Dreams are the seeds that germinate a startup, but they will only grow with a continuous stream of nourishment. In the modern venture environment, that nourishment comes in the form of capital.

It might be possible that success for some startups can be won independently of outside funding, but this is not the case for today’s disruptors. Those who would subvert established ecosystems of intermediaries without enough cash will find their early-stage companies withering on the vine. Yet, it can seem overwhelming to try to find money sources. Most entrepreneurs end up turning out the pockets of everyone they know before attempting to engage outside investors. Though this might seem like a reasonable strategy, it often contributes to the problem of underfunding. Once you’re out of dollars, you’re in a hole that can be hard to overcome.

Remember: The startup market is incredibly competitive. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a record number of individuals and partners have formed new businesses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We expect most of these businesses are, or will be, looking for funding. For the few destined for success, execution will need to be near perfect in order to fend off entrenched, well-connected, and better-funded competitors. Your fundraising process will need to reflect the brilliance of your strategic vision itself. Otherwise, you could rapidly find yourself in harrowing financial straits.

To avoid becoming another statistic among the countless underfunded startups, take the following steps to plan a fundraising process to overcome common startup funding challenges. At the very least, they’ll help you shake the feeling that your money dried up overnight without generating the lift you thought it would.

1. Generate a truly remarkable pitch deck.

Investors are being bombarded these days by requests from founders. To differentiate your startup, you’ll need a stand-out pitch deck. If you have never crafted a pitch deck before, spend time on it first as part of your fundraising process.

Of all the tips available on building pitch decks, the most important might be to make it scannable. People tend to skim through pitch decks. Therefore, make sure you include only six bullet points per slide and populate your deck with eye-catching (but always relevant and never gratuitous) visuals. Make 12 slides your maximum “sweet spot,” and be ruthlessly efficient in what you say.

2. Set aside up to four months to prioritize fundraising.

Running a business can take over your schedule if you let it, forcing you to devote only your leftover energy to fundraising. To prevent your business from losing momentum on your raise, keep fundraising as one of your highest priorities for around three to four months.

Even if you can only give 15-30 minutes each day to contact investors, create your pitch deck, and set up exploratory meetings, future you will be grateful. Along with building brand recognition with your audiences and generating leads with business intelligence, systematic fundraising efforts will help stabilize your company.

3. Run a real fundraising process.

Trying to raise money is one thing. Running a fundraising process is another. Start by building a spreadsheet with space for no less than 300 investors. Here’s a list that might help generate some names.

Then, each week, use online tools (I recommend Hunter) to find the contact information for roughly 25-50 of those prospects and reach out to everyone. Keep detailed notes of every engagement attempt, interaction, and follow-up. If you keep diligent notes, you’ll have everything in one accessible place. When someone nibbles a little, follow up diligently and persistently — but politely.

For instance, you might ask someone who says you’re not a fit “yet” for permission to put them on your monthly investor newsletter distribution list as a lightweight way to track your progress. More often than not, investors will allow this. Just be certain to actually create and maintain a monthly newsletter to keep investors apprised of your startup’s milestones, highlights, etc. Newsletters are an excellent way to keep potential investors engaged and expand your network.

Follow these steps for a few months, and you’ll position your newly formed company for growth with a healthy supply of seed money. On your path, you should expect to undergo startup challenges; that’s part and parcel of being an entrepreneur. Being underfunded doesn’t have to be one of them.