🤖 AI Won't Fix Your Emails—But Better Prompts Will (7 Tips) |
1. Be ultra-specific with your prompts |
AI only knows what you tell it. |
If your prompt is too broad, expect it to spew generic, cookie-cutter copy. |
But when you specify everything from your campaign's goal to the audience to the tone of voice down to the character limit? You'll likely get highly targeted copy that aligns with your brand. |
Let's look at an example: |
❌ Weak prompt: "Write 10 subject lines for a new product launch." |
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See? Generic subject lines that are probably too long to fit on a mobile screen. |
✅ Strong prompt: "Write 10 subject lines, each under 30 characters, for the launch of our premium vitamin C serum. Half should be fun, half should be elegant, and they should appeal to women aged 25-45 who prioritize skincare." |
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Now we're talking! These subject lines perfectly match the criteria specified in the prompt and sound natural too. |
2. Give AI a role to play |
Want AI to sound like an expert? Then tell it to act like one. AI-generated copy gets way better when you define its perspective. |
❌ Instead of: |
"Write an email about our new vitamin C serum." |
✅ You could try: |
"You are a skincare specialist writing to women ages 25-45 who prioritize skincare. Craft an email introducing our vitamin C serum, emphasizing its ability to brighten dull skin, reduce dark spots, and boost collagen. Keep the tone warm, professional, and expert-driven." |
Check out the difference in output: |
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3. Define the tone and style you want |
AI doesn't automatically know whether your brand is playful, professional, or edgy. If you don't spell out the tone, you might end up with something that sounds nothing like you. |
Here are examples of tones (and prompts) you can test out in AI: |
Casual & friendly: "Make it sound like a fun, lighthearted chat." Urgent & persuasive: "Use urgency to drive clicks without sounding pushy." Luxury & sophisticated: "Write with an elegant, refined tone that feels high-end." Witty & playful: "Inject humor and a conversational feel to make it engaging."
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💡Pro Tip: Ask AI for a few different tone options (e.g playful, bold, and professional) and see which one clicks best with your audience |
4. Use step-by-step instructions |
AI thrives on structure. The clearer your instructions, the more usable your output will be. Instead of one big request, break it down into smaller, logical steps. |
❌ Instead of: |
"Write a sales email for our webinar." |
✅ Give AI a clear structure: |
"Write a 3-part sales email for our webinar. |
Start with an engaging hook that highlights a common problem our audience faces. Follow with 2-3 benefits of attending the webinar. End with a strong CTA encouraging sign-ups."
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This would give you an AI-generated email that actually follows a flow and makes sense. |
5. Build on your prompts in the same chat |
Every time you start a new AI chat, you wipe the slate clean. AI won't remember your previous requests, meaning your outputs won't be as consistent. |
For best results, AI needs context. That's why you should keep your conversations about one campaign confined to a single chat. |
Here's a workflow you could try: |
First, ask for subject lines. Then, in the same chat, say: "Great! Now write an email using Subject Line #3." Then, refine: "Make it sound more playful."
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💡Remember: If AI's first response isn't perfect, don't start over – ask it to tweak the tone, rewrite weak sections, or suggest alternatives. |
6. Use AI to expand on rough drafts |
Got a rough outline but struggling to flesh it out? AI can help turn scattered ideas into polished email copy. |
For example, you could paste some bullet points into AI and say: |
"Expand these notes into a persuasive marketing email that follows a friendly, engaging tone." |
Or, if you already have a rough draft of your email, you could ask AI: |
"Rewrite this to make it more compelling, with a stronger CTA." |
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💡Pro Tip: This works great for repurposing content too! Turn a blog post into an email, or condense an email into a social post. |
7. Treat AI like a co-pilot, not the captain |
AI can speed up your email writing, but it shouldn't be calling the shots. |
If you take AI's first draft and hit send, you're asking for trouble. It might be bland, off-brand, or just meh. Instead, use AI as an assistant, not a replacement for your voice. |
Here are some ways to use AI as a tool while staying in control: |
After AI writes a draft, gut-check it. Does it sound like you? Mix and match AI's best ideas instead of taking one version as-is. Tweak tone and CTA, and add a personal touch (your audience can tell the difference!)
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AI gets you 80% there. Your judgement, creativity and strategy take it the rest of the way. |
Perfect your AI prompts for great copy every time |
AI is an amazing tool for marketers, but only if you know how to use it. Give it clear, strategic instructions so it works for you – not against you. |
Here's what to keep in mind: |
✅ Be specific and structured. The more details you provide (goal, audience, tone, length), the better the output. Structure your prompt like a creative brief, not a vague request.
✅ Refine instead of restarting. Stay in the same chat, tweak AI's responses, and guide it toward what you need. Reiterations work better than starting from scratch.
✅ Use AI as a tool, not a replacement. AI is great for brainstorming and suggesting variations, but your judgment and creativity make the final email shine. |
Remember to adjust as you go and always add a human touch! |
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