How to Get Meeting Confirmations via Cold Email

How I Got Investor Meetings Without Warm Intros: Lessons from Cold Outreach I’ve raised capital from top-tier investors. But not every round started with warm intros or existing connections. Sometimes, you just have to reach out cold. And when I did, I learned something important: the cold message is your pitch, your reputation, and your shot - compressed into one screen. Literally. If your message doesn’t fit on one phone screen, it’s too long. So here’s what I learned from sending cold emails and LinkedIn messages to expand my investor reach, what worked, what got ignored, and what actually got meetings.   1. Investors Don’t Owe You Attention They’re not being rude. They’re overwhelmed. Hundreds of emails. Decks. Pitches. They scan fast. So your message needs to be: Clear Relevant Personal And it has to earn attention in the first few seconds.   2. Before You Write: Do Your Homework Don’t send the same message to 50 investors. Find those who invest in your stage and sector. Mention something real: a deal they did, an article they wrote, or a thesis they shared. Respect their time, don’t ask for a favor, offer an opportunity. Your message should say: “This is relevant to you. Here’s why.”   3. The Message Format That Worked for Me   Subject line: “Climate SaaS | 40% MoM Growth | Seed | Poland” Make it clear, specific, and relevant. No clickbait.   The body (fits on one phone screen): Hi [Name],   I saw your investments in [X] and [Y], and I think our company aligns with your focus on [theme].   We’re building [1-liner: what your product does + who it’s for].   In the last 6 months: • $35K MRR, growing 40% MoM  • Pilot with [notable partner]  • Team: ex-[company], ex-[company]   We’re raising a seed round and would love to share more.  Can we set up a call next week?   Thanks,  [Your Name]  [Startup Name]  [Link to deck]   ✅ No jargon ✅ Clear traction ✅ Polite, confident ask ✅ One link, no attachments 4. Email > LinkedIn (Most of the Time) Most investors don’t want cold pitches via LinkedIn. Use it for: Research Building light touchpoints (comments, likes) Finding their email If you do message via LinkedIn: Keep it even shorter Don’t pitch, ask to move the convo to email   5. Follow-Up the Right Way No reply? Follow up once or twice, 5–7 days apart. Keep it short and add value (new traction, milestone, etc.). Don’t chase. Be persistent, not annoying.   6. What Gets Ignored (Learn This Once) ❌ Long paragraphs ❌ Generic intros (“Dear Investor”) ❌ No metrics ❌ Asking for money in message one ❌ Sounding desperate ❌ Saying “we have no competitors”   If you want a reply, make it easy to say yes. When I reached out beyond my network, many emails got ignored. If you’re in the same spot, don’t overthink it. Just make it short, clear, and worth reading. Fit it on one phone screen. If you've been successful on closing deals via cold-reach out, I’d love to get your tips on this and share with other founders that are raising money right now.

This cold email brought in over $10k from just one client. Here’s the exact template and why it’s so effective. The email I sent: "Hey Conor, I have been an avid admirer of Hoek Home's impressive design aesthetic and products (especially the Hoek Home Office Desk), and I’m eagerly anticipating your upcoming collection drop in September. As a skilled CGI artist, I believe I can be of great benefit to Hoek Home. My expertise lies in crafting high-end visuals that captivate and engage audiences. Recently, I completed a successful furniture visualization project for the Shell Table by renowned designer Deniz Atkay. I’m confident I can create high-end visuals for your projects too. You can check out my work here: LinkedIn | Behance If this catches your interest, feel free to reply or book a discovery call here: [Calendly Link]. Best regards, Ajibola." Why did it work? 1. Personalization: I made sure to reference specific products and upcoming events. This shows I did my research and care about their brand. 2. Value Proposition: I didn’t just talk about my skills—I connected them to how I could help their business thrive. Relevant and tailored. 3. Social Proof: Mentioning my recent project with another high-end brand added credibility and trust to the email. 4. Clear CTA: I made it easy for them to take action, whether it was replying to the email or booking a call directly via Calendly. Why this email formula works: Personalize it to the client. Highlight your value by referencing previous results. End with a clear call to action to make responding effortless. Cold emails don’t have to feel cold! Make it personal, provide value, and you could land your next 5-figure client too. P.S. Want a copy of this template for your own outreach? Let me know in the comments. #coldemail #clientacquisition #businessgrowth #CGI #freelancelife #marketingtips

After writing cold emails for 2000+ businesses and booking 1000s of sales calls, I'm sharing my best copy tips to help you book more meetings: 1. Keep it short Your emails shouldn't require any work or over-thinking from the prospect. Keep it to 50 words or less - if they can't read it in ~5 seconds, you've already lost them. 2. Relevancy and specificity "I help watch brands in the UK" will always outperform "I help brands." The market needs to see real value, not generic statements. 3. Switch up your CTAs Skip the boring "hop on a call" pitch. Instead: "Mind if I send a 2-minute Loom explaining how we do this?" "Worth a chat to go over how you can achieve something similar?" 4. The 2:1 rule For every 1 thing you say about yourself, say 2 things about your prospect. People are naturally selfish - they care more about what you can do for them. 5. Focus on getting replies first Cold email is NOT for closing deals.  Your goal is to kick start a conversation and take your prospect from cold to warm then book a call. 6. Benefits over services Don't pitch Facebook ads - pitch the 55% increase in website conversions you delivered for your last client. 7. Stand out from competitors If everyone's pitching "more sales" with influencer marketing, position yourself as "making you go viral." 8. Keep your sequence flowing Your follow-ups should build on previous emails. Keep your offer and messaging consistent throughout.

Tired of sending cold emails that lead to zero meetings? Here’s a mash-up of two proven frameworks to help you craft emails that actually get replies: 1. Personalize from the Start Reference a podcast appearance, recent press, or industry news. Show them you’ve done your homework—keep it short and relevant. 2. Spark Curiosity with a Question Highlight an immediate pain or challenge (“What are you doing to onboard new hires in 30 days?”). Mention a relevant case study or success story to pique their interest. 3. Provide a Quick Value Statement Show how you’ve helped a similar company achieve real results (e.g., reducing ramp time from 92 days to 32). Keep it data-driven and easy to digest—no 200-word monologues. 4. Keep It About Them Remove formalities, jargon, and endless product talk. Focus on their goals, their pain points, and their success. 5. End with a Single CTA A simple “Is it worth exploring more?” or “Open to learning more?” works wonders. If they open the email but don’t respond, follow up the next day—consider adding a short, personalized video. Bottom Line: Cut the fluff. Go straight to the trigger. Make it about the prospect. And keep it super short. You’ll be surprised how many more meetings you can book by simply ditching the old, confusing, salesy language and focusing on clear, concise, personalized outreach. What’s your top tip for writing cold emails that get replies? Drop it below!