Email templates are the building blocks of Journey send steps and standalone email sends.
### Building a Template
1. Go to `/email` → **Templates** tab → **New template** (or from a brand's **Emails** tab). 2. Set the subject line and optional preview text. 3. Use the rich-text editor to write your content. 4. Open the **Email builder** for full visual editing (`/emails/<id>/builder`). 5. Save.
### Personalization
Use merge tags in your subject and body to personalize per-recipient. The token syntax uses `{{field | fallback:"..."}}` double-brace format with optional filters:
| Field path | What it inserts | |---|---| | `contact.first_name` | Contact's first name | | `contact.last_name` | Contact's last name | | `contact.email` | Contact's email address | | `contact.organization` | Contact's organization | | `contact.job_title` | Job title | | `contact.custom.<key>` | A custom contact field | | `brand.name` | The brand's name |
**Example with fallback:** `Hello {{contact.first_name | fallback:"friend"}},`
> **Always use the Personalization picker.** Open it from the email editor to browse available fields and insert tokens with the correct syntax — including fallback values, format filters (title case, currency, date), and conditional regions.
### Conditional Content
The personalization system supports `{{#if condition}}…{{else}}…{{/if}}` blocks. Use the **Condition builder** tab in the Personalization dialog to create these visually, or write them directly in the **Advanced** tab. Conditions can test any contact field or behavior against a rich set of operators.
### AI-Assisted Writing
In the email builder or via `/ai-studio`, you can: - **Generate** content from a prompt. - **Rewrite** selected text (shorter, longer, more professional, more casual, add CTA, fix grammar). - **Create variations** — generate multiple options.