Building Sales with Email Autoresponders

Stay in constant contact with your prospects

By Linda Formichelli, Freelance Writer

An email autoresponder automatically, immediately responds to customers who request information via email or via a form on your site. You see autoresponders at work when you get an "away from the office" message in response to an email, but you can also use them to, say, send a pre-written packet of information to potential customers. An email autoresponder:

Lets you easily stay in touch with interested prospects.
Can be an effective part of your marketing plan.
Helps you serve your customers more quickly and efficiently.
Reduces the cost of your marketing communications.

Set up an autoresponder through your ISP

Many ISPs include autoresponders in their hosting packages.
Try: Try one of these three national ISPs for autoresponder service: Hostway, BestWebHost.com, or iPowerWeb. Alternatively, search for an ISP that meets your technical and budgetary needs on Web Host Magazine. Then check the Web sites of the ISPs of your choice to find out more about their autoresponder offerings.

Use a paid autoresponder service

Autoresponder services are pricier than using the version offered by your ISP but they often offer more options, such as allowing you to send out several responses spaced out over time (for example, for an e-course, newsletter, or marketing campaign).
Try: GetResponse and Aweber are leaders in this space. See AutoresponderVendor for a list of other vendors.

Try a free autoresponder service

Short on cash? Free email autoresponders are, well, free, but some restrict the number of messages you can send or subscribers you can add, and some run a third-party ad in your outgoing autoresponder messages.
Try: Check out the list of free autoresponders at EmailAddresses.com.

Bring in more sales by offering free information

Offering free information through an e-course, newsletter, tips booklets, or even a "tip-a-day" service helps you build valuable relationships with your prospects.
Try: TipsBooklets.com provides – you guessed it! – information on how to write tips booklets that you can offer via autoresponder. Learn how to create an e-course on How The Heck Do I... For other ideas on marketing via autoresponder, read these articles on EzineArticles and Devicode Technology.

Remember to follow the basics of good copywriting when creating the text for your autoresponder: Focus on the benefit to your customer, make it personal when possible (some services will let you personalize your outgoing message), and include a call-to-action.
Don't spam! Let the customer know what he'll be getting when he writes to your autoresponder, and don't add his address to any other lists. Always include an opt-out option to let people unsubscribe from your messages.
Be creative in your autoresponder offerings. For example, if you own a winery, you can offer a course on wine-tasting. Run a PR firm? Try daily or weekly tips on working with the media, such as how to handle yourself in media interviews and how to dress for TV appearances.
Use an autoresponder to improve customer service by offering FAQs, price lists, and other information customers frequently request.