Communicating with companies in the deal room
Topics in this article:
How can I communicate with companies that are in my deal room?
How can I send an email to multiple companies at once?
How can I see emails I have sent to companies through Dealum?
How can I create, edit, and use templates for sending emails and discussion messages?
How can I notify companies about moving them to the next/another funnel step?
How to make companies’ contact info visible to deal room members?
What is the 'Request more info' action for?
Should I use "Application discussion", "Email" or "Request more info"?
There are two options on Dealum for getting in touch with startups:
Sending an email
You can send the email either in funnel view or in application view.
In funnel view, click on the triangle on the right side and select "Send email to company":
In application view, click on the blue button "All actions" and select "Send email to company":
You will receive replies on your personal email address that you have entered to your Personal settings (unless it is configured differently in deal room Settings).
Please note that you cannot send emails to companies who:
have not finished their application (it’s a draft)
have been added to the funnel but have not been invited to the deal room
have been invited but have not yet accepted the invite
have revoked access to their profile updates
If you select any of such companies, the ‘Send email’ button will not appear. You can avoid it by using the status filter and filtering out companies whom it is not possible to email.
You can learn more about sending emails to companies from this video.
The minimal member access rights to be able to send emails:
Groups setup > Steps access > group has access to the step application is in
Groups setup > Companies access > Full edit access
Using Application discussion in Dealum
"Discuss with company" is available in the same views in funnel and application as "Send email to company":
You can also send a message via Application discussion to multiple companies at once. For that:
multi-select applications of relevant companies
open the Actions menu that appears at the top of the funnel
choose "Discuss with company"
write your message (you can use a template if you wish)
click "Send"
Your message will be delivered to each company via their individual Application discussion.
Members are notified about new messages from companies only when they are following the application (unless notifications about new Application discussion messages have been disabled by the deal room or the member). The company’s primary contact always receives Application discussion messages (with full content) in their email as well. Admins can send the discussion message via email to other company team members too by turning on “Email everyone” in the extra menu (indicated by three dots). Company members still have to log in to the platform to respond to the messages.
Members can also mention other members in messages they send in the Application discussion by using "@" as long as they have access to the member they want to mention in the deal room's members list. If the mentioned member has access to the discussion they were mentioned in, they will be notified about it, despite whether they are following the specific company application or not.
The minimal member access rights to be able to send Application discussion messages companies:
Groups setup > Steps access > group has access to the step application is in
Groups setup > Companies access > View and communicate
If you move your cursor on a company's logo in the list view, it turns into a checkbox. Select at least one application to reveal the "Actions" menu and "Select all" checkbox.
You can continue to select the companies manually, or you can use the Select all checkbox. After you are done with the selection process, just click on "Actions" and select "Send email to company".
To see emails that you have sent to a specific company through Dealum, open the 'All actions' menu of that company in your deal room and choose 'View activity log'. In activity log, all emails sent to that company by you and other deal room members are visible.
Deal room administrators (deal room members with full settings access) can create and save templates that can be used for sending emails and discussion messages to companies in the deal room:
To create templates, follow these steps:
Go to deal room Settings
Go to Preferences
Scroll down to "Communication" section
Click on "Add template"
Fill in the required fields
Click "OK"
Click "Save"
Make sure to select that the template is for communicating with company, as this regulates where the template is available for selection. You can later change the template in the same section by clicking on the name of the template that you want to edit.
When choosing to use a template, you can still make changes or add text to the email/discussion message. These changes will be applied only to the email/message you're currently sending and will not alter the template itself.
Companies do not receive any notifications (or information in another way) about how or when their application moves through your funnel steps. However, if you would like to inform the company of reaching a certain checkpoint in your process, you can set up triggers for emails or in-app discussion messages.
Email or discussion message triggers can be optional or required and will pop up when application is being moved to a step with a trigger:
To set up the email or discussion message trigger, follow these steps:
Go to Funnel setup
Find the step you want to add the trigger to
Click on the three dots on that step
In the opened dropdown click on Triggers
Select if your trigger is Required or Optional
Click "OK"
Click "Save"
If either "Optional" or "Required" is selected, the email or discussion message window will pop up upon moving the application. If the Triggers are set to be "Off", the email pop up will not happen. You will still be able to manually send the same templated email or discussion message.
When "Required" is selected, the application cannot be moved to that step without sending an email/discussion message. The email itself can be selected from a template or written from scratch.
If you'd like to have the correct template chosen for you (instead of having to manually choose the template), you will need to name the template after the funnel step.
You will need to use the format "Move to [step name]" for naming the communication template. For example, naming the template "Move to Due Diligence" will automatically select that template when an email or a message is triggered upon moving an application to Due Diligence step. Using such template names allows you to send emails or discussion messages when moving applications in your funnel with one click only.
Please keep in mind that the step name should be written exactly as it is in the funnel.
The email address and phone number of company’s primary contact are visible to members whose company access is "Full edit access"
If you would like to show this information all members with company viewing rights ("View companies" access), you can configure it in your your deal room settings. You can do so by following these steps:
Go to deal room Settings
Go to Preferences
Find "Member access to company contact info" (under "Primary currency")*
Check the "Show company contact info"
Click Save
You can read more about member access here: Managing access of deal room members.
You can use the "Request more info" action in the 'All actions' menu of the application to send an update or access request to the company. These are used for:
Requesting companies to update answers to application questions
Requesting companies to answer newly added application questions
Requesting access to company Reporting data
You will have two options with different outcomes for your Request: Details and Reporting
When you send the Request out with Details selection:
Company will receive email with your request and an additional message
There will be a direct link to the application
Company can change, update and add answers in the application
When you send the Request out with Reporting selection:
Company will receive email with your request and additional message
There will be a direct link to the application
Company can change, update and add answers in the application
Reporting details are added to the application
Upon submitting, company will provide access to their monthly reports
When sending a "Request more info" email, we suggest you include details in the additional message box, e.g. specify which answers need clarification, or that you've added new questions for them to answer, or that you'd like access to their Details or Reporting. Otherwise the company team can feel a bit lost as to what you would like from them.
Request more info is unavailable in the "All actions" menu if the company has revoked your deal room's access to the application.
The difference between using "Application discussion", "Email" and "Request more info" is the email the companies receive.
Companies may have Application discussion notification emails turned off
Sending an email or "Request more info" is not a notification and will go through as an email
The emails you can customize - both from scratch as you are sending it, or as a template
With "Request more info" you can only add some details into additional message and the email itself is not customizable
We suggest you use:
Application discussion for exchanging messages that all members with the permission to communicate with companies should see and keeping the whole communication history in Dealum.
Email for sending companies messages you want to receive a reply to via email (to the address of the email sender or a custom reply-to address configured in your deal room) and messages you want only those who have full edit companies access to have visibility of.
Request more info for gathering more information/data from the company that has already applied and is moving through the process
If you have set up a step-by-step data collection in your deal room, you really should use the 'Request more info' instead of emails, as the link in the email will take the company directly to the application.
How can I communicate with companies that are in my deal room?
How can I send an email to multiple companies at once?
How can I see emails I have sent to companies through Dealum?
How can I create, edit, and use templates for sending emails and discussion messages?
How can I notify companies about moving them to the next/another funnel step?
How to make companies’ contact info visible to deal room members?
What is the 'Request more info' action for?
Should I use "Application discussion", "Email" or "Request more info"?
How can I communicate with companies that are in my deal room?
There are two options on Dealum for getting in touch with startups:
Sending an email
You can send the email either in funnel view or in application view.
In funnel view, click on the triangle on the right side and select "Send email to company":
In application view, click on the blue button "All actions" and select "Send email to company":
You will receive replies on your personal email address that you have entered to your Personal settings (unless it is configured differently in deal room Settings).
Please note that you cannot send emails to companies who:
have not finished their application (it’s a draft)
have been added to the funnel but have not been invited to the deal room
have been invited but have not yet accepted the invite
have revoked access to their profile updates
If you select any of such companies, the ‘Send email’ button will not appear. You can avoid it by using the status filter and filtering out companies whom it is not possible to email.
You can learn more about sending emails to companies from this video.
The minimal member access rights to be able to send emails:
Groups setup > Steps access > group has access to the step application is in
Groups setup > Companies access > Full edit access
Using Application discussion in Dealum
"Discuss with company" is available in the same views in funnel and application as "Send email to company":
You can also send a message via Application discussion to multiple companies at once. For that:
multi-select applications of relevant companies
open the Actions menu that appears at the top of the funnel
choose "Discuss with company"
write your message (you can use a template if you wish)
click "Send"
Your message will be delivered to each company via their individual Application discussion.
Members are notified about new messages from companies only when they are following the application (unless notifications about new Application discussion messages have been disabled by the deal room or the member). The company’s primary contact always receives Application discussion messages (with full content) in their email as well. Admins can send the discussion message via email to other company team members too by turning on “Email everyone” in the extra menu (indicated by three dots). Company members still have to log in to the platform to respond to the messages.
Members can also mention other members in messages they send in the Application discussion by using "@" as long as they have access to the member they want to mention in the deal room's members list. If the mentioned member has access to the discussion they were mentioned in, they will be notified about it, despite whether they are following the specific company application or not.
The minimal member access rights to be able to send Application discussion messages companies:
Groups setup > Steps access > group has access to the step application is in
Groups setup > Companies access > View and communicate
How can I send an email to multiple companies at once?
If you move your cursor on a company's logo in the list view, it turns into a checkbox. Select at least one application to reveal the "Actions" menu and "Select all" checkbox.
You can continue to select the companies manually, or you can use the Select all checkbox. After you are done with the selection process, just click on "Actions" and select "Send email to company".
How can I see emails I have sent to companies through Dealum?
To see emails that you have sent to a specific company through Dealum, open the 'All actions' menu of that company in your deal room and choose 'View activity log'. In activity log, all emails sent to that company by you and other deal room members are visible.
How can I create, edit, and use templates for sending emails and discussion messages?
Deal room administrators (deal room members with full settings access) can create and save templates that can be used for sending emails and discussion messages to companies in the deal room:
To create templates, follow these steps:
Go to deal room Settings
Go to Preferences
Scroll down to "Communication" section
Click on "Add template"
Fill in the required fields
Click "OK"
Click "Save"
Make sure to select that the template is for communicating with company, as this regulates where the template is available for selection. You can later change the template in the same section by clicking on the name of the template that you want to edit.
When choosing to use a template, you can still make changes or add text to the email/discussion message. These changes will be applied only to the email/message you're currently sending and will not alter the template itself.
How can I notify companies about moving them to the next/another funnel step?
Companies do not receive any notifications (or information in another way) about how or when their application moves through your funnel steps. However, if you would like to inform the company of reaching a certain checkpoint in your process, you can set up triggers for emails or in-app discussion messages.
Email or discussion message triggers can be optional or required and will pop up when application is being moved to a step with a trigger:
To set up the email or discussion message trigger, follow these steps:
Go to Funnel setup
Find the step you want to add the trigger to
Click on the three dots on that step
In the opened dropdown click on Triggers
Select if your trigger is Required or Optional
Click "OK"
Click "Save"
If either "Optional" or "Required" is selected, the email or discussion message window will pop up upon moving the application. If the Triggers are set to be "Off", the email pop up will not happen. You will still be able to manually send the same templated email or discussion message.
When "Required" is selected, the application cannot be moved to that step without sending an email/discussion message. The email itself can be selected from a template or written from scratch.
If you'd like to have the correct template chosen for you (instead of having to manually choose the template), you will need to name the template after the funnel step.
You will need to use the format "Move to [step name]" for naming the communication template. For example, naming the template "Move to Due Diligence" will automatically select that template when an email or a message is triggered upon moving an application to Due Diligence step. Using such template names allows you to send emails or discussion messages when moving applications in your funnel with one click only.
Please keep in mind that the step name should be written exactly as it is in the funnel.
How to make companies’ contact info visible to deal room members?
The email address and phone number of company’s primary contact are visible to members whose company access is "Full edit access"
If you would like to show this information all members with company viewing rights ("View companies" access), you can configure it in your your deal room settings. You can do so by following these steps:
Go to deal room Settings
Go to Preferences
Find "Member access to company contact info" (under "Primary currency")*
Check the "Show company contact info"
Click Save
You can read more about member access here: Managing access of deal room members.
What is the 'Request more info' action for?
You can use the "Request more info" action in the 'All actions' menu of the application to send an update or access request to the company. These are used for:
Requesting companies to update answers to application questions
Requesting companies to answer newly added application questions
Requesting access to company Reporting data
You will have two options with different outcomes for your Request: Details and Reporting
When you send the Request out with Details selection:
Company will receive email with your request and an additional message
There will be a direct link to the application
Company can change, update and add answers in the application
When you send the Request out with Reporting selection:
Company will receive email with your request and additional message
There will be a direct link to the application
Company can change, update and add answers in the application
Reporting details are added to the application
Upon submitting, company will provide access to their monthly reports
When sending a "Request more info" email, we suggest you include details in the additional message box, e.g. specify which answers need clarification, or that you've added new questions for them to answer, or that you'd like access to their Details or Reporting. Otherwise the company team can feel a bit lost as to what you would like from them.
Request more info is unavailable in the "All actions" menu if the company has revoked your deal room's access to the application.
Should I use "Application discussion", "Email" or "Request more info"?
The difference between using "Application discussion", "Email" and "Request more info" is the email the companies receive.
Companies may have Application discussion notification emails turned off
Sending an email or "Request more info" is not a notification and will go through as an email
The emails you can customize - both from scratch as you are sending it, or as a template
With "Request more info" you can only add some details into additional message and the email itself is not customizable
We suggest you use:
Application discussion for exchanging messages that all members with the permission to communicate with companies should see and keeping the whole communication history in Dealum.
Email for sending companies messages you want to receive a reply to via email (to the address of the email sender or a custom reply-to address configured in your deal room) and messages you want only those who have full edit companies access to have visibility of.
Request more info for gathering more information/data from the company that has already applied and is moving through the process
If you have set up a step-by-step data collection in your deal room, you really should use the 'Request more info' instead of emails, as the link in the email will take the company directly to the application.
Updated on: 06/12/2024
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