I admit it -- when I'm on the Internet, I want everything
instantly. And I know I'm not alone; in our high-speed
world we expect to get what we want with the click-of-a-
mouse.

To help fulfill this desire for everything "now, now, now!",
many Internet businesses make use of autoresponders. These
programs automatically return a prewritten message to
anyone who sends a message to the autoresponder's email
address. They usually allow for several follow-up
messages as well.

Autoresponders are a real blessing to online businesses -
particularly small businesses where there's often just 1
or 2 employees and a huge amount of work! Autoresponders:

= Save time. Many inquiries are the same -- why answer
them all manually when you can automate it?

= Save money. Have your autoresponder automatically
provide information, instead of paying someone to do
it for you. Plus it will free you up to tend to more
profitable tasks.

= Increase sales. Put your sales effort on auto-pilot!
Very few people will make a purchase the first time
they visit a site. They want to mull it over, maybe
do a little research, and come back later. But any
number of things could prevent them from buying
'later'. Use a follow-up autoresponder to keep in
touch with your prospects. You're more likely to
catch them at a time that they're 'ready to buy'.

= Improve service. Visitors don't have to wait for you
to respond manually to their requests for information.
They simply send an email to your autoresponder and
the information is mailed to them within minutes.

Now what can you use autoresponders for? It's as limitless
as your imagination! Some common uses include:

= Free reports or articles.
= Sales letters.
= Information about your various products or services.
= Email training courses.
= Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
= Advertising rate cards.
= Order acknowledgements or confirmations.
= Newsletters.

There are loads of autoresponders available on the 'net.
ROIbot ( http://www.roibot.com/r_r.cgi?R46886_nn ) offers
a follow-up autoresponder bundled with several tools,
including an ad tracker. Or try WorkYourLeads
( http://www.roibot.com/w.cgi?R46886_auto ) if you're
looking for an unlimited number of autoresponders.

Of course, automation isn't appropriate in every
circumstance. Many people have had the utterly infuriating
experience of receiving a distinctly unhelpful, automated
reply to an inquiry. It's important to remember that an
autoresponder is only a tool; there are many situations
in which your personal attention is absolutely vital.
Make sure that your visitors are still able to contact
you directly.

Small business owners often play the role of marketer,
product developer, administrative assistant, janitor,
customer support, and anything else that's required.
Autoresponders offload some of that work so that you
can concentrate on the important task of building your
business. Try them - you'll love it!

About the Author
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, an
exclusive newsletter for eBusiness beginners. Every issue is packed with helpful
tips and useful tools, specially selected to fit a
beginner's shoestring budget. Visit her online today
at http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
OR mailto:businessbasics@workyourleads.com for a series
of 10 free reports on building a business on the web.