Cadence Design: Touch Planning by Channel
Match the right channels to the right lead tiers, space touches correctly, and stop running the same sequence at every prospect regardless of fit.
TL;DR
3 cadence types, 1 structural rule: match tier to channel before writing a single message
Most cadence failures are timing and channel-selection failures: too many touches too fast, one channel for every step, no variation by lead quality tier.
Channel mix by cadence type, touch spacing rules, tier-based variation, 3 ready-to-adapt examples, and a pre-launch checklist.
Cadence Framework
3 cadence types by channel and lead tier
| Cadence type | Channels | Total touches | Duration | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email-only | 5 to 7 | 14 to 21 days | Tier 3 leads, high-volume prospecting, deliverability-first motions | |
| Email + LinkedIn | Email, LinkedIn | 8 to 12 | 21 to 30 days | Tier 1 and Tier 2 leads, relationship-first outbound, SDR-run motions |
| Full multichannel | Email, LinkedIn, phone | 10 to 15 | 21 to 35 days | High-value accounts, enterprise targets, founder-led outreach |
Decide cadence type by lead tier before writing messages. Retrofitting channel structure after the sequence is drafted rarely holds.
Timing and Channel Rules
Touch spacing kills cadences faster than bad copy
Front-loading touches (3 emails in 5 days, then silence) signals spam to inbox providers and burns domain reputation. Correct approach: consistent pressure over a longer window. Standard email-only spacing: Day 1, 3, 7, 12, 18, 21.
After Day 21 with no reply, move the contact to a low-frequency nurture list. Do not extend the active cadence indefinitely.
- Front-load value, not volume
Touches 1 and 2 have the highest open probability. Use them for your strongest value proposition. Touches 3 to 5 add one new angle each and reference earlier messages.
- Introduce a new channel at the midpoint
For email plus LinkedIn cadences, send the connection request around Day 10 to 14, not Day 1. After two email touches, the LinkedIn request reads as a natural extension, not a coordinated pressure play.
- Place the phone call after digital engagement
In full multichannel cadences, call after at least two emails and one LinkedIn interaction. The rep can then open with a reference point, which triples the likelihood of a meaningful conversation.
Every cadence needs a defined last touch and an explicit action for no-reply contacts: nurture, remove, or re-engage flag. No exit condition means indefinite sends and degraded domain reputation.
Tier-Based Variation
One cadence for every lead is the most expensive mistake in outbound design
Tier 1 leads fit your ICP on every dimension and carry intent signals. They earn a full multichannel cadence with personalised openers, LinkedIn engagement, and a phone step. Sending that same 12-touch sequence to Tier 3 contacts wastes rep time and dilutes effort where it matters.
Three cadence variants cover all tiers: full multichannel for Tier 1, email plus LinkedIn for Tier 2, email-only for Tier 3. Tag each lead with a tier before import so the sequencer routes automatically.
Assign ICP tier tags during list building, before the list enters the sequencer. The ICP to list-building SOP covers tier tagging as part of pre-send segmentation.
Cadence Design Examples
3 ready-to-adapt sequences: email-only, email plus LinkedIn, full multichannel
| Touch | Day | Email-only | Email + LinkedIn | Full multichannel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Email: value prop + ask | Email: value prop + ask | Email: value prop + ask |
| 2 | 3 | Email: follow-up, new angle | Email: follow-up, new angle | Email: follow-up, new angle |
| 3 | 7 | Email: social proof or case | LinkedIn: connection request | LinkedIn: connection request |
| 4 | 10 | Email: short bump | Email: reference LinkedIn step | Email: reference LinkedIn step |
| 5 | 14 | Email: breakup or close | LinkedIn: DM after connect | Phone: call referencing prior emails |
| 6 | 18 | Email: social proof or case | LinkedIn: DM after connect | |
| 7 | 21 | Email: breakup or close | Email: social proof or case | |
| 8 | 25 | Phone: second call, leave voicemail | ||
| 9 | 30 | Email: breakup or close |
No two touches closer than 2 days on a cold domain. Each touch adds a new angle. Channel change at midpoint, not Touch 1. Tier 1 and Tier 3 in separate campaigns. Last touch defined with a post-cadence action. Bounce rate from prior campaign under 3%.
Recommended Tools
Apollo, Reply.io, or Salesloft: which fits your cadence type
Choose a tool based on the cadence type your highest-priority tier requires. Not every sequencer supports native LinkedIn steps alongside email, and phone steps require a dialer integration or a manual task prompt.
Common Questions
4 questions on cadence design, answered in under 40 words each
Cadence design is deciding which channels to use, how many touches to send, how to space them, and how to vary structure by lead tier. It is a structural decision made before message writing, not after.
Email-only (Tier 3): 5 to 7 touches over 14 to 21 days. Email plus LinkedIn (Tier 2): 8 to 12 over 21 to 30 days. Full multichannel (Tier 1): 10 to 15 over 21 to 35 days.
Front-loading too many touches in week one triggers spam filters. Using one channel for every step reduces engagement. Sending the same cadence to every lead tier wastes effort on Tier 3 and underserves Tier 1.
Yes. The six-point checklist in the examples section above takes under five minutes and catches structural errors before they affect deliverability. Run it for every new sequence, especially when onboarding a new rep.
Need the right tool to run your cadence design?
Compare the sequencers and sales engagement platforms that support multichannel cadences with email, LinkedIn, and phone steps in one workflow.