Automation with Autoresponders

    Let’s face it:  We’re all a bunch of lazy people!  This is amazingly true within our business operations.  So, automation is important to all businesses. The less time we have to spend doing small tasks, the more time we have to make more money – or we could spend that time doing something besides working. Putting an online business on auto pilot isn’t difficult at all – and it is all done with the use of autoresponders!

     Autoresponders can be used to get people to your website, or to promote products and services. Simply plug your sales message into the autoresponder, along with some valuable information that your potential customer may want or need, and advertise that autoresponders address to the world!  Or at least to your prime marketing audience.

     Once the person arrives at your site, and goes through your ordering process, another autoresponder kicks in. This autoresponder should send out a receipt, as well as information that will grant the customer access to whatever it is that they have purchased. Then another autoresponder message should be sent out after this, thanking the customer for their business, and letting them know about similar or related products or services that they may be interested in.

     The beauty of this is that while all of this ordering is going on, and these important customer service emails are being sent, you can be off doing something else! The more automation you can integrate into your online business, the better off you will be.

    It’s kind of like putting your business operations on autopilot!  However, don’t think this means you NEVER have to look at what your business is doing.  No, you still have to make sure that what you want to be done by these autoresponders is actually happening the way you want it to.  You will only have to “check-in” periodically to make sure there are no “bugs.”

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The best time to get things done

is when you don't have time to do them!"

Our Memories

     We all have those favorite moments in our lives that we like to recall from time to time and pause to remember how things used to be.  It may be that we can recall those moments with such clarity that it seems as if they only happened yesterday!  Then one day we “run into” that old buddy or classmate and we begin to reminisce with them about that favorite moment.  It’s nice because they too were part of that fond memory and we want to share it again together.

     However, when we begin to relate the recalled past, they keep interrupting and explaining to us how we have the whole story wrong!  It DIDN’T happen at that time of the year.  It WASN’T in that particular location that we recall!  Over and over they begin to tear apart the moment that we so much cherished that all of a sudden we realize that we don’t have any of the story remembered the way that they do!

    And this problem happens to different people in different ways.  With my wife, she remembers such great details when I can only remember a shadowy outline!  We can be sitting around and she thinks of a time that we had a meal at a restaurant.

     “Don’t you remember, honey?  We ate at Gino’s.  It was one month after you had proposed.  You were wearing those new blue slacks you had bought with that checked shirt that I loved so much.  I was wearing that tan skirt that you liked with a light brown peasant shirt.  That’s the night that you ordered us the veal parmesan so I could try it for the first time.”

     She is looking at me like “WHY are you not remembering this?”  And I come back with the comment:  “I kind of remember eating at Gino’s restaurant.”

     I guess that’s the way our memories function at times.  Then there are moments that I have in my mind that I can recall with great details.  But, now that I think about it:  I hope they really happened and are not just a smudge in my faulty memory!  However, I have to remember that we’re only human!!!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"When all you have are your memories,

You'd better hope you've got them right."

Build Interest with Autoresponders

    If at first you don’t succeed - - - try – try – again!  You’ve probably heard that old expression before.  But did you ever think - - - IT’S TRUE!  Few people like a hard sale, and marketers have known for years that in most cases, a prospect must hear your message an average of seven times before they will make a purchase. How do you accomplish this?  With autoresponders!

     It’s really quite simple, and in fact, autoresponders make getting the message to your potential customers those seven times possible. On the Internet, without the use of autoresponders, you probably could not achieve that. Too often, marketers make the mistake of literally slamming the potential customer with a hard sales pitch with the first autoresponder message – this won’t work.  It never has and never will.

     You must build interest slowly. Start with an informative message – a message that educates the reader in some way on the topic that your product or service is related to. At the bottom of the message, include a link to the sales page for your product. Use that first message to focus on the problem that your product or service can solve, with just a hint of the solution.

    You can then build up from there, moving into how your product or service can solve a problem, and then with the next message, ease into the benefits of your product – giving the reader more actual information with each and every message. Your final message should be the sale pitch – not your first one! With each message, make sure that you are giving the customer information pertaining to the topic – free information! This is what will keep them interested in what you have to say.

     This type of marketing is an art. It may take time to get it exactly right. Use the examples that other marketers have set for you. Pay attention to the messages that you receive from other marketers. Start a ‘swap’ file, and keep those messages. Use some of the better sales copy for your own autoresponder messages – just make sure that yours doesn’t turn out to be an exact copy of someone else’s sales message!  You need to be original with your sales message, but you don’t need to reinvent the wheel!

     Remember not to start with a hard sale. Build your potential customers interest. Keep building on what the problem is, and how your product or service can solve that problem or fill that need. If you are doing this right, by the time the potential customer reads the last message in that series, they will be convinced enough to make a purchase!  They will have logically reached the conclusion and convinced themselves that they NEED your product or service.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"To say nothing to a problem

is to kill the solution

before it has taken flight."

Life's Not Fair!

    

Sometimes I think that perhaps we would be better off if life worked backwards!  Let me explain:

     When a person is young we start asking them: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Or maybe:  “What do you want to do with your life?”  They have no idea.  They have not experienced enough of life to know what it’s all about.  However, once you have lived for many years, tried many different things, experienced many far-away places, and have finally reached a point where you are ready to decide what you really want to do with your life - - - You don’t have much of your life left to live!

     When a young person gets out of school and decides regardless of whether they like it or not, they are going to need to get a job.  The reality usually sets in when they realize that money REALLY DOESN’T grow on trees and if they want to continue to purchase things for themselves they are going to need a job so they have money coming in.  The problem is they learn that it’s hard to get a job because they have NO experience.  Most businesses want someone who has a least a bit of knowledge about what they are doing.  Now here’s the unfair part:  Once you have spent decades gaining the experience everyone wants you to have businesses expect you to retire!  If you only want a part-time job to supplement your retirement they can’t believe it.  “With your experience you’ll leave if a better position comes along!” they say.

     However, if we could live our lives backwards things could work out better for us.  When we have no experience either within the workplace or within life, we would be OLD!  As we grow younger we could gain the experience, the knowledge, and the enthusiasm to fully excel at any position we may choose to enter.  On top of that we would have our energy and stamina at the most opportune time to fulfill all the things we could get accomplished.

     Yes life is not fair.  But whatever life we have is better than the current alternative of having no life at all!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You would truly love your life,

if you had to live the life of someone else!"

Autoresonders and SPAM!

     You get them sometimes almost every day.  They almost make you want to tear your hair out!  So, if you want your online business operations to be taken seriously and not be considered another scam:  Don’t send your emails via SPAM!

     There are laws against sending spam. There are even laws that you must adhere to when you send out emails that are requested. No matter what type of email you are sending out, the chances are good that the anti-spam laws apply to you in some way.  And don’t forget IGNORANCE is no excuse! 

     In order to be in compliance with the anti-spam laws in various states in the US, each commercial email that you send must include your name or business name, your street address, city, state, zip code, and phone number. You must also include instructions that will allow the recipient to remove themselves from your mailing list. If you fail to do any of this, you are essentially breaking the law in various states – no matter what state or country you live in!  The easiest way to get through these complicated rules is to make sure you comply.  How can you do this?

     Protect yourself from spam complaints in any way that you can. Make sure that when a customer requests any type of information from you that an email is sent requesting confirmation before any other email is sent. If someone is placing an order from you, include a check box on the order form, asking for permission to send them periodic emails. Never use your autoresponder to send unsolicited commercial email!

    To understand the requirements of the CAN-SPAM act you might want to take a little visit to:  https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business .  This could be some of the most productive time spent on making sure you and your business are not in violation of this act.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Remember in your business operations 

you must comply with the regulations.  

If you do not comply you are in

non-compliance and thereby are not meeting 

the required compliance regulations!"

Morning Sickness

    Usually when we hear this phrase we are very happy.  Generally there is a lady who is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new baby into her life.  Yes it may be that there are moments that are most disturbing and for the most part unwanted by the new mother-to-be.  This morning sickness, also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP), is a symptom of pregnancy that involves nausea or vomiting.  Despite the name, nausea or vomiting can occur at anytime during the day.  The condition is common and, unless very severe, does not pose a threat to the baby.  It usually starts around the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy and tends to get worse during the next month or so.  It goes away for most women by around 14 to 20 weeks of pregnancy.  As bad as this may seem to appear, the mother-to-be knows what this represents and the future prospects of the life that is growing inside her.

     This is however, NOT the type of “morning sickness” I am discussing in this blog post.  I want you to know the “morning sickness” I am getting every day by waking up and hearing the new terrible things that are happening within humanity.  We have such great potential for good and we consider instead how we can do greater harm to our fellow man.  These ranges from personal vendettas within the family or within a neighborhood, to the global genocide that nations want to inflict on other nations.  Such daily reports each morning certainly make me sick to my stomach to hear about.

     It’s true many of these situations develop due to a mental imbalance within a person.  However, some situations are deliberately planned and carried out simply to inflict horrible pain and agony upon others.  Many times these people are “innocent by-standers” who are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

     Many advocate more gun control or better mental health programs for individuals needing such help.  Others may advocate changes in current laws and regulations, while others simply want more prison facilities to locate away from society those that are deemed a threat to themselves and others.

     The simple truth is that while such measures may provide a measure of improvement, IF an individual wants to inflict harm upon another he will find a way to do it!  Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, essayist, social critic, political activist, and Nobel laureate, made the following statement concerning the year 1914: “I had supposed until that time that it was quite common for parents to love their children, but the war persuaded me that it is a rare exception.  I had supposed that most people liked money better than almost anything else, but I discovered that they liked destruction even better.  I had supposed that intellectuals frequently loved truth, but I found here again that not ten per cent of them prefer truth to popularity.”  He made two additional statements concerning his view of war:  “War doesn’t determine who’s right, it determines who’s left.”  And, “Either man will abolish war, or war will abolish man.”

     Today, we can see things haven’t gotten any better.  It doesn’t matter if the WAR is of a global nature or a more personal level:  Things have certainly gotten worse.  Therein lays the problem of my “morning sickness.”  When I watch the evening news broadcast with my wife we are appalled at the things that are occurring.  We often make the comment: “Things surely can’t get any worse!”  However, when we arise the next morning:  Things HAVE gotten worse!  When will my “morning sickness” end?  I think that’s a question that everyone wants an answer to!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"You can't truly love yourself

until you love your enemies."

Shopping Cart

    You always want to make sure that your site is “customer” friendly.  People want to know you are interested in them and not just their money.  When they place orders through your website, it is always a good idea to immediately acknowledge their purchase. One way to do this is with the use of an autoresponder that can be integrated with your shopping cart. In fact, many shopping carts that are available today have their own autoresponders built into the system.  This certainly makes the process a lot easier.

     When you set up your autoresponder to send a message to someone that has placed an order, there are several things that should be included in the message. This is an opportunity to ‘speak’ to your customer, and to let them know about other deals that you have or special items that you have available. You should not miss this opportunity.  If you do you’re only “throwing money out the window!”

     Do not try to get your ‘thank you’ sales message on the same autoresponder as the customers email receipt. Putting the sales message on an email that is automatically sent to grant the customer access to their purchase is also a bad idea – that would go better with the receipt. Make sure your ‘thank you’ sales message is a message that is sent out all by itself, so your customer can focus solely on that!

     Thank the customer for their recent purchase. Tell them how much their purchase will help them, and then tell them about other available products that work well with the one that they just purchased, or that are similar to the one that they just purchased in some way. For instance hair conditioner works with hair shampoo. Vacuum cleaner bags or carpet powder works well with vacuum cleaners. Just let them know about the various products that you offer that will compliment their purchase in some way, thereby making their lives a bit more manageable.

     The important thing is to not let your customer get away without further contact! Think about being in a brick and mortar store. Have you ever heard the sales clerk ask you, “Do you need any socks with those shoes today?”  Or maybe at the fast food restaurant: “Do you want to make that a large?”  When you are standing at the counter to pay, there are many items there for sale. These items are meant to be picked up as last minute purchases, or impulsive purchases. Your ‘thank you’ sales letter serves the same purpose for those who have made a purchase at your online business.

     Don’t make the mistake of bombarding your customer! You can usually send them periodic information about your specials after they have made a purchase through you, but emailing them on a daily basis with your offers is not good business! Use your autoresponder responsibly! Make sure that your autoresponder is set up to handle automatic remove requests, and make sure that the information that you are sending your customers is of value to them.  The last thing you want to do is make your customer “upset” with your contacts.  Then they will begin telling their friend “how rude” they think you are and now you’ll have the potential to lose future customers.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The success of a business is the satisfaction

 of your customers and not yourself!"

Death

    Death is something that many people don’t want to talk about unless it is absolutely necessary.  Yet it seems that death is monopolizing the news the past few weeks.  The recent shootings in El Paso, Texas and in Dayton, Ohio just adds to the list of senseless murders.  Now they are speculating that perhaps the killings in Dayton had to do with the suspect targeting his sister, who was one of the victims.

     It is hard enough for us to deal with the death of a person who has lived a very long life and now their body simply ceases to function.  They die from what we refer to as “natural causes.”  However, there is nothing “natural” about death.  Humans were originally created to live forever.  We have the mental capacity to ponder and meditate on the possibilities of what may yet be in store for use hundreds, even thousands, of years into the future.

     When we lose someone who has been sick or perhaps they are in an accident of some type, it tears at the fabric of our hearts to think that we will not see their smiling faces again.  Nor will we hear their delightful voices.  No longer will we be able to include them within our family arrangements except by mentioning them as fond memories.   

     But when someone we love is torn away from us by the unthinkable mass killing attacks as we have had recently, the very essence of our being is ripped from our guts.  We feel that a part of us has also been taken away and will never be made right again.  And in some sense this is very true.  Our loved one is gone!  Perhaps they had only gone out for a few hours of shopping or maybe to enjoy a meal with friends.  Some will say they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  This is true, however, it doesn’t lighten the heavy feeling of lose that overwhelms us at the time.

     The Bible doesn’t differentiate the type of death that we or our loved ones may suffer when it states that death is our enemy.  This is so true.  When we become slightly ill we are doing all that we can to get ourselves better.  When the condition worsens we are insanely at times looking for a cure so that we can live.  None of us wants to die! 

     However, until our Creator puts into action the arrangements made by means of the Messianic Kingdom in the hands of Christ Jesus we must wait and deal with these grave tragedies the best we can.  This is not always easy, because we’re only human!     

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Do what you can today to improve your life

 and the lives of others.

Tomorrow we may die and no longer have the chance 

to touch the heart of someone else."

SECRET places on your site

     EVERYONE wants in on the secret!  People love to have access to things that other people can’t get. It makes them feel special, and it is a marketing tactic that really works. Granting access to secret pages works well on the Internet. It works best when it is limited. For instance, you can grant access to only a lucky few, or you can have a time limit for accessing the pages. You can grant access to secret pages on your website with an autoresponder.

     You don’t need to be a “coding” genius to make it work.  The way this works is quite simple. You create a directory on your website that is password protected, with one login and password that everybody can use. You then create some valuable content for that directory. You can call this your secret vault or your private stash or anything else you want to call it – as long as it sounds like something that your visitors may really want to get their hands on. For instance ‘the secret tools that helped me earn thousands each month’ would probably entice many people who want to learn how to make money. You come up with whatever name you like, but remember to make it irresistibly desirable.

     Once you get the directory and the pages set up, put the URL of the pages and the login name and password in an autoresponder. Write a sales page and distribute it to your opt-in list, or have other list owners distribute it to theirs. Make sure you ‘limit’ the offer. Don’t let people assume that you are going to share this secret information with the rest of the world – they want to be the only ones with this special access!

     Keep access to the secret pages free. The goal is to get people to those pages, so that they can purchase your products or services. However, remember that you’ve advertised secret tools or secret information. Therefore, when they get to those pages, there must be something of value there for them to collect – for free in most cases. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you will be losing money by giving something away for free – you won’t. In fact, you’ve already gained by collecting the names and addresses of the people who were interested in your secret information!

     Again, this is a marketing tactic that really works, and it is a great way to use an autoresponder. Once people have requested the information for your private pages, you can email them periodically, using your autoresponder, to let them know about updates to the secret site. While you are updating them, you can also tell them about other specials or new products in your line.  This is a great way to “feed” the human nature and profit at the same time.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"The greatest secret lie is held by the Devil.

He has convinced most people that he doesn't exist."