kamakiri
10-06-2007, 12:49 AM
I have noticed that a lot of people took Tim's advice about using auto-responders, but many seem to have the wrong idea about them and use them improperly. Specifically, you don't need one with an email account you check daily! Even once ever 2-3 days. There is no reason to fill a person's in-box with emails telling them you got an email and will reply as soon as you can. If an email I sent doesn't bounce back, I know you got it.
That rant aside, here is a great article describing again the proper use of auto-responders.
The Right Way to Use Auto-Responders
By Will Newman
When you're starting a freelance business, having your own domain name (yourbusiness.com) is not an absolute necessity, but it does have some advantages. For one thing, it adds to your credibility in the eyes of your clients/customers. Plus, it gives you access to several business-friendly features... including the "auto-responder."
You're at the receiving end of an auto responder whenever you send an e-mail and get a quick response with a subject line like "Out of Office Reply." An auto-responder can be used for other purposes, too. It's a great way to let business contacts know that you got their e-mail and will get back to them in a short (specified) amount of time.
It's easy to set up an auto-responder with your Web-hosting service. The "how" of doing it varies from service to service, so you'll need to check your service's "Help" file.
A word of warning: An auto-responder message, by its nature, is impersonal. No matter how hard you try to make it sound otherwise, most people receiving your message will be able to tell that it was automatically generated. So be honest about it. Don't try to fool them into thinking it's a personal message.
Say what you have to say, providing just enough information to explain why you're not answering their e-mail immediately. Then follow up as soon as possible with a real personal response.
[Ed. Note: Will Newman is the editor of AWAI's The Golden Thread online newsletter - a free weekly alert loaded with writing and marketing secrets, tips, and insights.]
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.
That rant aside, here is a great article describing again the proper use of auto-responders.
The Right Way to Use Auto-Responders
By Will Newman
When you're starting a freelance business, having your own domain name (yourbusiness.com) is not an absolute necessity, but it does have some advantages. For one thing, it adds to your credibility in the eyes of your clients/customers. Plus, it gives you access to several business-friendly features... including the "auto-responder."
You're at the receiving end of an auto responder whenever you send an e-mail and get a quick response with a subject line like "Out of Office Reply." An auto-responder can be used for other purposes, too. It's a great way to let business contacts know that you got their e-mail and will get back to them in a short (specified) amount of time.
It's easy to set up an auto-responder with your Web-hosting service. The "how" of doing it varies from service to service, so you'll need to check your service's "Help" file.
A word of warning: An auto-responder message, by its nature, is impersonal. No matter how hard you try to make it sound otherwise, most people receiving your message will be able to tell that it was automatically generated. So be honest about it. Don't try to fool them into thinking it's a personal message.
Say what you have to say, providing just enough information to explain why you're not answering their e-mail immediately. Then follow up as soon as possible with a real personal response.
[Ed. Note: Will Newman is the editor of AWAI's The Golden Thread online newsletter - a free weekly alert loaded with writing and marketing secrets, tips, and insights.]
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, the Internet’s most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.