How to Engage with Investors
Fundraising is hard enough without you shooting yourself in the foot. Here’s a no-nonsense guide to help you stand out (for the right reasons) and avoid classic blunders that make investors roll their eyes.
Do your research
Not all money is good money. Target investors who actually understand your sector and stage. Pitching your deep-tech startup to someone who only backs DTC skincare? Waste of time for everyone. Read up on their portfolio. Show them you did your homework — it’s basic respect.
Be intentional about outreach
Mass-blasting every investor email you can find is not a strategy, it’s spam. Be selective. Craft tailored messages. Warm intros are gold, but even cold emails should prove you know who you’re talking to and why. It’s about quality over quantity. Investors will notice.
Build a relationship, not a transaction
An investor isn’t an ATM. They’re signing up for years with you. Treat it like building a long-term partnership, not grabbing a quick cheque.
I spoke to a HNWI last week who told me he’s constantly treated like a bag of money. Founders pitch him without ever caring who he is or what else he brings to the table. The truth? He has loads more to offer — advice, experience, doors he can open that money alone can’t.
Investors are humans first. If all you care about is cash, they’ll sense it instantly. Even if someone says no now, they might fund your next round or introduce you to the right people — if you bothered to build trust and actually connect.
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Know your numbers
Nothing kills confidence faster than a founder who can’t rattle off their burn, runway, CAC, or projections. Investors don’t expect you to have all the answers memorized, but you damn well better understand your business basics. “I’ll get back to you” is fine once. Not every time.
Only raise what you need
More money sounds sexy, until it bloats your cap table or pressures you to scale too fast. Figure out exactly what gets you to your next milestone, add a buffer, and raise that. Investors respect discipline. Plus, smaller raises often mean less dilution — and fewer headaches later.
Manage your emotions
Fundraising is a rollercoaster. One minute you’re sure someone’s in, next minute they ghost. Stay steady. Don’t let desperation or arrogance leak out. Investors test resilience — if you freak out under mild pressure, why would they trust you to steer a business through chaos?
Be authentic
Investors have killer BS detectors. If you’re trying to act like someone you’re not, they’ll see right through it. Be yourself. Share your excitement. Admit what you don’t know. This is a potential multi-year relationship; better to be real than to fake it and exhaust everyone.
Deliver on promises
Say you’ll send a deck by tomorrow? Do it. Tiny follow-ups matter. Investors judge reliability from the smallest signals. A founder who follows through builds trust. A founder who ghosted on a promised email? Dead to them.
Avoid NDAs and patent rants
Stop asking investors to sign NDAs. They won’t. It signals you’re green and paranoid. Also, don’t lead by bragging about patents — they care more about your execution and traction. Save the IP deep dives for due diligence once they’re serious.
Expect “no” and move on
Rejection is part of the game. Most investors will pass for reasons that have nothing to do with you. Don’t take it personally. Don’t get defensive. Just keep going. Fundraising is largely a numbers game — you don’t need everyone to say yes, just a few of the right ones.
Don’t play investors off each other
Trying to manufacture FOMO by bluffing about other offers? Be careful. Investors talk. If they catch you stretching the truth, you’re toast. Be transparent about where you’re at. Creating urgency is good — but manipulating people is a fast way to burn bridges.
Be honest
Seems obvious, but too many founders fudge numbers or hide risks thinking it’ll help. It doesn’t. If they catch you lying — and they will — it’s over. They’d rather back a founder who’s upfront about problems and shows they’re working on them.
Call out bad behavior
Some investors are jerks. If someone crosses a line, trust your gut. Money’s never worth tolerating harassment or shady dealings. There are plenty of good investors out there who’ll respect you. Hold out for them.
Bottom line
Treat fundraising like building long-term relationships, not scoring quick wins. Be prepared, be yourself, stay honest, and don’t let the ups and downs mess with your head. Do that, and you’ll be ahead of most founders fumbling their way through.
✅ If you found this helpful, share it or forward to a founder friend who needs a wake-up call.
It’s time for a POLL (👉 Vote now — we’ll share the results in next week’s issue. All votes are anonymous)😀
Be honest — which of these fundraising mistakes have you been guilty of (even just a little)?
INDUSTRY PULSE 🩺
(Last week’s poll results)
👉 Have you ever been targeted by a scam or shady operator while fundraising?
REQUEST BOARD 📣
Alan Law from TheChineseWriter is looking for a technical co-founder that is good with web coding and design. In London or nearby Basingstoke. DM him [email protected]
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