How to Structure Your Follow-Up Sequence for Maximum Profit

Before I do this, let me describe how autoresponders work. Think of autoresponders as the equivalent of fax-on-demand, but for email instead of fax. You simply set up a message and then whenever someone sends an email to your autoresponder email address they will immediately receive this as a response.

Autoresponders can also be triggered from a form on your web site, where the visitor will enter his email address (and his name too if requested) and receive the autoresponse straight away.

Many autoresponders on the market today are "sequential autoresponders", and save contact information in a database so it can send further messages to your prospects at intervals you specify (such as two days, five days and seven days later).

Here is an example of a message sent by a modern autoresponder:

Dear John Doe,

Thank you for requesting more information
on our products earlier.

I have attached to this email a document containing our
price listings for August's catalogue of products. Please
read through it in your own time John.

I will get back to you the same time on Wednesday with our
special offers. Feel free to send me an email or call me
on 000-000-0000 if you would to discuss your needs.

Thanks again,

Max Weber
ShareHobby.com

Here is a typical sequence for following up prospects who have requested more info:

1st Message Sent Immediately
2nd Message Sent 2 Days Later
3rd Message Sent 5 Days Later
4th Message Sent 8 Days Later
5th Message Sent 12 Days Later
6th Message Sent 16 Days Later
7th Message Sent 20 Days Later

When setting up your own follow-up sequence, remember that there are golden rules and that the only factors that affect your sequence is your product and your market.

Imagine you target Internet business owners. You may send your messages to these prospects within a shorter time frame than you would if you were targeting a more generalized market (who aren't so likely to check their email on a daily basis).

How about if you were selling a report on how to create response-generating mini-sites for $19.97? Would your follow-up sequence need to spend as much time selling your product as it would if you sold copywriting services to large web business developers, for example, who want to boost the response of their web sites.

Below, I will summarize a sample sequence suitable for following up prospects who have requested information on a particular product of yours.

Autoresponse: Thank Prospect for Requesting Information

The aim of this autoresponse is to thank your prospect for requesting information and introduce your web site or product to them. It is important in this message you outline the major benefits of your product and tell them what's in it for them.

Remember at all times, that your prospects wants to know what your product can do for them, so don't spend the majority of your message introducing your company, instead focus on what you and your product can do for them.

Follow-Up #1: Introduce a Deadline or Time-Limited Offer

After a day or two, your prospect can easily forget about you and your products. So your aim here is to not just remind them of your offer but also to make them feel, "Hmm, I better get this before it's too late".

This can be achieved by using a form of scarcity, such as offering a special discount for a limited time only. Perhaps there are only a 17 seats left at a seminar you are promoting, or maybe there are only 200 copies of your book printed. Again, within this message remind them what your product will do for them.

Follow-Up #2: Reinforce Benefits to Persuade Prospects

In most situations this message will be sent 3-5 days after the original request, so you want to elaborate on your previous offer by reinforcing the many benefits of your product. The entire email will stress the benefits they get from buying your product or doing business with you.

Benefits are what make your prospects desire your product. No-one ever purchases a product because of what it does (a feature), they do so for what it can do for them (a benefit). You can also incorporate benefits into bulleted lists.

Follow-Up #3: Pile On the Bonuses to Get Them Excited

Spend this message getting your prospects excited about what they'll get when they purchase from you. Even if this means they buy your product just for the bonuses, that shouldn't bother you.

You may also want to remind them that these bonuses can only be guaranteed for a certain number of days. Again, using scarcity in this way will make them want to act fast if they wish to get the bonuses.

Follow-Up #4: Build Value by Comparing Your Product

A common rule of thumb is that while your prospects will base their decisions on emotions, they will justify it with logic. What this means, is that even though they might like your product, they may not want to buy it purely on impulse.

An easy way to convince your prospect your product is great value is to compare apples to oranges. Let's say you were selling the report on how to create response-generating web sites. You can compare purchasing your report to paying an experienced (and rather costly) web designer to design one web site for you. By doing so, you immediately prove the value of your product.

Follow-Up #5: Boost Desire with Glowing Testimonials

It's a known fact that your prospects will trust you far more if you give examples of what other people have said about your company and product. Your prospects might think you could lie to them because it's your own product, but they won't think the other person is lying, because he or she has nothing to gain by doing so.

If you don't have any testimonials for your product, ask your customers! Be straight and tell your customers that you need some honest comments and reviews of your product. There's nothing more to it.

Also consider adding a link to the customer's web site or email address to add the final bond of trust that will secure your credibility and convince your prospects that you're "the real thing".

Follow-Up #6: Demand Action and Remind of Deadline

This final step of your sequence is what makes or breaks the sale. Since nobody likes to make a decision, especially when money is involved, you must help them by making it crystal clear what you're offering and how it'll benefit the prospect.

Once you've reminded them of what they'll miss out on if they don't take action, make it absolutely clear what to do next, even if it's just a "Click here to order over our secure server before its too late" line of copy.

Remember that even when the follow-up sequence is complete your prospects are still very valuable to you, whether they purchase your product or not, and should be contacted (using your autoresponder's "broadcast" feature) on a regular basis to let them know of web site updates, new products, etc.

Learn more about email marketing, internet marketing and search engine marketing. Go to internet marketing and website promotion

---

Are Your Subscribers Receiving Your Newsletter?

In my e-mail one day, I received the following message:... Read More

E-Marketing Deliverability Issues

Does it seem to you that when you view "openings"... Read More

All I Really Needed to Know About List Building I Learned From Stephen King!

I have always been an avid reader of Stephen King's... Read More

The Lazy Mans Way To Building a Massive List In Minimum Time

As you read every word of this article, you'll be... Read More

The Goose That Lays Golden Eggs

Ever wondered what it would be like to have a... Read More

Increasing Email Deliverability

Most email marketers know that it is important spam-check email... Read More

How Autoresponders Boost Sales By Up To 400%

Imagine going to bed and waking up in the morning... Read More

Use Permission Based E-Mail Marketing to Promote Your Home Based Business

With all the negative Publicity that S.pam is Getting, Permission... Read More

How To Create Gold With Email Promotions - Part 2

Don't forget people are so busy now they will only... Read More

Explode Your Sales By Building Your Own Opt-In List!

Top 10 Ways to Quickly Build Your List Have you... Read More

14 Ways To Persuade Your Web Site Visitors To Give You Their Email Address

1. Ask visitors to subscribe to your e-zine. It's a... Read More

A Cool Email Communication Tip

If I sent you an email that said: "The Big... Read More

Dont Attach That!

The topic of sending attachments by e-mail is not one... Read More

Email Marketing Tips for Reaching an International Audience

Targeted, cheap, fast, trackable and with more reporting than traditional... Read More

Email Etiquette IV

Further to my previous issues this subject continues - part... Read More

5 Quick Tips to Get Your Ezine Rolling in the Right Direction

Publishing your own ezine is critical to establishing a long... Read More

5 Rules of Forwarding E-mails

Forwarding of e-mails is one of the topics I get... Read More

How to Start Your Own Mailing List

I remember reading time and time again when I first... Read More

You DO Have an Email List Dont You?

No matter what type of business you operate, you need... Read More

Creating A Newsletter And Making Your Website Magnetic

Creating a newsletter is an ideal way to drive repeat... Read More

Is Your Autoresponder Hungry?

Do you know how to feed it, so that it... Read More

Turn Your Old Articles Into Profitable E-mail Courses

If you've written numerous articles, you can use them to... Read More

How to Build Your Mailing List

1. USE POP-UPS Pop-ups are one of the most common... Read More

Using Mirror Pages Effectively

Thought I would share with you a very effective technique... Read More

Is Your E-Address Unprofessional?

How much time did you spend on deciding on the... Read More

20 Ways To Increase Your Traffic And Sales Using Free Follow-Up Autoresponder Courses

An autoresponder course is a group of articles or information... Read More

Improve Newsletter Delivery with an Autoresponder Service

Another powerful reason for making the switch from using the... Read More

Web Advertising: How To Increase Traffic By Offering A Free Course

One web advertising strategy that can help you become popular... Read More

Successful Advertising

Most folks starting out on the Internet have tried free... Read More

Reach Out and Slap Someone

I got my first email account way... Read More

The Importance of Building a List

Out of all the possible approaches to affiliate marketing, lead... Read More

Autoresponders = Automatic Internet Marketing Success

What if you could send out all the information that... Read More

Say More Than Thank You

Most Websites are gathering e-mail addresses. When you submit your... Read More