According to TechCrunch, total venture investment around the world was down 65% in Q3 2023 compared to record-breaking amounts in Q4 2021. At the same time, almost one-fifth of founders who did close a raise had to take a down round. While there are some signs that 2024 could be a better year, you’ll still need ways to raise money and collaborate with investors and clients faster and more efficiently. This is why we focused our efforts in 2023 on:

• Templates to speed up processes
• Enhanced security for sensitive information in spreadsheets
• More ways to access DocSend files

If you’re wondering what you can get done with DocSend now that you couldn’t before, keep reading.

1. Speeding up processes with templates

If you need to set up files in DocSend, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. DocSend Spaces is an easy way to gather and share files with one link, and we’ve cut down on how long it takes to set up those spaces even more with templates.

When you start a space, now you’ll be able to choose a template for a:

• Virtual data room: Due diligence documents, pitch decks, and financial documents for investors, founders, and boards who need extra security when sharing sensitive documents
• Board meeting: Agendas, meeting minutes, and financial documents for founders, executives, and investors who need a secure way to share sensitive documents before and after a board meeting
• Client portal: Company information, proposals, and contracts for people who want to centralize, protect, and customize all the documents they need to collaborate with clients
• Onboarding experience: Company policies, training videos, offer letters, and signed agreements for HR professionals and managers who need a secure and scalable way to onboard new employees

2. Enhanced security for sensitive information in spreadsheets

DocSend files are famously secure, and this year we extended those security controls to spreadsheets—because we understand that some of your most sensitive financial information lives in them. 

Now, when you share spreadsheets with DocSend, you can expect:

• Tab-by-tab analytics: View where people are spending the most time on your spreadsheets with tab-level analytics that give you a deeper look.
• Viewer-specific permissions: Create custom links for each spreadsheet viewer, each with their own permission control—all while avoiding multiple versions of the same document.
• Downloading and forwarding prevention: If you’re sending extra sensitive information, keep it out of the wrong hands.

Learn more about spreadsheet sharing controls and how you can use them in 2024.

3. More places to access DocSend files

We’ll never compromise on security, but 2023 was the year we expanded (controlled) access to your DocSend files. 

Especially important for client collaboration and wider audience reach, new DocSend access points allow you to guide your viewers to next steps, publish content on your website, and enjoy all the benefits of DocSend analytics on Google Drive files. More accessibility means:

• Embedded file viewer: Embed file content on your website to extend your reach on certain files with all the same DocSend security controls and analytics.
• Google Drive integration: Track your Google Drive files with DocSend’s page-by-page, real-time analytics.

Install the Dropbox DocSend Google Drive integration and start getting analytics now. 

Don’t have a DocSend account? Start your free trial. 

The post Speed, security, and access: DocSend’s 2023 year-in-review appeared first on DocSend.

Macroeconomic conditions continue to be challenging, and startup founders aiming to raise capital in 2023 face an uphill battle. The data shows that early-stage deals have been hit especially hard: year-over-year funding for these new startups dropped by about half in Q2 2023. Investors making pre-seed deals are focusing intently on long-term profitability over shorter-term growth, and startups at this earliest stage need to show a sustainable path to profitability, decreasing VCs’ investment risk. 

Our 2022-23 report shows that risk aversion is driving VC funding decisions, meaning that founders need to sharpen their storytelling and demonstrate traction to instill confidence in VCs and stand out. 

As investor activity wanes while fundraising competition remains fierce, how can pre-seed founders succeed in a hyper-competitive landscape? Here are some key insights and takeaways from our research to give founders a leg up: 

Pre-seed founders: How to succeed in fundraising

• Shift from growth to profitability to minimize risk
  • Our data shows VCs leaning in on traction, business model, and financials sections in 2023.
• Roadmap your product’s path to long-term success
  • Successful pre-seed companies linked their product and business model sections at the start of their decks, showing how monetization flows from their unique solution.
• Show how your traction and monetization plans are integrated
  • VCs gave more scrutiny to the business model and traction sections in decks that didn’t get funded. Be sure that you’re putting your business’ best foot forward here.
• Avoid elaborate pre-seed competition sections

The competition section saw the biggest year-over-year drop in investor scrutiny. Streamline your efforts on sections that investors care about more.

Download our 2022-23 pre-seed report to get the full scoop into how today’s fundraising climate has changed, and how to adjust your fundraising strategy and pitch deck for maximum success.

The post The pre-seed round in 2022-23: How founders can adjust to shift in VC focus appeared first on DocSend.

G2, the largest and most trusted software marketplace and review platform, helps over 60 million people each year make informed software choices through authentic peer reviews. They release quarterly awards and reports of leading software vendors based on reviews from its wide user community, as well as data aggregated and calculated by their proprietary algorithm. 

For its Virtual Data Room, DocSend was awarded the #1 spot across the following categories: 

• Best Results, Small Business
• Most Implementable, Overall and Small Business
• Best Relationship, Small Business

DocSend also received additional awards across software categories, including Sales Enablement, Cloud Content Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, eSignature, and Proposal: 

• Momentum Leader 
• High Performer and Leader, Europe
• High Performer, Asia Pacific
• Users Most Likely to Recommend, Small Business
• Easiest Setup, Small Business
• Leader, Overall
• Leader, Small Business
• Leader, Mid-Market
• High Performer, Small Business
• High Performer, Mid-Market

As a secure file sharing provider, DocSend outperformed competitors due to its estimated return on investment, meeting user needs, user adoption, and customer likelihood to recommend as a service.

DocSend was also recognized as a Leader and High Performer in the Cloud Content Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, Sales Enablement, Proposal, and eSignature categories, confirming its powerful capabilities that help businesses have more control and visibility into their files.  

“Rankings on G2 reports are based on data provided to us by real software buyers,” said Sara Rossio, Chief Product Officer at G2. “Potential buyers know they can trust these insights when researching and selecting software because they’re rooted in vetted, verified, and authentic reviews.” 

DocSend eliminates email attachment and version control issues, providing users with detailed analytics and secure sharing capabilities, all through a single link. With DocSend, sales and business teams gain confidence knowing when and how to best move deals forward. Whether sending individual documents through a secure link, or distributing multiple files in a single client portal or virtual data room, thousands of customers use DocSend to share content securely and make informed business decisions. 

We’re so thankful to our customers for sharing their input and taking the time to write out thoughtful reviews on G2. Customer feedback is so valuable to us, as we continue to imagine more intuitive and innovative experiences for how we put documents to work . 

To read the reviews for yourself, check out DocSend on G2.

The post DocSend receives highest awards in G2 Spring 2023 reports appeared first on DocSend.

Following 2021’s explosive year of fundraising, 2022 resembled a return to healthy and responsible investing practices, despite a somewhat “doom and gloom” portrayal. Increased investor due diligence, combined with economic uncertainties surrounding a potential recession, has ratcheted up the intensity for founders looking to raise capital. In 2023, while investors are sitting on  “dry powder” as they search for the right investments, founders are searching for ways to interpret fluid market dynamics.  

While data on the overall health and status of fundraising typically becomes available after the end of each business quarter, DocSend Fundraising Scores are a mid-quarter check-in to gauge activity relative to historical context to inform strategic startup fundraising efforts. Rather than a lagging indicator, like other post-quarter reports, these cohesive scores provide a real-time read on current fundraising activity between quarterly data.

Q1 2023 Scores:

Founders: +4 Investors: 0

At the mid-quarter mark of Q1 2023, founders scored a +4 and VCs scored a 0. VC activity is well aligned with average activity levels over the past 3 years, but founders are more active than their historical benchmarks. The discrepancy between these scores means VCs are likely to have their pick of pitch decks from eager founders, and founders may have to work harder to stand out from the crowd in the startup fundraising process.

How we get the score: Historical startup founder and investor activity, as well as quarterly data, contrasted year-over-year, quarter-over-quarter, and year-to-date is measured on a 21-point scale – with a “+10” representing the highest level of activity, a “-10” representing the lowest level of activity, and a “0” representing average activity over the last three years. The methodology of including multiple analyses of quarterly data gives each score factual depth, and together serves as a holistic view..

Startup Fundraising Score Methodology Cont. 

DocSend’s Fundraising Scores measure quarterly VC and startup founder activity according to five weighted factors from our historical data:

• 3-year trailing average
• Previous year’s quarterly activity
• Previous quarter’s activity
• Year-to-date average for founders and VCs
• Year-to-date founder/VC activity relative to year-to-date VC/founder activity

To arrive at our scale of +/- 10 scores, we begin at 0 and add/subtract 0, 1, or 2 points based on how much quarterly activity exceeds or falls short of our five historical benchmarks. Our model weighs recent benchmarks more heavily.

DocSend’s Pitch Deck Interest metrics factor into each score, which provide weekly access to founder links created, investor deck interactions, and investor time spent. These metrics are defined as:

• Founder links created – the average number of pitch deck links each founder is creating via DocSend. This serves as a proxy for the supply of startups seeking funding. A “link” refers to the unique URL a founder creates using DocSend to share their pitch deck with investors. When the average number of links increases it means that founders are sending their decks out to more investors.
• Investor deck interactions – the average number of investor interactions for each pitch deck link. This serves as a proxy of investment demands. The higher the interaction metric, the more often decks are viewed, shared, and revisited by potential investors. 
• Investor time spent – the average time spent per pitch deck by potential investors. This metric offers a look at how long VCs are spending reviewing deals. More time spent per deck could mean investors are more closely scrutinizing deals.

The DocSend Fundraising Scores will be updated every quarter at the mid-quarter mark, which will serve as a check-in on founder and investor activity. 

Dive into our fundraising research

Data-driven insights into the latest fundraising trends and how to succeed are tracked with our Startup Fundraising Playbook. To contribute to our research, fill out our startup fundraising survey

The post Introducing the DocSend Fundraising Scores: A Singular Indicator of Investor and Founder Activity appeared first on DocSend.

G2, the largest and most trusted software marketplace and review platform, helps over 60 million people each year make informed software choices through authentic peer reviews. They release quarterly awards and reports of leading software vendors based on reviews from its wide user community, as well as data aggregated and calculated by their proprietary algorithm. 

For its Virtual Data Room, DocSend was awarded the #1 spot across the following categories: 

• Best Results, Overall and Small Business
• Most Implementable, Overall and Small Business
• Best Relationship, Small Business 

DocSend also received additional awards across software categories, including Sales Enablement, Cloud Content Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, eSignature, and Proposal: 

• Momentum Leader 
• Mid-Market Leader
• Small Business Leader
• Users Most Likely to Recommend, Small Business
• Easiest Setup, Small Business
• High Performer, Europe
• High Performer, Small Business
• High Performer, Mid-Market

As a secure file sharing provider, DocSend outperformed competitors due to its estimated return on investment, meeting user needs, user adoption, and customer likelihood to recommend as a service.

DocSend was also recognized as a Leader and High Performer in the Cloud Content Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, Sales Enablement, Proposal, and eSignature categories, confirming its powerful capabilities that help businesses have more control and visibility into their files.  

“Rankings on G2 reports are based on data provided to us by real software buyers,” said Sara Rossio, Chief Product Officer at G2. “Potential buyers know they can trust these insights when researching and selecting software because they’re rooted in vetted, verified, and authentic reviews.” 

DocSend eliminates email attachment and version control issues, providing users with detailed analytics and secure sharing capabilities, all through a single link. With DocSend, sales and business teams gain confidence knowing when and how to best move deals forward. Whether sending individual documents through a secure link, or distributing multiple files in a single client portal or virtual data room, thousands of customers use DocSend to share content securely and make informed business decisions. 

We’re so thankful to our customers for sharing their input and taking the time to write out thoughtful reviews on G2. Customer feedback is so valuable to us, as we continue to imagine more intuitive and innovative experiences for how we put documents to work . 

To read the reviews for yourself, check out DocSend on G2.

The post DocSend receives highest awards in G2 Winter 2023 reports appeared first on DocSend.

What does it mean to work asynchronously?

Asynchronous communication has always been around since the days of writing letters back and forth. Today, this might look like writing an email in a crowded coffee shop, or editing a statement of work on an airplane. Though technology has sped up communication, in many ways, misunderstandings from written communication slow down efficiency, which is why many might opt for synchronous methods of communication.

In the context of remote work, this means solving problems using collaboration tools like DocSend or over Slack, before scheduling a meeting. While there are many strategies on how to communicate more effectively when working virtually, often people might be left wondering if they struck the right tone. Luckily, many video communication tools like Dropbox Capture exist to make it easier to get your message across in less time.

Benefits of using asynchronous video communication

Research shows that personalization drives 10 to 15 percent revenue lift. Additionally, 26% of deals close faster with proposals driven by video. Short video recordings are just one way you can stand out in an oversaturated remote sales world. This use of asynchronous communication can feel like a more personal experience for your potential customers without the headache of setting up a live video meeting. Using tools like Dropbox’s Capture integration with DocSend gives sellers the best of both products in one unified experience. Here are just a few ways sellers can use DocSend’s integration with Dropbox Capture to confidently close new business at scale with personalized video recordings.

A tailored video experience for prospects

Gone are the days of knocking on doors and sending out emails to catch someone’s attention. Asynchronous video recordings can give sellers a leg up by adding human warmth to the dreaded “cold” call. Not only can you bring focus and clarity to your message with a video, but also build a bridge for connection. A video recording is a great place to name drop a shared interest or mutual connection you might have with a prospect.

Close faster sales cycles with video

Back and forth emails of trying to land a meeting time that works for multiple parties across time zones can be a major blocker for closing deals. With short video recordings, prospects can watch demos on their own time and determine whether they are interested in your offering. Even better, those who respond to your videos are likely warmer leads who need less context setting. That way, you can prioritize your day by focusing on the most engaged leads who have viewed your videos.

Consolidate and scale prospect outreach with the right tool

Finding the recording you made shouldn’t be a time consuming endeavor that takes away from building meaningful relationships. It’s important when looking for an asynchronous communication tool to find one that can store your videos alongside your prospect proposals, pricing sheets, and other critical files.

With DocSend’s integration with Dropbox Capture, you can easily access prospect videos in one dedicated client portal. Not only is it simple for you to find, but also your prospects will love having easy access to a folder containing a personalized video knowledge base, so they can review your proposals with added clarity. Paired with DocSend’s advanced video analytics, you can leverage rich viewer engagement metrics, like dropoff points in your video. This way, you can optimize future videos by knowing what is most interesting to a client. DocSend also gives an overall viewer engagement score that measures specific behaviors like if a viewer watched in full screen or in focus, muted or unmuted, and playback speed to understand how your pitch video is performing. DocSend’s integration with Dropbox Capture turbo-charges pitches by allowing video to be shared from the same place and with the same level of control as your decks, brochures, and price sheets.

How to send videos with DocSend’s Capture integration in 4 steps

Sometimes, documents shared on their own can fall flat. Maybe it was too long, or perhaps it got lost in email inboxes that are overflowing with proposals. With DocSend’s integration with Dropbox Capture, you can create recordings that bring your documents to life. With added personalization, you can confidently win bigger deals, all in one place. Here is how you can get more done with less meeting fatigue in just a few steps today.

Step 1: Connect your Dropbox account to DocSend

From your DocSend account, click Upload Content, where you will be asked to choose a service to connect to DocSend. Once you select Dropbox, enter your Dropbox login credentials and click Allow DocSend to access your Dropbox account. 

Step 2: Open a document in DocSend

Find that winning proposal you were working on that needs additional explanation or an added human feel. You might want to add a short, tailored demo with a contextual voiceover to create that moment of understanding with a prospect.

Step 3: Record and upload your video into DocSend

Once you access your document in DocSend, you can add a personal video recording that can be shared alongside your documents. Playback your recording and re-record if you want a better take. When your recording is ready to go, click Insert recording.

Step 4: Share your recording with others

Now your video is ready to share with select recipients. Rest assured you can protect your recordings with a built-in agreement workflow, so business critical information is kept confidential. Once your Capture video is in DocSend, it lives alongside all of your proposals, so you can easily find your content and modify security settings at any time. Once a video is shared, you’ll always be in the loop with email notifications on viewer behavior. For a deeper dive into the data, you can also explore DocSend’s advanced video analytics to better gauge prospect interest.

And in a matter of moments, you’re on your way to closing more deals and setting a new standard for asynchronous communication for virtual workers everywhere.

Ready to see how DocSend’s Capture integration works? Start your free trial now.

The post Getting started with DocSend’s integration with Dropbox Capture in 4 steps appeared first on DocSend.

G2, the largest and most trusted software marketplace and review platform, helps over 60 million people each year make informed software choices through authentic peer reviews. They release quarterly awards and reports of leading software vendors based on reviews from its wide user community, as well as data aggregated and calculated by their proprietary algorithm. 

For its Virtual Data Room, DocSend was awarded the #1 spot across the following categories: 

• Best Results, Overall and Small Business
• Most Implementable, Overall and Small Business
• Best Usability, Small Business
• Best Relationship, Small Business 

As a secure file sharing provider, DocSend outperformed competitors due to its estimated return on investment, meeting user needs, user adoption, and customer likelihood to recommend as a service.

DocSend was also recognized as a Leader and High Performer in the Cloud Content Collaboration, Enterprise Content Management, Sales Enablement, Proposal, and eSignature categories, confirming its powerful capabilities that help businesses have more control and visibility into their files.  

“Rankings on G2 reports are based on data provided to us by real software buyers,” said Sara Rossio, Chief Product Officer at G2. “Potential buyers know they can trust these insights when researching and selecting software because they’re rooted in vetted, verified, and authentic reviews.” 

DocSend eliminates email attachment and version control issues, providing users with detailed analytics and secure sharing capabilities, all through a single link. With DocSend, sales and business teams gain confidence knowing when and how to best move deals forward. Whether sending individual documents through a secure link, or distributing multiple files in a single client portal or virtual data room, thousands of customers use DocSend to share content securely and make informed business decisions. 

DocSend’s customers say it best: DocSend goes “above and beyond expectations (and I have high expectations!),” while also delivering “transparency through its client file portal.” Customers “feel confident and safe sharing sensitive documents that need signatures in DocSend,” which helps them “save tons of time and close deals faster.”

We’re incredibly grateful to our customers for sharing their input and taking the time to write out thoughtful reviews on G2. Customer feedback is so valuable to us, as we continue to innovate bigger and better experiences for how our customers put documents to work. 

To read the reviews for yourself, check out DocSend on G2.

The post DocSend receives highest awards in G2 Fall 2022 reports appeared first on DocSend.

Here’s what’s new:

Cloud Integrations with Dropbox, Google Drive, and More

You can now seamlessly import documents into DocSend from your Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, Sharepoint, and Egnyte accounts. This will allow you to easily add and send documents across any device, at any time. You’ll be able to use this feature when you upload or create a new document. Securely store and share sensitive documents across one or all of these platforms with just a few clicks. Click here for a step-by-step guide on uploading content directly into DocSend from Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, OneDrive, Egnyte, or Sharepoint.

Tracking Links Within Documents

DocSend’s document analytics provides detailed insight into who clicks your links, when, and how much time they spent engaging with your document. You’ll receive instant notifications any time someone views your document, and you’ll maintain control over who has access to your sensitive documents with link control.

Links to websites included in your original documents will still be available after they’re processed through DocSend. If you previously uploaded a document with a link and it didn’t work, give the document a minute to refresh and take another look. Going forward, any documents that include links will remain active. Now you can keep them in your materials and provide your viewers with more information.

Receive Feedback Directly Within Your Documents

People who view your documents can now give you feedback right inside the document. This makes it even easier for them to tell you what they’re thinking as they view each page.

Document feedback provides senders and viewers a way to communicate what messages and information are effective (or ineffective). As someone is viewing your document, the Feedback option appears in the bottom right hand corner of their viewer. After a viewer sends their message(s), the sender will receive an email notification that shows all comments (sorted by page) from that viewer.

Detailed Document Analytics

The document dashboard now provides a more detailed overview of each link you’ve sent. You’re able to see all visits and links you’ve created for a specific document. Here’s where you can compare how each document is performing and exactly where viewers are spending the most time with your documents. It’s sorted by most recent views and links, with the option to expand if you’d like to see full lists.

New to DocSend? Take us for a spin by signing up for a free trial today.

Have a suggestion for a new product feature? Let us know. We’d love to hear your ideas!

The post DocSend Integrates with Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and More! appeared first on DocSend.

They’re also told through compelling visuals, through images and videos, and, of course, through animated GIFs – one of our favorite ways to share information.

Somewhere between image and video, animated GIFs can convey powerful messages where words alone might fall short. Want to quickly impress prospects with your product’s advanced functionality? Show, don’t tell, with a GIF of your product in action.

That’s why we’re so excited to be bringing animated GIF support to DocSend. Now, you can embed GIFs in your presentations and have them play right inside the DocSend viewer.

GIFs are a great way to incorporate animations in your Google Slides or Powerpoint presentations. When you share your content using DocSend, the GIFs will automatically play within your presentation, providing an enriched viewer experience. If you need more guidance on adding GIFs to your pitch deck or presentations, view our Help Center article walking you step-by-step through the process and what to expect.

Deliver an engaging sales experience

In today’s competitive and complex selling environment, we’re all fighting for our share of one exceptionally scarce resource: Attention.

Animated GIFs give sellers another way to capture prospects’ attention and keep them engaged. If you’ve ever hosted or sat through a sales demo, you know how difficult this task is.

Whether it’s a “how-it-works” GIF or a funny meme, having rich content can help bring your sales content – and your product – to life. And, now, you can incorporate them into the content you send through DocSend.

Want to see it for yourself? Click here!

Right now, DocSend only supports animated GIFs in Powerpoint Presentations. Once uploaded, GIFs will play on preview, in the content viewer, and when broadcast through Live Present.

Pro-tip: If you use Google Slides or Keynote, simply export your presentation as a PowerPoint file (that’s “.pptx”!) before uploading it to DocSend.  

Ready to bring your content to life?

Animated GIF support is available for all DocSend users, no matter your plan. Just sign into your DocSend account, upload a powerpoint with a GIF (or two!), and see it come to life.

Questions? Check out our help center, or write to us at support@docsend.com.

The post Animated your presentations and decks with GIFs support in DocSend appeared first on DocSend.

So we developed a secure document sharing product, and layered it with rich data and analytics that give users instant and actionable feedback. Over time, we continued on that mission and built a team that helps more than 17,000 companies around the world with fundraising, business development and sales, M&A deals, investor relations, and more.

Today, we’re sharing the news that we’ve entered into an agreement to be acquired by Dropbox for $165 million.Building and growing DocSend has been an incredible journey — and we believe this will help us take our mission even further with the potential to reach millions of Dropbox users to start.

Why Dropbox?

Our familiarity with Dropbox goes back more than a decade ago when Russ first interned for the collaboration powerhouse and was inspired by CEO Drew Houston’s vision and the culture he built. Drew took a personal frustration, which was as simple as forgetting his thumb drive, and turned it into a thriving, profitable business. The experience there helped us build DocSend into what it is today.

In 2019, our paths crossed again when we became one of their extension partners. We saw that our shared philosophies hadn’t changed — we were both still rooted in self-serve growth and believed in designing easy-to-use products.

We’ve been focused on empowering business leaders to drive results for their companies. This is even more important now as the world shifts to remote work, making collaboration with external teams feel more siloed than ever. By joining forces with Dropbox and HelloSign (a Dropbox company), our opportunity grows exponentially. This powerful combination will help our users manage their entire document workflow, from kick-off to contract execution to signature.

What does this mean for you?

For now, DocSend will remain the same for customers and you won’t see any day-to-day changes in how you use our product. We’ll be integrating more deeply with Dropbox down the line and will be sure to share our progress.

Over time, we’ll work hard to bring our products to more people and build features we hope you’ll continue to find value in. Our vision remains the same—we’re working to consolidate common workflows for sending documents externally into one intuitive solution. With Dropbox we’ll be able to do that at greater scale, faster.

Thank you for all of your support over the years. We wouldn’t be here without you and look forward to continuing to build even more great products together.

– Russ, Tony, Dave, and the entire DocSend team

The post A note from Russ, Tony, and Dave appeared first on DocSend.