Email Autoresponders

The term email autoresponser also refers to auto email, autoresponder, mailbot, and email responder.

An email autoresponder is an email marketing promotional tool that automates your e-mails.  You can also use email autoresponders to submit regular mailings such as newsletters, tips or advice or you can set it up to deliver email automatically on a time interval that you select.  Set it up once and forget it.

Autoresponders allow you to pre-write your emails to either send immediately to your customers or post date them to go out at a later time. Additionally use them to automatically respond to a variety of questions or information that your customers or viewers may have, leaving you to tend to the more important tasks of running your business.

As an online business owner, your daily tasks can include reading emails, handling orders, advertising, product promotion and the list goes on.  These mundane, every day tasks can be easily automated by using email autoresponders.

The benefits an email autoresponder can provide you:

• Customer questions can be instantly responded to creating satisfied customers who will be impressed with your fast, professional service.
• Automated follow-up e-mails will allow you to keep in contact with our customers allowing you to notify them of other products you sell which can boost your revenue.
• Automating your ordering process will allow you to sell your products or services at any time of the day or night allowing for more sales, and more profits.
• Instantly confirming orders and fulfilling your customers' orders for electronic products like software and e-Books can produce happier customers who are more likely to buy from you again and again.

The two biggest time consumers for online businesses are customer response and order fulfillment. Think for a moment how much more time you would have to promote your business if these daily tasks could be automated.

Here are two of the best ways to utilize email autoresponders:

1. Automate Your Customer Emails

Customers can generate a lot of email on a daily basis and many of the questions and information needed can be the same. Email autoresponders can help because you can develop a comprehensive email, write it once and your process is automated.

For example, autoresponders can help you set up a 'frequently asked questions'  email by creating an email address such as 'faq@mysite.com' . Here you can invite viewers to ask questions about your products. You can then automate a response email that contains answers to the most common questions you're likely to receive about your products, services or ordering process.

You can save yourself countless hours of responding to questions and at the same time, increase the chances of a sale immediately.

Autoresponders can also help you gather email addresses for your weekly news or sales letter. Simply set up another email address such as newsletter@mysite.com' that will capture email addresses through a form on your website. Now you have email addresses that you can sell to each and every week.

You can set up endless email addresses for whatever information you want your viewers to receive and your responses will all be automated.

2. Automate your Customer Service

Email autoresponders can also help with order fulfillment. This is where you can find yourself spending lots of your time because, after all, orders are the bread and butter of your business  It's also a very critical part of your business so automating it can help reduce the amount of error and confusion, particularly if your business is growing at a rapid pace.

Depending on your products, order fulfillment systems are an excellent idea but autoresponders can also help out particularly if you sell electronic products such as e-books, software or online services.

Confirming Orders
When a purchase is made online, buyers need confirmation. They want to know that their order was successful and that payment was received. Autoresponders can reply automatically to all orders and can include all the pertinent order information that you wish to send. 

Provide shipping information
If you are shipping your products to your customers autoresponders can notify buyers that their products have shipped, how they were shipped and when they might expect it. 

Follow-up
This is your opportunity to provide that bit of extra good will.  A follow-up message is a great promotion gesture.  It's a way for you to provide a little extra customer care by following up on how your customers enjoyed their products and, most importantly, thanking them for shopping   It's also an excellent way for you to announce new products or information so they'll  think of you again next time they're shopping.

Once you've implemented autoresponders into your online business, you'll never look back. Emails can be written once and sent automatically. It's the easiest and most efficient way to help grow your business, allowing you to spend your time more efficiently and make more sales.

Finding a good autoresponder can be another challenge however I use Aweber subscription service and have absolutely no complaints whatsoever.
                                               

Things to look for in an email autoresponder: 

Free or fee based autoresponder?
Email autoresponders can be purchased as a monthly subscription or you can purchase an autoresponder software package for a one time fee. Both are perfectly acceptable options, it's simply a matter of personal preference and/or budget constraints.

I don't recommend going with a free autoresponder.  Advertisements go out with your emails creating a distraction for your readers. Also free autoresponders are often get labeled as spam and they are much less professional looking.

Look for personalization features.
This will allow you to personalize your messages such as addressing your viewers by name, providing dates, etc

SPAM Checking Features
Your message won't be delivered if it contains words, or characters that mail systems consider SPAM. Your autoresponder must be able to check your emails for 'spam' words as well as be sensitive to anti-spam laws.

Great customer service.
This isn't often thought of at first but you must be able to contact someone for help if needed.  I like to have an 800 number at my fingertips but email correspondence with good turn around time is often sufficient.

Import and export.
Ability to  import and export your email names and addresses.

Unlimited Follow Up Messages
A good autoresponder should allow for unlimited follow up messages at no additional cost. Messages should be able to include HTML or plain text.

Unlimited Campaigns 
Your email autoresponder should allow for unlimited campaigns at no additional cost. Each campaign should  include unlimited auto responses and follow ups.

Unlimited Broadcasts & Newsletters
You want to be able to have unlimited broadcast and newsletter messages at no additional cost.

Top Autoresponder recommendations:

These are two of the best recommendations based on your preferences.

Aweber   (Subscription Service   )  
Aweber  is a remotely-hosted email autoresponder that automates
the task of sending autoresponders and broadcast email messages.

With AWeber's unlimited autoresponders and unlimited follow ups, your prospects will automatically receive your marketing message the essential seven times or more over a period of days, weeks, and months when they request information from you.

Format   Web-based application

Free Trial  Yes

Cost:   $19.95/month or $179.40/yr.

Why Aweber is recommended:  Personal Experience. I have used several email autoresponders I have found Aweber to be the best by far.

- My Personal Aweber Review

- Visit Aweber Website

Mailloop   (Downloadable Software)

Mailloop 6.0 is an all-in-one e-mail marketing and management solution. This software provides you with everything you need to set up, manage, and send e-mail promotions, newsletters, and autoresponders to the e-mail list you have (or plan to) build.

Mailloop is more than an email autoresponder, the system includes tools such as newsletter and promotional mailing templates as well as features designed to help even newbies become overnight experts at e-mail marketing. You will get all the educational tools and instructions you need for getting more email responses (should you need them), making more money, and building your own opt-in list from scratch.

Format: Downloadable Software Package 
    
Free Trial:  N/A

Cost: Mailloop 6.0 $379 or 4 payments of $94.75 
         Mailloop 6.0 Professional Edition: $697 or 4 payments of $174.25
    
Visit Mailloop Site