Stanford Writing Masterclass: How to Write Emails People Actually Answer with Glenn Kramon

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When was the last time you wrote an email that actually stood out? Glenn Kramon spent 37 years as an editor at The New York Times and now teaches Winning Writing, one of Stanford GSB’s most popular and competitive courses. In this episode, we talk with Glenn about the top writing strategies that can make your emails, pitches, and professional communication “one in a million” instead of “one of a million.”

Tune in for lessons on:

✅ Why you should never begin an email with “Hope you are well”

✅ The two big qualities that make your writing stand out

✅ How to write a cold email people actually respond to

✅ Glenn’s 12 essential rules for writing better emails (and cold emails)

✅ What to write when someone ignores your outreach

✅ The power of a thoughtful gratitude note

Whether you’re applying for a job, pitching an idea, reaching out to someone you admire, or just trying to communicate more effectively at work, this is your masterclass on winning writing.

Timestamps:

00:00: Cold Open

03:55: How to be one in a million not one of a million

05:10: Why you should never say “hope you are well” at top of an email

07:09: Personalizing the beginning of an email

09:10: Why Glenn’s class is so popular

11:40: How to avoid AI “slop”

14:30: What makes a great email from a mediocre one

14:57: How warmth and competence goes a long way

18:20: How to be targeted in your strategy for cold emails

22:22: Golden Rules for writing emails

25:02: Unpacking the “sh*t sandwich” approach

28:37: Start with what your audience doesn’t know, not what it does know

32:40: Golden Rules for writing cold emails

33:18: It’s not about you, it’s about them

36:15: How to create a connection with the recipient of your email

43:10: How to be persistent with your follow-ups

48:00: How to write a great gratitude letter

53:08: Closing thoughts

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