please pick a date and time that is suitable for you. 

Thanks,

{{your name}}

Here, you are trying to convince the prospect that your product or service can offer you better features than their existing vendor. Here you are aiming at getting the prospects to switch over to your solution. 

Template #3: 

Hi {{Prospect_Name}},

I loved reading your article on {{website}} and I found it to be very insightful. After going through it, I got some really good ideas to implement in my organization. 

I wanted to offer something to you in return. So, here’s an article on {{Interest_Topic}} and it may be useful for you. Here’s the link {{link}}.

Do let me know if it is helpful for your organization. 

Thanks,

{{your name}}

The above template aims at building a rapport with the prospect without getting straight to the sales part. This tactic gives good results most of the time. 

Template #4 

Hi {{Prospect_Name}},

Congrats on your collaboration with {{MNC_Name}}. The amazing reviews on {{website}} prove that you have a stellar team and it is quite evident that you are going to rule the industry in the future. It would be great if we hear more such news from your end. 

I am {{your_name}} working with {{company_name}}. If you ever need any help, feel free to reach me. 

Thanks,

{{your_name}}

In the above template, you congratulate the prospect for their professional achievement and casually ask them to reach you if they wish to. 

Template #5 

Hi {{Prospect_Name}}

Are you having a tough time with {{pain_point}}? 

Most small businesses in your industry suffer from it. It can be challenging to overcome it and lead to {{issue}}

{{Name_ product}} will help you alleviate the problem. Our solution {{sales_ pitch}}. 

I would love to discuss this further with you. Will you be available for a quick call this Wednesday?

Here you are pointing out the problem and offering a solution to alleviate it. 

Multi-Channel Outreach Vs Cold Email Outreach

Cold emailing may be an effective way to reach out to prospects, but it is better when it is a part of a multi-channel sales approach. 

Though cold emails are effective, they cannot help you achieve what you want to as a salesperson alone. The biggest drawback is that cold emails run the risk of getting lost in a cluttered inbox. Though you can try your best to make it stand out in the crowd, it is not a sure-shot way of reaching out to prospects.  

From what we have seen so far when you ask which is better of the two, multi-channel outreach is the winner. You can see a better outcome when using a multi-channel approach than by only sending cold emails to prospects. 

How To Do Multi-Channel Outreach The Right Way?

Following are some tips that will help you sharpen your multi-channel outreach,

1. Develop a comprehensive strategy

Before you start reaching out to prospects, develop a comprehensive strategy that outlines the different channels you will use and how you will use them. This should include your goals, target audience, messaging, and timelines.

2. Choose the right channels

Select the most effective channels for your target audience. For example, if your prospects are active on LinkedIn, focus on building a strong LinkedIn presence. If they prefer email communication, then create targeted email campaigns.

Initially, it is better to focus on fewer channels and learn how to use them well. Once you master all of the channels, you can think of adding a few more to your toolkit. Until then, it is better to stick to a few. It is in line with the ‘Jack of all trades is a master of none’ saying.  

3. Keep messaging consistent

Ensure that your messaging is consistent across all channels. This will help to reinforce your brand and make it easier for prospects to recognize your company.

4. Personalize your outreach

While it’s important to keep messaging consistent, it’s also important to personalize your outreach efforts. Use the information you have about your prospects to tailor your messages to their specific needs and interests.

5. Measure and adjust

Track your outreach efforts and measure your results. Use this data to adjust your strategy and improve your overall performance.

6. Follow up consistently

Don’t rely on a single touchpoint to convert a prospect into a customer. Follow up consistently across all channels to stay top-of-mind and build trust.

7. Use an automated tool to set up channels parallelly

You have to use best automated cold outreach tools that can automate sending messages across different outreach channels.

It enables you to pause the sequence of messages as your prospect replies to any one channel. 

8. Keep track of metrics

You can also analyze the campaign’s metrics to see what is best for you and make the necessary changes to your future campaigns. Look for a tool like SalesBlink that helps you achieve that.

Need For Multi-Channel Outreach Automation

When your outreach has a lot of channels, it can get overwhelming. It is not feasible to handle all of the activities manually. That is why you need to automate the process, as already stated above. There are many sales and marketing tools that help you with the automation of your outreach. The tools can also help you keep track of the results. 

Many dedicated outreach tools, as well as all-in-one sales solutions, can come to your rescue. One of them is SalesBlink, a full-stack cold outreach automation platform. 

SalesBlink

SalesBlink is a sales outreach automation tol that helps you find prospects, automated outreach and also assists you in the closing stage of the sales cycle. 

The platform enables multi-channel outreach, a perfect mix of the different channels: email and LinkedIn so that you don’t miss out on any opportunity to get booked. In addition, you can build sequences with the right combination of the two channels. 

Cold email outreach

You can use the cold email automation feature of SalesBlink and build automated email sequences with several follow-ups. This way, you don’t have to keep track of all the messages you have to send to prospects. There is a templates library having ready-to-use, converting email templates. 

Additionally, you can personalize cold emails at scale using the text and image personalization features. As you have already seen, personalization is essential in cold emailing, or else the prospect will have no interest in responding to you. However, using the first name tag for personalization is often overused, and that is why you have image personalization that fetches better results.

SalesBlink lets you track opens, clicks, and replies easily so that you can make the necessary changes in your upcoming campaigns. 

There is also an unsubscribe option to enable recipients to opt-out of email sequences. 

LinkedIn outreach

Using LinkedIn outreach, you can generate more qualified leads. We have already seen how powerful the social networking site is for professionals. You would leave a better impression on prospects through LinkedIn outreach. Using SalesBlink, you can create LinkedIn sequences and track the connection requests and replies. It is easy to sync with email outreach. 

So, SalesBlink helps you by enabling multi-channel outreach. As you can see above in the platform’s campaign builder, it is possible to reach out to prospects across multiple channels. However, the benefits of this sales automation platform don’t stop with outreach, as you can use it for finding prospects and managing them with the built-in CRM along with predicting revenue. 

Start Multi-Channel Outreach!

Multi-Channel cold outreach is the in thing. While using outreach channels individually, may not give you great results but by combining them, you can get a better outcome.  

When you use multi-channel sales outreach for B2B sales, it gets tough to handle, and that is why you need to automate outreach. There are several tools that can help automate the process for you so that you can carry out outreach at scale. 

The bottom line of this multi-channel outreach vs cold email outreach post is that using multiple channels is better than cold emailing on its own. Plus, there are tools waiting for you, one of them being SalesBlink.

Hope now you know which approach is better of the two.

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