Joe is enjoying his holiday in Hawaii. Joe, who is used to getting tens of business emails every day, doesn’t worry about his absence from the business. A small but handy program, called an "autoresponder," takes care of all of Joe’s emails. Autoresponders are everywhere – from the casual "I am on a holiday" to the more serious "Out of Office" type responses.
What is an autoresponder?
Autoresponders are preset emails that instantly respond to an incoming email, similar to an on-demand fax system that sends out an automatic fax message after dialling in a given number. A simple autoresponder would be the "I am on a holiday" kind that most of us have used at some point or other. Autoresponders are small programmes that are either part of an email programme or run as a script on a separate server. Almost all email services and programmes come with some form of autoresponder built into them, sometimes dubbed "auto-reply" messages or "vacation emails". They represent the simplest form of autoresponder, used for very basic needs. However, there are more advanced applications of autoresponders that can tremendously reduce marketing time and save businesses thousands of dollars.
Why Autoresponders?
Autoresponders are the key to any professionally managed business. Imagine how much time one would require to manually respond to emails from millions of users who require some basic information about a product or a service. Autoresponders come in handy in such a situation. Moreover, people feel better when their emails about an enquiry are instantly acknowledged. Here again, autoresponders are the best bet for the job. But the applications of autoresponders are not just limited to answering emails. A multitude of applications are possible through an autoresponder system, with the most common being
Sending confirmation emails about a purchase or an enquirySending a
welcome message to new customers
distributing company literature, such as brochures and presentation materials
Sending newsletters
Conduct online courses by sending out course materials at periodic time intervals.
Types of Autoresponders
Autoresponders can be classified into any one of the following:
One-time autoresponders
Sequential autoresponders
One-time is the most common of the two and has been since the beginning of email.In a one-time autoresponder system, the programme immediately sends out a pre-defined message, usually a welcome email or order confirmation and acknowledgements. One-time autoresponders are also easier to setup and manage. This type of autoresponder is usually integrated into the email program that handles the incoming messages.
Sequential autoresponders have been developed during recent times. Here, a set of email messages are placed in the autoresponder system, which sends them from time to time, or at irregular intervals of time. The time intervals and frequency of the emails that are sent can be customized. Sequential autoresponders are great for sending messages on a periodic basis that actually make the customer believe that a real person is emailing them from the other end! Online courses, reminder services, and regular content delivery like tips of the day, weekly newsletters, and seasonal promotions are typical usages of a sequential system. A critical
marketing tool
Autoresponders score highly with any serious internet marketer. A good quality autoresponder system saves the trouble of responding to messages that at least warrant a personalised reply. It allows companies to automate portions of their marketing efforts. A good autoresponder system helps in providing good customer service, thereby creating affinity for the business and retaining customers. It also provides an opportunity to build a quality prospect list of customers to whom information on future services and products can be emailed. Autoresponders are also finding their presence felt in some parts of the sales process—sometimes the entire sale can be completed through a series of autoresponder messages. Think of the cost-savings that companies benefit from through effective autoresponder systems!
Choosing a winning program
Okay, you have enough reasons now to get your own autoresponder. There are hundreds of programmes available for free on the internet that can also do the job. RobotReply, a highly popular autoresponder program, is the best in the business when it comes to sheer power. It boosts great features that any marketer would want to have in his kitty. What's more, you also get high-quality leads along with the programme supported by an excellent technical staff working round-the-clock!
The more time you invest in a good autoresponder system, the more value you give your customers. The sooner you receive responses, the more you will be able to take advantage of the powerful autoresponder technology.
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