To attract your ideal clients, it is critical to have a great follow-up system in place. That includes a series of emails with a great subject line, compelling message that people want to read, and using the right technology to deliver your messages.
This article focuses on what I consider to be the most critical element in the process – the technology.
Why? Because the technology you use will have a big impact on whether or not your email gets banished to the sp’m box or blocked by today’s aggressive filters. It is the weakest link in the chain.
Remember your ideal client has to actually get your message before they can read it.
What are Autoresponders?
You automate your lead generation and follow-up process with a tool called an autoresponder. It allows you to collect names and email addresses on your website with a web form.
It then sends email messages to these people automatically on whatever schedule you decide. Without an autoresponder you would need to manually email each person individually.
Because of all the complexities related to sending mass emails, you need the experience and resources of an Email Service Provider. This is a company that handles the collection of names and email addresses and sends your email messages for you.
Email Service Providers provide the autoresponder services for a monthly fee, usually about $20 per month. But it can be as high as $100+ per month depending on the additional features offered with the service.
Here are 5 critical features to look for in an Email Service Provider:
1. Easily create email messages and web forms. If you don’t find the software easy to use, you won’t use it.
The easier it is, the more follow up systems you will create and the faster you will attract your ideal client.
I’ve used 3 different autoresponder systems and am familiar with 2 others. While all of them were similar, some were MUCH easier to use than others.
2. Phone support & extensive online tutorials. Look for free phone support during normal business hours, live chat support, and extensive online tutorials available in video, audio, and text format.
Sign up for a trial account and test their phone support to see how quickly they answer. Take a look at their tutorials and see how user friendly they are. Is it easy to understand and follow what is being taught?
I look for tutorials that not only teach me how to use their software, but also help me optimize my marketing efforts. So look for instructions on how to set up your first email message as well as tips on writing a compelling email campaign and segregating your lists for higher conversions.
3. Automatically purge email addresses that repeatedly bounce. It’s important that you do not continue to send email to addresses that bounce. Keeping a clean email database helps you to look like a legitimate business to the Internet service providers.
Some Email Service Providers do this for you automatically, and it’s a very convenient feature. Otherwise, you will have to filter them manually.
4. An Email Service Provider that has a good working relationship with all the major Internet service providers. They work on your behalf to keep your legitimate emails from being blacklisted or classified as spam.
I like to know that I have someone working on my behalf to get my legitimate messages approved and through the aggressive email filters. This alone will greatly improve your email deliverability rate.
5. A great email deliverability rate. Deliverability rate means the percentage of emails you send that actually reach their destination.
Major ISPs, like AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, or Comcast, can block or filter your messages so that they end up in the spam folder or never get through at all.
Just because an Email Service Provider claims to work with all the major Internet service providers doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a good deliverability rate. But it certainly helps.
The best way to know is to ask others who have been using the service you are considering. I’ve seen an Email Service Provider claim 99% deliverability rate, but my client was getting only about 70% of email through.
I personally use and recommend the Email Service Provider, AWeber. They’ve been around for 10 years, and I’ve been very happy with their services. You can check them out at http://www.aweber.com. It cost only $19/mo. for unlimited number of lists and an unlimited number of broadcasts. It’s one of the best deals on the web.
And if you’d like to read reviews of AWeber, 1 Shopping Cart, and other autoresponders and Email Service Providers, I invite you to look at the other free articles in the category Online Marketing Tools.
I also include a warning about one technology that doesn’t work anymore and can hurt your business. Read Autoresponders That Do Not Work Well.