subject: How To Choose An Autoresponder And Why You Want To Get It Right First Time [print this page] How To Choose An Autoresponder And Why You Want To Get It Right First Time
An autoresponder can take the headache out of sending multiple emails to your customers but choosing the right one can be a tricky task. Do you go for a free version to save money or opt for a paid service that may offer more features?
First of all don't be tempted just to choose the first autoresponder you come across at random and don't simply pick a provider because someone else says they are good. You must remember that this is a key element to your online internet marketing business and, as such, you must place a good deal of care and attention into making the right choice for you.
Think about it for a few moments. The autoresponder allows you to communicate with your list of customers and it will almost certainly be the primary method with which you will communicate with your client base.This is so vitally important that you want to take the time and effort at the outset so that you can make an informed decision on the matter. Your customers are the lifeblood of your business so communicating with them easily and effectively is crucial.
Choose a company which has a proven track record, is reliable and is established in the marketplace; the last thing you want to happen is for the company to disappear overnight taking your valuable customer list with it in the process.
Your first choice will be whether to opt for a free or paid services and the decision you make will obviously depend on the size of your business and your available capital. Given that the autoresponder you choose will play such a key role in your online business then, if you can afford it, I would always suggest that you opt for the paid option. This will generally allow you more flexibility than the free services and should have better customer service in case you run into problems or have questions you need answering.
Assuming you want to try out a free service to begin with then do your research online and check out the different service providers out there. Make a list of the features they offer and, just as importantly, jot down the restrictions or limitations they may have. Also you will want to pay close attention to how easy it is to transfer your list to another autoresponder in the future as your business grows and you need more flexibility.
You will not want to be trapped in a situation where you cannot easily transfer your customer list to a new service provider and you don't want the complication of having to manage two or three separate autoresponder accounts.
Next go through your lists of features and restrictions to decide on a shortlist of potential service providers. Check out this shortlist for reviews or user comments on internet forums or review sites and with this background research completed it will be far easier for you to make an informed decision and choose the autoresponder which is right for you.
One word of warning though, most free autoresponders come with adverts attached to your messages, and you may not want this but if it is not a concern to you then you may find that the free element is the most important factor.
Choosing a paid for service involves a similar process but here you will also want to factor the price and you will want to weigh up the benefits of different features offered by different providers against the price you will have to pay for the overall service.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your current webhosting package may already come with an autoresponder included in your monthly fee so check if it does and, if so, whether it meets your needs.
Finally you will want to give some consideration about how easy the autoresponder is to use and set up. Remember these things are designed to make your life easier so they should be easy to use. If you are not very technical then you might want to search the internet for tutorials on using autoresponders or you might want to choose a company with an efficient and friendly help desk.
Spend a bit of time and effort at the outset in choosing your autoresponder service provider wisely and you will not regret it.There are some things in internet marketing that you need to get right from the very beginning and choosing an autoresponder is one of those things.
