The Autoresponder and Your Business
The most basic autoresponder is a program which spits back an automatic email response to an action.
Have you ever emailed someone at work, only to receive an instant reply stating they’re out of the office until Monday and would you please contact so-and-so if you need help before then?
That was an autoresponder in action. You sent an email and it sent a response…automatically. (Hint: automatic response. Important!)
Autoresponders are available today, however, that are much more sophisticated than the simple example above. They are available in many different versions, too. You can install an autoresponder script on your website or you can subscribe to an autoresponder service online. Many shopping cart systems now come with autoresponder features, as well.
Basically, an autoresponder allows you to automate some or many of your communications tasks, particularly the ones you find yourself doing over and over again. With all you have to do as a business owner, doesn’t it make sense to automate as much as you can? Particularly the activities that allow you and your personality to shine through your writing or speaking. With all the technology we have available today, you are not limited to using autoresponders to send written messages - you can send audio and video, too!
The Role of an Autoresponder in Your Business
Using an autoresponder is, at the very least, like hiring a secretary and can be leveraged into a virtual army of assistants helping to grow your business. Most autoresponders these days are much more robust than the simplistic example of the out of office message above. Some ideas about how to use an autoresponder include:
? Automate the process of building a mailing list and complying with CAN-SPAM laws
? Send requested information to prospects through one or more emails
? Train customers or new business builders step-by-step via email
? Remind subscribers of meetings and trainings via broadcast email
? Deliver newsletters to clients or prospects
? Build relationships by sending birthday or holiday greetings
?the possibilities are endless.
A Few Tips That Really Make a Difference
- Just because it’s pre-written and scheduled, don’t go getting all stiff, formal and stuffy in your emails. Write each message as if you were writing to one person you knew really well. Let your real self speak! Remember, autoresponders are most often used as relationship building tools, so no sense having someone get to know the ‘fake’ you, right?
- Get to the point and then get outta there. Keep your emails short. People don’t have all day, so if you’re doing a training series especially, break your material up into several digestible emails. Baby steps. And remember to be yourself.
- If you can’t keep your messages brief, break them up with headings and bullet points. Make them scannable. Nothing puts off a reader faster than what looks like miles and miles of uninterrupted text.
- Be accessible and approachable. Include your contact information in each email and make sure you let people know how to get their questions answered.
A Frame of Reference So You Don’t Lose Your Mind
Email marketing can make you crazy, if you let it. Heck, marketing, in general, can do that. The antidote to losing your mind is information, tracking, statistics and realistic expectations. So here are some guidelines to help you know what you need to aim for and where to adjust.
Open Rate
My open rate used to make me the craziest. I’d look at how many people opened an email I sent and usually see something around 60% and I’d get all upset. I have had 100% open rates before and somewhere in my mind it stuck that it should always be at least 80%, if not more, if I want to call myself “successful” at email marketing.
Well, then I did some research and found experts saying, consistently, that marketers who have great relationships with their customers can get open rates as high as 40%. WHAT?!?! 40% is good?! That FOREVER changed my perception of whether I was doing a good job. Heck, I was a veritable email marketing GENIUS and didn’t know it!
Click Rate
Click rates (how many subscribers click the links you provide in your email) usually fall in the 1-3% range. However, if you’ve got a great deal to give or have done a fantastic job creating curiosity, then you can see it skyrocket to the 8-10% range. Anything over that you’re off the charts. Again it all depends on that relationship you have with your customers.
Bounce Rate
The bounce rate for an active, established list is usually under .5%. However, lists mailed less frequently can have bounce rates in the 5%-7% range, because people’s email addresses tend to change.
Unsubscribe Rate
An active, established list usually has an unsubscribe rate around the .2-.5% range. A less frequently mailed email list can creep up to the 2-5% range. Making sure your emails are relevant and timely is the best defense against people unsubscribing.
If you have any questions or I can be of any assistance to you in your business, well…that’s what I’m here for. Contact me anytime!
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