You found a startup you're genuinely excited about. You hit pitch — and now you have a blank text box staring back at you. What you write in the next five minutes will determine whether the founder responds or moves on.
Here's what actually works.
Lead with specific interest, not a generic intro
The worst first messages start with "Hi, I'm a growth marketer with 5 years of experience..." The founder doesn't care about your CV yet. They want to know why their startup caught your attention.
One sentence about what specifically interested you — the problem, the approach, the market — signals that you actually read their listing. That alone puts you ahead of 80% of pitches.
Show relevant evidence, briefly
Pick one thing you've done that's directly relevant to what they need. Not a list — one thing. "I grew a SaaS newsletter from 0 to 12k subscribers in 6 months using organic LinkedIn" is more compelling than a paragraph about your background.
Link to something real if you can: a case study, a campaign, a product you helped grow. Founders are pattern-matching for credibility fast.
Be clear about what you're looking for
Founders are trying to figure out if you're aligned before investing time in a conversation. State your preference clearly — equity, paid, or both. You don't need to lock it in, but vagueness makes you feel like a time sink.
End with a specific next step
Don't close with "let me know if you're interested." Close with something that makes it easy to say yes: "Happy to jump on a 20-minute call this week — does Thursday or Friday work?" or "I put together a quick audit of your current SEO — want me to share it?"
The best first messages are short, specific, and give the founder a reason to reply immediately. Aim for under 150 words.