Best Practice:
The goal of the first email isn't to get a "yes" to invest. It's to get a "yes" to a meeting. Keep it short, personalized, and focused on sparking curiosity.
✅ Subject Lines to Test
Your subject line is the first hurdle. Make it clear, concise, and lead with value.
For Warm Intros (Highest Priority)
- Intro: [Your Name] from [Your Company] (via [Mutual Connection])
- [Mutual Connection] suggested I reach out // [Your Company Name]
- Following up on my chat with [Mutual Connection] about [Your Industry]
For Cold Outreach (Direct & Clear)
- [Your Company Name] | $72k MRR (+8% MoM) | B2B SaaS
- Solving [Churn Problem] for [Customer Type] companies
- AI for E-commerce Logistics - Zero paid ad growth
🤝 Warm Outreach Template
The goal is to leverage your mutual connection's trust. The 'forwardable blurb' is the most critical part—it should be data-driven and easy for your connection to send.
Subject: Intro: [Your Name] // [Your Company Name] Hi [Investor Name], Our mutual connection, [Mutual Connection's Name], suggested I get in touch with you. I'm the founder of [Your Company Name], where we are building [one-sentence, compelling description of your company]. We've seen some strong early momentum and in the last six months have: - [Data Point 1 - e.g., Grown to $XX,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue] - [Data Point 2 - e.g., Signed marquee customers like [Customer A] and [Customer B]] I know you're focused on [Investor's industry or thesis], and I have a brief deck I can share that outlines our vision. Would you be open to a 15-minute call next week? Best,
🧊 Cold Outreach Template
This must be extremely concise and powerful to break through the noise. It leads with a KPI snapshot to immediately establish credibility and spark interest.
Subject: [Your Company Name] | $72k MRR (+8% MoM) | B2B SaaS Hi [Investor Name], I saw your recent post on the challenges of vertical AI and it resonated. I'm the founder of [Your Company Name]. We help B2B SaaS companies reduce churn using predictive AI. Our key metrics: - MRR: $72k (+8% MoM) - Key Milestone: Just closed our first enterprise deal with ABC Company. - Traction: Grew to this point with zero paid ad spend. Are you open to a 15-minute call next week to see if this aligns with your thesis? Best, [Your Name] Founder, [Your Company Name] [yourwebsite.com]