Email Drafts That Match the CMO's Voice

How to draft emails that sound like the CMO wrote them, using Coppermind's voice profiles and the approval workflow.

The Goal#

When you draft an email on the CMO's behalf, the client should not be able to tell the CMO didn't write it. That means matching their voice - sentence length, greeting style, sign-off, level of formality, and the specific way they talk to each client.

A good draft saves the CMO 10 minutes. A bad one wastes 15 because they rewrite it from scratch. The difference is voice.

Pull the CMO's Voice Profile#

The CMO's personal mind has a voice profile. Switch to it and pull their brand voice:

switch to [CMO's personal mind]

get brand voice

This returns the CMO's communication style - how they open emails, whether they use first names, how formal their sign-offs are, and any patterns they follow. Some CMOs start every email with "Hey [first name]," and end with "- Ben". Others open with "Hi [full name]," and sign "Best regards."

Then switch back to the client mind to get client-specific context:

switch to Acme

Get Meeting Context for Follow-ups#

Most emails you draft are follow-ups after meetings. Pull the context:

prep meeting with Acme

Or search for specific topics:

search memories about what was discussed with Sarah last meeting

This gives you the specific commitments, decisions, and next steps that need to go in the email. Don't guess what was discussed - look it up.

Draft Structure#

A typical post-meeting follow-up from a CMO follows this pattern:

1. Personal greeting matching their style
2. Reference the meeting - "Great talking with you today" or "Following up on our call"
3. Key decisions - what was agreed
4. Action items - who's doing what, with deadlines
5. Next steps - when you'll connect next
6. Sign-off matching their style

Example:

Hey Sarah,

Great call today. Here's where we landed:

- Q2 campaign launches May 1 with the "Growth Series" theme
- Your team handles product copy by April 15
- We'll have landing page mockups ready for review by April 20

Next steps: I'll send the mockups as soon as they're ready. Let me know if anything shifts on your end.

Talk soon,
Ben

The Approval Gate#

Coppermind has an email approval gate. No email sends without the CMO seeing it first (unless they've explicitly enabled auto-send in their preferences).

The workflow:

1. You draft the email
2. Present it with To, Subject, and Body
3. The CMO approves, edits, or rewrites
4. Only then does it send

This protects against voice mismatches, factual errors, and political missteps you wouldn't know about. The CMO might see your draft and say, "Don't mention the budget - Sarah's board hasn't approved it yet." That's context you didn't have.

Client-Specific Tone#

Different clients get different communication styles from the same CMO. Search for past communication notes:

search memories about communication preferences for Acme

You might find:

• "Sarah prefers bullet points over paragraphs"
• "Always CC Mike on emails about the website project"
• "Acme team is sensitive about timelines - frame delays as 'adjusted schedules,' not 'delays'"

Stakeholder preferences in the Brand DNA also inform how to write to specific people.

When to Draft vs. When to Let the CMO Write#

If you're unsure, draft it anyway. The CMO can always discard it. But don't send emails on sensitive topics without explicit direction.

Common Voice Mistakes#

Too formal for a casual CMO. If the CMO writes "Hey" and you draft "Dear Ms. Chen," you've missed the mark.

Too long. Most CMO emails are short. If your draft is 5 paragraphs for a 2-sentence reply, cut it down.

Wrong sign-off. Match exactly. "Best" vs. "Thanks" vs. "- Ben" vs. "Cheers" - these are habits the client recognizes.

Adding context the CMO wouldn't include. The CMO knows what Sarah knows. You might over-explain because you're less familiar with the relationship. Keep it concise.

Related Guides#

• Writing Content That Sounds Like the Client's Brand, Not Yours
• Getting Context on a Client You've Never Met
• Checking What Was Promised Before You Build It