July 10th - "Autoresponders in your World" Series, Part 6.

Autoresponder Service Fundamentals: Start Following Instructions to Hit the Ground Running.

Your autoresponder choice will be the catalyst for your growth as an Internet marketer. Everyone talks about how autoresponders make e-mail marketing and list-building easy, swearing by the service as if it was some kind of money tree. Perhaps it is, in a roundabout way…

However, before feverishly writing down your autoresponder sequences and broadcasts, do yourself a huge favor and become a student of your autoresponder service. By taking a few hours to properly understand how things should be done, you will avoid common e-mail marketing and software use errors that the vast majority of beginners commit. These mistakes will hurt you where it counts most: with subscribers, customers, and consequently in the pocket book.

These days, most highly rated autoresponder services offer a wide array of support features to get the new marketer going with minimal delay. Long gone are the days when a printed, on-site manual was the only source of information to get started. Amongst the best ways to get help with your autoresponder service includes:

1. Webinars: Live training, especially “How to get Started” demonstrations are quite popular with new autoresponder users. You’ll be able to login to your account and practically work through the essential steps “blow by blow” with professional staff.

2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Comfortable with autoresponder basics but need something little extra before heading out on the Internet? Most autoresponder services maintain a large, searchable database of knowledge built up through customer experiences and best practices.

3. Video Tutorials: Even the most detail-oriented and attentive business folks may want to review their newly acquired skills after getting live instruction. Watching videos can reinforce basic concepts and clarify some actions that you need to complete before starting an e-mail campaign.

4. Live Assistance: When all else fails, there is always the telephone, e-mail, and/or live chats to answer your most pressing questions.

After you complete the signup process and get a feel for what autoresponders are all about, perform a self-test by loading one of your e-mail addresses into a list along with one “Welcome” message. Set up a dummy sign-up feature on your web page, enter your contact information, and press ‘Enter’. If you receive a confirmation e-mail from the autoresponder, chances are that you have succeeded. Congratulations! However, keep testing other features to become more familiar with how it really works.

Good autoresponder services can deliver super value for the dollar, but only if you invest the time up front to learn everything you need to become a great marketer. Developing proper autoresponder habits early will make it easier for you to test, track, and tweak all aspects of your future Internet Marketing campaigns.

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Rahul Majumdar is an Information Marketer specializing in article marketing, list-building, and digital product creation. Sign up for more of his insights here.