NSTF - First Outreach Messages

NSTF First Outreach Messages

📧 ACTUAL EMAIL SENT - December 2, 2025

Status: ✅ SENT To: Ms. Mankwe Mojapelo (mmojapelo@nstf.org.za) Context: Met at NSTF exhibition stand during Science Forum South Africa 2025 (Nov 24-28, CSIR ICC Pretoria) Subject: Great Meeting You at SFSA 2025 - NSTF Technology Solutions Sent By: [User Name] | Mobile: 0820600404

Email Body:

Dear Mankwe,

It was great meeting you at the NSTF exhibition stand during Science Forum South Africa last week. What an incredible event, huge number of participants and such vibrant discussions about placing STI at the centre of government, education, and industry!

I really enjoyed learning about NSTF's awards program and the broader work you're doing across South Africa's science and technology ecosystem. When you mentioned the challenges with Everlytic's limitations for managing your awards process and other operational needs, it immediately resonated with the work we do at iSu Technologies.

We specialise in building custom platforms for organizations like NSTF, particularly around awards management, membership systems, and event coordination. I'd love to explore how we might help streamline some of those processes you mentioned.

I know you mentioned you're not the decision maker on technology partnerships. Would you be comfortable introducing me to the right person at NSTF who oversees these initiatives?

About iSu: We're a South African technology company building custom platforms for professional bodies, SETAs, and regulatory organizations. We are currently in talks with clients like MGSLG, and have proven the ability to reduce their administrative time by 65% and improve stakeholder engagement by 3x.

Thanks again for your time at SFSA - hope to connect further!

Best regards,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Key Elements:

✅ Timely reference (SFSA 2025 was Nov 24-28, email sent Dec 2)
✅ Specific meeting context (NSTF exhibition stand)
✅ Acknowledged Everlytic limitations discussion
✅ Clear ask (introduction to decision maker)
✅ Forwarding-friendly format (can be passed along easily)
✅ Credibility (MGSLG proof point, specific metrics)

📨 Follow-Up Email Templates

Timeline Overview

Day 0:  Initial email sent (Dec 2, 2025)
Day 4:  Gentle check-in (if no response)
Day 8:  Value-add follow-up (if no response)
Day 15: Final attempt (if no response)

Follow-Up Template 1: Gentle Check-In (Day 4)

When to Send: Thursday, December 5, 2025 (4 days after initial email) Tone: Light, helpful, no pressure Subject: Quick follow-up - NSTF technology discussion

Body:

Hi Mankwe,

Just following up on my email from Monday about connecting with the right person at NSTF to discuss technology solutions for your awards process and operational needs.

I know you're likely back from SFSA and catching up on a busy inbox - no rush at all!

If an introduction makes sense, wonderful. If now isn't the right time, I completely understand and happy to reconnect in the new year.

Thanks again for the great conversation at SFSA!

Best,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Word Count: 82 words Why This Works:

Acknowledges post-conference busy period
Low pressure (“no rush at all”)
Gives her an out (“reconnect in new year”)
Brief and respectful of her time

Follow-Up Template 2: Value-Add Follow-Up (Day 8)

When to Send: Monday, December 9, 2025 (8 days after initial email, 1 week later) Tone: Provide value first, soft ask second Subject: NSTF Awards - Quick idea for streamlining your process

Body:

Hi Mankwe,

Hope your post-SFSA week has been productive!

I was thinking more about the Everlytic limitations you mentioned for NSTF's awards process. Based on our conversation, I sketched out a quick concept for how a custom awards platform could work for NSTF:

**What we heard:**
- Current process is "arduous" (two-stage nominations)
- Everlytic limited for complex workflows
- Manual coordination of adjudicators and files

**Quick solution concept:**
- Single-stage nomination portal (simpler for nominators)
- Automated file organization by category
- Built-in adjudicator panel management
- Real-time nomination tracking dashboard
- 12-week delivery timeline

No obligation - just wanted to share the thinking in case it's useful for internal discussions.

Still happy to connect you with the right decision maker at NSTF if you think this is worth exploring further!

Best,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Word Count: 138 words Why This Works:

Provides value (solution concept) before asking
Shows you listened (“what we heard”)
Demonstrates expertise and quick thinking
Still makes ask, but positioned as “if useful”
Professional but helpful tone

Follow-Up Template 3: Final Attempt (Day 15)

When to Send: Tuesday, December 17, 2025 (15 days after initial email) Tone: Professional close-out, leave door open Subject: Final follow-up - NSTF technology partnership

Body:

Hi Mankwe,

I know you're busy, so I'll keep this brief and won't clutter your inbox after this!

I wanted to close the loop on my email about NSTF technology solutions. I'm genuinely excited about the potential to help streamline your awards process and explore the ecosystem partnership opportunity with NSTF's 100+ member organizations.

Three options from here:

1. **Introduction:** If you can connect me with the right person at NSTF, that would be wonderful
2. **Reconnect later:** If now isn't the right time, I'm happy to follow up in Q1 2026
3. **Not a fit:** If this isn't relevant for NSTF, no worries at all - I appreciate you taking the time at SFSA

Either way, thanks for the great conversation at Science Forum. Wishing you and the NSTF team all the best for the festive season!

Best regards,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Word Count: 157 words Why This Works:

Clear this is final follow-up (“won’t clutter your inbox”)
Gives three easy options (makes responding simple)
Professional and gracious exit
Seasonal timing (festive wishes) adds warmth
Leaves door open for future without pressure

🎯 Response Scenarios & Next Templates

Scenario A: Mankwe Responds with Introduction

If she says: “I’ve forwarded to [Name], they’ll be in touch”

Your Response:

Hi Mankwe,

Thank you so much for making that introduction - really appreciate it!

I'll keep an eye out for [Name]'s email and will keep you in the loop on how the conversation goes.

Thanks again for connecting us!

Best,
[Your Name]

Scenario B: Mankwe Provides Contact Info

If she says: “You can reach out to [Name] at [email], feel free to mention my name”

Your Response to Mankwe:

Perfect, thank you Mankwe! I'll reach out to [Name] and mention you suggested I connect with them.

Really appreciate you pointing me in the right direction!

Best,
[Your Name]

Follow-up Email to Decision Maker:

Subject: Mankwe Mojapelo suggested I reach out - NSTF technology solutions

Hi [Decision Maker Name],

Mankwe Mojapelo suggested I reach out to you directly. I met Mankwe at the NSTF stand during Science Forum South Africa last week, and we had a great conversation about the challenges NSTF faces with Everlytic's limitations for managing your awards process and other operational needs.

**Quick context:**
iSu Technologies specializes in building custom platforms for organizations like NSTF - particularly around awards management, membership systems, and event coordination. We're currently working with organizations like MGSLG, where we've reduced administrative time by 65% and improved stakeholder engagement by 3x.

**What caught my attention about NSTF:**
Beyond solving your immediate technology needs, I see a unique ecosystem partnership opportunity. NSTF's network of 100+ member organizations (professional bodies, science councils, universities) likely faces similar challenges. There could be mutual benefit in positioning NSTF as a value-creator for your community.

**Next step:**
Would you be open to a 30-minute call to explore this? I'm happy to share some specific ideas for NSTF's awards program and discuss what an ecosystem partnership might look like.

Available this week or next - happy to work around your schedule.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404
iSu Technologies
www.isutech.co.za

Word Count: 197 words

Scenario C: Mankwe Says “Not Right Now”

If she says: “Thanks but not the right time” or doesn’t respond after 3 follow-ups

Your Response (if she responds):

Hi Mankwe,

No problem at all - I completely understand. Thanks for letting me know!

If anything changes in the future or if NSTF's technology needs evolve, feel free to reach out anytime. My door's always open.

All the best to you and the NSTF team!

Best,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Internal Note: Move to “Reconnect Q1 2026” in CRM. Set reminder for late January.

📅 Follow-Up Calendar

Date	Action	Template	Status
Dec 2, 2025	Initial email sent	Actual Email Sent	✅ SENT
Dec 5, 2025	Gentle check-in (if no response)	Follow-Up Template 1	⏳ Pending
Dec 9, 2025	Value-add follow-up (if no response)	Follow-Up Template 2	⏳ Pending
Dec 17, 2025	Final attempt (if no response)	Follow-Up Template 3	⏳ Pending
Jan 27, 2026	Q1 reconnect (if no response to any)	New Year Check-in	⏳ Future

🎁 Bonus Template: Post-Holiday Reconnect (Q1 2026)

When to Send: Late January 2026 (if no response to any previous emails) Subject: New year, new opportunity - NSTF technology partnership

Hi Mankwe,

Happy New Year! Hope you had a wonderful festive break.

I wanted to reconnect briefly on the NSTF technology solutions conversation we started at Science Forum South Africa back in November.

I completely understand December was likely hectic, so I thought I'd circle back now that things have settled into the new year.

Still very interested in exploring how we might help streamline NSTF's awards process and potentially create an ecosystem partnership with your 100+ member organizations.

Would a quick 15-minute call make sense in the next couple of weeks? No pressure - just wanted to revisit the conversation.

Best,
[Your Name]
Mobile: 0820600404

Word Count: 112 words

📊 Email Performance Tracking

Track these metrics for NSTF outreach:

Metric	Target	Actual	Notes
Initial email open rate	70%+	TBD	Track via email tracking
Response rate (any)	30%+	TBD	Any reply counts
Introduction secured	Goal	TBD	Connected to decision maker
Discovery call scheduled	Goal	TBD	Meeting booked
Days to first response	<7 days	TBD	Speed matters

💡 Pro Tips for NSTF Follow-Ups

Timing Matters: Post-SFSA (Dec) is busy. People catching up, year-end planning. Be patient but persistent.
Conference Connection: Always reference SFSA 2025 - it’s your shared context and legitimizes the relationship.
Everlytic Hook: This is the pain point she mentioned. Keep referencing it as the entry point.
Ecosystem Angle: This differentiates you from typical vendor pitches. NSTF sees strategic partnership, not just software sale.
Forwarding-Friendly: Every email should be written so Mankwe can forward it to decision maker without editing.
Responsive Flexibility: If she engages at any point, drop the sequence and respond naturally.
CRM Documentation: Log every email, response time, and sentiment. This prospect is high-value (R23.6M-R93M ecosystem potential).

Templates Owner: iSu Technologies Business Development Last Updated: December 2, 2025 Contact: Ms. Mankwe Mojapelo (mmojapelo@nstf.org.za) Opportunity Value: R500K-R2M direct + R23.6M-R93M ecosystem (3-year)