Autoresponders are the backbone of any email marketing campaign. They allow you to send out email automatically when certain criteria are met, whether it’s a new subscriber or someone who has opened your last email. You need to make sure that you choose an autoresponder service wisely because they aren’t all created equally and some might do more harm than good for your business. This article discusses what makes a great autoresponder and how to find one that is right for you!
How Long Have They Been Operating?
When you’re looking for a reliable autoresponder, check out the company’s track record and their relationship with email providers. Well established companies will have developed strong connections that keep them working successfully over time – this is important because it means they can get your messages through!
Email marketers need to maintain a proactive approach towards their campaigns, because it’s not always easy for recipients to know if the email messages they are receiving come from a legitimate company or spam folder – So email marketers need to ensure they use a service that can minimize any road block that may pop up.
If you want your email messages delivered directly into people’s inboxes without any confusion, again, look for service providers who have been operating for a few years; these types of businesses will likely provide all sorts of support solutions and tools that can help enhance this process efficiently– saving both time and energy as well as money spent on mailing costs!
What Are Their Delivery Rates?
You want your email messages to be read. You can’t make money if they aren’t getting delivered! So the more established and higher quality providers of autoresponders will publish their delivery rates for you so that’s what we look at next – the higher, better numbers are always preferable because this shows us just how well our email messages are being received by subscribers.
The most reliable providers will publish limits for bounce and complaint rates (that should not be exceeded). This is a very beneficial approach as it helps maintain the reputation of the providers’ delivery network, which in turn ensures a more reliable venue for your email campaigns to actually be delivered to subscriber inboxes.
Also, make sure you use “double opt-in” for when your audience subscribes to your mailing list. Your delivery rate numbers will be better than using single opt in. Actually double opt-in is now the preferred “standard” method – And that’s a good thing because subscribers who confirm their opt-in tend to be more interested in your message!
How Simple is it to Utilize Their Service?
While the above couple of considerations are more important, it’s still worth evaluating the ease of use. There are a couple of approaches:
- Is their website easy to use? Is the navigation simple and intuitive? If so, then the interface for the service may likely be similar.
- Give their trial period (or free package) a try. If you can work well with it, then it may be a good fit for you.
Also, try to avoid services which are counter intuitive. Many providers offer drag-and-drop options, so this is a good thing to know about before diving in head first! It will also help you to check out YouTube, and see what other people are saying, teaching, and demonstrating (about the provider you’re considering) – From personal experience I’ve found that this often provides valuable information, quickly!
What’s the Cost?
It’s true that the best autoresponders can be pretty expensive and they usually charge more per month as your list of subscribers gets bigger. But here’s the rub…
The service they provide for you mailing list is crucial – remember your list is arguably your most prized asset! In the great scheme of things, the cost should be among the last consideration. Think about it this way, if you don’t purchase a quality service, you cannot expect a quality return on your investment.
Having said that… If you want a quality service with an affordable price-tag then I recommend checking out Aweber as one of your options; they also provide excellent customer support when needed. What’s more, they help you send AMP interactive email! What’s that? Here’s what Aweber says:
“…AMP email acts like a mini website, where your subscribers can view real-time information and interact with your brand as if they were navigating on your website…”
But… I’m getting a bit ahead of things here!
One of the best ways to see if an autoresponder service is a good fit for you would be by testing any free package they offer. Add email messages and send them out to any addresses that you own, because it will give more accurate feedback on how these automated emails perform. If any of the email addresses didn’t receive the email message, you’ll be able to find out why.
Take time to play around with the user interface and see what feels comfortable. Use as many options available, so you can get a better understanding of how it works for your needs!
If you’re thinking about testing a new service where they ask for payment details in advance, make sure to cancel this if you’re not going to stay using their service (trust me, this will avoid frustration from a “surprise” charge later).
Take your time finding the best autoresponder, but one with an awesome reputation, and the best features for you, that will last for years!