If you're an emerging manager, there's a hard truth to accept early on: no one's going to do the work for you.
Fundraising isn't just about who you know. It's about showing up, staying consistent, and doing the little things well, over and over again.
In a crowded market, cold outreach (especially by email) is often the only free, scalable lever you can pull to get on a prospect's radar.
But here's the thing: almost everyone does it wrong.
Whether it's emails that read like templates or vague asks that put the burden on the allocator, most outreach misses the mark.
In this article we’re reviewing the top 10 cold email best practices that emerging managers can apply immediately to sharpen their process, improve results, and build long-term momentum.
1. Be Human. Full Stop.
Allocators are flooded with outreach that sounds AI-written or too polished to be real. If your email reads like it was crafted by a bot, you're likely going straight to the “deleted” folder. Or worse, a block list.
Your voice is your advantage. Don’t hide it behind corporate speak or perfect grammar. Authenticity wins. Always.
2. Personalization Is the Price of Admission
This is a one-to-one business. A templated, generic email won’t cut it. Show that you’ve done your homework. Reference a recent podcast they were on, a panel they spoke at, even where they went to school.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be real.
3. Your Subject Line Should Say Exactly What You Want
Allocators aren’t mind readers. Use your subject line to clearly state your intent, like:
“Meeting Request – May 14 at 3PM (Boston)”
No clickbait. No clever puns. Just clarity.
4. Nail the Body: One or Two Sentences Max
Your opening line should cover three things:
- Who you are
- What you do
- Why it matters
Then, include one clear ask. If it takes more than two sentences to get there, tighten it up. Respect their time.
5. Don’t Make Them Do the Work
Never say: “I’ll be in New York the week of May 14, let me know what works for you.” You’ve just handed them your job.
Instead, say: “I’ll be in New York on May 14. Can you meet at 3PM?”
You’ve done the thinking for them. That shows consideration, and it helps your email stand out.
6. You’re Building a Brand, Not Just Booking a Meeting
Even if you don’t get a reply, a thoughtful cold email builds awareness.
Allocators often save emails in folders by strategy or asset class. That message you sent? It might resurface in six months when the timing’s right.
Play the long game. Every touchpoint matters.
7. City Scheduling: Five Cities, Five Time Slots
The best fundraisers keep a rhythm. Target five cities at once. Fill five daily time slots (9:00, 11:00, 1:00, 3:00, 4:30). That’s 25 meetings on deck.
As soon as one city wraps, start working the next. Don’t wait until your calendar is empty. Cold outreach works best when it’s continuous, not reactive.
8. Treat Outreach Like a Craft
This isn’t about blasting 500 emails. It’s about learning what works and what doesn’t.
Track your subject lines. Test your tone. Adjust your ask.
If you sent 50 emails and didn’t get a single meeting, don’t give up. Get better.
9. Combine Cold Outreach with Quarterly Webinars
Cold emails don’t just need to ask for time, they can offer value.
Hosting a quarterly webinar gives you a reason to reach out with something useful. For example:
“Hey [Name], just hosted our Q3 update. Thought this recap might be helpful.”
Always include:
- The replay
- A transcript
- 5 key takeaways
You’re making their life easier and positioning yourself as someone worth paying attention to.
10. Think in Years, Not Quarters
Great fundraising isn’t about this month, it’s about what your pipeline looks like next year.
Track everything. Measure coverage across firms and cities. Build a system that helps you see not just where you’ve been, but where you’re going.
The most successful managers track more than capital. They track relationships, conversations, and brand exposure over time.
Why This Matters – And How Dakota Can Help
As an emerging manager, you may not have the brand recognition or internal resources that larger firms enjoy.
But what you do have is hustle. Focus. And the ability to connect with allocators on a personal level, one thoughtful email at a time.
When done right, cold outreach isn’t just about booking meetings. It’s a long-term strategy to build awareness, establish credibility, and create momentum that compounds over time.
At Dakota, we built Dakota Marketplace specifically to help emerging managers like you scale that effort.
With access to thousands of verified allocator contacts, and powerful targeting tools, you can stop guessing who to email and start reaching the right people, faster.
If you’re ready to scale your cold outreach with precision and purpose, book a demo of Dakota Marketplace. We’ll show you how to turn smart strategy into real momentum.
