We have an inbound contact form where entrepreneurs can submit questions and requests for funding. As I have written before, we see good cold outreach as well as bad submissions. Here are a few more recent examples of some things you should avoid as an entrepreneur when reaching out to investors.

Zero time spent tuning message

It takes <30 seconds to add some level of personalization: our firm name, how their business aligns with our thesis, they are local to Atlanta, etc. Most forms we receive do not. This is an easy way to stand out from the noise.

Not a company email

When an entrepreneur asks for funding with a personal email (i.e. gmail), it questions why they have not felt convicted enough about their idea to get a domain for their business. Even worse if the personal email is AOL or Hotmail : )

Stealth mode

There are very few instances where being in stealth mode is actually helpful. It usually delays the learnings and feedback required early on to pivot your business into the right solution. Somebody somewhere else in the world has the same idea; it is all about execution.

Overused buzzwords

When I read self described words like “innovative” or “disruptive”, or comments like “we have no competition” that raises red flags. Choose your words carefully.

Require NDAs

For reasons previously mentioned, most VCs can’t sign NDAs. If you are asking for one that is an immediate pass.

Generic AI automation or templated without thought

I am seeing way more “poor AI personalized” outreaches that are following logical templates to make it seem personalized, but miss the mark. For example, it may reference I saw you invested in Company X so we thought this might be a good fit. In reality, Company X was an investment 10 years ago in a totally different space. Or I see you invest in [insert thesis] that actually has nothing to do with our thesis. It is best to reality check the tools you are using.

I still read every inbound form that comes through our website, but only respond to ones that show a level of effort and a genuine desire to learn and be supported versus just wanting money.