When I’m working with an author to develop a new website, I always urge an email capture and offer should be implemented.  That concept is not foreign to anyone online.  However, when I begin to talk about autoresponders, that’s when the eyes begin to glaze over for most individuals.  Some of the terms you hear associated with an autoresponder service can be a little confusing. My goal is to explain what the most common terms are so that anyone new to the various options on a website can understand this terminology better.

Autoresponder Terms Explained

Squeeze Pages – these are the pages that you set up to help capture the person’s email address. This is the first step in getting a new subscriber onto your list.
Opt-in – this simply means the person has decided to join your list and has opted in to it. They do this from your Squeeze page and then receive an email to confirm that this is what they want to do.
Single or Double Opt-in – this process may vary depending upon what autoresponder service you use. Many prefer that you use a double opt-in for new subscribers. This is when a new subscriber will be sent a confirmation email to confirm that they want to be added to your list.  A single opt-in means that they do not get the confirmation email. This can lead to issues if it is not clear that they will be added to a list when parting with their email address.
Confirmation or Verification – this is the email sent to the subscriber once they have entered their name and email address. This is done to also protect the subscriber so that they know they will be added to a list. It also helps protect against someone else using your email without your knowledge.
Follow Up Emails – this is the sequence of emails that you have scheduled to be delivered to your list. Most people like to schedule 7 emails about two or three days apart.
Automatic Replies – this is the beauty of an autoresponder, it will send out automatic replies for you. This is usually connected with the opt-in process as described above.
Broadcast Emails – these are emails that you can create and send at any time. They are used in addition to your follow up sequence. Many marketers like to use them to announce news of a new product launch or to send out breaking news on certain topics.
Unsubscribed – you may receive a notice in your account when people decide to leave your list. They simply unsubscribe from your list. This is just part of the normal process of running any type of mailing list. People will join and leave at certain times.
The above terms are the most commonly used ones associated with any of autoresponder services that are available.

Why use an Autoresponder?

You’ve worked hard to get traffic to your website, right?  Yet, if you can’t ‘capture’ and immediately ‘connect’ with that visitor again, you will most likely never see or hear from them again.  You need to remember that people are quick to leave a website; and, you’ll soon be forgotten.  Unless…….
If you provide something of interest and assistance to your visitor, and they provide you with their email in order to receive it, you have now automatically and magically appeared in their Inbox.  If you continue to add value for them with scheduled and automatically setup emails, you are not forgotten.
If someone raises their hand to say, “I want what you are offering” make sure you have a system in place, an autoresponder, that does the heavy lifting for you on autopilot.  Do not miss this golden opportunity to change a visitor into a prospect and after gaining the trust, a customer.

Best Practices for Using Your Autoresponder Account

Having an autoresponder account is a great business move but it comes with a cost associated to it. To ensure that you get the most out of your account you should take the following tips into consideration.
1.   Set up an email schedule and stick to it. It is important to train your subscribers to expect your emails and to open them.
2.   Let your list get to know you as a real person. Don’t be afraid to talk about a few details of your daily life. If you do this you can easily start to create a good relationship with your list members.
3.   Incentives are a  great way to get your subscribers to open and read your emails. You can do this by offering free gifts, coupons and discounts.
4.   Format your emails so that they are easy to read. Don’t clutter them by using different fonts, try not to use more than two in any email.
5.   Don’t make your email too wide, you don’t want to have your readers have to scroll over to read your email. They won’t do it!
6.   If you are presenting an offer in your email, present your offer in the first portion of your email. This is where you want to have your call to action i.e. click this link for more information. You then want to repeat your call to action in the middle and then at the end of your email.
7.   Add your logo inside your email. Most autoresponder services now allow you to add images in your emails. Place your logo or even your photo in the top left hand side of your email.
8.   Practice writing good subject lines. This will ensure that your emails get opened more regularly. You may want to keep a note of what subject lines you use and your open rates. You can access this information from inside your account.
9.   Set up follow up emails for your new subscribers. This way you can remind them that they opted in to your newsletter or blog. Schedule your follow up emails to go out ever second or third day for the first week and then schedule according to your own emailing schedule.
10.  When writing your emails make sure that they tie into the product you offered to get the person onto your list in the first place. Send out related information and tips and then gradually promote related products to them.
If you consistently use these tips you will find that your autoresponder service pays for itself and that your list increases in size each and every month.

I have a great video series that outlines case studies and more here:

Email Marketing for Authors and Small Businesses