The key to a successful raise is managing momentum.  The faster the investments come in, the more new investors will want to invest.  Well-managed rounds raise 30% of their total funding in the first week and 30% in the last week.  

The most important thing you can do is to plan a big first day.  That "pop" can spark the entire raise.  

Prepare a list of all the people who love what you are doing.  Do you have any friends?  Ask them to get ready. Have a mailing list of customers?  Write an authentic personal email to them.  Is this press-worthy?  Don't hire a PR firm – instead, write personal emails to reporters who cover similar topics. 

It's also good to plan to start your raise when you know you'll have a bunch of newsworthy updates coming out. Expect to sign up a key client soon? That'll be a great update to share with potential investors in week #2.

Head over to our fundraising playbook for more tips.