If you’re tired of rewriting the same sales emails, or you’ve found your team’s messaging is all over the place, you’re not alone. Standardizing sales communication is one of those “boring but important” tasks that can save you hours and make your team look a lot more professional. This guide is for sales reps, managers, and anyone who wants less chaos in their inbox. We’ll break down how to use Saleshandy templates to keep things simple, fast, and consistent—without getting lost in the weeds.
Why bother with templates?
Let’s be honest: sales templates don’t sound exciting. But here’s what they actually do:
- Save time. No more copying and pasting from old threads or hunting through your “Sent” folder.
- Cut down on mistakes. Fewer typos, forgotten links, or sending the wrong info.
- Keep your team’s voice consistent. Everyone sounds like they’re on the same page, because they are.
- Make onboarding faster. New hires can start sending good emails on day one.
But templates aren’t magic. If you just dump generic copy into them, people will ignore you. The trick is to set up templates that actually make your life easier—and don’t feel like spam.
Step 1: Decide what should be templated (and what shouldn’t)
Before you start fiddling with settings, take five minutes to figure out where templates will help:
What to template
- First-touch outreach: Cold emails, introduction messages
- Follow-ups: Quick reminders, “just checking in” emails
- Common responses: Pricing info, FAQs, scheduling details
- Hand-offs: Passing prospects to another team member
What not to template
- Highly personalized responses (“Saw you just raised a Series B…”)
- Anything time-sensitive or confidential
- Apologies or bad news (you can draft a structure, but don’t automate empathy)
Pro tip: If you find yourself rewriting the same email more than twice a week, template it.
Step 2: Build your first template in Saleshandy
Setting up a template in Saleshandy is straightforward, but a few small choices make a big difference.
- Log in and head to the Templates section.
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In the dashboard, look for “Templates” in the sidebar. Click it.
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Click “New Template.”
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Give it a clear, obvious name. “Follow-up #1” beats “Email 3.”
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Write your template.
- Use short paragraphs and keep it human.
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Leave spots for personalization (more on that in the next step).
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Add placeholders for key details.
- Use Saleshandy’s merge tags for things like {{FirstName}}, {{Company}}, etc.
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Don’t overdo it—if every other word is a merge tag, it reads like a robot wrote it.
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Save and organize.
- Put your templates into folders by type or campaign, so you’re not hunting for them later.
What works: Clear, specific names and folders so anyone on your team can find the right template fast.
What flops: Overcomplicating things with 15-step templates or making people guess what “Seq3A” means.
Step 3: Personalize (but don’t overthink it)
Templates are only as good as the personal touch you add. Here’s how to keep it quick but real:
- Use merge tags for the basics. Name, company, maybe job title.
- Leave room for a custom line. Add a spot for one sentence that’s unique to the person (e.g., “Congrats on the new product launch!”).
- Don’t fake it. If you don’t have anything personal to add, better to send a simple, honest note than something that feels forced.
Pro tip: Block off 10 minutes a day to add real personalization to your outbound emails. It pays off.
Step 4: Roll templates out to your team (the right way)
If you’re a manager, don’t just dump a bunch of templates on people and hope for the best.
- Train once, then let people practice. Show how to use templates, then have reps send test emails to themselves or each other.
- Encourage feedback. If a template feels clunky, fix it. Don’t treat them as gospel.
- Set a baseline, not a script. Templates are a starting point, not a word-for-word rule.
Honest take: If reps aren’t using your templates, ask them why. Usually, something’s off—maybe the tone is too stiff, or they’re missing real-world objections.
Step 5: Measure what’s working (and what’s not)
Templates are supposed to save time and get results. Here’s how to keep them sharp:
- Track open and response rates. Saleshandy will show you which templates get opened and replied to.
- Check for “template fatigue.” If you’re seeing a drop in engagement, you might need to freshen things up. People catch on when everyone’s emails look the same.
- Review quarterly. Every few months, sit down and look at what’s landing and what’s flopping.
Ignore: Overly complex A/B testing unless you’re sending thousands of emails a month. For most teams, simple tracking is enough.
Step 6: Keep templates updated (without making it a chore)
Even the best templates get stale. Schedule a quick update session every quarter:
- Collect feedback. Ask reps which templates they love, which ones they never use, and why.
- Check links and details. Make sure your pricing, product names, and URLs are still current.
- Archive the duds. If a template hasn’t been used in three months, retire it.
Pro tip: Fewer templates, well maintained, beat a bloated library that no one remembers to use.
Common pitfalls (and how to dodge them)
- Sounding like a robot. Even with merge tags, if your template is bland, folks will ignore you. Add a touch of personality.
- Template overload. Don’t try to template every single interaction. Focus on the ones you send most often.
- Not updating templates. Outdated info makes you look sloppy. Set a reminder to review regularly.
- Ignoring feedback. If your team dreads using your templates, they’ll just go rogue. Make updates based on real-world use.
Wrapping up: Don’t overcomplicate it
Templates work best when they’re simple, clear, and actually useful. Start with just a few. Tweak as you go. If you find yourself spending more time building templates than actually talking to prospects, pull back.
Standardize the basics so you can spend your energy where it counts—building real relationships and closing deals. If you keep things simple and check in with your team, you’ll avoid most of the common headaches. And if a template isn’t working? Scrap it and move on. There’s no prize for having a giant template library—just for making sales communication a little less painful.