If you are online at all and have ever signed up for someone’s email newsletter, then you probably know about autoresponders (also called email responders). The cool gadgets that let you stay in touch and even deliver product and information to your prospects and customers.

So just when is a good time to get an autoresponder for your online business?

Now. Right now. Really.

It’s hard to imagine building and running a successful business online without an autoresponder.

A good autoresponder will let you:

Build your list by capturing visitor’s email addresses Welcome your prospects to your newsletter, ezine or mailing list Deliver eCourses automatically so that everyone starts with Lesson 1 and goes on from there, no matter when they join the course Make spontaneous and instantaneous offers available to your prospects and customers Share critical and time-sensitive information immediately with the click of a button Encourage dialogue with your list Deliver a download link for a free thank you product automatically when someone opts in to your list And much, much more.

But here’s the thing. You want to choose your autoresponder very carefully, with your eye on your goals and the future development of your business.

There are autoresponders that don’t have a very good email delivery rate. Avoid those! There are others that are difficult to work with – again, you don’t want to create extra work for yourself. You can also buy autoresponder software that lives on your computer. It’s less automatic that way (you have to be online to use it) and deliverability is often very low.

And free autoresponders? If you are serious about your business, don’t even go there.

Most autoresponders are just that and no more. They may be great at what they do, but if don’t look beyond just email management, you are selling yourself – and your business – short.

Ask Yourself these Critical Questions When You are Looking for an Autoresponder

Do you plan to collect a list of names of your customers and prospects? Do you have (or will you be creating) your own products and services to sell online? Are some of your products digital, and would you like to have them delivered automatically after purchase? Would you like to have others also sell your products through affiliate marketing? Would you like to use your system to do targeted marketing to your prospects and customers, offering them exactly what they need and want?

If you answered yes to more than just the first question, then you need more than just an autoresponder.

You want an integrated system that does it all: autoresponder, shopping cart, digital product delivery, and affiliate management. All rolled into one neat business-supporting package.