"Introduction to Autoresponders"

If you've reached the point of exhaustion trying to keep up with answering the mountain of emails that threatens to bury you alive every single day, you're ready to learn about autoresponders.

The bad news is that people expect prompt replies to their email inquiries. So, unless you can figure out how to work continual twenty-four hour shifts, or hire enough people to constantly monitor incoming emails (while they're eating up your revenue) you have a problem.

The good news is that an autoresponder is an inexpensive method of quickly responding to emails. What these programs do is automatically respond to incoming emails as soon as they are received.

Emails are essential to your business for many different reasons. Most importantly, if you have your own website, these invisible email voices give you their feedback about your website! Or, if you are marketing in the Network Marketing arena, email is an awesome way to reach thousands simultaneously and receiving inquiries concerning your offer.

However, if you spend all your working hours answering inquiring emails, how are you supposed to run your business? The answer is simple: use “autoresponders!” Autoresponders are programs that automatically respond to your emails without you so much as having to click your mouse button.

There are a number of good reasons why you need an autoresponder besides just answering your email.

For example, autoresponders can be used if you need a way to send information about your services, products, or offer, or if there are repeated questions asked across large numbers of emails. Maybe you want to offer your site visitors a special bonus of some kind, such as advice or relevant articles. All of this can be handled by an autoresponder.

Additionally, you can advertise your business and then build stable relationships with your customers by using autoresponders.

Autoresponder programs vary from software that runs with your email program to a specialized script that runs on your web hosting company's server. This kind of script may use a web page form or simply operate with your email account. This kind of script is programmed to send out a standardized message whenever an email is received. The message is sent to a particular script or email address.

Some autoresponders can do more than simply send out standardized messages. They can send out an unlimited number of follow-up messages sent at predetermined intervals. For example, you can set your autoresponder to send out a new message every day for as long a period as you desire.

There are numerous companies who offer autoresponders. Some are even free. But, free ones are usually limited as to the services they provide. If you have a website, your website hosting company may offer an autoresponder service. If not, there are numerous companies who offer this service for a small fee.

To personalize your autoresponder messages, you can attach a signature. Signatures in this case are much like business cards. You can include your name, website address, and all your contact numbers. It's a good idea to attach a signature to every email that is sent out. Keep the length of your signature between four to six lines of text.

Another specialized use of autoresponders is to create courses that you can then offer your site visitors and/or your readers, for free. You must choose a topic in which you are an expert and that precisely targets your potential customers.

Once you have carefully chosen your subject, divide it into a number of different sub-topics. Then offer your site visitor and/or your readers, a free 10 or 15 day course. Each day offer a different sub-topic. The first topic should always be a welcome message with an explanation as to what will follow. Your explanation should be enticing, getting the point across that you are offering for free, quality information that your target audience will find of great value.

With every lesson, include the number of the lesson, the topic title, and information about your offer. At the end, include a few blurbs about the next lesson to entice the subscriber to continue on. Make sure each topic is packed with essential and valuable information, and leaves the visitor lusting to know more. Otherwise, you may lose them in the very beginning.

Of course, you have to write your course before you can offer it. Once you have done this, and gone over the material carefully, employing a professional writer or editor if necessary, you must transfer your text to your autoresponder.

There are a number of free autoresponders you can use. Go on your favorite search engine and search for autoresponders and you will find a long list of free and paid autoresponder companies. Then sign-up for your chosen autoresponder. Once you do, you will receive instructions as to how to set it up and transfer your text.

Email is an excellent marketing tool. It is inexpensive and it is fast. Use it to advertise your business by choosing your email address carefully.

If you have your own website it should contain different email addresses for different contact requests. For example, use info@yourdomain.com for information requests, or sales@yourdomain.com for questions about sales. It's a good idea to set up one for the owner, such as president@yourdomain.com. This presents your business in a personal, approachable light and insures that direct contact is provided.

Autoresponders are an effective and powerful marketing tool, allowing you to make contact with thousands of potential customers. This is an invaluable asset considering how many potential customers you usually have contact with before you make an actual sale. Essentially, an autoresponder allows you to put a good portion of your marketing campaign on autopilot.

Next time: “Creative and Profitable Ways to Use Autoreponders.”



“Assisting People To Success – One Heart At A Time!” (SM)

Lou Everett, Sr.


NOTE: If you would like a FREE coaching session, please send me an e-mail at: LouEverettSr@yahoo.com, with the word "Coaching" in the Subject, and your full name and phone number in the Body. Thanks!

Copyright 2005 by Lou Everett, Sr. All Rights Reserved