AutoResponders are a must have for any internet business so the question is should I use a free autoresponder, buy software and run it on my PC or server or pay for an autoresponder from one of the many services out there?? The basic function of an auto responder is to build an email list and send emails automatically reducing the amount of work you need to do in regard to emailing current customers and prospective customers.

Lets first look at why you need an autoresponder in the first place. By using an autoresponder to stay in contact with your customers and prospective customers you can increase your sales and reduce the amount of work you have to do through automation. With most autoresponders you can have it setup and running on your website within 20 minutes. Once setup very little work needs to be done to manage and send a constant flow of email to your prospective customers and existing customers. You can increase your sales dramatically by selling to a list of consumers that are interested in your products or services. The only way to build an effective list is with an autoresponder.

FACT: YOU CAN NOT HAVE AN INTERNET BUSINESS AND NOT HAVE AN AUTORESPONDER!!!

An autoresponder will allow you to do the following:

• Build a list of potential customers to market to
• Stay in contact with existing customers
• Automatically send follow-up emails – Saves a lot of work
• Offer an instant bonus – a must do technique to increase sales and build a list
• Send coupons, discounts, specials and monthly deals to increase sales
• Send free information to build rapport with your customers

There are many autoresponders out there, your web-hosting company probably offers one and for the more courageous you can try and build one or buy software and install it on your computer. I would ONLY use an established service and NOT you’re hosting companies or a home grown one built on your computer or server.

Why??

Because your emails will just wind up in a spam folder and will never be looked at! Where as an existing established autoresponder service such as AWeber will be able to get past the spam filters and deliver your email to your potential customers inbox (99+% of the time).

How do their emails make it passed the spam filter and not yours? Established reputable autoresponder companies have very strict NO SPAM policies for their users. They also have a verification process which the email recipients must confirm in order to get emails from you and finally they offer a very easy unsubscribe option sent with every email. These autoresponder companies follow the letter of the law in regard to the “No Spam Laws” which went into effect several years ago.

Software Companies that make spam blocking software know that the reputable autoresponder companies follow the law and monitor their customers. They allow the emails sent by AWeber and others to pass through the filter and into the inbox knowing that AWeber is monitoring for spam and following the law and will cancel the accounts of anyone who does not use their service legally or sends spam. Basically, AWeber is policing its customer’s emails so the spam software does not have to.

This is not the case with your web hosting company, your software running on the PC or you and your personal email account. (When was the last time you or your internet provider spoke to Symantic and McAfee and they agreed to white list (allow) your email address to be exempt and pass through to the inbox because you promised not to spam??)

Simply put if you want to build a list and have your email delivered 99+% of the time then you need an autoresponder from a respected well known company and you are going to pay for it. In this case FREE is not the way to go. If you want to do less work and have more automation then going with an autoresponder service is also the better way to go. Autoresponders from your web hosting company and definitely software running on your PC although may be less expensive or free require more work and maintenance then just paying for the service from a company like AWeber.

Your next step is to sign up for an autoresponder service. I currently use AWeber, it is easy to use and they offer lots of training materials (both in print and video). They also offer excellent technical help and all types of other benefits and assistance such as Webinars, newsletters, tutorials, forums and more.