How Do Autoresponders Work?
Have you ever received an email telling you that the person you emailed is on vacation and will not be answering his email for the next week? What about a company that answers with an email thanking you for your interest and that they would get back to you in a day or two? Or even an email saying that the email you tried to send could not be delivered? How about emails leading up to an event? Event reminders? Newsletters?
Each of these is a different version of what we commonly call an autoresponder. An autoresponder is simply that, a computer program that automatically answers email sent to it. This simple definition, however, belies a world of difference between the different types of autoresponders in use today.
The first auto responders were incorporated into mail transfer agents or email providers. When they could not deliver a piece of email, they would send an autoresponse to you letting you know as much. These types of emails were helpful, but not particularly sophisticated.
That has all changed radically in recent years, as autoresponders have been incorporated into the marketing strategies of many companies. Today autoresponders are used by companies to immediately give feedback and information to prospective clients. This might include sending an autoresponse to email inquiries which include pricing information, more details about a product, and a timeline for when they can expect someone from the company to get back with them.
These ‘client touches’ are a valuable commodity in the world of marketing because they improve conversion rates in the purchase of goods by keeping the product or service in the mind of the purchaser for a bit longer, as well as provide the company with an additional opportunity to provide the potential customer with more information on the product.
There are two types of auto responders, sequential and broadcast. Sequential autoresponders are a series of emails that are time released. Take my Free Marketing Course for example, after you sign up you receive a welcome email and a new email every day. The frequency can be set to days, weeks, months, or years. Another flavor is a reverse sequence, ie. counting backwards from a date. Take my Free Marketing Seminar for example, 1 week prior and 1 day prior I have autoresponders going out to remind the registrants of the event.
Broadcast autoresponders are similar to newsletters. They go out on a specified date. This could be a holiday, special event, or pre-determined date.
The more advanced autoresponders can also incorporate rule based criteria and split tests. Rules such as customer’s only, event registrants, contacts with a birthday today etc. Split tests allow you to send out different messages for different rules to conduct a test of the popularity of your message. That’s right, most autoresponders allow you to see open rates and click through rates.
One autoresponder that’s gained popularity is AWeber. I’ve been using it myself until I upgraded to Infusionsoft. Have a look at both systems, they’re quite powerful.
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