Last week, we wrote about the art of the elevator pitch, that short and hopefully impactful speech one should be prepared to give. But face-to-face interactions aren't always possible, and even though they may be preferable, it's important to practice the written form of the pitch as well.
Investors (and tech bloggers, I would add) are inundated with emails. As with an elevator speech, you need to craft your email to attract and hold your reader's attention.
Here are a few tips.
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1. The subject line matters. Don't leave this blank, and don't write something vague like "introduction" or "pitch" or "idea" in the subject line. At least include your company name, but better yet include something that makes the email seem interesting to read.
2. Introduce yourself. Personalized emails go a lot farther than those sent from the marketing department. While attachments like resumes and press releases are sometimes appropriate, you should give a quick introduction to yourself at the beginning of an email. Your introduction should include the key details: who you are and why the recipient should know you.
3. Know your audience. Demonstrate some evidence in your email that you know who the recipient is. Make sure you are targeting the right person with the right message.
4. Pictures say a thousand words. If possible, include images and videos. These can help the recipient quickly assess your product or service. Be respectful of file size limitations.
5. Make it easy to reach you. Every email should contain a signature. And every signature should include all the possible ways to reach you: phone number, email address, Twitter account, Skype name, and so on. You need to be a click away.
6. Make it happen. Don't just send emails with vague discussion about potential follow-up. Propose a follow-up. Arrange a meeting time and place.
As with the elevator speech, it is important to be yourself. Remember to be respectful, even though the interaction isn't "in person."
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