Posted by Stacy Karacostas

If you’re not using email marketing to grow your list and stay in touch with clients and prospects, you’re missing out on one of the best, most affordable ways to grow your business. But good e-marketing starts with the right tool

The most important tool for effective e-marketing is the autoresponder.

What, you might ask, is an autoresponder?

Good question.

Basically, an autoresponder is an automatable, Internet-based email service.

Autoresponders provide you with an inexpensive system for collecting names and emails, sending out email broadcasts to your list, and setting up preset email sequences. And because they distribute your emails through their service, you don’t have to worry about getting your site blacklisted for spamming.

The best part about autoresponders systems is they allow you to automate and implement a whole bunch of highly-effective, low-cost marketing strategies.

You can purchase a basic autoresponder subscription for around $20 a month. Most shopping carts also come with autoresponders. So if you are already doing ecommerce, don’t purchase a stand alone autoresponder without checking to see if you already have access to one.

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Nine reasons to have an autoresponder

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1) When it comes to creating a successful business (Internet or otherwise), the money is in the list. Because the people on your contact list already know you and what you offer. So they are much more likely to buy from you in the future. Autoresponders give you a sign-up form to add to your site so you can collect contact information and create your own list.

2) Autoresponders make sure you are compliant with anti-spam laws and regulation. They automatically include all the required information, provide you with a double-opt-in system, and add a link to unsubscribe in every email.

3) Once someone is on your list, you can stay in contact with them by emailing them information and offers that might be of interest with their permission. And you can easily implement multi-part email marketing campaigns so you can stay in contact on a regular basis.

4) Autoresponders are just that…Automatic. Once you set them up, they just do their thing in the background without you having to lift a finger. You can pre-write your emails or newsletters, set them to broadcast on specific dates, then go on vacation.

5) Because autoresponders are Web-based you can use them from anywhere. That means you can do a promotion to sell your latest product from the beach, bookstore or backyard. They are a must-have for any who has—or wants to have—a mobile business.

6) The easiest way to publish a regular e-zine is by using an autoresponder service. Most accommodate both HTML (graphics) and text only formats. I’ve used getresponse.com in the past and heard good things about constantcontact.com as well.

7) If you are doing any kind of e-commerce, having an autoresponder linked to your shopping cart is a must. Use them to communicate order status, or follow up with other items that may be of interest at a later date.

Autoresponders make it easy to be sure every lead and customer gets the right sequence of follow up emails. This is especially helpful if you are teaching a class online or via teleseminar, or if you have a series of items new clients or prospects should receive after contacting you.

9) You can use your autoresponder to send out f*ree reports, or multi-day e-courses. These giveaways are a terrific way to add incentive for signing up for a newsletter, and they let you increase your credibility while providing valuable info to your prospects.

If all this autoresponder stuff sounds like gibberish to you, I highly recommend you experience it first-hand by buying something from Amazon.com.

They have one of the best e-commerce systems I’ve seen, with all kinds of add-on sales and upsells on their site. They also keep in touch with customers via email to let them the status of their order. And they email past customers regularly about promotions or other items that may be of interest.

It’s like going to e-commerce/autoresponder school for the cost of a book. You can’t beat that with a stick. >Comments

About the Author: Practical Marketing Expert Stacy Karacostas, founder of SuccessStream Sales & Marketing Solutions, specializes in taking the stress, struggle and confusion out of growing your small business. She's the author of the 2-page marketing plan workbook Putting Your Business on the Road to Success, and The Small Business Website Bible. Stacy also writes the fun and informative Marketing Junkie blog and Bright Ideas weekly newsletter. For more practical, business-building wisdom help yourself to a copy of her free report The 7 Deadliest Small Business Marketing Sins... Are You Guilty?