Remember how, just a year ago, using ChatGPT at work was considered lazy or even unprofessional? Yeah—those days are gone. In fact, if you’re not using ChatGPT or other GenAI tools as a professional today, you might be on the verge of becoming old news. But don’t worry—I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen.
The first time I had to write a work email was back in 2009, at my very first job in a call center. That’s when I learned a hard truth: if you want people to actually read your emails, they better be good. Fast forward more than 15 years, and it’s even harder to grab someone’s attention—let alone hold it all the way to the end of an email.
So if your job involves sending emails to clients, stakeholders, or different teams—and you’re not yet a pro with generative AI—you’re in the right place. The fact that you even opened this article tells me something: on some level, you’re ready to level up your writing and upgrade your email game. And that’s admirable. Let’s get into it.
Why GenAI is Your New Best Friend for Emails
At its core, ChatGPT is a generative AI tool built to help you write better, faster, and smarter. Using GenAI—like ChatGPT or Copilot—for your work emails can save you time, tighten your structure, and make your message sharper and more impactful.
Now, you’ll still need to provide the ideas, context, and direction—but AI helps you polish the delivery. It can strengthen your arguments for approvals, negotiations, and proposals. It can help you match the right tone and style for every situation. And along the way, it’ll teach you a thing or two about writing better.
Sure, GenAI can do a lot more than just emails—think reports, summaries, even basic data analysis. But for now, let’s stick to mastering your inbox.
Common Misconceptions (And the Truth Behind Them)
❌ AI writes perfect emails with zero effort
Wrong. You need strong prompts, and you still have to review and refine. AI helps—but you drive.
❌ AI-generated content sounds robotic and generic
Only if you let it. With the right prompts and a bit of finesse, you can create emails that sound sharp, authentic, and totally you.
❌ AI is always accurate
Nope. You should always double-check facts, numbers, and references. Think of AI as a co-pilot, not a fact-checker.
❌ You can always use AI at work
Maybe—but maybe not. Always check your company’s AI usage policy before diving in.
❌ It’s fine to share anything with ChatGPT
Definitely not. Never share confidential, sensitive, or personal information in AI tools. Here’s what to avoid:
- Company secrets or proprietary data
- Sensitive financial info – Use summaries (e.g., “We need a 10% increase” instead of “We need $2,000 more”)
- Customer or employee data – Swap real names for placeholders
- HR or legal issues – Just don’t
❌ AI can do your work for you
AI is here to boost your productivity—not replace your thinking. It won’t make decisions for you, but it will help you communicate them more effectively.
E-mail prompting
ChatGPT generates human-like responses by drawing on structure, tone, and context from your prompt. It works best when you give it clear instructions, role-specific context, and formatting preferences.
When it comes to work emails, you have two great options: you can polish and transform an existing draft, or you can generate a brand-new email from scratch based on your input.
Let me show you how this works in practice—through a fictional example.
Alex is leading a software development project for an internal productivity tool that was initially estimated at $50,000. Due to unexpected integration challenges with legacy systems, additional development hours and specialized consultants are required. The project team now needs an extra 15% to cover costs and complete the project on time. Alex is reaching out to Sarah to justify the additional budget and seek approval.
This the e-mail that Alex wrote while juggling numerous tasks, deadlines and conversations around the office:
Let’s be honest here – this email does not exactly beam with professionalism. It is poorly structured, lacks clarity and the chances of Alex getting that extra 15% are slim.
Here are two ways we can use ChatGPT to elevate our e-mail
- Transform the existing email:
We will paste our e-mail in a GenAI agent with the following prompt:
And here is the result:
This version of the email has the budget approval in the bag. It is professional, well structured, action-oriented and persuasive.
Here is why it works:
- Uses Pyramid Principle: Leads with the key request, followed by justification.
- Applies AIDA:
- Attention: Flags the challenge.
- Interest: Explains why it matters.
- Desire: Shows the impact of approval.
- Action: Encourages a meeting to move forward.
2. Write the e-mail from scratch
In case Alex prefers to just get a powerful e-mail genereated by AI, here is how we get it:
And here is the result:
Subject: Approval Request: Budget Adjustment for Productivity Tool
Hi Sarah,
I’m requesting approval for a 15% budget increase to address unexpected integration challenges in our internal productivity tool project.
As we progressed, we encountered compatibility issues with legacy systems, requiring additional development and specialized consultants to ensure smooth integration. Without this adjustment, we risk delays and potential functionality gaps that could impact the tool’s effectiveness.
Investing in the necessary expertise now will prevent costly rework, keep the project on track, and ensure we meet our intended goals without disruption.
Please let me know if you’d like to discuss any details—I’m happy to provide a breakdown or explore alternatives. I’d appreciate your approval so we can move forward without delays.
Looking forward to your thoughts.Best,
[Your Name]Looking at this e-mail – it will need a little refining. It’s a bit too long and detailed for my taste. But it’s a great start and with a few small tweaks – it will be perfect. And that’s because we had the perfect prompt.
Advanced prompting frameworks for professional communication
Listen, I am not going to lie – at first all this seemed like gibberish to me. But then, once I realised how much more I could be achieving with GenAI, it was like a door swung open. And on the other side? Unlimited knowledge and creativity.
Now I want to open that same door to you by sharing my comprehensive list of 19 advanced prompting techniques that most people have never even heard off.
I will share with you strategies for professional communication that if used properly, are a direct entry into C-level communication skills. And the great part is that once you start using those prompts, you will also elevate your own writing and expression skills.
So do yourself a favor: open a note, paste them in, and save it. This is pure gold, and no one else is handing it to you like this.
19 advanced prompting techniques
1. AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) – Persuasive Writing
What It Achieves: Creates engaging, structured communication that grabs attention, builds interest, creates a desire for action, and provides a clear CTA.
Example Prompt: "Write a sales pitch email using AIDA to convince a potential client to book a product demo."
2. SCQA (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) – Problem-Solving & Reports
What It Achieves: Helps frame complex business challenges logically by setting the scene, presenting a problem, posing a critical question, and delivering a solution.
Example Prompt: "Write a proposal email using SCQA to justify an investment in cybersecurity tools."
3. Pyramid Principle – Executive Summaries & Decision-Making
What It Achieves: Ensures clarity by presenting the conclusion first, followed by supporting arguments and details, ideal for leadership communication.
Example Prompt: "Summarize this financial report using the Pyramid Principle to provide a concise recommendation for executives."
4. PAS (Problem, Agitation, Solution) – Emotional Persuasion
What It Achieves: Captures attention by presenting a problem, amplifying its consequences, and offering a solution.
Example Prompt: "Write a funding request email using PAS to emphasize the risks of not upgrading our IT infrastructure."
5. STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) – Performance & Impact Stories
What It Achieves: Structures impact-driven responses, especially for performance reviews, job interviews, and case studies.
Example Prompt: "Write an employee recognition email using STAR to highlight their recent achievement."
6. BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) – Military-Style Clarity
What It Achieves: Provides immediate clarity by putting the main point first—ideal for time-sensitive or high-stakes messages.
Example Prompt: "Write a crisis management email using BLUF to update stakeholders on a system outage."
7. 5 Whys – Root Cause Analysis & Strategic Thinking
What It Achieves: Helps uncover underlying causes by repeatedly asking "Why?" to dig deeper into problems.
Example Prompt: "Analyze the decline in customer retention using the 5 Whys framework."
8. SPIN (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-Payoff) – High-Stakes Sales & Negotiation
What It Achieves: Structures persuasive arguments by identifying pain points, consequences, and solutions.
Example Prompt: "Draft a negotiation email using SPIN to convince a hesitant client to renew their contract."
9. FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits) – Product Marketing & Sales
What It Achieves: Transforms technical descriptions into compelling value propositions.
Example Prompt: "Write a product launch announcement using FAB to showcase our new AI-powered CRM software."
10. MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) – Data Structuring
What It Achieves: Ensures clarity and completeness in reports, avoiding overlap or missing key factors.
Example Prompt: "Structure a business expansion plan using MECE to cover all possible growth strategies."
11. FOGG Behavior Model – Driving User Action
What It Achieves: Helps craft communication that increases motivation and reduces barriers to action.
Example Prompt: "Write a behavioral nudge email using the FOGG model to encourage employees to adopt a new HR platform."
12. Cialdini’s Principles of Persuasion – Influence Strategies
What It Achieves: Enhances persuasive writing using reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity.
Example Prompt: "Draft a partnership proposal email using Cialdini’s principles to establish trust and credibility."
13. SOAR (Situation, Opportunity, Action, Result) – Strategic Planning & Visionary Messaging
What It Achieves: Focuses on positive opportunities instead of problems, ideal for leadership messaging.
Example Prompt: "Write an internal strategy email using SOAR to inspire the team about next year’s growth opportunities."
14. GPCT (Goals, Plans, Challenges, Timeline) – Consultative Sales & Proposals
What It Achieves: Structures conversations with prospects to uncover their goals, challenges, and timelines for decision-making.
Example Prompt: "Write a sales email using GPCT to assess a client’s needs before offering a solution."
15. ELI5 (Explain Like I’m 5) – Simplifying Complex Topics
What It Achieves: Helps make technical topics easy to understand.
Example Prompt: "Explain blockchain technology using ELI5 for non-technical executives."
16. BAR (Belief, Action, Result) – Changing Mindsets & Persuasion
What It Achieves: Frames communication to shift perspectives and drive behavioral change.
Example Prompt: "Write a sustainability email using BAR to encourage employees to reduce office waste."
17. OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) – Rapid Decision-Making
What It Achieves: Helps structure crisis response emails or urgent strategy shifts.
Example Prompt: "Draft an emergency communication email using OODA to manage a critical system failure."
18. ABCD (Audience, Behavior, Condition, Degree) – Goal Setting & Training Communication
What It Achieves: Makes learning objectives clear, measurable, and actionable.
Example Prompt: "Write a training email using ABCD to outline the objectives of a new onboarding program."
19. RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) – Role-Based Communication
What It Achieves: Helps clarify responsibilities in project management.
Example Prompt: "Generate a project update email using RACI to ensure clarity on team roles."
I told you it’s gold. I can go on for hours but I am sure you are already eager to try some of the new email prompt strategies you’ve learned. And a lot of those can be useful for all types of texts and projects, not just e-mails.
Wherever you are on your journey of discovering AI, I am glad to be a part of it. Not learning how to use AI today is not learning how to use the Internet in the 90’s – not a good idea. So, reach out to me and let me know if you applied any of those strategies and how that worked for you.
And remember – stay curious, push for growth and share the knowledge. That is the blueprint.
Until next time!
Vasil
⚠️ Quick Reminder: Use AI Responsibly
Before you hit “generate,” always check your company’s AI policy.
If your organization isn’t using an Enterprise subscription, don’t share anything sensitive—no client names, no financials, no internal data. Use placeholders. Summarize instead of copy-pasting raw info.
AI is here to boost your brilliance—not risk your job.
