How to Make a Email Template: A Step-by-Step Guide

For roofers, that speed matters. Homeowners reach out to several contractors at once, and the first clear, professional reply often earns the inspection. This guide walks through every step in Gmail, the six templates worth building first, and when it makes sense to move your templates into your CRM.

Quick answer

Open Gmail on a computer, go to Settings, then See all settings, then Advanced, and enable Templates. Next, compose a new email, click the three-dot More options menu, choose Templates, then Save draft as template, then Save as new template. Templates work in Gmail on the web only, not in the Gmail mobile app.

Key takeaways

• ‍Fast replies win jobs. Only 41% of roofers respond to new leads within 30 minutes, so a saved template gives you an easy edge.
• Gmail templates take about five minutes to set up and live under More options, then Templates.
• Start with six templates: new lead reply, inspection confirmation, estimate follow-up, production schedule, job complete, and review request.
• Write for the phone. Apple Mail and Gmail account for nearly 90% of email opens, and most of those happen on mobile screens.
• When your team shares customers, move templates into your CRM so every message is saved to the job instead of a personal inbox.

Why should roofers use email templates?

Email templates save time on the messages you send over and over, and they help every homeowner get the same clear information no matter who on your team replies.

Speed is the biggest reason. According to Peak Performance 2026, 41% of roofing companies respond to new leads within 30 minutes and about 60% respond within an hour, but 6% still take a day or more. A ready-to-send reply makes it much easier to land in that first group, even when you're on a roof.

Email also still pulls its weight as a marketing channel. In Constant Contact's Q1 2026 Small Business Now report, small business owners ranked email marketing as their second most valuable channel for the year, with 41% naming it. Templates make sure that channel gets used consistently instead of only when someone has a free minute.

How do you turn on templates in Gmail?

Templates are turned off by default, so you'll need to switch them on once. This has to be done in Gmail on a computer.

1. ‍Open Gmail in a web browser and sign in to your business account.
2. Click the gear icon in the top right, then click See all settings.
3. Select the Advanced tab at the top of the settings page.
4. Find the Templates section and select Enable.
5. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes. Gmail will reload your inbox.

How do you create and save a new template in Gmail?

Once Templates are on, you build a template the same way you write any email.

1. ‍Click Compose to open a new message.
2. Type the subject line and body you want to reuse. Add your signature, and leave bracketed placeholders like [First name] or [Inspection date] for the details that change.
3. Click the three-dot More options icon at the bottom of the compose window.
4. Hover over Templates, then click Save draft as template.
5. Click Save as new template, give it a clear name, and click Save.

Name templates by when you use them, such as Lead reply or Estimate follow-up. Clear names make the right template easy to find when you're moving fast between jobs.

Example: new lead reply template

Subject: Thanks for reaching out to [Company name]

Hi [First name],

Thanks for contacting us about your roof. I'd like to get eyes on it soon so you know exactly where things stand.

I have inspection openings on [Day and time option 1] and [Day and time option 2]. Reply with the time that works best, or call or text me at [Cell number].

The inspection takes about [Length] and there's no cost or obligation.

Talk soon,[Your name], [Title][Company name]

How do you insert, edit, or delete a Gmail template?

Insert a saved template

Click Compose, open the More options menu, hover over Templates, and pick the template under Insert template. Gmail drops the text into your message. Fill in every placeholder, read it once, and send.

Edit an existing template

Insert the template into a new draft and make your changes. Then open More options, go to Templates, then Save draft as template, and pick the template name under Overwrite Template. Click Save to confirm. If you want to keep the original, choose Save as new template and give the updated version its own name.

Delete a template

Open More options in any compose window, go to Templates, then Delete template, and choose the one you want to remove. Deleted templates can't be recovered, so copy the text somewhere safe first if you might need it again.

Can Gmail send a template automatically?

Yes. Gmail filters can reply to certain incoming emails with a saved template, which works well for simple auto-replies like after-hours messages or web form notifications.

1. ‍Click the filter icon at the right end of the Gmail search bar.
2. Enter the criteria to match, such as the sender address for your website form or a word in the subject line.
3. Click Create filter.
4. Check Send template, then choose the template you want Gmail to send.
5. Click Create filter again to turn it on.

Keep filters narrow. A filter that matches too broadly will send your template to vendors, adjusters, and everyone else who happens to match the rule.

Which email templates should roofers create first?

Start with the messages your team sends on nearly every job. These six cover the full path from first inquiry to final review.

TemplateWhen to sendWhat to includeNew lead replyWithin an hour of the inquiryThanks, two inspection times, your direct numberInspection confirmationThe day before the visitDate, arrival window, rep name, what to expectEstimate follow-upTwo to three days after the estimateShort recap, financing option, invitation to ask questionsProduction scheduleWhen the job is scheduledInstall date, prep checklist, crew arrival timeJob completeThe day the crew wraps upWork summary, warranty details, final invoiceReview requestWithin 48 hours of completionThank-you note and a direct review link

How do you write a template that doesn't sound robotic?

A good template sounds like your best rep on a good day. It's short, specific, and easy to personalize in a few seconds.

Getting this right pays off. Peak Performance 2026 found that 63% of homeowners say poor communication is the most stressful part of a roofing project, ahead of cost or cleanup. The same report shows roofers with consistent updates average 4.9 stars, while those with communication gaps drop to 4.1 and those who rarely communicate fall to 3.2.

• ‍Lead with the answer or next step in the first two lines.
• Use the homeowner's name and one detail from their job, like the address or the damage they mentioned.
• Keep paragraphs to one to three short sentences.
• End with one clear ask, such as picking an inspection time.
• Review your templates every quarter so pricing, warranty terms, and staff names stay current.

AI can help with the first draft. Constant Contact's 2026 survey found that 44% of small businesses using AI rely on it to write emails or other content. Just edit every AI draft so it sounds like your company before you save it as a template.

Where will homeowners read your emails?

Most homeowners will read your template on a phone. Litmus email client data for July 2026 shows Apple Mail at 62.26% of opens and Gmail at 27.03%, which puts nearly 90% of all opens in those two apps.

Send yourself a test of every new template and open it on your phone before you use it with customers. Check that links are easy to tap, phone numbers are clickable, and nothing important is buried below a long block of text. It's also worth checking dark mode, which Litmus reports more than 25% of email users now use, so your logo and text stay readable on a dark background.

When should you move templates into your CRM?

Gmail templates work well for one person. They start to break down when a whole team is emailing the same customers, because each template and every sent message lives in one person's inbox.

That's a common gap. Peak Performance 2026 found that nearly half of roofing companies still store customer communication in personal inboxes or phones, so the record walks out the door when someone leaves. The same data shows half of roofers automate just one or two messages, and fewer than 5% fully automate customer updates.

With 79% of roofers now using a CRM, many teams already have a better home for templates. JobNimbus Engage keeps two-way email and texting inside each job, so anyone on your team can see what was sent and pick up the conversation. You can also set up Automations that send the right template when a job moves to a new stage, like a confirmation when an inspection is booked or a review request when a job is marked complete.

If you're ready to go beyond one-to-one replies, this guide to construction email marketing covers list building, segmentation, and newsletters that keep past customers coming back.

Start small. Build your new lead reply today, use it on your next inquiry, and add one more template each week until your most common messages are covered.

Book a marketing meeting to see how JobNimbus Marketing helps roofers bring in more of the leads these templates are built to win.