Starting a new conversation

Most conversations start when a customer reaches out. But sometimes you need to make the first move — follow up on something, reach a customer proactively, or start a thread you'll continue in AcornReply. That's what Start a new conversation is for.

Where to find it

Click the ✉ New button in the inbox filter row. It opens the compose window.

Starting new outbound conversations is a paid feature. On the Free plan, the button opens an upgrade prompt instead. Receiving and replying to customer messages is always free — this is specifically about your team initiating a thread.

Composing

The compose window walks you through it:

1. Pick the workspace to send from (skipped automatically if you only have one). This sets which identity, knowledge base, and shortcuts the message uses.
2. Fill in the message:
   • To — the customer's email address (required).
   • Recipient name — optional, and controls how they show up in your inbox.
   • Subject — required.
   • Message — the same editor you use for replies, so attachments, knowledge-base article search, formatting, and ! message shortcuts all work here too.

A footer shows the identity you're sending as and the reply-to address, so replies come back into the same conversation.

This one's all you

Unlike inbound messages, a new conversation you start doesn't get an AI draft — you're initiating, so you write it. (The AI's drafting kicks in once the customer replies and the normal inbound flow takes over.)

After you send

The message goes out from your workspace's address and lands as a new conversation in your inbox, assigned to you. When the customer replies, it threads into the same conversation like any other — and from there, AI drafting, assignment, and everything else work as usual.

Outbound messages count toward your plan's outbound limit; if you hit it, AcornReply will let you know rather than sending.