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. It 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 Webmaster of Web-Source.net -
A complete resource portal for the Internet entrepreneur.
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