Why writing less and saying more might be the key to unlocking your team's productivity

Meagan Allers • Jul 18

This didn't have to be an email (well not this, because this is an article, but you know what I mean). We all know how long it can take to write the perfect email when trying to address a specific situation. So while we’ve all rolled our eyes at a meeting invite and thought, “This could have been an email,” here’s the plot twist: That email? It probably didn’t need to be an email either.

Email can be just as guilty of draining your team’s time and attention as unnecessary meetings. Email often creates more noise than clarity because it’s easy to overthink, hard to interpret tone, and rarely the best tool when you’re trying to move quickly or convey something complex.

In our recent third-party research, we discovered that teams who prioritize Marco Polo for daily communication reported a significant drop in email volume–32 emails per person per month. That’s 1,400 emails a year on a five-person team.

So next time you find yourself about to draft another long message, ask:

Could this be a one-minute Polo instead?

Here are three moments when it absolutely could:

1. When tone and nuance matter

If you're explaining a tricky update, offering feedback, or trying to strike a balance between direct and kind, email can be easily misunderstood.

Try this instead: Use Marco Polo to share your message, complete with tone and expression. You’ll save time clarifying later, and build trust in the process.

2. When you’re starting to write a novel

If you’re halfway into your second paragraph and still not done, your brain is trying to say something faster than your keyboard can keep up.

Try this instead: Hit record on Marco Polo and talk it out. Most people can speak 5x faster than they type, plus, your message will come through with way more clarity. And, if something was missed, the receiver can go back and watch it later. Plus, scratchpad for notes in their response.

3. When you’re juggling multiple replies

Reply-all threads are a productivity nightmare. They fill up inboxes, go off-topic, and often miss the human context that would make decision-making easier.

Try this instead: Start a Marco Polo thread where each person can chime in when it works for them. The async nature keeps things moving, and no one gets left out of the loop. And if you need to go back and reference something specific, Marco Polo Pro has keyword search.

The ROI of less email?

Fewer emails. Fewer misreads. More momentum.

For more tips and discover how teams like yours are seeing an impact on their communication thanks for Pro, tap here.