The
Birth of a Successful Internet Business
Part eight of ten -- Automating Your Business
Running a successful Internet business can be a very time
consuming venture. Not only must you design and market your
website, but you must also develop your products, fulfill
your orders and answer customer support requests -- the list
goes on and on.
Although there will always be daily tasks that you must handle
personally, there are a number of your daily tasks that you
can automate or at least partially automate.
For example, if you're receiving the same basic support requests
or questions over and over again, there are two different
ways you can automate your answers:
1) Create a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for your
website and/or products. Your page should include a list of
commonly asked questions and provide the answers for each.
2) Create a text template for each of your frequently asked
questions that contain the answers. When you receive a commonly
asked question, simply open your text file and copy and paste
your pre written answer into your email message. You can then
customize your message for each recipient.
The above example will assist you in partially automating
some of your daily tasks. However, there are some tasks that
can be completely automated simply by placing your information
within an autoresponder.
Autoresponders are one of the top promotional tools available
online today. They are also known as mailbots, automatic email
and email on demand. They were derived from the very popular
fax on demand and designed to automatically respond to any
email message sent to it with an automatic response.
Autoresponder programs vary from software set up to run with
your desktop email program to a script that runs on your server.
The script may run a web-based autoresponder system that utilizes
a web page form, or it may run with your pop email account
on your server. It is programmed to automatically send out
a predetermined message when a message is received to a specified
script address or email address.
Below is a list of tasks that you can completely automate:
=> Articles
If you're writing articles to promote your business, you can
place them within an autoresponder. This will enable your
visitors to quickly and easily retrieve your articles on demand.
=> Ad Rates
If you're selling any type of advertising space, you can place
your ad rates within an autoresponder to enable your visitors
to request them at any time.
=> Business Opportunities
If you're promoting a business opportunity, you can provide
your potential customers with further information via autoresponder.
=> Free Courses
In addition to the standard autoresponder systems, there are
also autoresponders that can send an unlimited amount of follow-up
messages. These follow-up messages can be set up to automatically
be sent out at predetermined intervals. In other words, you
can set up your autoresponder to automatically send out a
new message each day for as many days as you would like.
Follow-up autoresponder systems will enable you to set up
a free course used to increase your sales. As you may know,
it may take up to seven contacts with a potential customer
before closing a sale. By setting up an autoresponder and
offering a free autoresponder course, you can completely automate
a portion of your marketing efforts.
The examples above can be set up with any of the following
autoresponder services:
GetResponse
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=gr
SendFree
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=sf
AWeber
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=aw
In addition to autoresponders automating some of your daily
tasks, there are also scripts that can be used to automatically
respond to form submissions. For example, if you're processing
your customers' orders yourself (with a merchant account,
secure server, etc.), you can use a form processing script
to not only process your customers' information, but to also
do all of the following:
• Send out an order confirmation message
• Add your customers' information to your database
• Send out download instructions
• Send you a copy of the order
If you're using a third-party credit card processing company,
there is a way you can automate your ordering process as well.
Third-party processing companies require that you provide
a web address that is used to direct your customers to once
their payment has been processed. This page is usually used
to provide your customers with download instructions. However,
you can use this page to collect your customers' information
prior to directing them to your download page. Simply use
a script like the one mentioned above.
Please keep in mind, there aren't many form processing scripts
that will send out an autoresponse file -- most won't. However,
the following form processing script will: http://bignosebird.com/carchive/bnbform.shtml
In addition to using a form processing script to automate
your ordering process, you can also use a web based mailing
script.
Instead of setting up your "download" page with the above
form, place a subscription form within the page. This form
will be used to collect your customers' name and email address.
Once completed, your customers' information will be added
to your database and an autoresponse message will be immediately
sent out. This message should be used to thank your customer
for their purchase, and provide them with download instructions.
The great thing about this technique is that you can personalize
your autoresponse message with your customers' name. In addition,
they are automatically added to a database, which will enable
you to send out product updates or introduce new products.
Please keep in mind, not all web based mailing scripts will
send out an autoresponse message or enable you to personalize
your messages. However, the following scripts will:
1-2-All Broadcast
http://www.12all.com
A complete list management system including HTML or plain
text newsletters, MySQL database, personalization features,
automatic removal links and more.
AutoResponse Plus:
http://www.web-source.net/cgi-bin/t.cgi?l=autoplus
Complete list management including unlimited lists, HTML or
plain text mailings, MySQL database, customizable auto-personalization
of messages, automatic removal links, unlimited folow-up autoresponses
and more.
Automating portions of your Internet business is an essential
part of your success. Not only will it lighten your workload,
but it will also free up your valuable time.
Copyright © Shelley Lowery
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