⏱️Quick Win: The 3-Email Investor Follow-Up Sequence
The exact template sequence that keeps investors engaged without being pushy
Hey there,
Cold emailing investors is brutal. You spend hours drafting the perfect pitch, hit send, and then... crickets.
When I first started fundraising for Mane Hook-Up, my investor emails were getting ignored. Generic subject lines about “fundraising” or “investment opportunity” went straight to the trash. I was doing everything the traditional way and getting nowhere.
Then I completely changed my approach. I created a 3-email automated sequence that balanced storytelling with hard stats, sent every 10 days, and tracked everything in my CRM.
The results?
📧 50% average open rate
🖱️ 11% average click-through rate
↩️ Over 300 replies from investors
😊 Several investors replied just to say it was a good email (even when they couldn’t invest!)
Here’s the exact sequence I used and how you can replicate it for your fundraise.
The Problem with Traditional Investor Outreach
Before this sequence, I was sending generic emails with subject lines focused on “raising capital” or “seeking investment.” Investors see hundreds of these every week - they all blur together.
I wasn’t being pushy enough to follow up, but I also wasn’t offering enough value to make investors care. The emails were all about what I needed, not what made my business interesting.
The 3-Email Sequence That Changed Everything
This isn’t about being aggressive. It’s about being consistent, valuable, and clear. Each email serves a specific purpose, and the 10-day gap gives investors time to respond without feeling harassed.
Email 1: The Industry Hook (Day 1)
Purpose: Lead with the market opportunity, not your fundraising need.
Subject line that worked best: “The black hair industry is still relying on word of mouth”
The template:
Hi [first name],
I know you get a lot of these emails, so I’ll make this quick. I’m [name], Founder of [company], a platform/business that [explain what your product does in one sentence].
Since launching in [year or market area], we’ve been [add your most impressive achievement here].
Here are some stats about us and the industry:
* [industry name] industry is worth over $X billion
* X% of our traffic/customers are coming from [source]
* X partnerships with credible [industry] brands
Right now, we’re raising an investment round and aim to work with Angels/VCs who truly understand the problem we’re solving and (most importantly) want to [insert your mission statement]. Given your experience, we’d like to know if [company] is the kind of product you would be interested in.
I’d love to have a 10-15 minute intro call with you to shed some light on our work and see if you think we’re a good fit for each other. Here’s a link to our deck for more info: [insert link]
Let me know if you’re happy to have a call in the next few weeks to discuss this more.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
[Founder name]
Why it works: You’re leading with the industry problem and opportunity, not with “I need money.” The stats make it concrete, and the mission statement filters for investors who actually care about your space.
Email 2: The Customer Problem (Day 11)
Purpose: Reframe the opportunity through your customer’s pain point.
The template:
Hi [first name],
I’m [name], Founder of [company]. We’re a platform that helps [explain who you serve and why].
Here are some quick facts:
* [industry name] industry is worth over $X billion
* Customers [explain how they currently solve their problem and why it’s inefficient]
* People spend an average of X amount on their current solution
Our endgame is to become a global solution that [insert your mission statement]. I’m raising an investment round to get [company name] to the next level which includes [insert your top 1-2 goals]. Given your experience, we’d like to know if [company name] is the kind of product you would be interested in.
Would you be open to having an introductory conversation? I’d be happy to connect.
Best,
[Founder name]
P.S. Here’s a link to our deck for more info. [insert link to deck]
Why it works: This email takes a different angle - focusing on the customer experience and what’s broken in the current solution. It shows you understand your market deeply.
Email 3: The Momentum Follow-Up (Day 21)
Purpose: Demonstrate progress and create urgency without being desperate.
The template:
Hi [first name],
Just following up on my last email - I’m [name], Founder of [company] - a platform/service that [explain what you do in one sentence].
[Company] is a platform/service that helps [customer type] to [explain problem/solution]. We offer them everything from [mention 2-3 product features or services] which allows them to [insert key outcome that your customers achieve].
We have spent time [insert two core objectives], and now [insert your current focus]. As such, we are raising outside capital for the first time and feel that we could be a good fit for each other.
Are you free for a call sometime next week? Here’s a link to our deck with more info.
Best,
[Founder name]
Why it works: You’re showing momentum and progress. This isn’t “please respond,” it’s “we’re moving forward with or without you - want to join?”
How to Set This Up
Step 1: Build your investor list I paid researchers who had access to platforms like Crunchbase to gather investor details that matched my criteria. Focus on investors who are actively investing NOW in your stage and sector.
Step 2: Segment by region I segmented my list by location (UK, USA, Canada) to track which regions were most interested. This helped me understand where to focus my energy.
Step 3: Use a CRM with automation I used Wobaka to automate the sequence. The system sent emails automatically every 10 days and only removed investors from the sequence once they replied. This meant I could reach hundreds of investors without manually tracking each conversation.
Step 4: Let it run The automation sent 8-9 emails total per investor. If someone didn’t respond after that, they weren’t interested.
What Makes This Different
Balance of story and stats: Generic fundraising emails are either all narrative or all numbers. Mine combined both - the industry stats gave credibility, while the mission and customer problem created emotional connection.
Value over ask: Each email offered investors insight into an industry opportunity, not just “I need money.”
Persistence without pushiness: The 10-day gap and automated follow-ups meant I stayed visible without being annoying.
Quality subject lines: “The black hair industry is still relying on word of mouth” worked because it highlighted a problem, not a pitch.
Your Quick Start
This week:
Identify 50 investors who are actively investing in your stage and sector
Adapt the 3 email templates above with your company stats and story
Set up a simple CRM (Wobaka, HubSpot, or even a spreadsheet with reminders)
Your timeline:
Day 1: Send Email 1 to your first batch of investors
Day 11: Automated Email 2 goes out to non-responders
Day 21: Automated Email 3 goes out to non-responders
Day 30: Review your open rates, replies, and adjust your messaging
The key is consistency and automation. You can’t manually track hundreds of investors - let the system work for you.
Try this sequence and let me know your open rates! I’m curious how it performs in different industries.
Ciao for now, — Jade
P.S. Want my full Wobaka setup guide and investor tracking spreadsheet? Just reply and I’ll send it over.