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How Autoresponders Work
Category: InternetIn order to build a list of subscribers to your newsletter, or simply a list of people who trust you enough to allow you to send them emails now and then (with the occasional offer), you’re gonna need an autoresponder. An autoresponder is appropriately named because it’s just software that ‘automatically responds’ to emails sent to it from your subscribers.
Autoresponders are great because you set it up once (for each “campaign”) and it works behind the scenes on autopilot, making your subscribers think that you’re actually writing each email yourself. Or that you have a big office in a glass-and-steel high-rise with a dozen minions working for you…
Well, actually, most people nowadays–even ‘non-techie’ types like your grandmother–know about autoresponders. They haven’t heard of the word, “autoresponder” before, but with all the emails nowadays that say something like, “Do not respond to this message, it has been automatically sent blah blah…” even your grandmother is aware of the existence of automatically-generated emails.
Everyone’s already experienced the joy of listening to answering machine advertisements and computer-generated appointment reminders. So nobody’s foolin’ anyone anymore…
However, even though your grandmother realizes it’d be practically impossible to get back a “thanks for signing up to my newsletter, Alice…” just 5 seconds after she’s signed up for the newsletter, she still expects this immediate and personalized response…
Because it’s just become the minimum standard! Anything less is not good ‘netiquette.’ If you’re not using an autoresponder of some type, you’re behind the times.
Like nearly all autoresponders, the top two subscription-based, GetResponse and Aweber, and the top reside-on-your computer, Mailloop 7.0, are “sequential” autoresponders. This simply means they are capable of responding to your subscriber’s email with a series or “sequence” of responses; responses you’ve set up ahead of time.
It should be pointed out here that there’s more subscription autoresponder companies out there than just Aweber and GetResponse. However, these two are far and away the most popular. Their companies have been around longer than most others and they have more features than every other company out there as of now. Their services are tweaked and polished more than the rest. As far as who to choose? That one is truly a toss-up because both Aweber and GetResponse have huge and loyal followings.
In any case, continuing with the basics of autoresponders: Let’s look at this example of what actually happens when an autoresponder gets triggered: Say you have a website on dog training. John Doe found your site thru the keyword, “dog training.” On your website you’ve installed a simple signup form, which a visitor must fill out in order to receive your newsletter. John Doe fills out this form and clicks, “send,” setting in motion these actions:
1. John’s name, email address, IP address (that’s his computer’s unique ID), and the time and date are recorded in your autoresponder’s database under the name you’ve given this particular campaign–for example, “dog training.”
2. A message pops up on John’s screen that says “Please check your email to activate your subscription.” (This is the part you’ve heard various things like, “double opt-in” or “verified opt-in” or “confirmed opt-in.”)
3. Checking his email (or his SPAM filter), Fred receives a message with something like, “Your Response is Required: Confirm Your Request for Information from “DogTraining.com.” By clicking on the link in this email, John is completing the “confirmed opt-in” process and is now signed up to receive your newsletter.
Read the rest of how autoresponders work and discover the best autoresponder for your own needs at http://www.honestysellsbest.com. Author Charles Brown has many other articles designed to explain things in an easy-to-understand format.
Tags: Autoresponders, aweber, getresponse, mailloop 7.0