You know how important it is to generate leads for your business. You also know you need those leads to stay afloat on the Internet. But what happens AFTER you generate the leads? What do you do with them, and what’s the next step you should take? We’ll answer those questions right now.
Following up with a new lead is about as important as fertilizer is to a farmer’s crops. It helps the growth process. That person on the other end of the computer needs to know that you are real and trustworthy. So you don’t want to be aloof and remain totally anonymous. In other words, you need to follow up with that contact immediately.
The most effective way to follow up with new leads immediately is by using an autoresponder. This piece of software will help you keep up with your new prospects, manage your older contacts and maintain regular contact with both. The follow-up process is especially crucial when the relationship with a contact is first beginning. And it is a relationship, because you are each building faith and trust in the other.
Whenever someone joins your mailing list, an autoresponder immediately sends that person a welcome or thank you message. It can be configured to send the number of messages you need at the intervals you select. Although the initial welcome message should be sent out immediately, subsequent messages can be sent at the intervals you choose – daily, weekly or whatever other interval you need.
Subsequent messages will walk them through your system, offering other items along the way. Since you probably gave them something for free at the outset, you have already set a precedent that you do what you say you will do. As you bring the prospect along, you can sell them other low end products and build their trust as you do. At the end of this process, you will then offer your main money maker and hopefully they will buy it.
An autoresponder can do several other things in addition to helping in this way. If you receive a lot of inquiries and signups, an autoresponder will organize your prospect list and tell you precisely how far every person has progressed through the process. An autoresponder will also let you send individual messages called “announcements” whenever you think it’s appropriate. For example, you might get a great deal on an especially good product. You can offer it to your prospects by sending an announcement.
Email marketing always carries a risk of spam reports, but autoresponders guard against them. They do this by embedding an “unsubscribe” link in every message they send. If the recipient of your email can opt out at any time but chooses not to, then the emails are not spam and you’ll be safe from spam reports. Think of it as being like insurance, in a way.
The important thing to remember is that you must follow up with your prospects and maintain constant contact. You can do this easily and automatically by using an autoresponder. Leads actually expect you to contact them periodically. If they don’t hear from you they’ll think you’re not worth bothering with and they’ll opt out of your list.
Use auto responders for follow up and you will always have a satisfied list of buyers on a constant basis.
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