AI Email Generation: Best Practices

Email creation has always involved too many moving parts. Most AI tools write some copy or suggest a layout, then hand the rest back to your team. You still chase fixes, approvals, and formatting.

Knak takes a different approach. Email Generation supports the larger vision of building complete campaigns in one place by turning a simple prompt into fully designed, on-brand emails that are ready to refine and launch.

This guide shows you how to write a strong first prompt, when to use attachments, and how to set yourself up for the best results.

To see how to get setup, check out this article.

Your prompt is the starting point for everything Knak AI creates. Clear input, clear output. If you give it enough direction, you’ll get an email that’s already close to done.

Start with the basics

Tell Knak three things:

That alone gives Knak AI solid footing.

Add tone

If your Brand Voice is set, the tone will follow your rules. If not, include a simple cue like conversational, confident, polished, or technical.

Call out anything important

If something has to appear in the email, say it. If you have a preferred angle, mention it. If the CTA text matters, include it. Knak AI can only guess at what you don’t tell it.

Mention attachments

If you want Knak AI to use a PDF brief or a URL, reference it in your prompt. This makes the output much more accurate.

Good prompt examples

“Create a product launch email for our new analytics dashboard using a confident tone. Highlight faster insights and link to the release notes.”

“Write a short, friendly re-engagement email for non-engaged users with a clear CTA to log back in.”

“Generate an event invite using the attached brief. Include date, time, and the registration link.”

“Build an awareness email based on this URL with a simple narrative that focuses on the customer problem.”

Attachments give Knak AI more context, which usually means a better first draft. They’re optional, but they help when you need accuracy or need the email to follow something specific.

Use attachments when you have:

A campaign brief: If you already have messaging, positioning, or key points written down, attach the brief and mention it in your prompt. Knak AI will pull the details in instead of guessing.

A design reference: If you want the email to follow a specific structure, upload a PDF of a past email. This helps the AI understand layout, flow, and module order.

A source link: If your campaign is based on a webpage, product announcement, or event page, include the URL. Knak AI can reference the content directly.

Important copy that must be included: Upload a PDF with the exact wording for legal disclaimers, product names, or required statements.

Important note: Clear and simple file names help the AI understand what each attachment is and reference it correctly. Use names that make the content obvious, such as SpeakerName-Headshot or Template-1. Avoid long or vague file names. The clearer the label, the more accurate the output.

Keep attachments simple:

When you don’t need attachments

If your message is short, straightforward, or mostly net new, a clear prompt is enough. Attachments are there to sharpen the output, not complicate the process.

Your prompt shapes the message. Your layout shapes the experience. Knak gives you a few simple ways to guide the structure of the email before generation.

Use a brand theme

If your team already uses themes, this is the easiest way to stay consistent. A theme gives Knak AI your brand’s look and feel up front, so the generated email lands closer to something you can ship.

Choose this when you want:

Upload a PDF of a previous email

If you’ve already sent an email with a layout you love, upload it. This helps Knak AI understand the flow you want: hero section, supporting modules, CTAs, spacing, and visual hierarchy.

Choose this when you want:

Let Knak AI design from scratch

If you don’t have a reference or want something fresh, let Knak AI choose the structure. It will create a clean, balanced layout based on your content and brand settings.

Choose this when you want:

Pick whatever gets you closest

Layout choices aren’t permanent. Once the email is generated, you can edit, swap modules, or rebuild sections inside the builder. The goal is to give Knak AI a helpful starting point, not lock you into a template.

Once the email is generated, you’ll get a full draft that you can edit directly in the builder. This is where you shape Knak AI’s work into the final version your team will send.

Expect a solid starting point

The draft should reflect your prompt, your brand settings, and any attachments you provided. It won’t be perfect, but it should give you strong structure, relevant copy, and a layout that follows your references.

Make quick adjustments

Edit anything you want in the builder:

Small tweaks can take the draft from good to ready without starting over.

Regenerate when needed

Keep your prompt close by

If something is missing, unclear, or too long, adjust your prompt and regenerate. A small change often makes a big difference.

Blend AI output with human judgement

Use Knak AI for speed and structure, then apply your expertise in the final pass. This keeps the workflow fast while preserving quality and accuracy.