When it comes to marketing communication, e-mail is here to stay. And when it comes to deliverability, functionality and complete optimization, the auto responder is here and undergoing a face lift.
The auto responder is a company’s introduction to potential clients and customers. It sends thank you and informational messages to site registrants. It delivers reminders about products and services.
But a marketer’s auto responder strategy is only as good as the auto responder itself. Auto responders don’t always drive automatic lead conversions. Marketing messages can be viewed as dreaded spam, failing to reach their intended target, thus threatening functionality.
Most publishers and performance marketers are painfully aware of these limitations. But performance marketing is an industry of evolution by necessity; therefore, it was only a matter of time before proprietary tools were implemented to drive better auto responder results and engage customers. And it begins with choice.
Every business model is different, so it stands to reason that their communication needs may vary, as well. To that end, publishers now have more advanced auto responder options. Before the advent of these savvier technologies, one auto responder email would be set up for each selected program. As the song “One” notes, one is the loneliest number.
That was then. Today’s smarter re-contact strategies and capabilities provide the right message to the right consumer, varying that message based on consumer responses.
General auto responders serve marketers lacking a clear call to action, or clients executing a single opt-in program. Alternately, advertiser-specific auto responders generate a cascade of three to four emails designed to encourage and heighten consumer engagement. This enables clients to qualify leads and engage customers at a high level.
If the consumer responds to any of these emails, they will no longer receive other emails. The auto responder sales team collects all appropriate information, identifying and recommending several unique sales paths – whether direction to specific Web sites or a follow-up sales call — increasing the likelihood of lead generation and conversion.
Delivering the right message the first time around is what matters most to clients. Revising your reconnect strategies with a multi-functional auto responder will not only drive improved results, it will increase work and cost efficiency. When it comes to client engagement, one will no longer be the loneliest number – it will be the most important.
Mitch Tuch is general manager of data acquisition for MediaWhiz, an online performance marketing agency.
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