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Autoresponders - Frequently Asked Questions
By Shelley Lowery © 2003 -
2005
Autoresponders are one of the most popular tools used on the
Internet, as they will enable you to put a portion of your business on
auto-pilot.
Over the years, I have received many questions about
autoresponders and have devised a list of the most frequently asked
autoresponder questions.
Question: I'm new
to Internet marketing and am continually hearing about the benefits of using an
autoresponder. Can you please explain exactly what an autoresponder
is?
Answer: Autoresponders are one of the
top promotional tools available online today. They are also known as mailbots,
automatic email and email on demand. They were derived from the very popular fax
on demand and designed to automatically respond to any email message sent to it
with an automatic response.
Autoresponder programs vary from software
set up to run with your desktop email program and automatically answer your
incoming email to a script that runs on your server. The script may run a
Web-based autoresponder system that utilizes a web page form, or it may run with
your pop email account on your server. It is programmed to automatically send
out a predetermined message when a message is received to a specified script
address or email address.
Question: My
hosting company provides access to autoresponders, but I have no idea what
they're used for. Can you please explain?
Answer: There are many advantages associated with the
use of autoresponders. Not only do they automate the daily task of manually
replying to requests for information, but they also provide instant
gratification for the recipient.
Autoresponders can be used in an
unlimited number of ways including:
-
Sample ezine copy for
potential subscribers
-
Articles for publication - A
great way for writers to distribute their articles
-
Offer free powerful reports on
various subjects and use your signature file at the end to promote your site or
business
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Offer free resources with
information about your site, product or business
-
Information about your
business opportunity
-
Product listings
-
Price list
-
Welcome letters
-
Thank you letters
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Order confirmations
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Advertising rates
Question: Can you tell me what I should look for when
selecting an autoresponder service?
Answer: When selecting an autoresponder service, there
are many factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure maximum
performance.
The service you select should provide all of the
following:
-
Personalized responses
- This makes the recipient feel that the message was sent specifically to
them.
-
Automatic follow ups -
Studies have shown it may take up to seven contacts before closing a sale.
-
Unlimited text length -
If you are inhibited by the amount of text your autoresponder may contain, you
may be forced to revise a successful sales letter, ultimately costing you
business.
-
Free unlimited updating
- It is imperative to provide your customers with accurate, up to date
information on your products and services.
-
Automatic notification
- You must have the ability to track your ad's performance. You should be
instantly informed each time someone requests your information.
Question: I would like to set up an autoresponder
course, but I can't figure out how to do it. Can you please
explain?
Answer: In order to set up an
autoresponder course, you must use a system that provides follow-up
autoresponders. These follow up messages can be set up to automatically be sent
out at predetermined intervals. In other words, you can set up your
autoresponder to automatically send out a new message each day for as many days
as you would like.
Not all autoresponders will enable you to create
follow-up messages. However, Getresponse
will.
If you'd rather have your own autoresponder system that resides on
your server, I recommend using AutoResponse Plus.
The first step in creating an
autoresponder course is to decide upon a subject. Your course should focus on a
subject in which you have a great deal of knowledge and target your potential
customers.
Once you have selected your subject, you'll need to make a
list of topics. Each topic will represent one lesson. If you have five topics,
then you can offer your visitors a free 5- day course. If you have ten topics,
then you can offer your visitors a free 10-day course and so on.
Separate
each of your topics into course lessons. Your first lesson should welcome your
subscriber to your course and explain a little bit about what they are going to
learn, followed by the first lesson.
The key to creating a successful
autoresponder course is to provide quality information that will be of interest
to your target audience. Each daily topic must contain valuable information or
your reader may decide to unsubscribe. In addition, make sure you include
information in regard to your course such as the lesson number, lesson title,
information about your products or services and highlights of the next
lesson.
Your course should identify a problem, provide advice in regard
to solving the problem and provide the solution with your products or services.
Keep in mind, your course should not be written like a sales letter. It must
provide quality information written to teach and inform.
Autoresponders
are an absolute essential part of developing a successful Internet business. The
more you can automate your tasks, the more time you'll have for more important
things, such as making more sales.
About the Author:
| Shelley Lowery is the
author of Web Design
Mastery - An in-depth guide to professional web design. And, Ebook Starter - Give your
ebooks the look and feel of a real book. Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for
a free subscription to Etips - Web Design, Internet Marketing and Ecommerce
Solutions and receive a free copy of the acclaimed ebook, Killer
Internet Marketing Strategies -- A $27
value. |
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