Autoresponders, do you really need one?

To answer this question we first need to take a look at an on-line business model, which does not use an autoresponder. Let’s assume, for arguments sake, that the on-line business in question, for the purpose of this article, is selling an eBook about the use of autoresponders in the on-line world.

How does this website generate sales? Certainly it will depend somewhat upon organic search engine traffic, it may also utilise pay per click advertising such as Google AdWords. It may use any or all of many other forms of on-line advertising, such as purchasing banner space from other successful websites. Most people these days are pretty serious about search engine optimisation, it is very likely that the website in question will have spent a considerable amount of effort, to make sure it’s search engine rankings are optimal.

So far, all endeavours mentioned above are designed to do one thing and one thing only, they are all designed to bring new, prospective customers. This is obviously a primary requirement for any retail business, but is it the only requirement?

In some instances, sure it is the only requirement, if you are selling something that most people will buy at first glance, but let’s be sensible, how many products are there on the market that sell like this? Very few to be sure.

So let’s presume a prospective customer visits this hypothetical site, and does not wish to purchase the autoresponder eBook right now, he needs to consider it. Some people will consider it, and then come right back and purchase. Other people will consider it, and decide they definitely do not want it. This is all fine, in a basic on-line business model. But there are two other types of visitors that can still be exploited. Firstly the visitor who goes away to think about the offer, and cannot make up his mind, he never comes back to make his purchase as he is unsure. A final type of visitor is one who really is interested, goes away to consider the suitability of the offer, and then forgets about it.

Now let’s do a little what if exercise. What if the same website was to have a small form, where a visitor could leave his email address, to be informed of any news regarding the product? Once you have this email address you could then use an autoresponder to do many useful things to boost your profits.

You could start by sending out a timed email, to all those people who visited the site, but never completed a purchase. You could point out to them that they may have not seen certain benefits, or realised certain things, basically you get a second shot at convincing them. For both types of visitors that fit into the final two categories, this can produce sales that otherwise would have been lost completely.

You could also use an autoresponder to send emails to people about new products, versions and upgrades. Once you have their email address, you can use it to target them for additional sales campaigns.

One you realise that using an autoresponder can be used not only to boost current sales, but as a marketing avenue for future products, it becomes hard not to see why an autoresponder is a valuable sales tool in the on-line marketplace.

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