How One Idea Led To A Video And Inspired A Cold Email

The art of finding the right people to connect with isn't an arbitrary process. It's a craft, a fusion of instinct, expertise, and a dash of luck.

Today, I'll share with you a behind-the-scenes look into how I discovered Nisha Dua, the focus of one of my recent cold email.

The Discovery

In my line of work, I interact with - marketing agency owners, coaches, you name it.

But lately, I've been musing over a new thought - can venture capitalists (VCs) and private equity consultants also capitalize on the benefits of personal branding?

Can they, through my ghostwriting service, draw in the coveted inbound deal flow?

To test this hypothesis, I needed to get down to the brass tacks. So, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the sea of content YouTube had to offer.

One video that stood out was a webinar by Charlie O'Donnell. This wasn't recent, mind you. It was a good three to four years back, right around when COVID was making headlines.

In that webinar, Charlie had an engaging conversation with a certain 'Nisha', among other guests.

The core of their conversation focused on 'Deal Flow' and how a personal brand can influence it. Of course, Nisha was in complete agreement - having a solid personal brand can definitely attract deals.

She shared her own experience when she co-founded BBG Ventures along with Susan Lyne. Susan, with her pedigreed background, was already a recognized name in the industry.

As a result, in the early days of BBG Ventures, it was Susan's brand that pulled in more deals into their pipeline. Her brand, her name, her reputation built trust, which inevitably attracted deals.

And with this, I delved into more research on her.

The Findings

I found myself on a bit of a digital field trip, taking a deeper look at Nisha’s LinkedIn.

Now, here's the thing - not everyone is a LinkedIn power user, and that's okay.

Nisha, for instance, doesn't seem to spend much time on the platform. Susan, on the other hand, is a tad more active.

I love a good investigation, and so, I dug deeper. I unearthed an interview Nisha gave to Bloomberg just last month.

The topic? The art of building a brand and creating engaging content.

So I used this piece of information to then craft a cold-email.

The Cold Email

Breaking down the cold email, line by line.

Subject line: Charlie O'Donnell.

Curiously odd? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Our inboxes are a battlefield of attention.

I chose Charlie O'Donnell as the subject line because it's uncommon. It's not a "Hey!" or "Quick Question" that's likely to get lost in the whirlwind of other emails.

Plus, I was confident that she still remembers Charlie, making it even more likely for her to click.

Connecting the dots is equally crucial.

The subject line isn't just a bait; it's a promise that the content of the email will deliver on. In this case, I had to ensure that the email tied back to Charlie O'Donnell.

Starting off, we've got: “Hi Nisha. I want to test a hypothesis: VCs can generate inbound deal flow through their personal brand. I recently watched your interview with Charlie from two years ago.”

Now, a couple of things jump out here. Firstly, I'm making it clear I'm not here to sell something. I'm on a quest. A quest to validate a concept, a hypothesis. And that kind of curiosity can be infectious.

Secondly, I'm showing I've done my homework. I'm not just spamming every VC on the block with the same email.

I've watched Nisha's content, I've seen her interview with Charlie, and it's sparked something that I want to explore further.

Remember, people want to feel seen, heard, and valued. And the first few lines of this email do that. It's not about me. It's about Nisha, her ideas, and how they've contributed to my thinking.

The second line reads as follows: "You mentioned how BBG Ventures leveraged Susan's personal brand to generate deal flow during its early days."

Why is this important? Well, it's been a couple of years since that webinar took place and I want to ensure Nisha vividly recalls the context of our discussion.

"Since that interview, I've noticed Susan continues to be active on social media and TV, like her Bloomberg interview last month." This line is a subtle nudge - letting Nisha know that I've tracked Susan's digital footprint, followed her TV appearances, and kept an eye on her social media interactions.

Then, I take my shot: "However, I believe there's still untapped potential in further developing personal brands at BBG Ventures, including yours." 

I'm challenging the status quo here, suggesting that despite their already noticeable presence, there's room to grow.

Justifying my claim, I echo Nisha's sentiments from the video, "Given the importance of personal branding, BBG Ventures could benefit significantly from enhancing your and your co-founders visibility. It would not only strengthen your brand but also attract more inbound leads from founders and industries that matter to you.”

All of this information, all these ideas, they're not plucked out of thin air. They're distilled from that one and a half hour webinar that I stumbled upon on YouTube.

In essence, I've illuminated Nisha's own insights, repackaged them, and bounced them back.

At the end of my note, I propose a potential collaboration: "I'd love to explore how we could work together to build and grow your personal brands. Looking forward to your thoughts." 

It's not a hard sell, just a nudge.

My research has shown me that Nisha is aware of the potential in personal branding, but perhaps she hasn't taken the leap just yet. I'm not pushing for a sale, I'm simply offering a reminder of the possibilities.

And then I sign off.

But wait, there's a PS.

In this postscript, I say: “All my clients are women founders (happy to set up reference calls. But no one is a black belt or an aunt to five nieces!” 

Why include this? Because research counts.

I know that Nisha's company, BBG Ventures, invests predominantly in female-led companies. I want to show her that I understand her world.

Dig a little deeper and you'll find that Nisha is a black belt.

She's also an aunt to five nieces.

These unique, personal touches show that I've done more than just a cursory Google search. I've taken the time to understand who Nisha is, both professionally and personally.

That's what a great cold email is - a well-researched, personalized pitch that feels like it's speaking directly to the reader.

And most importantly, it's not pushy. It simply opens a door for a potential conversation.

Conclusion

To reflect on the email I just penned down, two things stand out.

First, the way I approach hypotheses testing and research.

Second, my strategic approach in dealing with potential prospects.

Now, why am I sharing this with you?

I hope it serves as a blueprint to help you navigate your own prospect research.

Remember, it's not just about finding a prospect, but also about understanding them, their needs, their pain points. It's about finding the right angle to approach them.

With Nisha, my journey doesn't end with this email.

I've got a follow-up planned for a week from now. The goal is to keep the conversation going, to keep the connection alive.

So, let's take this as a learning experience, not just for me, but for all of us.

May this guide you in your quest for better prospecting and may we all learn from each other's experiences.

Cheers!

Message From Kabir…

Hey reader!

I'm Kabir Krishn, the founder of upTalkk. I believe that Cold email provides the most asymmetric edge one can have.

Every week, I pen countless cold emails, each a stepping stone towards connection, growth and success.

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