October 12, 2010
How to Contact Venture Capitalists
Want to raise venture capital? Click here to watch this free presentation.
One of the best ways to contact venture capitalists is to use a “teaser email.â€
If you have successfully gotten hold of a VC in person or on the phone, follow up with a teaser email as described below, and mention that you spoke with them. If you email a VC cold, the same teaser email principles apply
A teaser email is comprised of:
- an introduction that shows confidence the investor would be interested in your company,
- a few enticing facts about your company in the form of bullet points, and
- a closing statement that creates urgency.
Keep it brief. The total word count should not exceed 200 or so. Use five or six bullet points that create excitement, covering such topics as:
- What your product or service is and why it is innovative
- Statistics alluding to the fact that there is a large and growing market for your company
- A statement about the why management team is a very solid bet
- Strategic partnerships
In closing the teaser email, create a sense of urgency by writing something similar to the following:
“We expect to close this round of financing in the amount of $5 million in the next 90 days. Please contact me directly at 212-555-5555 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              212-555-5555      end_of_the_skype_highlighting if you would like to learn more about our company and/or to schedule a meeting.â€
This shows the investor you are going through with financing with or without her help. Be sure to send out many teaser emails simultaneously. This creates a competitive market among VCs. The more investors are interested in your business, the more valuable your business becomes – and the better deal you will be able to strike with your eventual investors.
Another key when writing your teaser email is to keep in mind your audience. Your bullet points should be relevant to the goals of the investor. For that reason, research the VC firm as thoroughly as possible before contacting one of its partners.
Want to raise venture capital? Click here to watch this free presentation
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This teaser email I think is extremely delicate, you can easily make a stupid mistake and that will be the end of your expectations!I guess people need more advise on how to write these emails…
Comment by George Thurrey — October 13, 2010 @ 4:42 am
I am ashamed to admit it’s the first time I hear about a teaser email, I thought you can only get introduced by an acquaintance. So there’s not just one way to contact these people…
Comment by Vic — October 13, 2010 @ 6:38 am