An autoresponder is a prewritten email that is sent in a sequence to a member of your client’s email list. Here is the sequence by which someone might receive such an email:
- Subscriber Signs Up for Free Updates from the Author
- Subscriber Receives Emails in a Set Sequence – Defined by the Author
- Autoresponder Messages Are Delivered in the Order They Are Written with a Set Number of Days Between Each Delivery
So, if you are hired to write 10 autoresponders, you know for a fact that those autoresponders will be delivered in the order you write them with 1-10 days between each message (your client will provide those details).
Formatting an Autoresponder
Depending on the autoresponder software your client uses, there are certain formatting requirements to consider:
- Automatic Spacing – Remove all automatic spacing from your document and include an extra line break between each paragraph.
- SUBJECT Line – Make it clear what the subject headline will be by highlighting or calling attention to it in your document.
- LINKS – Make it clear what will be links by calling attention or highlighting them in the text.
- {!firstname_fix} – Software like Aweber allows you to include elements from each subscriber’s account in the email. The first name is the only common piece of information everyone will have provided, so you should use it liberally to customize your messages. By including the code {!firstname_fix}, you address that reader by their first name. This should be done in salutations and subject lines.
- Calls to Action – An autoresponder is an article and a sales pitch in one. It should therefore always include a call to action. If someone goes to the trouble of reading an email, they should be given a link to click or an action to perform.
Sample
Here is a sample of what a well formatted autoresponder message looks like:
SUBJECT: The Challenges of Eating Out Gluten Free
Hi {!firstname_fix},
Today we’re going to talk about how to get out of
the house and enjoy a night away from the kitchen
while remaining safe and gluten free. But, if
you’re still struggling to convert your kitchen
and would like to take a stab at some yummy gluten
free meals, check out Gluten Free Fun, one of the
net’s most comprehensive and delicious gluten
free cookbooks:
http://www.theglutenfreehandbook.com/go/glutenfreefun
Even when you think you’ve gotten a handle on
eating gluten free at home, it can be scary to
think about ordering food at a restaurant. What
if the waiter doesn’t know what you’re talking
about? How can you be sure the food hasn’t been
cross-contaminated? Do they know not to use the
same dishes?
These are totally normal concerns. They’re also
important things to keep in mind when you’re
picking a restaurant. After all, you don’t want
to get sick and spoil your evening out. You can
have the best of both worlds, though, as long as
you keep a couple of things in mind.
Choosing Your Restaurant
More and more restaurants are coming up with
gluten free options and educating their staff on
what this means. Even national chains like
Outback Steakhouse, Appleby’s, TGI Friday’s and
Uno’s Chicago Grill offer gluten free options on
their menus.
The best thing about restaurants like this is that
you can find them just about anywhere. Knowing
which chain restaurants you’ll be able to get a
gluten free meal at can make traveling and
enjoying a night out with friends that much
easier. Plus, these restaurants offer plenty of
food options for everyone in your group.
Clear Communication
You also want to make sure that you communicate
your needs clearly to your server. There are even
cards you can carry with you that describe exactly
what you can and can’t eat. You can make these
cards yourself or order them online.
No matter where you get them, these cards can be a
great help when you’re trying to communicate your
needs to the staff of a restaurant. Your server
can just give the card to the chef. They are less
likely to forget or confuse the message along the
way and you can eat your meal with confidence.
Eating out on a gluten free diet will always
involve a certain amount of risk. Restaurant
kitchens are full of foods that you can’t eat and
the risk of cross-contamination is always there no
matter how careful the staff is. You can give
yourself peace of mind, though, if you make
informed decisions about where to eat and know how
to communicate your needs to the staff
effectively.
Still not sure if you’re ready to hit the town
and try a gluten free restaurant? Stay in tonight
and be safe with a homemade meal you know for a
fact is sans gluten. Gluten Free Fun can provide
the delicious, gluten free meal options you’ve
been looking for since your diagnosis.
http://www.theglutenfreehandbook.com/go/glutenfreefun
Cheers!
~Tony
