Digital templates can save you time by not having to create content and written information from scratch each time. By following a trusted formula, you also don’t have to do as much self-learning or experimentation. On top of this, you can maintain a sense of consistency. Below are just a few examples of ways to successfully use digital templates.
Building a website
Want to build your own company website quickly without coding knowledge? Many website builders allow you to create web pages using templates. This can save you the time and money required to hire a web designer. Wix, Squarespace and Weebly are all examples of website builders that use templates.
Creating documents
Need to create an invoice, but not sure how to format it? Searching for a free invoice template can save you time designing your own invoice, while making sure that your invoice looks professional. There are many other free templates for documents that you can find online including employee contracts, client agreements and business reports. Make sure to use these templates if you don’t know how to write and lay out these documents yourself.
Training employees
When it comes to training employees how to respond to certain emails or how to create press releases or how to generate financial reports, templates can also be a great training tool. They can show your employees exactly what information has to go into these documents and how to word them. Such templates require you to independently come up with your own successful methods first so that you can replicate them and use them for training.
Responding to general enquiries
Bored of having to respond to the same question over and over again? Template answers can be worth creating that you can copy into emails whenever you receive certain enquiries. These templates not only save you time having to answer the same question, but also ensure a sense of consistency so that every customer is getting the same answer. When it comes to phone calls, it’s also possible to use scripts in a similar fashion.
Automating messages
Templates also allow you to automate certain messages rather than having to manually send out these messages each time. Examples of messages that are often automated include appointment reminders, order confirmation emails, late payment notices and out of office messages.
A word of warning with templates…
Relying too much on templates – especially templates based on documents you did not create yourself – can run the risk of your company coming across a little robotic and unoriginal. Therefore, you need to know when to stray from the template to bring personality and creativity to documents and emails – such as using unique branding, referring to customers by name and referencing previous conversations. There may also be unique situations where there is no template and you need to come up with your own document or response. Generative AI tools can help, but you similarly don’t want your written communication to obviously look and feel as if it was written by AI, so make an effort to sprinkle in some personality here and there.
