How to Run an Email Campaign Targeting Executive Assistants at PE and VC Firms (2026)

Quick Answer

Origami gives you a built-in email sequencer on top of its AI-powered lead generation engine, so you can find a list of Executive Assistants at PE and VC firms and run multi-touch outreach from one platform. Once you've built your targeted list, you refine it, craft a sequence that speaks directly to their daily chaos, and send it without ever exporting a CSV. Below is the exact, repeatable workflow I've used to get replies from gatekeepers in private equity and venture capital.

If you haven't built your list yet, read how to build a list of Executive Assistants at PE and VC Firms first. Then come back here to launch the campaign.

---

Step 1: Build the List in Origami (if you haven't already)

Inside Origami, you describe your ideal prospect in plain English. For this audience, the prompt is usually:

"Find Executive Assistants at PE and VC firms in the US with verified email addresses. Prioritize firms with >$500M AUM or active deal flow. Include titles like Executive Assistant, Senior EA, or Office Manager to the Managing Partner."

Origami's AI agent searches the live web, chains data sources, enriches contacts, and qualifies leads — all from that single prompt. Within minutes, you get a spreadsheet-style view with:

• Full name, verified email, phone number (when available)
• Job title and department
• Company name, size, AUM range, website
• Industry tags (PE, VC, growth equity, etc.)

New users get 1,000 credits on the free plan (no credit card) — enough to build a solid initial list of 200–300 EAs. Paid plans with unlimited sending start at $29/month.

Already built your list? Skip ahead to Step 2.

---

Step 2: Refine and Qualify the List

A raw list is a starting point. Executive Assistants come in many flavors — some support deal partners, others are tied to administrative back-office functions. You want the former. Here's how I segment a list of 200+ EAs before a single email goes out.

Remove obvious misfits

• Generic titles: Drop anyone with "Administrative Assistant," "Receptionist," or "Facilities Coordinator" — they rarely influence tools or processes.
• Wrong industry: Filter out firms tagged "Family Office" or "Real Estate" if your product doesn't touch those segments.
• Duplicate domains: Keep only one EA per firm (usually the one closest to the Managing Partner).

Segment by "buying signal" potential

I bucket the remaining contacts into three tiers:

• Tier 1 – Gatekeeper with budget sway: EAs to Managing Partners, COOs, or Heads of IR. They often own scheduling tools, travel platforms, and meeting-related SaaS.
• Tier 2 – Team support: EAs supporting multiple VPs or Principals. They feel the most day-to-day friction and are vocal about better processes.
• Tier 3 – General office management: Office Managers with overlapping EA duties. Lower urgency, but still viable.

For a first campaign, I'd start with Tier 1 and Tier 2 only — roughly 80–120 contacts. That keeps the messaging tight and makes it easier to spot what's working.

What "qualified" looks like for this audience

A qualified Executive Assistant at a PE/VC firm:

• Supports at least one investment professional
• Manages calendars, deal-related meetings, or internal memos regularly
• Has been at the firm for 6+ months (avoid brand-new hires still learning the ropes)
• Works at a firm with a website that lists recent deals or portfolio activity (indicates active workflow)

Origami shows you tenure indicators, tools used, and firm activity so you can eyeball this quickly.

---

Step 3: Create the Email Sequence

This is where most campaigns stall. You have a clean list but no idea what to say. Origami gives you two paths — both live inside the same sequencer.

Option 1: Paste your own templates

If you already have a proven sequence, open the Sequencer tab, paste each message into its own step, set the delay between touches (I use Day 1 → Day 3 → Day 7), and click Launch. The platform handles the sending schedule.

Option 2: Let the AI agent write it

Click "Generate Sequence" and describe your goal. Origami's AI agent will write a personalized 3-day sequence for every lead on your list. It pulls from the enriched profile data — title, company, industry, tools — so each message feels custom, not like a mail merge tagged with {First Name}. You can edit everything before hitting send, but the heavy lifting is done.

Full 3-Touch Sequence You Can Steal

Below is the exact copy I've used to land meetings with EAs at PE/VC firms. The product example is a fictional meeting & memo tool called PeakFlow. Replace it with whatever you sell. Keep messages between 50–100 words; short beats clever every time.

Email 1 – Day 1
Subject: Your deal flow’s silent killer
Preview: Meeting overhead? Let's fix it.

Hey [First Name],

EA friends at VC shops tell me they lose 4+ hours a week just coordinating partner calendars and re-typing meeting notes into deal memos. That's prime time that could go toward sourcing or LP updates.

PeakFlow automates calendar-to-memo syncing so your team's notes land in the right deals instantly. No copy-paste, no chasing. I'd love to show you how one EA cut her scheduling admin by 60% in two weeks. Open to a 10-minute peek?

Email 2 – Day 3
Subject: Re: Your deal flow’s silent killer
Preview: One more thought on saving time.

[First Name],

I know inboxes are war zones. Quick thought: the EAs who get the most respect internally aren't order-takers — they're the ones who bring in smarter tools before the partners ask for them.

If you’re the one who introduces a tool that eliminates manual meeting notes across the firm, you become the invisible force behind every clean close. Happy to show you how it works — no pitch, just product.

Email 3 – Day 7 (breakup)
Subject: Closing the loop
Preview: No more emails after this.

[First Name],

I’ll keep this brief. If now isn’t the right time, no worries. But if the manual meeting-to-memo grind ever hits the "must fix" list for you or your partners, just reply “PeakFlow” and I’ll send over a 2-minute walkthrough. No follow-ups, no pestering.

Either way, thanks for fighting the good fight behind the scenes.

Each message speaks directly to the EA’s reality: time drain, internal influence, and the desire to be seen as strategic, not administrative. Customize the tool name and pain point, but keep the underdog tone — it resonates.

---

Step 4: Send the Sequence Directly from Origami

Once your sequence is ready, you launch it inside Origami. There's no exporting, no CSV wrangling, no connecting a third-party SMTP tool. The built-in email sequencer sends each touch on the schedule you set up — Day 1, Day 3, Day 7, or any custom cadence.

What you see after hitting "Send"

• Sending & tracking: Opens, clicks, and replies flow back into the same dashboard where you built the list. No tab-switching.
• Prospect context: Click any contact row and you still see their enriched profile — firm size, role, recent tools — so you know exactly why you reached out.
• Automatic un-enrollment: The moment someone replies, they exit the sequence. You'll never accidentally send a breakup email to a person who just agreed to a meeting.

The sequencer itself costs nothing extra. You're only paying for the credits used to enrich leads. All paid plans — starting at $29/month — include unlimited sending. So from list-building to that first reply, you stay inside Origami.

What response rate to expect

For a cold campaign targeting Executive Assistants at PE/VC firms in 2026, with a clean, verified list and the sequence above, I typically see:

• Open rate: 45–60% (titles are not spammy, recognizable senders help)
• Reply rate: 3–7% positive or curious replies over the full 3-touch sequence
• Meeting rate: 1–3% conversion to a booked call

If you're below a 2% reply rate after 100 sends, either your list has too many generic contacts or the messaging isn't landing. I always iterate on the sequence first (tweak the subject line, shorten the body) before I touch the list.

When to iterate on messaging vs. iterate on the list

• Low opens (<20%)? Your subject lines feel off, or your sender reputation needs warming. Change tone, not the audience.
• Decent opens (40%+) but <2% replies? Your value prop isn't sharp enough. Re-read the emails from the reader's life: is it about them or about your product?
• Replies are negative or "wrong person"? The list needs a tighter qualification pass. Go back to Step 2 and filter out EAs who support back-office only.

Remember: you can see all of this at a glance inside Origami's dashboard. No guesswork.

---