An autoresponder is one of the first pieces of software an online business will use. They are cost effective to operate and when used correctly can be very profitable to your business. There are 2 sorts of Autoresponder that are available to you. One that is web based and used directly from your website and the other that is managed by a third party. One that is run by a third party is the simplest to use and most common.

* Choose the right autoresponder: Do your research carefully, not all autoresponders are created equal. Make sure that the one you choose has all the features you need for your business. It is important to choose one that will show open rates. Another important feature is a means to check your email for trigger words that will be marked as spam by most email clients.

* Never misuse your autoresponder to send Spam: Spam is unsolicited mail. Your recipient has not asked to receive your mail and most times they are not happy to receive it. You can get into a lot of trouble doing this and even have your business black listed. Results from this type of advertising are also not that good, in fact you will be lucky to get any sales this way.

* Try to use the double opt-in feature: This will only add subscribers to your list who have confirmed that they want to receive messages from you. This will increase open rates and decrease spam complaints. It is a good way to keep your list clean and not have a whole lot of inactive subscribers.

* Do not forget to set up mailer sequences: Make sure that you not only use the broadcast feature for your newsletter and one-time messages but also set up autoresponder sequences. These sequences are known as mailers and will close many sales for you when you do them right.

* Follow up with your customers and leads: Be sure to use your autoresponder to follow up with leads and customers. Send short announcements about new products, web updates etc. These little announcements remind your customers and leads that you are still there and sometimes will stimulate them to buy from you.

* Do not hassle your subscribers: There is a fine line between building relationships and harassing your subscribers. Try not to send too many announcements and ads to them. This will alienate them and make them unsubscribe from your lists. Treat your subscribers like VIP's and build up good solid relationships with them.

* Make your messages short, to the point and simple: Your subscribers are busy people and you want to put your message across to them quickly and efficiently.

* Personalize your messages: Personalizing your messages has been proven to increase your sales by a large percentage. However do not overdo this, be careful to keep your messages professional.

With these points you will be able to make the best use of your autoresponder. This software is your best friend when it cames to your online business. Whoever says that email marketing is dead is completely wrong. It has just evolved!