email-composer

What this skill does

# Email Composer

## Overview

Draft clear, effective professional emails with appropriate tone, structure, and purpose. This skill covers business correspondence, cold outreach, follow-ups, escalations, apologies, negotiations, internal communications, and stakeholder updates. Includes tone calibration, cultural sensitivity, and templates for common business scenarios.

Apply this skill whenever professional email communication needs to be drafted, refined, or strategized.

## Multi-Phase Process

### Phase 1: Context Assessment

1. Identify the recipient(s) and their relationship to the sender
2. Determine the email's primary purpose (inform, request, persuade, respond)
3. Assess the appropriate formality level (see tone matrix)
4. Consider cultural and organizational norms
5. Identify any sensitive topics requiring careful framing

> **STOP — Do NOT begin drafting without knowing the recipient, purpose, and tone level.**

### Phase 2: Structure Planning

1. Craft a clear, specific subject line
2. Plan the opening (context-setting or relationship acknowledgment)
3. Organize the body (one idea per paragraph, most important first)
4. Define the call to action or next steps
5. Choose an appropriate sign-off

> **STOP — Do NOT draft the full email without a subject line and clear CTA defined.**

### Phase 3: Drafting

1. Write using the selected tone and formality level
2. Keep paragraphs short (2-4 sentences maximum)
3. Use bullet points for multiple items or action items
4. Bold or highlight key dates, deadlines, or decisions
5. Include all necessary context without over-explaining

> **STOP — Do NOT send without completing the review phase.**

### Phase 4: Review

1. Read aloud for natural flow and tone
2. Check that the subject line matches the content
3. Verify all names, dates, and attachments are correct
4. Ensure the CTA is clear and actionable
5. Consider how the email reads if forwarded out of context

## Email Type Decision Table

| Situation | Structure | Tone | Key Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status update to stakeholders | Inverted Pyramid | Professional | Bold status indicator, bullet points |
| Request for approval/decision | BLUF | Professional | Recommendation first, supporting data |
| Delivering bad news | Sandwich | Formal | Empathy, explanation, constructive close |
| Meeting request | Direct | Professional-Friendly | Agenda items, time options |
| Cold outreach | Personalized Hook | Professional | Specific observation about recipient |
| Follow-up (no response) | Gentle Reminder | Professional | Easy options, graceful out |
| Escalation | Structured Report | Formal | Impact, attempts made, specific ask |
| Apology | Acknowledgment + Action | Formal | Honest explanation, preventive measures |
| Internal team update | Quick Update | Friendly Professional | Brevity, action items highlighted |
| Negotiation | Collaborative | Professional | Shared interests, multiple options |

## Tone Calibration Matrix

| Tone Level | When to Use | Characteristics | Example Opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Formal** | C-suite, legal, first contact with executives | No contractions, full titles, structured | "Dear Ms. Chen, I am writing to formally request..." |
| **Professional** | Standard business, cross-team, clients | Contractions ok, warm but focused | "Hi Sarah, I wanted to follow up on our conversation..." |
| **Friendly Professional** | Familiar colleagues, regular collaborators | Casual openings, personality shows | "Hey team, quick update on the launch timeline..." |
| **Casual** | Close teammates, informal updates | Conversational, emoji acceptable | "Just a heads up — the deploy is going out at 3pm" |

### Tone Adjustment Signals

| Signal | Shift Toward |
|---|---|
| Bad news, rejection, complaint | More formal, more empathetic |
| Good news, congratulations | Warmer, more enthusiastic |
| Urgency, deadline | More direct, shorter sentences |
| Sensitive/political topic | More formal, more careful word choice |
| Follow-up after no response | Slightly more formal, provide easy out |

## Email Structure Patterns

### The Inverted Pyramid (Default)
```
Subject: [Action Required] Q3 Budget Approval — Due Friday

Hi Maria,

[BOTTOM LINE FIRST]
I need your approval on the Q3 budget by Friday, March 19.

[CONTEXT]
The finance team reviewed our proposal and approved the
$240K allocation with one change: marketing spend shifted
from Q3 to Q4.

[DETAILS]
Key changes from the original proposal:
- Marketing: $80K → $60K (Q3), $20K moved to Q4
- Engineering: unchanged at $120K
- Operations: $40K (new line item for tooling)

[ACTION]
Could you review the attached spreadsheet and reply with
your approval? Happy to jump on a quick call if you have
questions.

Thanks,
Alex
```

### The BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)
```
Subject: Decision Needed: Vendor Selection for Auth Service

Hi team,

RECOMMENDATION: Go with Auth0 (Option B).

Here's why:
1. 40% lower total cost over 3 years
2. Better compliance certifications (SOC2, HIPAA)
3. Faster integration timeline (2 weeks vs. 6 weeks)

Full comparison attached. Please reply by Thursday with
your vote or concerns.
```

### The Sandwich (Difficult Messages)
```
[Positive/Neutral Opening]
Thank you for the thorough proposal on the new dashboard.
The data visualization approach is exactly what we needed.

[Difficult Content]
After reviewing with the team, we've identified some concerns
with the timeline and resource allocation that we need to
address before moving forward...

[Constructive/Forward-Looking Close]
I'd love to schedule 30 minutes this week to work through
these together. I'm confident we can find an approach that
works for everyone.
```

## Templates for Common Scenarios

### Meeting Request
```
Subject: Meeting Request: [Topic] — [Suggested Date/Time]

Hi [Name],

I'd like to schedule [duration] to discuss [topic].

Specifically, I'd like to cover:
- [Agenda item 1]
- [Agenda item 2]

Would [date/time option 1] or [date/time option 2] work
for you? Happy to adjust to your availability.

Best,
[Name]
```

### Project Status Update
```
Subject: [Project Name] Status Update — Week of [Date]

Hi [stakeholders],

**Status: On Track** (or At Risk / Blocked)

**Completed this week:**
- [Accomplishment 1]
- [Accomplishment 2]

**In progress:**
- [Task 1] — expected completion [date]
- [Task 2] — expected completion [date]

**Blockers/Risks:**
- [Blocker] — [mitigation plan or help needed]

**Next week's priorities:**
- [Priority 1]
- [Priority 2]

Let me know if you have questions or want to discuss any
of these items.

[Name]
```

### Escalation Email
```
Subject: [Escalation] [Issue] — Impact on [Project/Deadline]

Hi [Manager/Stakeholder],

I'm escalating [issue] because [reason — timeline impact,
blocked dependencies, unresolved after N attempts].

**Background:**
[2-3 sentences of context]

**Impact if unresolved:**
- [Consequence 1 with timeline]
- [Consequence 2]

**What I've tried:**
- [Attempt 1 — outcome]
- [Attempt 2 — outcome]

**What I need:**
[Specific ask — decision, resource, intervention]

**Recommended next step:**
[Your suggestion]

I'm available to discuss this at your earliest convenience.

[Name]
```

### Apology / Mistake Acknowledgment
```
Subject: Regarding [Issue] — Our Apology and Next Steps

Hi [Name],

I want to apologize for [specific issue]. This fell short
of the standard you should expect from us.

**What happened:**
[Brief, honest explanation — no excuses]

**What we're doing about it:**
- [Immediate fix]
- [Preventive measure for the future]

**What this means for you:**
[Any impact, compensation, or timeline adjustment]

I take full responsibility for this and am committed to
making it right. Please don't hesitate to reach out if
you have any concerns.

Sincerely,
[Name]
```

### Cold Outreach
```
Subject: [Personalized hook — reference their work/company]

Hi [Name],

I noticed [specific observation about their company/role/content].
[One sentence connecting their sit