Claude can help you draft work emails and messages quickly. The key to a good result is telling it the recipient, the purpose, the tone, and the points that must be included.
What to tell Claude
- Recipient: boss, colleague, client, customer — the relationship shapes the wording
- Purpose: a request, an update, an apology, a refusal, a thank-you
- Tone: polite, formal, casual, firm
- Key points: the facts, dates, and conditions that must appear
Tuning the tone
The same content shifts when you ask for it "politely," "concisely," or "firmly but not rude." If it reads too stiff, ask to "soften it a little"; if it is long, ask for "three sentences" and refine from there.
The draft is just a start
Rather than sending the first result as-is, point out anything awkward or missing and revise. A round or two usually brings it close to your own voice.
Check before sending
Verify facts like names, dates, and amounts yourself. It is safer not to include sensitive personal data or company secrets. Have a person review Claude's draft before it goes out.
Reference: general prompting principles are documented in Anthropic's official docs (docs.claude.com).