Treat Work Email Like Social Media
Welcome to the 26th issue of the Knockout Your Sunday Scaries Newsletter, an every-other-week newsletter by me, Kristy Olinger, with a focus on workplace communication and self-development. I’m glad you’re here. Was this forwarded to you? Get yours: Subscribe here
Sunday, September 7, 2025
Hi there,
You may not realize this, but you are a content creator. Every day at work you write emails, chats, decks, and even Excel files that you want others to read. All of your co-workers are doing the same and now many companies are integrating GenAI as a co-creator, increasing the volume of content exponentially.
What this means for you:
NOBODY IS READING YOUR EMAILS! 🙈 📧
There is too much work content to consume so people scan (if you’re lucky) and scroll away.
Start treating the emails like social media posts. Design them to stand out and stop the scroll.
3 ways to treat work email like a social media post from someone with 250K+ social media followers and over 2 decades of corporate email experience:
Subject Lines: Would you double-tap your own email?
I’m not suggesting you write ‘clickbait’ subject lines, but for sure ‘project A status update’ can be spiced up to generate interest. The most powerful subject lines tell the reader what they get from reading.
Here are examples of how to lead with the benefit, not just the topic (thank you Chat GPT)
From: “New Expense Reimbursement Process” >>>To>>> “Get your money back faster—new process”
From: “Weekly Project Status Update” >>>To>>> 3 highlights you’ll want for Friday’s meeting”
From: “IT System Downtime Notification” >>>To>>> “Plan ahead: system offline Sunday 6–9am”
From: “New Career Development Portal” >>>To>>> “Find your next role in 10 clicks”
Other subject line tips/ideas: keep it short, make it personal/relevant, use action verbs, call out time relevancy, and create curiosity (like I did with this subject line).
Editing: Give the bottom line up front (BLUF) and jump cut with abandon!
Now that you’ve hooked them with your subject line, you need to deliver the goods within the first few sentences. If you don’t…. they’re scrolling away. Start with the most important point and keep a fast pace that holds attention. Skip the fluff. In video creation this is called a jump cut - removing small footage that don’t add value and jumping to the best parts. (bye bye to the millenial pause and all filler words)
If there was ever a perfect use case for GenAI, this is it. Try the below prompt so your GenAI co-worker can re-draft your emails into binge-worthy content.
🤖 AI PROMPT: "Revise this email so that the bottom line or key request is clear in the first sentence. Remove any unnecessary words and reword where needed to make the message shorter, clearer, and easier to read, while keeping a professional tone."
Have a Call To Action (CTA)
I can’t tell you how embarrassingly often I get to the end of (scanning) an email and think “what am I supposed to do with this?”
In social media marketing, every post ends with a clear call to action—like “comment below,” “save this,” or “click the link.”
Your work emails should be no different. Make the next step obvious and simple. Instead of burying requests in the middle of a paragraph, spell them out clearly:
Weak CTA: “Let me know your thoughts when you have a chance.”
Strong CTA: “Please reply by Wednesday with your top 2 priorities.”
The goal is to reduce ambiguity and friction. If the reader has to guess what you want from them, they’ll do nothing.
Think like a creator and co-workers will finally read your emails
The workplace is drowning in words, and attention has become the new currency. By borrowing a few tricks from social media—catchy subject lines, jump-cut editing, and clear calls to action—your messages will stand out.
Before you hit “send” on your next email, ask yourself:
Would I stop and read this?
Did I deliver the bottom line up front?
Is the call to action crystal clear?
If yes, you’ve written an email worth the double tap.
📚 Summer Reading List
I read 8 books this summer. Here are my favorites of the lot:
Tilt, by Emma Pattee. Binge-read this in 1 day. Debut dystopian novel about a pregnant woman, a massive earthquake, and what it means to be a mother.
My Friends, Fredrik Backman. Such a unique group of characters and a story of friendship and art. I’ve loved every book I’ve read by Backman. Fan for life.
The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah. Historical fiction that feels like a crossover into dystopian because it’s about the great depression and the dust bowl. Another favorite author and another book about motherhood.
✉️ Hit Reply and let me know if you have a book recommendation. #readersareleaders
You made it to the end! Congrats & thanks. ❤️ Have a great two weeks.
Stay Curious,
Kristy
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