Why Do I Need An Autoresponder?

One of the things we are always finding at RocketResponder, is that the most diverse groups of people and organizations can benefit from using an autoresponder.

Two of the most common questions we get asked are “What is an autoresponder?” and “Why do I need an autoresponder?”

The first question was addressed in this blog post – What is an autoresponder and how does it work? - and the second one is the subject of this current post.

It might be easier to first set out why you might not need to use an autoresponder. Basically if you are only sending emails to friends or family then you will not need an autoresponder…a regular email service will more than adequately meet your needs.

When using regular email, you manually write out and send an email to, typically, one person at a time and every time you want to send an email message then you have physically write it out and send it.

Why Do I Need An Autoresponder?

If you find that you are regularly having to send the same emails to different people then you most certainly could benefit from using an autoresponder which will allow you to send the same email, or series of emails to multiple people, automatically as they sign up to receive emails from you.

If you don’t regularly send the same emails to different people – but could see how doing so would be of benefit to you – then you could also benefit from using an autoresponder.

Here are just some categories where using an autoresponder could bring big benefits and save you a lot of time in physically sending emails.

small businesses – contact your customers and keep them updated with special offers and promotions

large businesses – keep customers updated with special offers and promotions while also managing your internal email communications

special interest groups – send out information about your niche to those who share the same passion as you.

bloggers – let your readers know as soon as your blog has new content

affiliate marketers – promote launches and affiliate offers to your list at exactly the time you want to. Never miss a launch date again.

restaurants – let your customers know about special menus, themed events, food and beverage deals and offers.

website owners – maximize targeted traffic by building up a subscriber list of fans.

political groups – contact potential voters, organize support and publicize campaigns.

churches – contact your congregation about upcoming services, spread God’s word and reach out to the wider community.

non profits – highlight the work you do, explain why it is so important and raise your profile.

internet marketers – having an efficient, reliable autoresponder is the life-blood of your business.

These are just a small selection of people who would benefit from using an autoresponder, but the list is virtually endless.

In all cases there has to be a desire to communicate information to a specific group of people on the one hand and a desire for a group of people to receive that information on the other.

An autoresponder is the tool that brings those two groups together and ensures that your message gets out quickly and efficiently.

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Why Do I Need An Autoresponder?

What Is An Autoresponder And How Does It Work?

What is an autoresponder? An autoresponder is a service which allows you to automatically send out emails to a group, or to several different groups, of people.

The key things to know are that:

• subscribers sign up to receive emails from you


• once the emails are written, the sending process is automatic


• using email in this way is an astonishingly effective way to communicate

To get started you will have to first sign up to an autoresponder service such as RocketResponder and then set up a list within the autoresponder software for each group of people with whom you want to communicate.

For some people just one list is all they ever need but other people who use autoresponders may have multiple lists to target different groups.

Gaining subscribers

Next you will want to invite people to join your list. Typically this is done by asking them to provide you with their name and email address in order to receive emails from you.

So if you are a business the emails could be mainly about your business and any special offers you are running while bloggers tend to send emails when they have written a new post (a good autoresoponder will automatically do this for you either every time you post or at a frequency decided by you.)

Sometimes people like to include a gift in return for people signing up to their autoresponder list (which is also called a marketing list or simply an email list.) This may take the form of a discount on their first order, a free report on the subject area of interest or some tips and tricks that subscribers may like to know.

Communicating with subscribers

Now that you have names on your list you will need to talk to these people. After all they have given you their email address for that very purpose.

Typically you will write a short series of emails which go out to each new subscriber in the days, weeks (or even months) after they sign up to your list.

So if I join your list I might get a welcome email on day one, an introductory email on day two, something else on day three and then more emails on day six, 12  and 18.

You write the emails once, set the frequency you want them delivered and then each time someone new joins they get all your email series, in the order you wrote them and on the days you want them to get them. There is no further action required on your part.

The huge benefits of this are that:

• your time is freed up to get on with the things you need to do


• every single subscriber gets the same series of messages…even if you have 100 people sign up in a day, nobody gets left out. (Try handling all that on your own without an autoresponder.)

The other cool thing is that you can send emails to your lists at any time you want. So if you want to inform your subscribers about your new service which launches next week then write one email, press send, and everyone on your list gets to hear the news right away.

Some autoresponders are free, but these tend to have limited functionality or may impose limits to how many emails you can send or how many subscribers you can have on your list.

The paid autoresponders allow you to have more flexibility with how you communicate with your subscribers and can give you more data you may find useful including how many people opened your emails or clicked on your links.

Most paid services will charge you based on the number of subscribers you have – the price goes up as your list size grows. RocketResponder has a flat-fee pricing structure so that you will always know how much you have to pay and not have to worry about the numbers of subscribers you have.

Finally one common misconception is that autoresponders are only really useful for people who are working online, but this is simply not true.

More and more offline businesses and organizations are using autoresponders to communicate with their subscribers too. When it comes to efficiently sending email to groups of people then autoresponders are indispensable and really cost-effective communication tools.

What Is An Autoresponder And How Does It Work?

How To Win Over A Cold Email List

Last time we mentioned some common email marketing writing mistakes people regularly make.

One was perhaps one of the greatest mistakes of all and that is allowing your list to grow cold.

So today it would be a good opportunity to discuss what can be done to best revive a relationship with such a group of subscribers.

A cold list in this context a “cold” list is one which you have not communicated with for so long that you have allowed your relationship with the people on it to grow cold.

The chances are that if you suddenly start sending out your emails to them again then many of them will have to scratch their heads to work out who you are.

The result – they may think it is spam mail and they will just unsubscribe or report you as spam (or both.)

Others may remember having signed up to your list but decide that having got along just fine for many months without you that they no longer need to hear from you again.

So how would I tackle a list like this.

Well the last thing I would do is wait until I had something to promote to contact them again…that is just adding insult to injury.

Instead I would use my RocketResponder account to try and gently rebuild bridges.

I would send a broadcast email to the entire list and cover the following points:

• Reintroduce myself


• Apologise for having ignored them


• Offer a reason for having failed to do so


• Tell them I will be in more regular contact from now on…if they still want to hear from me


• Invite them to unsubscribe if they feel they no longer trust me or no longer want to hear from me.

Keep the email short and don’t make silly excuses for having lost contact. Just be open, honest and up front – remember you are trying to rebuild contact.

Also be aware that some people will take you up on the offer to unsubscribe – it is only to be expected after all. However some will really appreciate your honesty and some who might have unsubscribed may be willing to give you a second chance.

Now you have done the best you can to rebuild bridges, don’t make the same mistake again!

How To Win Over A Cold Email List

Never Fear The Double Opt In

At RocketResponder we don’t fear the double opt in of subscribers to a new email list. In fact our members rather like it.

In double opt in when somebody signs up to your list they are sent an email with a link which they must click to confirm that they actually do want to be on your list.

The thing about this which some list builders don’t like is that it is a two step process and having to click on the link is an extra hurdle that people must navigate before they are actually on your list.

Typically you can expect some people to sign up for any given list and then not go on to click the link to fully opt in. The main consequence of this is that your list would be smaller than it would be if only single opt in was used.

In the single opt in process there is no confirmation email and the subscriber is on your list as soon as their email address is entered into the opt in form.

Here are some reasons why you might prefer the double opt in approach:

• all of your subscribers have already taken action in order to be on your list. Sometimes we enter an email address without really giving it any thought. With double opt in the subscriber has had to physically check their email account, look for the confirmation email and click on a link. This suggests that they really want to be on your list.


• it prevents malicious sign ups. Some people might sign up their friends or colleagues to lists as a prank. This is bad for the person who has the list and for the “victim” who ends up signed up for information they don’t want in the first place.


• you weed out tyre kickers. If someone signs up to a list and can’t be bothered to confirm then they are probably not worth having on your list in the first place. It they were on your list then they would most likely never even open your emails so you are better off without them.

What do you think about the opt in process and what are your experiences of the issue?

Never Fear The Double Opt In

Four Things You Could Do When A Customer Buys From You

Customer sales strategy: Congratulations…your customers are buying your goods or services.

It is a nice feeling when a complete stranger decides that what you have to offer is worth paying hard cash for.

But don’t be too pleased with yourself just yet.

Maybe they want to buy some more and are waiting for you to tell them what else you have to offer.

Well your RocketResponder email series can do just that.

Here are four things you should consider informing your customers about when they have just bought something from you:

1. An upsell – They have gone ahead and bought your basic service and that is good. But take the opportunity of informing them of all they are missing out on by not taking the next higher level and provide them with that opportunity to pay and upgrade right now.


2. A bonus…just because you can – People love to get something for nothing. Maybe someone has bought a three month subscription from you…then say as a special bonus you will offer them four. Or offer them something else – maybe a month’s free access to a related product or service you provide.


3. A discount on future purchases – The customer has just bought something so they are in the buying mode. Take advantage of this and suggest other things they could buy from you. Then offer a time sensitive discount to encourage them to do so – e.g. “If you buy “x,” “y,” or “z” within the next 48 hours you can take an additional “x” per cent off with this discount code.


4. Ask for feedback – Customer feedback is invaluable as it can tell you what you are doing well and where you need to improve. Good feedback can also be used as testimonials to attract other customers.

 

 

Four Things You Could Do When A Customer Buys From You

Five Types of Autoresponder Email Series

Autoresponder Email Series: One of the purposes of these blog posts is to encourage RocketResponder users to really think about how they use email communication.

We want you to think about how you use your email to communicate with your subscribers or customers.

For example we recently covered why you want to send emails when people join your list and went on to discuss the types of things you might say in an email series.

However did you realize that there are several different types of email series such as there are different breeds of cats or dogs?

Here are some that I have noticed:

1. In your face – I have called this ‘In your face’ because it is pretty blunt and to the point. Here you promote a product and link to a sales page. You might do a short series of emails all promoting different aspects of the same product and link to a sales page each time. If you use this then be careful that you don’t just promote one affiliate product after another as people will think you have no focus at all and think you just want to get affiliate commissions at any cost. This is most effective if you are getting behind one product or service (especially if you use it yourself) and want to show others why you feel it is so beneficial.


2. Reel ‘em in slowly – This is a more ‘softly softly’ version of the previous method. You might still be promoting the same products or services but this time your approach is more subtle. So instead of even trying to sell from the start you might write two or three emails explaining your frustrations with a common problem people in your niche need to solve. Then the next email can tell how you use a certain product or service to solve that problem and only at that point do you link to the sales page.


3. Show the real you – This would be a series that nobody else could copy. There is no real agenda here as each email is not leading up to anything in particular such as working towards a sale. You might give information about products or services, chat about your life, write about milestone events or talk about how you overcame problems. People will either love this or hate it. If they love it then the “know, like and trust” factor will be extremely strong with your subscribers and when you do recommend products or services they are likely to be extremely receptive indeed.


4. Give and take – Just because you are sending out emails to a list, an autoresponder series need not be a one way street. Many people are content to just talk and talk to their subscribers but you can also ask for their thoughts, views and opinions as well. If you blog ask your subscribers what sort of content they would like to see, or whether they like video blogging or what they think of the products you promote or own.


5. Mix and match – You don’t have to stick to one type of series. Mix and match from the ones above as seems appropriate. Remember there are no hard and fast rules. How you communicate with your list is entirely a matter for you.

Do you have a different approach? We would love to hear about what works for you so feel free to leave a comment below.

 

 

Five Types of Autoresponder Email Series

The Top Five Things To Tell Your New Subscribers

Dealing with new email subscribers: Imagine you invite someone into your home for the first time.

What might they think if you ushered them into your front room, invited them to sit down and then left them alone to twiddle their thumbs while you went to your office or study to work?

Well they would begin to feel:

• uncomfortable


• ill at ease


• unwanted and


• be left wondering why they ever accepted your invitation in the first place.

It is exactly the same situation if someone signs up to your RocketResponder list and you don’t immediately send them a welcome email.

They are in your front room so go ahead and talk to them to make them feel wanted, special and loved.

Your “welcome” email should be sent out immediately anyone joins your list and it should contain the following information:

1. An introduction – say “hello” to the new subscriber by introducing yourself and briefly introducing your business. You want to give the main headlines here and not the whole company back story.


2. Points of contact – tell your new subscriber how they can contact you. Phone, email, toll-free number, Twitter, Skype, FaceBook, support ticket are just some examples. You choose how accessible you want to be but seriously consider giving your customers multiple ways to connect with you.


3. Set a schedule – If you are smart you will have an initial follow up email series set up so you can say something like: “Over the next few days/weeks/months you will be hearing from me every “x” days or so so look out for those emails. I have lined up some great free tips for you. You are going to love it.” Obviously you don’t have to say exactly that, just give them an idea of what is coming up.


4. Anticipate problems – When people are new to something they get confused, make mistakes or just want some help quickly. So if you have a website with a FAQ page you could point them to that or give them your preferred method of contact to get their query answered quickly.


5. Keep it short – Just say what you need to say and keep it at that. Remember you could have this subscriber for months or even years, so you have plenty of time to establish a dialogue with them. Don’t bombard them with information on the welcome email. Remember it is a welcome email so simply make them feel welcome and then stop writing.

 

 

The Top Five Things To Tell Your New Subscribers

Time To Become The Teacher

Email marketing techniques: Some people, far too many people, use their autoresponder as nothing more than a selling tool…but this is a huge mistake.

We all love buying stuff but we hate it when we are told over and over again: “Buy my stuff. Go on buy my stuff now. Buy it.”

Yes of course use RocketResponder to sell more items to your customers – that is a vital part of any business. Repeat custom should be one of your main goals but use your autoresponder to do much more than sell.

So what else can you do…well it is time to become the teacher and here’s how:

• If you own your own program or programs – in theory you should know more about your own products than anybody else so why not compose a short series of, say six, emails giving some cool tips and tricks on getting the most out of your programs.


• If you are an affiliate – make sure you know the program or programs you promote in depth and do the same email series as described above.


• You have an offline business – an autoresponder can be a dream come true to you. You can use an email series to promote your hottest sellers or a new range you have just got in. Again don’t just go for the “buy my stuff” approach but educate, inform and excite your subscribers about the items you are describing.


• Build up hype – whether you are online or offline you can build up hype and excitement for a new program you are launching or a hot new product that will be coming soon. Tell people how the product can transform some aspect of their lives, how it will benefit them and why they can’t miss out on getting their hands on it


• Offer support – so you know that a certain program or product comes with a learning curve and that the same questions crop up time and time again? Answer these questions in a series of autoresponder messages for your customers and they will think you are reading their minds. Awesome.

Have fun with your autoresponder and use it to let your subscribers know that you care about them and don’t just want their money. That way everybody wins.

Time To Become The Teacher

Oops I Think I Might Have Forgotten Something Important

Marketing email mistakes: Recently I heard about a large internet-based company which sent out an email to its members with the subject line: “Insert Your Subject Here.”

Perhaps it was a deliberate marketing ploy – I heard, via social media sites, that this particular email received an impressive open rate.

However it is far more likely that it was one of those simple, old-fashioned mistakes that we tend to make from time to time.

It is similar to sending an email with an attachment you want people to open and then forgetting to attach the file before pressing send. (As a complete aside, to prevent this from happening I always make a point of uploading any attachments first and then writing my email.)

However it is easy to have some urgent or important news that you want to get out so quickly that you hurry to send out the email without checking it over first.

And that is when you can totally forget to add the subject line.

So take your time and get things right. Remember that with RocketResponder you have the opportunity to send any new email to yourself first before you send it to your list.

Take advantage of this feature. It is far better to have your mistake broadcast only to you rather than your entire list. Now simply edit out the mistake and send the amended email out to your subscribers.

Oops I Think I Might Have Forgotten Something Important

Don"t Send Emails While Your Subscribers Are Sleeping

Email sending tips: Sometimes you hear of people talking in their sleep…but I have yet to come across anyone who reads emails while sleeping.

So, why is it then, that so many people fall into the trap of sending out emails at times when their target audience won’t see them.

In at least one particular sector of the online advertising community it is common for program owners to send out emails at midnight.

Most people are already sleeping at that time, or at the very least winding down for the day…so they will not want to read your message and chances are it won’t be seen at all.

So the answer is…wait until they are awake and time the email for then – sounds obvious but so many people don’t do this.

The good news is that at RocketResponder you can choose exactly when your emails are sent out. So if you have a broadcast message you want to send to your list you can either send it immediately or send it at a date and time of your choosing.

Here are some good times to send an email to your subscribers:

• immediately – when the message is time critical and you need to get it out there now


• day time rather than night time – more people will open an email during the day than at night


• want to catch the early openers? – then sending an email between 7 and 9am will ensure the message is near the top of their inbox when they are checking messages


• afternoons are great for getting your email opened – studies have shown that between 2 and 5pm is a particular sweet spot for getting your emails opened.

Also, in general, weekdays tend to get more opens than weekends and you may get a better response mid-week than on other days.

Top tip: Just be aware that different times can produce different results to be prepared to experiment a bit and see what works well for you.

Don"t Send Emails While Your Subscribers Are Sleeping

Time To Review Your Subscriber Messages

So we are just beginning to settle into yet another new year and you may be setting lots of goals, writing lists and generally getting your life more organized.

This is also a good time of year to pay particular attention to the subscriber messages on your autoresponder lists.

Is the information you are sending out to your subscribers still fresh and relevant?

Maybe it has been a while since you drafted the RocketResponder messages you send out and perhaps you have intended to update them but never really got around to it.

Well now is as good a time as any to set to work on this important task.

Here is a quick plan of action:

• Review your messages – remind yourself of what you are telling your subscribers


• Are the messages still relevant? – if not change them to bring things up to date


• Do the links still work? – again change them if necessary. Don’t forget to include your social media links such as Facebook or Twitter.


• Can you freshen things up a bit to keep your message as up to date as possible?


• Finally subscribe to your own lists so that you get to see what your subscribers see.

Time To Review Your Subscriber Messages