Edit Email Bot Prompts

Learn how to customize your AI email assistant's behavior by editing prompts and instructions

Location: Connect Account tab in the left sidebar.

Description: Learn how to customize your AI email assistant's behavior by editing prompts and instructions to match your brand voice and customer service style.

Important: Changes to prompts take effect immediately for new emails. You can edit these settings at any time by returning to Connect Account.

InboxPilot allows you to customize how your AI email bot responds to emails. You can edit the prompts and instructions to match your brand voice, tone, and specific business needs.

How to Access Prompt Settings

  1. Open the Connect Account tab from the left sidebar
  2. If you've already connected an account, you'll see your current configuration
  3. Click Edit or navigate through the setup steps to reach Step 2 – Use Case & AI Behavior
  4. This is where all prompt and AI behavior settings are located

Step 1: Edit Your AI Instructions (Prompt)

In Step 2 – Use Case & AI Behavior, you'll find the main prompt field where you can customize how your AI responds.

How to Edit the Prompt

  1. Locate the AI instructions (prompt) text area
  2. Click inside to start editing
  3. Write clear, specific instructions for how you want the AI to behave
  4. Be as detailed as needed to match your brand voice and use case

What to Include in Your Prompt

  • Tone & Style: "Sound friendly but professional" or "Use formal business language"
  • Brand Voice: "Write like a human, avoid corporate jargon" or "Be warm and empathetic"
  • Boundaries: "Never promise discounts" or "Do not use emojis"
  • Specific Guidelines: "Always include a greeting" or "Keep responses under 3 paragraphs"
  • Use Case Context: Mention if this is for support, sales, HR, billing, technical issues, etc.

Example Prompts

Customer Support:

You are a helpful customer support representative. Be friendly, empathetic, and professional. 
Always acknowledge the customer's concern first, then provide a clear solution. If you cannot 
help, let them know we'll escalate to our team. Never make promises about refunds or discounts 
without checking first.

Sales Inquiries:

You are a sales assistant helping potential customers. Be enthusiastic but not pushy. Highlight 
product benefits that match their needs. If they ask about pricing, provide our standard rates 
and mention that custom quotes are available. Always invite them to schedule a demo call.

Technical Support:

You are a technical support specialist. Provide clear, step-by-step solutions. Use technical 
terms when appropriate but explain complex concepts simply. If an issue requires engineering 
review, let them know we'll escalate it. Include relevant documentation links when helpful.

Step 2: Adjust AI Parameters

Temperature Setting (Creativity)

Control how creative or consistent your AI responses are:

  • Range: 0.0 to 1.0
  • 0.0 – Consistent: Safer, more predictable responses (recommended for support, billing, compliance)
  • 0.5 – Balanced: Mix of consistency and flexibility
  • 1.0 – Creative: More varied, more flexible responses (can be useful for marketing or sales)

Recommended Settings:

  • Customer Support: 0.0 to 0.3
  • Sales: 0.3 to 0.6
  • Marketing: 0.5 to 0.8

Max Response Length

Control how long your AI responses can be:

Options:

  • Specific word count: Set an exact maximum (e.g., 100, 200, 500 words)
  • Short – up to ~1,000 words (quick responses, acknowledgments)
  • Medium – up to ~2,000 words (standard support responses)
  • Long – up to ~5,000 words (detailed explanations, technical documentation)

Recommended Settings:

  • Quick acknowledgments: 100-200 words
  • Standard support: 200-500 words or Medium
  • Technical support: 500+ words or Long

Step 3: Save and Test Your Changes

  1. After editing your prompt and settings, click Next to continue through the setup
  2. Complete any remaining steps (Reply Settings, Email Organization, Appearance)
  3. Click Save or Update to apply your changes
  4. Test your changes using the Playground tab

Testing Best Practices

  1. Go to the Playground tab in the left sidebar
  2. Send test emails that represent common scenarios
  3. Review the AI's responses for:
    • Tone and brand voice alignment
    • Accuracy of information
    • Response length
    • Following your specific instructions
  4. Return to Connect Account > Step 2 to refine if needed

Step 4: Monitor and Refine

After your bot is live, continuously improve its performance:

  1. Review generated responses in your email drafts (if using Draft mode)
  2. Check the Logs tab to see all AI interactions
  3. Look for patterns in responses that need improvement
  4. Update your prompt based on real-world performance
  5. Adjust temperature if responses are too rigid or too creative
  6. Fine-tune max length if responses are consistently too long or too short

Best Practices for Email Bot Prompts

Do's

  • Be specific about your brand voice and tone
  • Include context about your use case (support, sales, HR, etc.)
  • Set clear boundaries for what the AI should and shouldn't do
  • Give examples within your prompt of how to respond to common scenarios
  • Test thoroughly using the Playground before going live
  • Monitor performance and iterate based on real results
  • Use your Knowledge Center to provide supporting data (FAQs, files, templates)

Don'ts

  • Don't be vague – "be helpful" isn't specific enough
  • Don't include conflicting instructions – keep your guidance consistent
  • Don't skip testing – always use the Playground first
  • Don't forget to update – refine your prompt as your needs change
  • Don't rely on prompts alone – combine with Knowledge Center data for best results

Prompt Writing Tips

Start with the Role

Begin by telling the AI what role it's playing:

  • "You are a customer support representative for [company name]..."
  • "You are a sales assistant helping potential customers..."
  • "You are a technical support specialist..."

Define the Tone

Be explicit about how the AI should sound:

  • "Use a friendly but professional tone"
  • "Be formal and business-appropriate"
  • "Sound warm and empathetic"
  • "Be concise and direct"

Set Boundaries

Tell the AI what NOT to do:

  • "Never promise discounts without manager approval"
  • "Do not make technical commitments"
  • "Never share internal company information"
  • "Do not use emojis or slang"

Provide Context

Help the AI understand your business:

  • "We are a SaaS company offering email automation"
  • "Our customers are small business owners"
  • "We offer 24/7 support with a 2-hour response time"

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue: AI Responses Are Too Generic

Solutions:

  1. Add more specific instructions to your prompt about your brand voice
  2. Upload more company-specific content to Knowledge Center (templates, FAQs, files)
  3. Include examples of good responses directly in your prompt
  4. Add details about your products, services, and policies

Issue: AI Responses Are Too Long or Too Short

Solutions:

  1. Adjust the Max Response Length setting in Step 2
  2. Add explicit length guidelines to your prompt: "Keep responses under 200 words"
  3. Test with the Playground and iterate
  4. Consider lowering Temperature for more consistent length

Issue: AI Not Following Brand Voice

Solutions:

  1. Be more explicit in your prompt about tone and style
  2. Add example responses showing your preferred voice
  3. Upload Email Templates in Knowledge Center that match your brand voice
  4. Review and refine your prompt based on actual responses

Issue: AI Gives Incorrect Information

Solutions:

  1. Upload accurate information to Knowledge Center (FAQs, Files, Website data)
  2. Add specific facts and details to your prompt
  3. Use Raw Text in Knowledge Center for key product details and policies
  4. Set Temperature lower (0.0-0.2) for more consistent, factual responses

Issue: AI Not Respecting Rules

Solutions:

  1. Make your boundaries more explicit in the prompt
  2. Use stronger language: "You MUST..." or "NEVER..."
  3. Add examples of what to do and what NOT to do
  4. Use Trigger Keywords and Skip Keywords in Step 3 (Reply Settings)

Additional Resources

Need more help? Contact our support team at support@inboxpilot.co