What Should be Delivered by an AutoResponder?

Email has grown to be a huge communication tool, whether it be for personal or business purposes. With the billions generated, as well as the free postage, we should look to email as a valuable tool in the real estate business. Couple the ease and low cost of email with the ability to auto-respond to inquiries, and we have the potential to take it a bit too far. Auto responders are being used in ways that lose potential clients before we've even had a chance to impress them with our services.

I really wonder at the "Thanks for your email! It's very important to me, but I'm out of the office. I'll get back to you very soon." We've all gotten something similar. If I send you an email as a prospective customer or client, I already require that it be important to you. Cluttering up my Inbox with a statement to that effect is useless and a turn-off. Your prospect is just as likely to look on it as a tool to excuse slow response. That's particularly true when they get one every time they email you.

Another popular use of auto response technology is to send a "billboard style" ad in response to an inquiry. Generally, the prospect is requesting a contact, information or answers to questions. They did not request the "I am the greatest!" canned email or page link. However, there are very effective ways to use this technology.

The Internet is the ultimate "immediate gratification" tool. If you are offering some type of special report, statistical analysis or other content that is already prepared, the auto response method is not only appropriate, it is almost required. The prospect wants this content, and they are willing to trade their contact information to get it. So, without any delay, get it to them.

The trick is to design your site and query forms to let you know if there is something more in the way of contact necessary with the prospect. If all they want is the report, deliver it immediately with auto response mechanisms. If there is a comment field, and they also ask a question, then you need to send a personal email answering that specific question. The "vacation responder" is widely used. I'm on the fence with this one. I would not use it, as I take my computer on vacation and my response isn't slowed enough to bother a prospect with this personal note. There are also those with assistants who can have their prospects served well, even if they are hiking somewhere. If your normal response period is definitely going to change due to being away, then you should let contacts and clients know that.