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Reply to a stakeholder demand with a firm no and a real alternative

  • For Product managers
  • You practice Getting the tone right
  • Time about 5 minutes
  • Level Advanced

About this exercise

A sales VP wants a custom feature in two weeks. Write a reply email in plain text, under 150 words, that says no to the two-week date without blaming engineering. Structure it as: one sentence acknowledging the customer value (use the dollar figure), one sentence saying what you cannot do and why, two options labeled Option 1 and Option 2 with dates, and one closing sentence asking him to pick by Friday. Mark the draft Ready for PM lead to review at the very end.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Blaming engineering. The AI writes 'the team is stretched'. Try: Say: "Explain the trade-off (billing for every customer), not who is busy."
  • Missing option dates. The AI lists options with no dates. Try: Say: "Option 1: Jan 10 and billing Dec 30. Option 2: Jan 24."
  • Offering the untested version. The AI pushes the thin version to please him. Try: Say: "Do not offer the thin version."
  • No clear ask. The AI ends with 'let me know your thoughts'. Try: Say: "Ask him to pick by Friday, then the review line."
  • Markdown. The AI bolds the options. Try: Say: "Plain text only."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part: "each sentence under 25 words."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total word limit and it often lands over it. Try: Cap each part instead, for example: "each line under 12 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Names the reader
  • Specifies structure
  • Includes dates
  • Limits tone
  • Ends with ask and flag

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