How to Choose the Autoresponder Right for Your Business?

By Bob Kosimov
Posted Saturday, September 11, 2004

Let's give a definition to autoresponder first. So, what is an autoresponder? Think of it as a 'fax on demand' service. When a customer sends an e-mail to the autoresponder address, this smart 'robot' sends back an e-mail response, usually informative letter.

You can set up hundreds of autoresponders. You can use them literally for anything you can think of, including customer support, new product offers, ezine broadcasts and a whole lot more...

Autoresponders can save you a lot of your hard earned dollars. They can be your best marketing tool, therefore, it is important to have a reliable service under hand. There are quite a few autoresponder services around that you might consider using.

But before you do so, I want you to read the following tips that will help you to choose the right service for you. The following features are the basic ones that would be worth your attention.

Personalized messages
Sending personalized messages is a powerful way to improve your customer loyalty, which will then result in better response rate, and better response rate leads to more sales. So, make sure you can do that.

Unlimited followup messages
Even if you don't have a big subscriber list at the moment, your list will grow along with your business. So, you should look for autoresponder service that has unlimited followup messages feature included in the account.

In other words, you should be able to broadcast unlimited autoresponder messages to your subscribers who will become your customers, your most powerful buying force. It will save you a lot of time and hassle in the end.

Unlimited length of your messages
You might have a lot of news or a long article that you would like to squeeze into one e-mail. What if your messages are restricted in length? Of course, you can split it into two parts, and send the second part in the following month, if you run a monthly newsletter. It's up to you to decide, but is it really worth your time? You should be able to write as long messages as your imagination allows.

24/7 technical support
It's important to send your messages in a timely fashion, if there is any unexpected problem with your autoresponder, quick round the clock technical support is invaluable. So, having access to 24/7 technical support might be vital for your business. While checking out any service, be advised of this feature.

24/7 access to your account
Edit, add or make any other changes to your account at any time. In Internet things happen fast. Sometimes, while surfing the net, you might get a new idea popped up in your mind. And you say 'hey, it's a good idea, I think it might interest my subscribers'. And you want to jot it down when the idea is still fresh and insert it into your autoresponder to be sent in the next broadcast. Having unlimited access to your account will help you effectively manage your e-mail campaign.

Toll-free phone support
Today business is not business without customer service. If you get live support over the phone, it takes a lot less time to solve a problem than it would using other means of communication like e-mail. It's a quickest and most reliable method in dealing with any issue. Be sure you have access to it.

Free trial
Trying a product for free is the best way to get the feel of it. It gives you a full picture if the product is the product it claims to be and if it meets your expectations. After the trial, you will have a pretty good idea if the product is worth your investment.

With all the above features present, there is no reason in the world that would stop you from giving it a try. So, give it a shot. I am sure you will find an autoresponder right for you in the end. Because a good autoresponder service will reward you in spades, making you more money every time.

Enjoy!

About the Author
Bob Kosimov
President (http://www.activeresponder.com)
E-mail:bobk@activeresponder.com