I created a new survey for you guys, if you complete it I'd very much appreciate it. I got no bribes for this one though, so sorry if you were expecting a freebie =P
I'm just interested in what people think about the current auto-responders that are available. People have joked about me creating one, but I don't know if it'd be worth it or not. There are already a ton out there, so why create another?
So your feedback will help me figure out a few questions of my own. Thanks!
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don’t use one currently got any suggestions.
Tim are you a christian ? Still have yet to get a direct email from you. I know u are busy.
I am currently in Brasil, South America. Will be back to US sometime next month.
Thanks,
Todd Aitken
Yes I am. As for the email, I got about 100 in my inbox currently. My response time is slow which is why I have Cat & Richard do my support =P
WOW, that was short, but maybe it was a result of my answers. I have tried them all and bounce back and forth with my opinion, but I really think they are just another way to milk a steady cash flow from us. “It’s All In The List” may work find for Guru’s and get rich wanabes, but I don’t want a business online, I just want the money. The only list I need is people who join the programs I use and that I get free. Hey come back next week and I may be pushing list building again.
See you said it right there: “The only list I need is people who join the programs I use”. If you build that list, then you can tell them about all the programs you use ;-)
OK,
I am probably the worse respondent to this question because I hold a well known issue with “auto-responders”
To my way of thinking an auto-responder is there to respond to an email or contact, not to be a spamming email generator. (OK, my definition of spam is far stricter than most Internet Marketers like)
Given this, my secondary issue with “auto-responders” then becomes more obvious – they are too impersonal. I have yet to find an “auto-responder” that sounds like it is genuine as opposed to a mass-mailed pile of junk mail that was sent to unknown recipients with the vague hope I might be conned into believing the sender cares, or even knows about me.
It is tied into my primary starting point – we should be investing in relationships, not name/email gathering. I hear a lot of marketers saying “buty I have thousands of people on my list, I can’t get to know them all” My answer is simple – be honest, don’t pretend your mailing list is anything but a general mass-mailed email. And try to get to know your list – you may be surprised what you learn.
so, to the question – should you develop an “auto-responder” ? Personally my answer is NO – stick with your core businesses, and develop them. Diversification is good, but it also can lead to dilution and you become average at a lot of things instead of excellent at a few.
Don’t develop an auto-responder, develop a good relationship with someone else who is excellent at “auto-responders” use your core strengths to make the relationships with others part of your business strategy.
DeHawkinz
Your remarks are very interesting and I agree with them. This “mass-mailed pile” could be also named as “mass-mailed” tweets and be related to Twitter. Cheers, Maria
Hi Tim,
You are right, there are a lot out there. I have used Traffic Wave for several years now. I did start with AWeber but after comparing the two I found that option for option, Traffic Wave was the better deal.
There is no doubt that if you created an Autoresponder it would be a great one. The thing is it might be tough to compete with the options and prices.
I’m using the Traffic Wave A/R and find it easy to use. Their training and support are top notch, and I also like their affiliate program structure. Even with a small downline, my monthly fees are covered and I’m making a few bucks for using it.
I tried Get Response early on, and found their back-office very intuitive and easy to use also, but I switched to TW for the affiliate program being promoted by teams in the traffic exchanges. For me, it was a good choice.
Presently I have a Trafficwave.net account it is great! I think autoresponders are a great invention investment and intriguing invention. If only the membership price was lower every month it would be a fantastick invention.
Len
I have no experience of Auto responders in general. I was advised to try Trafficwave when I first started with an internet business, I use it still. It had been running for about 4 years then and is, I believe, about 10 years old now.
Brian Rooney and his merry men have steadily developed the system without noticeable hitches and they have not missed paying any dues. Their instructions for new members is very good.
I speak as I find, they do what they say they will do and they keep going.
And the price is right.
John Shores
Hey Tim,
Geez, you always come up with the greatest blog topics. LOL
My answer to your question is that I have tried the free ones, buying an auto-responder, and the popular paid ones( TrafficWave, Get Response, and Aweber). They all have some great attributes, however, if you were to create one that was less than $10/month, where we could create a referral base, and apply it to affiliate marketing, then I would join up straightaway. Go for it, Tim.
I started out with Aweber and never did fully understand it and didn’t like the fact that my price went up after certain amount.
So I’m using Traffic Wave and am very happy, there is no hidden cost, it is easy to use, and the support is awesome. The fast track bonus are wonderful – I’m very happy with them and see no reason to change again.
I have used Traffic Wave since day one- pretty much had to since my beautiful wife was/is a member of Ocean Swell :)
Very happy with it-mostly because we have never had to use a dime of our own and are a few hundred dollars ahead- just had another payment today in fact.
I can not really give an educated opinion though as I have never used anything else.
Hi Tim’ I’m Stuck on TrafficWave for the long haul. Tried Aweber about
3 yrs ago and at the time I was just getting into computers. could not under stand it. 18 months ago I started using TRWV the support I have received is excellent, The training should be a must for all new users,
we all know they have the best Price and Affiliate program is Super.
Hey Tim, Hope Your Doing Well!
For my part, I use TW and like it, if you think of making one then it’s a good idea if you can bring something more or different, just like you guys did with Sweeva!
If it’s just another AR then you should not do it
Thanks for everything Body!
try to get people through my website to my own email as I feel a weber etc are all too expensive for someone like me trying to sell children’s books.
I find my best links are through local school teachers and friends.
I tend to agree with DeHawkinz. Many using auto responders seem to grab the latest marketing “must join” to send out amazingly identical email content (including the subject line!) That makes it impersonal and guess what, I hit the delete button without even bothering to read them! Others are a bit more inventive though and probably get read.
Free websites I do have, but they don’t have ftp, c panel and goodness knows what else these auto responders require to activate their use.
A unique email addy devoted just for auto responder use would be nice and of great help to marketers who are only affiliates working for other sites
There is no perfect autoresponder.Too bad they cannot figure out who their customers are. 85-100 I.Q’s. Not on the internet very long.
Setup on most is just for the well trained instead of the average.(TEToolbox too) sorry.
Some even put a message at the top of your first email that plainly asks “do you want continued contact from this person?” Be sure and send one to yourself and see.
I’d like one that sells lists or has an affiliate on the site that sells targeted lists too.
Myself, I deal in products for the home that I can save real money purchasing them on-line,so I do not need a targeted list.
I shoot my first message to anyone in my email that gives me their full name and email.If they sent me their stuff,they are getting mine!
Please make a autoresponder.Make it better than those that are out there. Your friend Foxybird
For the last 2 years I have been using TrafficWave. Previously I used Aweber, Emailaces, Getresponse and they worked OK. But my preferred autoresponder is TrafficWave. Because it is easier to set up and learn to use. Also has all these features for 17.95 a month, Unlimited Lists, Unlimited Subscribers, Collect As Much Data As You Want, Schedule Broadcasts, Track Your Click-Throughs , Easily Create Opt-In Forms For Your Web Site, Convenient Opt-In Forms including a variety of capture pages that you can customize, Send HTML (WYSIWYG Editor) or Text Messages, No Complicated Programs to Download or Install and Unlimited Free Customer Support. Plus A Great Affiliate Program, get 3 affiliates and yours is FREE, and much more. It is a No-Brainer!
Where do I start?
Autoresponders are a great tool with which you can segment your list and structure emails according to their preferences and needs.
The top of the line in this area seems to be infusionsoft, and its price tag is hefty.
I’ve used all the main players – currently super impressed with Get-response but my main list carrier is Traffic Wave.
In a perfect world an autoresponder would have the following features & functions that were EASY for the average technologically challenged newbie to use and understand -
1/Tags that make sense
2/Comprehensive accessible video based training
3/The ability to funnel and sort prospects according to surveyed needs
4/ The ability to fetch and mail prospects according to surveyed leads in (3) above
5/Tracking code inbuilt so that I new exactly where the lead came from without having to spend hours setting up tracking mechanisms
6/Detailed reporting on click through rates, open rates by detailed I mean who opened and what they clicked -so that I could follow up personally if required
7/Get response already have this function -text to speech
8/ An affiliate plan that paid over50% 1st level only (open to all members & non-members alike)
9/Video mail
10/Affordable cost (under $20 per month)
I think that covers it
I started out with a private label version of aweber. It completely messed up the mailing schedule so I switched to Get Response. That was fine until they revamped their website and I couldn’t understand any of it LOL.
Tried the free version of emailaces but it was too restricted. I now use Listwire from Gary Ambrose which is free, has no limitations that I could find and does the job.
Sometimes free does work best although it might not suit everyone.
Hey tim i had just finish take your survey. Mary you are right they are no such thing as a perfect autoresponder if they is i think it would be a very expensive one
I have an idea for you Tim. Call it crazy if you want, but why not incorporate an autoresponder with the traffic exchanges. It seems like since we should be building a list that adding an auto responder to the mix and shared by enough of the traffic exchanges to reduce cost would be a good idea. Of course getting the other exchanges to agree on a specific AR would be a challenge, but who knows. Its just an idea. :0)
Signed
Robt Moore
Tim~
I use and have used Global NPN for quite some time now. I feel that it is very user friendly and you can’t get more for your money at $10.75 a month for the autoresponder + many, many other tools. NPN continues and will always be the one stop shop for emarketing tools. I like the fact that they give you different options with the auto responders. They have a double opt in option and a subscription option. Makes for keeping up with my teams a cinch!
Some great discussion on here! Really enjoy reading this blog every day (well almost, since you don’t publish EVERY day!)
I like GVO’s auto responder myself. I have only used one other and I was not happy with them.
I like what Steven Goodwin, Said about Global NPN.
I’am a member of NPN to. keep up the good work.
Steven
Hi Tim
I prefer to have a personal touch with my referrals, I don’t like canned responses when I join up programs so I don’t do it to others. I agree with my old friend Warren that you should use the downlines who are in the programs you promote.
Cheers
Grant aka drkelp
Hello Tim
Well, I had tried Aweber for about 3 weeks and then switched to Traffic Wave. Traffic Wave is user friendly not to mention TE friendly. You just can’t beat the commissions they pay out.
Millie
I like Trafficwave because it’s 1 easy fee and no “add-ons”. I’ve had a lot of success with Trafficwave. Aside from the inexpensiveness and functionality, I like the compensation plan too. They pay weekly and monthly. Have a good day all, Brad.
I have used autoresponders in the past a little but just signed up with TrafficWave. It seems very good and it is good to read all the positive comments here.
If you want to build a new one I would sure support you, not that it is needed, yet.
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