Cold Email is Dead. Long Live Multichannel Outreach

“I hope this email finds you well” is the death knell of any possible lead. The problematic intro has spawned thousands of memes, much to marketers’ chagrin.

We’re all guilty of it. And yet, when we’re on the receiving end, the first impulse is to delete or respond, “No, this email does not find me well!” Instead, we pause and draft a reply riddled with feigned politeness.

What are the alternatives to sending cold emails when launching a campaign, and you want it to stick? Glad you asked!

Multichannel Outreach is the New Normal

Multichannel outreach is the smarter, more personalized way to reach B2B prospects.

In plain English? Multiple online channels outreach is using more than one communication platform to connect with your leads. Think LinkedIn, email, phone calls, SMS, social DMs, Slack, or WhatsApp, whatever channel your target audience lives on.

And no, it’s not about bombarding potential clients from all sides. You’re creating a cohesive, respectful, and timely journey across different platforms that feels natural and not spammy.

Multichannel isn’t about spreading your software company’s message wide; it’s about meeting your audience where they are and engaging them in the way they prefer.

Why Cold Email Alone Isn’t Cutting It Anymore

The obvious answer is that open and response rates have been in a slow, steady nosedive for years. 

What is the average reply rate for cold emails? Somewhere between 1% and 5% on a good day. Here’s why it’s not working:

• Everyone’s doing it, so it’s harder to stand out
  
  

• Spam filters are smarter (and meaner)
  
  

• People don’t trust unknown senders anymore
  
  

• It lacks personalization and feels robotic
  
  

Multichannel campaigns can boost reply rates by up to three times compared to email-only strategies.

Your Buyers Are Everywhere, So You Should Be Too

The average B2B decision-maker visits multiple platforms before they respond. 

They might glance at your LinkedIn message during lunch, read your email at 4 p.m., and finally respond after seeing your name again in their inbox the next morning.

Multichannel outreach mimics natural behavior. You're not forcing a conversation; you’re making it easier to have one when they’re ready.

It’s about recognition, relevance, and repetition (the good kind).

How to Build a Multichannel Outreach Strategy

Say goodbye to a million tools or a massive team to develop a decent outreach strategy. A thoughtful approach and the right stack should do the trick.

Step 1: Pick Your Channels Wisely

Start with two to three channels where your audience is the most active.

• B2B C-Suite? Try LinkedIn, email, and phone.
  
  

• SaaS users? Try email, LinkedIn, and Slack communities.
  
  

• Developers? GitHub, Discord, Twitter (X), and email.
  
  

Don’t guess. Look at your customers and reverse-engineer where they spend time.

Step 2: Make It Seamless

Your outreach shouldn’t feel like a multi-person interrogation. Utilize tools to sync messaging across platforms and track engagement. It should feel like one ongoing conversation, not five separate cold pitches.

Step 3: Personalize Everything

Please, no “I hope this email finds you well.” Multichannel doesn’t mean impersonal mass-blasting. If anything, it’s more personal. 

Reference mutual connections, recent posts, or shared pain points.

Think: “Hey Sarah, loved your LinkedIn post on SaaS pricing models. We help startups like yours with global billing compliance. Would love to connect!”

Not: “Dear Sir/Madam, we are the leading provider of…”

Step 4: Automate Smartly

This is where automation tools shine. Sequences and workflows can follow up consistently without sounding mechanical. You’re building trust, not flooding inboxes.

Speaking of smart automation, if you’re dealing with international SaaS sales, payment platforms help automate the revenue side. PayPro Global says that the right payment gateway handles global tax compliance, payment processing, and global payments.

That means your outreach can shift from “please reply” to “ready to onboard?”

Automation saves time. However, authenticity wins deals.

Real-World Results: Multichannel Wins

Forbes highlights that digital goods companies using multichannel outreach report 60% higher engagement and shorter sales cycles.

One SaaS firm increased demos booked by 45% in 30 days simply by combining cold emails with warm LinkedIn messages and timely retargeting ads. 

Now that’s smart sequencing and capitalizing on customer conversion rates.

Omnichannel vs. Multichannel: What’s the Difference?

You may have heard the term omnichannel tossed around. Here’s the difference:

• Multichannel = Engaging prospects across multiple platforms (LinkedIn, email, etc.)
  
  

• Omnichannel = Creating a unified brand experience across all platforms (support, marketing, sales, etc.)
  
  

For outbound and lead gen? Multichannel is your jam. Save omnichannel for when you’ve got a big marketing budget and a full CX team.

Level Up

Buyers are smarter, busier, and more selective than ever. Cold email alone won’t cut it anymore. That doesn’t mean outbound is dead; it's evolving.

Multichannel outreach is the new standard. Done right, it feels less like sales and more like starting a real conversation.

Ditch the spray-and-pray tactics and start showing up with purpose, relevance, and timing.