The formula for an effective cold startup pitch email:
High-Conversion Subject Line
The subject line of the email is the first chance to hook them.
It should be concise and infuse any social proof you might have.
Example: “[Startup Name] — YC-Backed Neobank for India”
Example: “[Startup Name] — Sales Tech SaaS, 30% MoM Growth”
Personalized Opener
Make it clear that this was a personalized note—not a copy & paste that was sent to hundreds of investors.
Include a detail in a one line opener that is personalized.
Example: “Enjoyed your thoughts on the SaaS ecosystem on the [Y] podcast last week.”
Concise Pitch
2-3 sentences—max!—on your startup or idea.
Items to include if possible:
• Exactly what the startup does
• Why it’s differentiated
• Indications of traction or PMF
Simple is beautiful here. If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough!
Social Proof
One line that provides a layer of social proof—i.e. reasons the person should take you and your startup seriously.
Include names of others who are involved, investing, etc.
This is a one liner that should show them they would be crazy to ignore your email.
Simple Closing CTA
Close with a very simple call-to-action.
Offer to share additional materials or a call if the person is interested in learning more.
Attach a memo or pitch deck.
A very short @loom video pitch is a simple way to stand out from the crowd as well.
That’s it—simple, clean, effective.
Give it a shot with your next cold pitch email and let me know how it works. Good luck!
Follow me @SahilBloom for more simple, tactical insights on startups, finance, technology, and growth.
By the way, I don’t think any of this is fixed or set in stone…
Just some (hopefully) helpful perspectives on a template or framework that you can use to drive up conversion of your outreach and make your fundraising more efficient.
I’ve gotten ~10 emails since posting that leverage the principles in this thread and it’s making me smile
