An autoresponder is a line of script that automatically sends an email response when someone sends you an email, clicks a button on your website, or fills out and submits a form.
An autoresponder series is a series of emails sent automatically to people who sign up to receive them.
Businesses use them to send regular marketing messages, e-courses, and ezines.
Here are just a few things an autoresponder series can do for your business.
Keep you in front of your prospects.
Because autoresponder messages are short, people have the attention span to read them more often than they do longer articles and ezines.
With an autoresponder series, you have an opportunity to make a great impression on prospects every day.
Your competitors may show up during Google searches of certain keywords, as pop-up ads prospects click through, or in more traditional advertising media like television and radio.
But with autoresponders, you're making personal contact with your prospects.
Inspire trust and goodwill.
Give people a peek into how to choose a vendor or service provider like you, how-to information relevant to your industry, or how they can save money buying what you sell--and people won't see you as a salesperson.
They'll see you as an educator.
They'll trust you, and they'll be more likely to buy from you.
Help you assemble a pre-screened email marketing list.
It's best if you don't sign people up for your autoresponder series unless they ask for it.
It's not just because of anti-spam legislation and making a good impression, although that's a big part of it.
There's another compelling reason why you want to send your series only to those who ask for it: because it pre-screens your prospects.
If someone signs up for your series, they've shown an interest in your product or service in general, and an interest in your business in particular.
These are people who are much more likely to buy from you than the average prospect.
Each one is a hot lead, and it will pay to keep in touch.
Help you educate your prospects.
Your prospects may know they want or need what you're selling--if they sign up for your series, they already have an interest.
But there may be plenty of things about your industry or products that they don't know and that they should.
You can use your autoresponder series to address common misconceptions, help your prospects get the most for their money, and guide their purchases in a way that's mutually beneficial.
Boost your bottom line.
With an informative autoresponder series, your prospects see your company name more often than your competitors'; they are used to getting good, solid, helpful information from you, even as your competitors are sending them nothing but sales letters; and they've learned from you and come to trust you as a resource.
Of course, when it comes to a choice between you and your competitor, they're going to pick you.
Add a brief discount offer at the bottom of each article, and your subscribers will take you up on it more often than not.
It all adds up to more money in your pocket, without a huge investment in time or labor.
An informative autoresponder series is a powerful way to increase sales.
You'll make yourself look knowledgeable and generous, stay in front of customers, create a strong email marketing list, and sell to people who want to buy.
Put an autoresponder series to work for you, and you're sure to reap the benefits.