How to Use ChatGPT to Write Better Emails: 3 Smart Use Cases

How much time do you spend writing emails every day? Let’s look at some practical ways we can use ChatGPT to reduce time spent ideation, writing, reviewing, and collaborating by emails.

Even though it’s been around forever, or so it seems, emails are a cornerstone of our workplace communication – but writing and responding can be very time-consuming and stressful.

See if this sounds familiar: In the past, I struggled with email overwhelm, especially when starting new projects. I’d spend too much time staring at my screen, worrying about whether my tone was too formal, too direct, or just plain unclear. And don’t even get me started on trying to come up with subject lines that would actually grab attention. That’s never been my strong point.

After a bit of hesitation, I started using ChatGPT. Someone suggested seeing it as your writing assistant, and that seems to work. We ‘collaborate’ if that makes sense. Today, it’s like having a helpful co-worker who’s always ready to brainstorm, edit, or rephrase, saving me time and making my emails more effective.

As Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Incorporating tools like ChatGPT into your workflow is a proactive step toward enhancing your communication skills and efficiency. In this article, I’ll show you how ChatGPT can help you draft better emails, refine your tone, and create subject lines that get answered.

Why I Started Using ChatGPT for Emails

For me, it came down to three things:

1. Save Time: When you’re juggling multiple tasks, spending 15 minutes drafting one email just isn’t practical. You need a workflow that speeds things up.
2. Boost Confidence: I wanted my emails to sound polished and professional without second-guessing every sentence, especially when dealing with customers in different countries. Was I too stiff, too formal, too friendly…?
3. Increase Productivity: Delegating repetitive tasks like merging text, drafting, or rephrasing to ChatGPT frees me to focus on higher-priority work.

If any of this resonates with you, ChatGPT might be the game-changer you didn’t know you needed. It’s not about replacing your input but enhancing it, so you can get ahead in other areas.

1. Drafting Emails Faster

Writing multiple emails daily can be overwhelming, especially with a packed schedule.

How ChatGPT Helps:

By providing a clear prompt, you can generate email drafts in seconds. For example:

• Prompt: “Write a friendly follow-up email to a colleague about a delayed project, asking for an updated timeline.”
• Output:

Hi [Name],
I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to follow up on the [project name] and check if there’s an updated timeline we should be aware of. Please let me know if there’s anything I can assist with to move things along. Looking forward to your reply!

This draft saves time and gives you a solid foundation to personalize further. It’s an efficient way to tackle repetitive tasks without sacrificing quality.

2. Refining Your Tone

Striking the right balance between professionalism and friendliness can be tricky.

How ChatGPT Helps:

If I’m uncertain about the tone of my email, I paste my draft into ChatGPT and use prompts like:

• “Make this email sound more polite and approachable.”
• “Adjust the tone of this email to be professional but warm.”

For example, turning:

• “Send me the report by tomorrow.”

Into:

• “Could you please share the report by tomorrow? Let me know if there’s anything you need from me to make it happen.”

These subtle adjustments can significantly improve how your message is received, helping you build positive relationships through email.

3. Crafting Subject Lines That Get Noticed

The Challenge: Your subject lines aren’t grabbing attention or clearly summarizing the email’s purpose.

How ChatGPT Helps:

Provide context and ask ChatGPT for suggestions:

• Prompt: “Suggest subject lines for an email inviting the team to a workshop on improving productivity.”
• Output:
  • “Boost Your Productivity: Join Our Workshop!”
  • “Don’t Miss Out on This Productivity Power Hour!”
  • “Let’s Work Smarter: Workshop Details Inside.”

Strong subject lines make a great first impression, and with ChatGPT, you’ll never be stuck staring at a blinking cursor again.

Here Are Two More Tips I’ve Found Very Helpful:

4. Start with a Clear Prompt for ChatGPT

When asking ChatGPT to draft an email, provide as much detail as possible about the purpose and tone. For example:

Instead of: “Write an email about a meeting.”

Try: “Write a polite email inviting my team to a meeting about next quarter’s goals. Include the date, time, and a request for agenda suggestions.”

A clear prompt ensures the output is relevant and saves editing time.

5. Proofreading and Grammar Checks

Before sending, paste your email into ChatGPT and use prompts like:

• “Check this email for grammar errors and improve readability.”
• “Does this email sound polite and professional?”

ChatGPT can help ensure your emails are polished and error-free.

Checklist for Using ChatGPT for Emails

Use this quick guide to integrate ChatGPT into your email writing process effectively:

1. Provide Context: Be specific about the email’s purpose, tone, and audience.
2. Refine the Output: Use ChatGPT’s suggestions as a starting point and personalize them to fit your style.
3. Learn and Adapt: Pay attention to the tone and structure ChatGPT uses to improve your writing skills.
4. Seek Feedback: Utilize ChatGPT to check grammar, clarity, and tone.
5. Experiment: Try different prompts to discover what works best for your needs.

Conclusion

ChatGPT is like a cheat code for writing emails. Whether you’re drafting, refining, or brainstorming subject lines, it can save time, reduce stress, and enhance communication. The key is to give clear prompts, refine the output, and make it your own.

If writing emails sometimes feels overwhelming, ChatGPT could be the solution you didn’t know you needed. Start with a clear prompt, tweak the output to suit your style, and see how much easier it makes the process.

Speaking of making things easier, in the next article, I’ll share how to use ChatGPT to streamline your meeting notes and follow-ups.