> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.outzen.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Message templates > Reusable starting points for campaign messages. Use the five starters or write your own, as instructions for Guhan or as a fixed message. **A template is a saved starting point for a campaign message step. Pick one on a step and it fills the step in for you.** A template can be written two ways: | Type | What you write | What gets sent | | - | - | - | | **Guided** | Instructions for Guhan: the angle, the hook, the ask. | A message Guhan writes fresh for each prospect from your instructions, their research, and your Brand & Voice. | | **Fixed message** | The exact message. | Your text, as typed, with variables like `{{firstName}}` filled in per prospect. Guhan does not rewrite it. | A step also has a third mode, **Auto-draft**, where Guhan writes from the campaign's goal alone. Templates fill Guided or Fixed steps. See [Personalization](https://docs.outzen.ai/campaigns/personalization.md). ## The five starters Every workspace comes with five starter templates. Starters are read-only. Clone one to edit it. In the Templates tab, **Starter** marks a read-only template, **Guided** means Guhan writes the message from the template's instructions, and **Default** marks the template suggested first for that channel. | Starter | Channel | Use it for | | - | - | - | | **Follow-up email · Referral ask (widen the funnel)** | Email | A second email a few days after the first, asking to be pointed to the right person if this is not their area. | | **Deliver value · Give it up front** | Email | Delivering the free resource you promised, without waiting for a reply. | | **WhatsApp · After reply** | WhatsApp | A first WhatsApp message after the prospect has already replied elsewhere or agreed to hear from you. | | **WhatsApp · Gentle nudge** | WhatsApp | One gentle follow-up on WhatsApp after no answer, then stop. | | **Re-engagement · Old trial + new signal** | Email | Reaching out to someone who tried your product before and went quiet. | The WhatsApp starters are built for people who have already engaged with you. WhatsApp is not meant for cold first contact. ![The Templates tab: the five starters, with their channel and Starter, Guided and Default badges](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-templates.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=6849424607451e4c322f5cf3f2b8508b) The Templates tab: the five starters, with their channel and Starter, Guided and Default badges ## Create a template **1. Open Brand & Voice, Templates** Click **New template**. ![Brand & Voice, Templates tab, then New template at the top right](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-templates-new-button.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=31733a18f79ea25c2a7e9b67cf15dbfc) Brand & Voice, Templates tab, then New template at the top right **2. Name it and pick channels** One template can serve more than one channel. Email templates also have a **Subject** field. ![Give the template a name and tick the channels it can be used on](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-tpl-name.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=fc0e2b2c62d947796dc0b1feeeaa9eb8) Give the template a name and tick the channels it can be used on **3. Choose the template type** **Guided** for instructions, **Fixed message** for exact text. ![Guided has Guhan write each message from your instructions. Fixed message sends exactly what you type](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-tpl-type.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=d90336796e1e5940ba86f712819d6731) Guided has Guhan write each message from your instructions. Fixed message sends exactly what you type **4. Write it** For Guided, describe what the message should do. For Fixed, write the message itself. The **Insert variable** menu adds prospect, company, sender, and workspace variables where you need them. ![Write the instructions. Insert variable adds a placeholder such as the first name](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-tpl-write.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=6e20c43b1d9f250fe031365bf4ebc625) Write the instructions. Insert variable adds a placeholder such as the first name **5. Optional: tag and recent-post hook** A tag helps you find the template later. On LinkedIn post comment templates you can turn on **Use prospect's recent post**, which lets Guhan open with the prospect's latest post. Fetching posts may use credits; see [Plans and credits](https://docs.outzen.ai/workspace-settings/plans-and-credits.md). ![Add a tag to find the template later. On LinkedIn post comment templates, Use prospect's recent post is available](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-tpl-hook.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=f9f1931e0ffaa8c751b4bd7e1f0b87ec) Add a tag to find the template later. On LinkedIn post comment templates, Use prospect's recent post is available **6. Save** The template appears in the picker on campaign steps. ![Click Create template to save it](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-tpl-save.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=be8a1d1705e57cc2163282a83ab688c2) Click Create template to save it > [!TIP] > > Good Guided instructions are specific about the opener, the value on offer, the length, and the single ask. "Congratulate them on the round, name the lead investor if visible, offer one benchmark from similar-stage companies, end with a question" beats "say congrats and pitch". For Fixed messages, a send is skipped if a variable it needs has no value for that prospect. Preview the step against a real prospect before launching. ## Use a template on a campaign step On a message step, open its settings and choose **Start from template**. The template's text is copied into the step. After that the step is independent: editing the template later does not change steps that already used it, and editing the step does not change the template. The template picker is not shown on Auto-draft steps. ![On a message step in a campaign, Start from template is at the right of "How do you want this message written?"](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-use-template.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=018042e14ce39b3ca64b7249f95c75ba) On a message step in a campaign, Start from template is at the right of "How do you want this message written?" ![Pick a template to copy its text into the step](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-use-template-picker.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=f22ca9faab1cc790bbe8859f52cd1458) Pick a template to copy its text into the step ## Clone, edit, filter * **Clone to edit** on a starter creates your own editable copy. * Your own templates can be edited, cloned, or deleted from the row menu. * Filter the list by channel, by tag, or by kind (all, starters only, custom only), or search by name, tag, or instructions. ![A template's menu: Clone to edit, or View for a starter](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-template-menu.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=8e77b0afac83272b476b253b27f391c9) A template's menu: Clone to edit, or View for a starter ![A starter is read-only. Clone it to make your own copy](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-template-starter.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=79bf2d350810bd33505b725536e16319) A starter is read-only. Clone it to make your own copy ![Filter by channel, tag or kind. Kind has All, Starters only and Custom only](https://mintcdn.com/outzen/7ircGJHGowAGODBP/images/bv-templates-filters.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=7ircGJHGowAGODBP\&q=85\&s=2008bf93b569f10a1ad0ed9421248be8) Filter by channel, tag or kind. Kind has All, Starters only and Custom only ## If something's off > [accordion] I cannot edit a template > > It is a starter. Clone it, then edit the copy. > [accordion] A Fixed message did not send > > A variable in it probably had no value for that prospect. Preview the step with that prospect to see which one. > [accordion] My edit to a template did not change my campaign > > Steps copy the template when you pick it. Pick the template again on the step, or edit the step directly. ## Related > [card] [Personalization](https://docs.outzen.ai/campaigns/personalization.md) > > Auto-draft, Guided, and Fixed. > [card] [Build a campaign](https://docs.outzen.ai/campaigns/build-a-campaign.md) > > Use templates on steps. > [card] [Brand & Voice](https://docs.outzen.ai/brand-and-voice/overview.md) > > The voice behind Guided messages. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.