Over the last few months, I’ve been experimenting with using AI to help me write emails.
And to be honest… my first attempts weren’t great.
Sometimes the email sounded too robotic.
Sometimes it was far too long.
Sometimes it completely missed the point.
I also noticed many of my clients going through the same journey — testing, adjusting, learning as they go. But one thing quickly became clear: when you use AI well, it can save you an incredible amount of time and energy.
In this video, I want to share a simple way to use AI to write better emails, faster.
Let’s be honest — email is still a pain. Most leaders I work with receive around 100 emails a day.
Some are dealing with 200… even 300+ when you include messages from different platforms. Not only it takes time to read them, some require a thoughtful response. Not necessary a long one, but one that needs the right words.
You know it will take 10–15 minutes… so you delay it.
You overthink it.
You procrastinate.
That’s where AI can be incredibly powerful — whether you’re using ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Google Gemini or any other GenAI tool. But here’s the key: AI needs direction.
I was reminded of this during a recent AI training with Inventium, where a simple but powerful idea stood out: the quality of your input shapes the quality of your output. Building on that — and through my own experimentation — I’ve refined a simple approach that dramatically improves the quality of AI-written emails. I call it: Context. Tone. Question.
1. Context
Start by giving AI as much context as possible.
I often use voice input — speaking directly instead of typing — to explain the situation.
- What is the email about?
- Who is it for?
- What’s the background?
Sometimes I even paste the original message I received.
The more context you give, the better the result.
2. Tone
Then, be clear about how you want the email to sound.
Do you want it:
- Friendly?
- Professional?
- Direct?
- Warm?
Tone makes a huge difference — and AI won’t always guess it correctly unless you tell it.
3. Question
Finally, this is the game-changer: Ask AI to ask you questions.
For example: “Ask me any questions you need to write the best possible email.”
This step alone massively improves quality. Instead of guessing, AI clarifies — and the output becomes far more accurate and relevant.
This simple structure has transformed how I use AI.
Is it perfect? No.
But most of the time, it gets me 80% of the way there.
Which means:
- Less procrastination
- Faster responses
- Better quality emails
And most importantly — less mental load.
So, I ask you this: What’s one email today that you’ve been delaying?
Try using this simple framework:
- Give context
- Define the tone
- Invite questions
Start with just one.
This is this week’s Work Smarter: Live Better tip.
Hope you have a beautiful and lovely day.
A bientôt.
Cyril
