AUTORESPONDER ETIQUETTE

AUTORESPONDER ETIQUETTE

By Shelley Lowery

Autoresponders are one of the most widely used promotional tools on

the Internet. They're also known as mailbots, automatic email and

email on demand. They were derived from the very popular fax on

demand and designed to automatically respond to any email

message sent to it with an automatic response.

Autoresponder programs vary from autoresponse messages set-up

within an email program to a script that runs on a server. This script

may run a web-based autoresponder system that utilizes a web page

form or it may run with a pop email account on a server. It's

programmed to automatically send out a pre- determined message

when a message is received to a specified script address or email

address.

Not only are autoresponders one of the most widely used promotional

tools, but are becoming one of the most widely abused. While using

autoresponders will enable you to put a lot of your daily tasks on

autopilot, autoresponders can also wreak havoc on innocent

individuals who may cross their path.

Autoresponder addresses should NEVER be used when submitting

your website to Search Engines, Directories, Free For All sites, or in

Classified Ad contact forms. Many of these types of websites use

autoresponders to send thank you or welcome messages to their

users. When their autoresponder sends a message to your

autoresponder, this creates what is known as a loop. Each

autoresponder will continue to respond to the other.

When subscribing to an ezine or email discussion group, always use

a real email address and NEVER subscribe with an autoresponder

address. Subscribing to these types of publications with an

autoresponder address will get you immediately unsubscribed. Why?

For example; If you're a member of a discussion group and receive

many messages each day, your autoresponder will respond to every

message it receives. Not only will the list owner receive a mailbox full

of complaints, but they will also receive all of your autoresponse

messages.

Another problem ezine publishers encounter with autoresponder

subscribers is locating the perpetrator. Many times, the "reply to" and

"from" address of an autoresponse message aren't the same as the

address they subscribed under. t takes a great deal of time and effort

to track the address, which is time that could have been better spent

elsewhere.

Another unethical use of autoresponders is autoresponders. Let me

explain... There are many Internet Marketers now using unethical

techniques to subscribe innocent individuals to their junk mailing lists.

They will send a message to an autoresponder address using their

subscription address. When the autoresponder answers the

message, the "from" address on the autoresponder will be instantly

subscribed. This technique is not only unethical, but also

unprofessional.

Autoresponders can be a wonderful tool for Internet Marketers and

can save you hours of valuable time. However, if not used in a

professional manner, can wreak havoc on the Internet community.

Don't be tempted to tarnish your professional reputation by indulging

in the abuse of our autoresponder system. It's just not worth the price.

About the Author:

Shelley Lowery is the Webmistress of Web Source - Your Guide to

Professional Website Design and Development. Join The

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