---
name: sequence-design
description: Multi-channel outreach sequence design — 12-touch 22-day framework with tiered personalization and signal-based triggers
---

# Multi-Channel Sequence Design

## The 12-Touch, 22-Day Framework

Multi-channel sequences generate 27%+ reply rates and convert at 3x the rate of single-channel outreach.

### Phase 1: Establish Credibility (Days 1-4)
| Day | Channel | Touch | Content |
|-----|---------|-------|---------|
| 1 | Email | Signal-based first touch (PAS) | Personalized observation + pain + proof + CTA |
| 2 | LinkedIn | Connection request | Short note referencing signal, no pitch |
| 3 | Phone | Brief voicemail | Reference email, add one new insight |
| 4 | Email | Follow-up | New angle or resource, reference prior touch |

### Phase 2: Build Proof (Days 7-11)
| Day | Channel | Touch | Content |
|-----|---------|-------|---------|
| 7 | Email | Case study (BAB) | Similar company result with metrics |
| 8 | Phone | Call attempt | Reference case study, offer to discuss |
| 9 | LinkedIn | Engage their content | Genuine comment on their post (not pitch) |
| 11 | Email | Objection preemption | Address the #1 reason similar companies say no |

### Phase 3: Create Closure (Days 14-22)
| Day | Channel | Touch | Content |
|-----|---------|-------|---------|
| 14 | Email | Insight email | Industry trend or data point relevant to them |
| 17 | Phone | Final call | Direct, "wanted to connect before closing the loop" |
| 19 | LinkedIn | DM | Brief, casual, reference prior touches |
| 22 | Email | Breakup email | Permission to opt out (highest response rate touch) |

## Personalization Tiers

| Tier | ICP Score | Time Investment | Approach |
|------|-----------|----------------|----------|
| Top 20% | >80 | 15-20 min per contact | Fully custom emails, deep signal research |
| Middle 50% | 50-80 | 5-10 min per contact | Template with signal injection, semi-custom |
| Bottom 30% | <50 | 1-2 min per contact | Strong template with industry/role variables |

## Breakup Email Pattern

The breakup email (final touch) consistently achieves the highest response rate of the entire sequence. It gives permission to opt out, which paradoxically re-engages dormant prospects.

**Template**:
```
Subject: Closing the loop on [Company]

Hi [Name],

I've reached out a few times now -- clearly the timing isn't right or this isn't a fit.

I'll leave it here. No hard feelings.

If [pain point] becomes a priority down the road, feel free to reach back out --
I'll remember the context.

Best of luck with [something specific about their company].

[Your name]
```

## Voss "No-Inviting" Follow-Ups

From Chris Voss's tactical empathy system: invite "No" early. "No" creates safety and control. A "No" opens the conversation; a false "Yes" closes it.

**Rewrite rules for follow-ups**:
- Instead of "Are you still interested?" -> "Is this no longer a priority?"
- Instead of "Did you get my email?" -> "Have you given up on this?"
- Instead of "Can we schedule time?" -> "Should I close the file on this?"

**Template -- No-Inviting Follow-Up**:
```
Subject: Should I close the file?

Hi [Name],

I haven't heard back and I don't want to make assumptions.
Is this something that's no longer a priority for your team?

If so, no problem -- happy to close this out.
If circumstances have changed or there are obstacles I'm not aware of, I'm glad to talk through them.

Either way, a quick response would help me understand where things stand.

[Your name]
```

## Signal-Based Research

### High-Impact Signals (by reply rate impact)
1. **Leadership changes** (14-25%): New executives allocate 70% of budgets within 100 days
2. **Funding rounds** (12-20%): Post-raise companies invest in scaling infrastructure
3. **Hiring surges** (10-18%): Growth teams hit bottlenecks your offer addresses
4. **Earnings call mentions** (10-15%): Public priorities flagged by leadership
5. **Technology changes** (8-15%): Stack migrations or tool adoptions signal openness

### Signal-to-Email Mapping

| Signal | Email Template | Why |
|--------|---------------|-----|
| New CTO/VP Eng | New Leader template | 90-day evaluation window |
| Series A/B/C | Funding Round template | Budget allocation window |
| 5+ engineering hires | Hiring Signal template | Scaling pain imminent |
| Stack migration | Technology Change template | Openness to new approaches |
| Conference speaker | Warm Reference template | Shared community signal |

### Signal Research Process
1. Identify signal from public sources (LinkedIn, Crunchbase, press, job boards)
2. Verify signal is current (<30 days for leadership/funding, <90 days for hiring)
3. Connect signal to a specific pain your offer addresses
4. Draft opening sentence that references the signal directly
5. Select matching email template from the library

## Sequence Timing Rules

- First follow-up: 2-3 days after initial email (not same day)
- Subsequent emails: 3-4 day spacing
- Channel switch: alternate email/LinkedIn/phone, never same channel back-to-back
- Weekend sends: avoid (lower open rates, signals automation)
- Best send times: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10am or 1-3pm prospect's local timezone
- Maximum touches before long pause: 7 (then 90-day cooling period)

## Sequence Exit Conditions

| Condition | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Reply (any sentiment) | Exit sequence, human review queue |
| Unsubscribe request | Suppress permanently, honor within 24 hours |
| Hard bounce | Remove from list immediately |
| Meeting booked | Exit sequence, transition to meeting prep |
| No engagement after 7 touches | Mark "low priority", pause 90 days |
| Out of office | Pause sequence, resume after return date + 2 days |

## Industry Benchmarks

| Metric | Average | Top Quartile | Elite |
|--------|---------|-------------|-------|
| Reply rate | 3.43% | 5.5%+ | 10.7%+ |
| Open rate | 40-50% | 60%+ | 75%+ |
| Sequence-to-meeting | 3-5% | 7-10% | 15%+ |
| First email contribution | 58% of replies | -- | -- |
| Follow-up contribution | 42% of replies | -- | -- |

Target top quartile minimum. Below average, investigate deliverability and ICP fit before scaling.

## Email Template Library

### T1: New Leader Signal
```
Subject: quick question about [Company]'s [function] direction

Hi [Name],

Congrats on the [new role] -- [Company] is in good hands.

New leaders typically spend the first 90 days evaluating [function].
One area that usually comes up fast: [specific pain you solve].

We helped [similar company] [specific result] within [timeframe] of [same role] starting.

Would it be worth 15 minutes to see if the same approach applies at [Company]?

[Your name]
[Title] | [Company]
[Physical address]
[Unsubscribe link]
```

### T2: Funding Round Signal
```
Subject: [Company]'s Series [X] -- one thing to get right early

Hi [Name],

Saw [Company] closed [round] -- well deserved.

In our experience, [stage]-stage companies that nail [function]
in the first 6 months post-raise grow 2-3x faster in year two.

[Similar funded company] got ahead of this and [specific result].

Happy to share what they did -- worth a quick call?

[Your name]
[Title] | [Company]
[Physical address]
[Unsubscribe link]
```

### T3: Hiring Signal
```
Subject: noticed you're scaling [department] fast

Hi [Name],

Saw [Company] is hiring [N] [role]s -- growth mode, clearly.

Most teams at your stage hit the same wall around [team size]:
[specific bottleneck your product addresses].

We built the solution [similar company] used to scale through that exact point.

Does it make sense to talk before the new hires start?

[Your name]
[Title] | [Company]
[Physical address]
[Unsubscribe link]
```

### T4: Objection Preemption (Mid-Sequence)
```
Subject: the #1 reason [similar companies] say no -- and what changed

[Name],

The most common pushback I hear from [role]s: "[Realistic objection]."

Fair. [Empathize briefly.]

What changed for [Customer X] was [specific insight that reframed the objection].

Not saying that's your situation -- but if it resonates, it might be worth 20 minutes.

[Your name]
```
