What is an auto responder and how does it work?

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In this article we will see what is an auto responder by e-mail, how it works and how you can choose the best one for your particular case.

We will also talk about some of the best platforms that offer email autoresponder service and explain why you should definitely use them in your e marketing campaigns - mail.

Let's start!

What is an automatic email responder?

Email autoresponders are electronic newsletters that are automatically sent to your subscribers on your mailing list. They are "activated" according to the rules and time intervals that you define.

The image shows an example of an auto-reply email campaign configured in AWeber, where you can specify when and how you want your emails to be sent to your subscribers.

For example, you can design an auto responder program so that:

-When someone subscribes to your mailing list, they immediately receive a welcome message from your business.

-Exactly one week later, they receive discount codes for some of your products.

-Three weeks later, they receive an invitation to follow you on social networks ...

…etc.

Here is a short video where I explain what an email autoresponder is and how you can start using one to your advantage:

Why are automatic replies important?

When you use autoresponders, much of your marketing by e - mail is automated - if you set things up correctly, subscribers receive key messages from your business without you having to worry about sending those messages manually.

The main advantage of autoresponders is therefore clear: they you font win time.

Additionally, autoresponder emails can generate a lot of revenue for your business, if you know how you are using them.

Auto responder platforms

The above example of sending a series of scheduled emails automatically after someone subscribes to a mailing list is important, but it's also a pretty basic auto reply app.

There are much more sophisticated things you can do with them, depending on how much you know about your followers or what actions they take online. One platform that can help you achieve this is GetResponse...

Using Getresponse, for example, you can:

- Switch a subscriber from one type of autoresponder cycle to another if they click on a particular link in an email.

-Switch a subscriber from one communication cycle to another after purchasing a product (that is to say, switch from a series of "prospect" type emails to a " upselling ”).

-Send emails according to the subscription date; For example, you can send a message to your customers exactly one year after purchasing a product (for example, to encourage them to renew a policy or warranty).

-Send emails based on the personal data you have captured; For example, you can use date of birth information to trigger emails on the birthdays of your subscribers.

-Send an offer to a subscriber if they visit (or subscribe from) a particular page on your website (this will usually involve adding a tracking script to your site) .

The image shows a workflow created in GetResponse where you can send messages based on certain behaviors of your subscribers.

Using autoresponders in this way can generate significant income and maximize the value of your mailing list.

What are the advantages of an automatic e-mail responder?

Many believe that autoresponders can only be used by large companies. But it's not like that!

Even small businesses will benefit from autoresponder workflows. See it as a complement to your digital marketing campaigns.

By using the autoresponder emails in your marketing strategy by e - mail, you will be able :

Encourage relationships with your customers with timely and relevant messages. Move potential customers through the marketing funnel.

Maximize opportunities passively increase income. Keep track of when interest in your brand is at its peak (for example, by offering a discount code in your welcome email).

Save time. No need to manually send each email to new subscribers.

What do i need to get started with an auto responder?

To send automatic replies, you must use an email marketing app.

What Are The Best Programs That Offer An Email Auto Responder?

There are many platforms available for sending automatic replies via email. The most famous are:

These are all well-established solutions for create lists of broadcast and send autoresponders.

From the apps above, I recommend trying GetResponse if you need advanced auto responder functionality; In addition to simple autoresponder cycles, you can use it to create very sophisticated subscriber journeys.

Like many email marketing tools, GetResponse offers a 30-day free trial.

The difference between GetResponse and its competitors is that GetResponse is a platform for digital marketing all in one. The program includes great features such as: a landing page builder, webinars, sales funnels and more.

AWeber and Benchmark are also very good at creating autoresponder cycles, but in our testing we found that they are more expensive and less feature rich in the autoresponder department than GetResponse.

Now, if you have an ecommerce store and are looking for an email autoresponder service, your best option may be Omnisend as it is a program designed for those cases.

If you are on a very small budget, MailerLite is worth a visit as it allows you to host large lists for a very low price on the platform.

Automatic responses or manual electronic newsletters

So should we stop sending manually newsletters electronic? ...

No! Even if you are using autoresponders, there will still be plenty of times when it makes perfect sense to manually send an email newsletter ...

Messages marking festive occasions, seasonal promotions, sale announcements and general updates will often need to be covered by sending a “normal” email newsletter.

Used well, autoresponders will allow you to automate a multitude of “basic” marketing activities and tailor your messages to particular segments of your mailing list.

While you're in bed, or doing something more interesting, or both!

How to choose a good autoresponder?

Have you ever been convinced to start using autoresponder emails? ...

If so, the next step is to find the right email autoresponder software.

When choosing your email marketing tool, take a look at what the service offers in terms of automation of e - mails.

If you see a mention of "simple automation sequences", it means the automatic reply to the email. This should cover the simple use cases we've talked about before.

However, autoresponders do not are just the tip of the iceberg in marketing automation.

Once you've seen the results, you'll probably want to dig deeper into email automation. So be sure to take a look at the options for marketing automation the wider available.

Tips for using an autoresponder

Here are some best practices to consider when implementing your campaigns and automatic responses.

Do not overdo it

Keep the intervals between your email autoresponders reasonably long, unless there is a very good business reason to bombard your email subscribers.

Keep things relevant

Use the data provided by your subscriber when registering to send them content that may be of interest to them.

For example, if a subscriber has expressed interest in Product X, think twice before adding it to a cycle on Product Y that is very different.

Take advantage of marketing automation

Auto responders have come a long way since the days of basic time-lapse "drip campaigns" ...

Now you can use a host of marketing automation triggers, such as opens, clicks, webpage visits, and purchases, to create truly sophisticated user journeys that maximize profits.

Take into account data protection regulations

In the age of GDPR, it's more important than ever to stay on the right side of data protection laws.

Be well aware of your obligations in this regard, make sure you always have explicit consent before adding subscribers to autoresponder cycles, and allow users to easily unsubscribe from your mailing list.

How to Measure the Effects of an Email Auto Responder

You can measure the impact of your autoresponders using the same metrics as your other email marketing efforts ...

However, the nature of autoresponders means that you won't go through every email you deploy.

Therefore, we recommend that you measure the effects of auto-responders from marketing by e - mail to through:

Their performance in A / B tests

Autoresponders are one tool among many to implement in email campaigns. Use A / B tests to test automatic replies against other types of emails.

If your autoresponder does not perform as well as other methods, it is probably not suitable for this particular use. GetResponse is an email marketing platform that allows you to apply A / B tests to your emails.

How well they support the rest of your campaign

Instead of applying automatic responses to every possible application, use them to support other parts of your campaign ...

For example, a quick, automated welcome email is more useful than an automatic response every time someone replies to your newsletter.

Autoresponders should ultimately reduce your workload and make customers feel like you've connected with them personally.

Recommended reading: 9 types of email marketing campaigns.

Who really matters?

Automated emails get 152% higher click-through rates than other types of emails.

It may sound counterintuitive, but automation actually leads to higher participation rates. Because?

Autoresponders can reduce the amount of work required by an email campaign, while maintaining the high degree of personalization that drives open and click-through rates. In an ideal situation, your readers don't know the difference.

Likewise, since autoresponders occur in response to prompts that are often given by the user, they can help you get the right emails at the right time. This is essential if you want to drive successful conversions.