One definition is that it is "a program that automatically answers emails that are sent to it". The key word is automatically.
Most of us will have experienced autoresponders if you have seen a form that asks for your name and email address in return for a free report, a video, etc.
There are several autoresponders available, just go to a search engine and type "autoresponder" and you will find a number of providers. An example is aweber which you which is a subscription solution.
The elements of an autoresponder are as follows:
1. The form on a web page asking for your email address like the one here:
Your name
Your email
Press here
There are lots of designs with colours and graphics, but fundamentally it is asking for your name and email. Once you decide on an autoresponder, you will find lots of designs, one of which you put onto your web page.
2. Verification- Clearly you could type anybody's email address into an autoresponder, so to overcome the issue of sending the information to the wrong email address, the software will automatically request verification from the email address entered.
You will be asked to click on the verification in the email. This means that only the email recipient will be able to receive the information. Please note that no information will be sent until the email address is verified.
3. Automatic reply- This is the clever bit about autoresponders. Once your email has been verified the information is sent to you AUTOMATICALLY. Without going into too much detail, the responder is automatically programmed to send the information once the email address has been verified.
You will not have to continually check your email and manually send the information. Not only has the autoresponder sent information automatically but it has collected the name and email address in your database.
4. Further information sent automatically. Once the original information is sent you can then schedule messages to go out automatically. For example, you have collected an email address and you can arrange for messages to go out automatically, be that daily, weekly, monthly or how often you want.
5. Broadcast emails- As you can see above it is possible to send information periodically. However, you may wish to send an email to all those on your database. For example, you may have a new product and you want to let everybody know regardless of how long they have been on your list. This is known as a broadcast. Literally you compose the email, press a button and it is sent to everybody on your list.
The other nice feature for all messages sent is that they can be personalised. If, for example, I have requested some information, the autoresponder can automatically pick up by name and the email may start "Dear John"
That is a brief introduction to autoresponders, which I hope you found useful. If you want to build a database AND send information out automatically, you will need an autoresponder.
Written by John Boy Hayes, Article Source http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Use-Autoresponders&id=7528684
