One way you can utilize any free AI chatbot is by asking it to write a professional email for you. This may sound simple, however, if you go to a bot, ask for a certain type of email, paste it in and send, you’re going to get yourself into trouble. Or, at a minimum the person who receives the email will notice that AI wrote it. How? There’s a certain tone or style that the AI bots use by default. You can usually tell if something was written with AI without a lot of thought put into the prompts and output.
Let’s look at a couple of examples. The first email below is a cold prompt. In other words, I went to ChatGPT and said, write an email convincing my client, La Crow to buy a cat. Then the second email (let’s call it the warm prompt) I gave more instructions and told it to write the email in a casual, yet professional tone. Which one’s better?
Cold example:
Dear La Crow,
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out and share with you the many benefits of owning a cat. Cats are known for their affectionate and playful personalities, and they can bring so much joy and companionship into your life.
Here are just a few reasons why you should consider getting a cat:
- Cats are great companions: Cats love to cuddle and spend time with their owners, and they are always there to greet you when you come home. They are also very independent animals, so they won’t be underfoot all the time.
- Cats are low maintenance: Unlike dogs, cats don’t require a lot of exercise or training. They are happy to lounge around the house and take naps, and they are easy to care for.
- Cats are hypoallergenic: Many people think that cats are not good pets because they shed and produce dander, but this is not true. Cats actually produce very little dander, and their fur is easy to clean.
- Cats are great for your health: Studies have shown that owning a cat can lower your blood pressure and stress levels, and they can even help to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Cats are affordable: Compared to other pets, cats are relatively inexpensive to care for. They don’t require a lot of food or specialized equipment, and they are easy to train.
I hope these reasons have convinced you to consider getting a cat. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you find the perfect cat for your lifestyle.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Warm example:
Hey La Crow,
I wanted to reach out and share with you some amazing reasons why you should consider getting a cat as your next pet. Here are the top three reasons why cats make great pets:
- Cats are low maintenance: Unlike dogs, cats don’t require a lot of exercise or training. They are happy to spend their days lounging in the sun or snuggling up on your lap.
- Cats are independent: Cats are happy to entertain themselves, which means they won’t get bored or lonely if you’re not around. They’ll keep themselves occupied with playtime and nap time.
- Cats are affectionate: While cats may not be as demonstrative as dogs, they still love to cuddle and receive attention from their owners. They’ll let you know when they want to be petted or held, and they’ll shower you with love and affection in return.
Overall, cats make great pets for people who want a low-maintenance, independent, and affectionate companion. If you’re considering getting a new pet, I highly recommend giving a cat a chance. Let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything else I can help you with.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
I think the second one is better because it’s more casual, but still professional enough for most workplaces. It’s shorter. And, I think it sounds a little less robotic. The prompt I used for the second one is simply: “Write an email to my client La Crow convincing them to buy a cat. Only give the top three reasons. Do not start the email with a cliche like, I hope this finds you well. The tone must be casual, yet professional.“
In short, Tip 1: Try including “make the tone casual, yet professional” as a part of your prompts. See if you like that style. Plus, always provide a little more directions than just, write this email.
Tip 2: And/or, give the AI an example of your writing.
You can prompt the AI first by saying, “I’m going to paste in a sample of my writing style. Please use this style for any templates I ask for going forward.” Then, paste in your writing style. I’ll just paste in this article as my writing style and have the AI try to match it. Let’s see how it does…
My style example:
Hi La Crow,
I wanted to reach out and share with you some reasons why you should consider getting a cat. Here are my top three:
- Cats are great companions – They are known for their affectionate and playful personalities, making them the perfect addition to any home.
- Cats are low maintenance – Unlike dogs, cats don’t require a lot of exercise or training. They are happy to spend their days lounging in the sun or snuggling up on your lap.
- Cats are hypoallergenic – Many people think that cats shed a lot, but the truth is that most cats only shed a small amount of dander. This makes them a great option for people with allergies.
Overall, cats are wonderful pets that can bring joy and companionship to your life. If you’re considering getting a pet, I highly recommend giving a cat a chance. Let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything else I can help you with.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Not bad. It looks like I wrote it. If I wanted to I could adjust a few things if this was a serious, real email.
Finally, Tip 3: Avoid cliches. I’ve had people recommend that all email templates start with, “I hope this finds you well.” But, that phrase is overused now. It’s cliche. I think you should stop using it. I’m sorry if you like it. But, please try an alternative:
- “I’m reaching out to you regarding…”
- “I’m writing to you about…”
- “I wanted to discuss…”
- “I’m contacting you to…”
- “Just popping into your inbox to…”
- “I hope this email adds a spark to your day…”
- “I hope you’re having a great day.”
- “I hope all is well since we last spoke.”
- “How’s your day going?”
- Anything but a phrase about being found well
In the end, it’s pretty easy to get AI to write a decent email, but at a minimum I would make it more casual, give the AI a writing sample, and stop using, “I hope this finds you well.” Emails can’t find people anyway, and I promise people are tired of that phrase.
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