Email Marketing – #6 Using an Autoresponder on Your Server
One of the first autoresponders I started using in 2005 was Autoresponse Plus. This is licensed software that resides on your server, not an email service provider like AWeber or 1 Shopping Cart.
Why is that distinction important?
Because when the software resides on your server, email can be sent directly from your server, usually from your domain name. When you use an email service provider, your emails are sent from their server.
There are benefits and drawbacks to using this type of autoresponder software.
Benefit: One benefit is that you have total control over who you send email to. You don’t need to get a subscription confirmation in order to have someone on your autoresponder list.
You can also import email addresses into your lists without the subscriber’s permission. This allows you to easily move your database from one list to another without losing any prospects.
Drawback: The drawback is that Internet service providers (ISPs), like AOL, Yahoo, and Hotmail, know that spammers do this on a regular basis. They add people to email advertising lists without confirmation or permission.
As a result, the ISPs have very aggressive email filters to block mass mailings from servers they consider to be suspicious. Considering how aggressive these filters are, I’m always surprised by how much junk mail actually gets to my inbox.
Also, many hosting services do not allow mass mailings from their servers for this very reason. They don’t want spammers using their servers.
So even if you have an autoresponder software license and install it on your server, your hosting company may restrict your emails to only 250-500 per month.
Autoresponse Plus had some nice features that I liked, but overall I found the software to be difficult to use. I would definitely NOT label it as “User Friendly.”
Since 2007, the aggressive filters applied to email make using this type of autoresponder a waste of time and money for most businesses. You can read more about it in my third article in this series, “Autoresponders That Do NOT Work.”
If you are tempted to use an autoresponder on your own server, like Autorepsonse Plus, to avoid paying monthly fees, I wouldn’t recommend it. In my opinion, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits for most small businesses.
Recommendation: Consider the high deliverability rate and technical support provided by email service providers when you are making your decision. A monthly fee of about $20-$60 is a small investment that can yield huge returns for your business.
Two email service providers that I highly recommend to clients are AWeber and 1 Shopping Cart. You can read my review of their services in the articles “Why I Love AWeber” and “Review of 1 Shopping Cart’s Autoresponder.”
Have you had experience with this software or one like it? Please leave a comment about your experience.
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