How to Use Autoresponders

Autoresponders are software programs which automatically responds to e mails without requiring any human intervention. When you are running an online business, you are likely to receive a large number of e-mails from your customers each day. These e mails are required to be answered promptly. So, either you have to work all day answering the mails or you have to hire somebody to do the job. Autoresponders will help you to this job without your direct intervention.

Autoresponders are used to communicate with the existing customers as well as to gain new customers. Autoresponders may be used for the following purposes:

* To send e mails at predetermined times to the existing customers.
* To distribute newsletters, articles, ezines etc. to the current and future customers.
* To build a mailing list.
* To send new product information, offers and discount opportunities to the current as well as future customers.
* To send reminders.
* To offer some courses, which are divided into several lessons.

There are different autoresponder services available in the market. Some of these are free whereas the others are paid. There are some hosting companies that provide autoresponder services free of charge. But it is always better to go for the established services by paying a small fee per month (about $20). These services will provide a better delivery of your messages and proper management of your customer database. They will also totally comply with the Can-Spam Act (regarding spam mails) which imposes a number of restrictions on the e mail marketers, to avoid spam. They automatically handle any unsubscribe request or any other complaint from the subscribers, themselves.

Autoresponders may be used to build your own opt-in-list. With the paid services, you may set up an unlimited number of lists and any number of e mail messages for each list. For each subscriber, you will be provided the I.P. address, time and date of confirmation to avoid any future complications.

So, autoresponders are an important tool which can be used to promote your online business. They also help you to automate part of your marketing campaign.