Your first message settings tell the AI how every introduction should sound and what it should include. They apply to all campaigns in your workspace. You set them in setup step 5, and afterwards in Settings → First message.
1. Which channel goes first?
Choose one of five plans:
- Email first, then WhatsApp (recommended). Email introduces you properly; WhatsApp follows if there is no reply.
- WhatsApp first, then email. A short chat first, with the email following with the details.
- Email only or WhatsApp only. With WhatsApp only, companies without a suitable mobile number receive nothing.
- Both at the same time. Each channel sends on its own schedule. This can feel pushy for a first contact.
For the ordered plans, choose whether the second message follows 2 hours later, 1 day later or 2 days later if they have not replied. The wait starts when the first message has actually gone out. A reply on either channel stops everything else for that company.
2. Instructions for the AI
This is your writing brief. The fields are:
- What should the first message achieve? Get a reply and start a conversation, book a short call, or get them to ask for your brochure.
- What are you offering, in one or two sentences?
- What should they do next?
- Always mention and Never say. Quick adds from your approved statements puts up to three approved statements into Always mention.
- Anything else? For example, a preferred greeting or a phrase to avoid.
The brief is used for new first emails, rewrites, follow-ups and replies. It shapes voice, structure and wording, but it cannot override the rules: the AI still never says anything outside your approved statements, and instructions cannot override missing evidence, a recipient’s permission or your do-not-contact list. Select See the full brief the AI receives to read exactly what is passed on.
3. How it sounds
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Tone | Warm, Professional or Direct. Each shows a sample line. |
| Length | Short (under 100 words) or Medium (about 100 to 150 words). |
| Language | No preference, English, Bahasa Melayu, 中文, or Match each company (English, Bahasa Melayu or 中文). |
There is no separate greeting setting. The greeting and sign-off follow the tone: a Professional draft, for example, opens with “Dear [Company] team,”. If you want a specific greeting, ask for it under Anything else?.
4. What to include
Only PDFs can be attached to a first email, and each one must be approved for sharing first. Files marked Knowledge only are used as background but never sent.
- Chosen files together must be under 8 MB per email.
- Each file is checked again before every send. If you replace a file, choose it again.
- Files are attached, never shared as a public link.
- Attachments appear in first emails only. Follow-ups carry none, and WhatsApp first messages are text only.
Attachments in a first email from a new address are more likely to be filtered as spam. Consider leaving them off until your mailbox has finished warming up, and offer the catalogue in the ask instead.
5. Signature
- Enter Name, Job title and, optionally, Phone.
- Upload a Logo: PNG, JPEG or GIF, up to 512 KB. It is hosted publicly so recipients can see it.
- Open More signature options for a logo link, a brand colour, custom text and a sample email.
- Check your postal address. An unsubscribe link and the postal address are added under the signature automatically.
Preview and save
The What a new lead receives panel shows each step of the plan, the email structure and your real signature. Email me a test sends the sketch to your own address; no prospect is contacted. Changes apply to new drafts only. Drafts already waiting keep their earlier version until you open one and choose to rewrite it.
Need help with something not covered here? Email wilson@communication21.com or use Help & glossary in the app.