The Set It and Watch It Plan:
Using an Autoresponder Message Series
With Targeted Email Copy

Set an autoresponder message series up once, and monitor it, while testing new email marketing and copywriting. When it’s fine-tuned, it’s about as close as a “set it and forget it” email marketing plan as you might come.

 

An autoresponder message series is ideal when you’re capturing email addresses for lead generation from your website. Every time someone opts-in to your emails, they receive an automatic sequence of emails over time written to convert that inquiry into a sale.

 

So what makes for a great autoresponder email series? Here are a few ideas:

1. Entice with thought-provoking info
   What is it about your product that readers will find most interesting? Look for those tid-bits and give enough information in your autoresponder emails to keep the reader engaged.
2. Start your story in the middle
   Every story has a beginning, middle and end. Start in the middle and when appropriate, circle back to the beginning, and show the reader how at the end the dominant issue on their mind was resolved.
3. Research
   Your email copy needs to set-up the reader for why s/he needs the information … the process for using the information … and what will change in their life. You discover this process through research. Now your story is transformational to the reader
4. Three teases
   Use any of these teasers separately, or in combination, to keep the reader with you on your autoresponder series.

• Give-away nuggets of information freely and reveal all
• Reveal enough to give away part of the story and hold back on important details
• Tease with benefits without revealing the full story

Done successfully, you can transform “nuggets” into “bullets” and develop individual emails strictly on one of your nuggets to build the story over time. Important: a primary objective of the autoresponder message series is to ensure your prospect will read your next email. If they didn’t get something of value from the first email, you risk an unsubscribe (or delete when they see your name in the “From” line in the future). You want your prospect to look forward to the next installment in the series.

5. Why Giving Information Away Makes Sense
   A loyal following comes from delivering the goods in the first autoresponder series so they look forward to the next one. If all you do is sell, sell, sell in your emails, you’ll be turned off in an instant with the touch of the delete key or unsubscribe button.
   When you give away valuable information, you build trust and a relationship. Your prospects will read your email when they have time to devote to your topic. They won’t want to miss out on your next message.
6. Choosing Your Message
   Think through your sequence of messages and determine what nuggets of information you will reveal one autoresponder message at-a-time, and in what frequency.
   Quick tips are appreciated, but a longer message has more opportunity to build a relationship.
7. Hints on Your Writing Process
   Start with a story that leads toward the nugget you’re revealing

• Set-up the story with why the information is of value
• Reveal the information, either in part, or full
• Explain how the information can’t all be properly explained in a single email and point the reader back to your product website for the full story

 

So you’re wondering: if I give away all my best tips, why will the prospect need to buy from me?

 

That’s a risk if the autoresponder message series isn’t done properly. But human nature is that once a trust is established, the customer will be more likely to turn to you (especially in this age of skepticism with buying online).

 

Using an experienced direct email marketing firm will help you work through this intricate process of writing autoresponder messages that convert to sales.