Autoresponders - what they are and how to use them

All About Auto Responders

Throughout the Internet autoresponders make for an excellent promotional tool. Although the technical name is an autoresponder other known names include auto email, mailbot and email responder. An autoresponder is a great way to save time as it responds to any message with an automatic response.

Autoresponders can vary from messages that go through email to scripts that are programed to run on servers. All types of autoresponders work the same as they will automatically send a message out when a message is received. Depending on the message they receive they will send out the correct return message. This can be determined by the script or the email address.

Although they are great for promotional reasons they are also widely abused across the Internet. Autoresponders are great to use for your daily tasks as they will basically do all the work for you. On the other hand, they can also be quite disastrous if not set up properly.

When you submit your website to search engines, directories, or classifieds, you should never attempt to use an autoresponder address. Most of these website types use autoresponders themselves when they send out their messages. If their autoresponder happens to send a message out to your autoresponder they will continue responding - which can be very annoying.

When you decide to subscribe to an email or ezine you should always use your valid email address and never use the address for your autoresponder. If you use your autoresponder to subscribe, chances are you’ll have your subscription revoked. It can be very annoying if a group sends out emails only to find that your autoresponder keeps sending return messages. For that very reason you should never use your autoresponder address to subscribe to anything.

Autoresponders can be great to use although they can also be a hazard as well. Often times, with subscriptions groups or ezines, it can be very hard to locate someone who is using an autoresponder. In most cases those who use an autoresponder don’t have the same reply or from address as they did when they signed up. In cases such as this it can take quite a lot of time and effort to locate the address.

If you take care of your autoresponder and don’t use it to annoy others or sign up for email subscriptions it should treat you well. An autoresponder can do a world of good for your business, saving you a lot of time and effort. Autoresponders are easy to set up and easy to use, which is great news for anyone who isn’t technical with the Internet. For the price they cost and how easy they are to operate autoresponders can make your Internet business easier than ever before.

Boosting Business With Autoresponders

Although these days most everyone is familiar with an autoresponder many don’t know why they are beneficial to businesses. An autoresponder can help your business by automatically emailing your clients and customers with a preset message that will help to increase your sales.

An autoresponder can help your list of clients grow, even send each one of them their own personalized email message. If you choose, you can also follow up each individual email with repeated emails, varying the content whenever you wish. These programs will also allow you to keep track of conversations, and send out broadcast email messages whenever you have news or new products to offer your clients.

As research in the past has shown, personalized email from autoresponders is a great way to boost your business. When you send a personalized email to one of your clients, the autoresponder can address him or her by their name which always makes a customer take notice. While you could do this yourself using traditional email it could take you a few hours if you have a long list of customers.

Autoresponders make sending personalized email a snap. All you need to do is set up your email template, then select where you want the name to go. You can add everyone in your customer list to the autoresponder. Once you have everything ready to go, all you need to do is send out the emails with one simple click. Best of all you don’t have to set it up again when you need to send out broadcast messages.

Although there are some people who will buy products after one or two emails, most people require about seven or eight emails before they will purchase anything. Autoresponders can really help you there as they will do all of the emailing for you. You don’t have to keep sending manual emails or anything like that. All you need to do is set up the email address, type in your preset message, and then feel free to send it as many times as you like.

Through the use of an autoresponder you can really boost your business. For serious Internet Marketers it really is an essential tool. You can spend less time sending messages and more time doing what you enjoy. If you’ve never tried an autoresponder before you owe it yourself to check out everything they will do for you and your business. Online businesses can get a lot of emails on a daily basis which is where the autoresponder will really start to shine and show you just how great an asset it really is.

Choosing Your Autoresponder Software

It can be a somewhat difficult and time consuming task to find the right autoresponder. There are a lot of choices available on the Internet, each one ranging in price and features. Before you decide to purchase your own autoresponder you should first think about your budget as well as your requirements. This way you’ll know what you want and how much you are able to spend.

First, you’ll need to decide the features you want. Next, you’ll need to take a look at some of the different types of autoresponders available on the market. You’ll also need to decide which type is right for you and which brand name you think would work the best. You can answer these questions by comparing different brands, prices, features, and licensing restrictions.

For the Internet Marketer there are sequential autoresponders. These types of autoresponders are designed to collect different email addresses then send out a variety of predetermined messages through email to subscribers that you have on your list. If you have a sequential autoresponder, and use it correctly of course, it can help you bring back more visitors. It can be a very handy tool to have around, especially if you work with a lot of clients. It can help you keep track of subscribers as well as keep them informed about what is going on with your business.

All across the Internet there are many types of autoresponders. They range from web based programs to scripts or programs that run through your computer or personal server. An autoresponder will be a major part of your online business which is why you should always put forth the time and effort to find the best one for your money. If you put the proper research and time into finding your ideal autoresponder you’ll save yourself a lot of time and headaches in the long run.

Basically, there are three main types of autoresponders that you can choose from – remote hosted, locally hosted, and desktop hosted. Remote hosted are hosted on someone else’s server or website. Locally hosted will allow you to work programs for your own web server. Desktop programs on the other hand, will allow you to work from your own computer. Most people choose to go with locally hosted as it makes things a lot easier.

Before you decide on which type of autoresponder to purchase you should make sure that you understand what each type will offer you. There are a variety of autoresponders to choose from meaning that some may not offer what you need. You can always research each type, and then compare prices and features. This way, you’ll know which type of autoresponder will work the best for your needs as well as your business.

Personally I have tried a few with varying degrees of success and I now use (and highly recommend) AWeber. You get unlimited campaigns, lists, follow-ups and newsletters. More than 50 templates for newsletter designs, easy opt in form creation, excellent comprehensive instructional training for setting up and using your autoresponder and excellent customer support. And the good news is they also offer a risk free 30 day trial - try it here

A Word of Caution!

Having sung the praises of how great autoresponders can be for your business remember there is nothing quite like the personal touch and this is often sadly lacking when dealing with people online. Although I use autoresponders I also make the effort to personally email members of my sales teams as often as possible - people generally like to be contacted by a real human being from time to time! Remember that the biggest part of your job as a team leader or personal sponsor is to support your team members and an integral part of doing that is effective communication.