How to Write an Investor Update Email for Startups - Template Included

Arm Investors with Actionable Information

Good investors are a startup’s most valuable resource. Keep your investors well informed and give them all to details so they can brag about your company with other potential investors, customers, and acquirers.

Never Miss an Update

The best way to keep them updated is an email sent out on a regular basis - either monthly for major investor or quarterly for smaller investors or angels. Pre-Seed to Series A companies may also opt for monthly updates and later stage startups from Series B onward can transition to quarterly updates. In either case you want to make sure that your updates are predictable.

Don’t Reply All

Never send out your updates as a bulk email with a list of investor on CC (carbon copy) or BCC (blind carbon copy). Always send each update individually. This is for two reasons: 1) you don’t want an investor to “reply all” and spam your other investors with questions or comments that they don’t care about. 2) Your are communication potentially sensitive or confidential information and more conservative investors may see a bulk email as careless.

No Surprises

Never surprise investors in an email update. If need to share negative or troubling news reach out to your investors via phone or Zoom before you send out the update email.

Ready to start sending update? Download the fully editable investor update email template here.

Psychology-Backed Interview Tips to Help Land a Job Offer

If you’re hunting for a remote job there are four psychology-back tips you can incorporate into your interview strategy and increase your chances of getting a job offer.

1. Gesticulate

Keep your hands above the table and gesture as much as you can, without being unnatural or forced. Seeing an open palm makes people like and trust you more. This is an evolutionary thing and people aren’t even conscious of it. If you’re on zoom you may have to sit further back to get in the frame. Either way, sitting with your hand in your lap under the desk looks weird, so try to avoid that if you can remember.

2. A Warm Culture Fit

Start the interview by saying why the company would be a great place to work. This signals to the interviewer that you are a culture fit, even if they don’t know anything about you. It also shows that you know something about the company. Research has shown that comments like this show warmth which people automatically favor.

3. Color Psychology

Wear a blue shirt or dress. Stats show that people are more likely to get hired when wearing blue because blue is associated with being trustworthy, tranquil, or calm. If you are already a digital nomad and interviewing via video chat, just make sure that your background isn’t also blue or you’ll blend in. Not feeling blue? Optimal apparel colors vary by industry, check out a more detailed breakdown here.

4. Neurolinguistic Programming

Finally the Jedi mind trick. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, ask: “In a year from now how will you know that you have hired the right candidate for this role?” The interview will then go on to (hopefully) list key success factors and those success factors are now subconsciously associated with you.

5. Read the Job Description

This last one isn’t psychology, but just good practice. Before going into an interview, in-person or over Zoom, re-read the JD to make sure you haven’t missed anything and don’t ask questions that you should know the answer to.