What finance leaders actually respond to
Three things, and nothing else reliably: money saved or made with a number attached, risk reduced with the risk named, and time recovered from a process they recognise. Everything else is noise.
They’re also the most sceptical audience in B2B, because their job is scepticism. An unsupported claim doesn’t get ignored, it gets counted against you.
Template 1: the process
Hi {first name}, most finance teams I speak to at {company size} companies are still reconciling {specific process} by hand. If that’s true at {company}, I’d like to be connected. If you’ve already solved it, I’d would like to hear how.
Template 2: the trigger
Hi {first name}, saw {company} closed a funding round in {month}. The reporting expectations usually change fast after that. I work with finance teams through exactly that transition. Would be good to connect.
Template 3: the peer benchmark
Hi {first name}, we pulled together how finance teams at {sector} companies of {size} handle {process}. Happy to share it, no strings. Either way, would be good to be connected.
Note: only send this if the benchmark exists. Offering something you haven’t made is the fastest way to lose this audience.
Template 4: the direct one
Hi {first name}, straight to it: we help {sector} finance teams cut the time spent on {process}. If that’s not a live issue for you, no problem at all. Connecting either way in case it becomes one.
Following up
Finance leaders reply late or not at all, and a late reply is normal rather than a brush-off. Space follow-ups wider than you would for a sales leader: five days, then ten, then two weeks. Change format at least once, and send something useful rather than a nudge. The follow-up templates cover the shape.
What to avoid
Percentages without a source. “Transform your finance function”. Urgency you’ve manufactured. Anything that implies their current setup is stupid, since they probably chose it, and often for good reasons you don’t know about.