An autoresponder is an email sent automatically when something happens. Someone subscribes to a newsletter, signs up for an event or places an order. You prepare the message and timing in advance; the system sends it when the condition is met.
That can sound like handing customer contact over to software. It does not have to work that way. A useful automated message answers a question when it is likely to arise. A poor one repeats information people already have or immediately tries to sell them something else.
Start with one specific event
Imagine an online shop. Once someone orders, they want to know whether it went through and what happens next. A confirmation with a clear summary, the expected next step and a way to get help is more useful than a general message about how wonderful the shop is.
For an event, the questions are different: where and when should attendees arrive, and what should they bring? After a newsletter signup, readers mainly want to know what they will receive and how often. The event that triggers the email should shape its content. Start with the recipient's situation, not the number of messages your software can schedule.
A sequence only works if every message adds something
In the original 2011 version of this article, I suggested a sequence of five automated emails for new subscribers. A fixed number says nothing about what readers need. Five could be too many; perhaps one welcome message is enough.
If you do create a sequence, give each email its own job. The first confirms the signup. Another might answer a practical question. A third only makes sense if readers actually need that explanation. Give people a clear way to unsubscribe from marketing messages and pay attention to replies, questions and people leaving the list.
Automate the send, check the experience
Write as if you were addressing one person. Say what prompted the email, give the answer and explain where they can go if the information does not fit their case. Then test the whole path: does the message arrive after the intended event, contain the right details and link to working pages? Update the text when your process changes. An outdated automated email can create more confusion than it prevents.
Confirmations and other information about an ongoing transaction serve a different purpose from a marketing sequence. Do not silently insert a promotion just because a message is already being sent. Promotional email is subject to rules; the Dutch ACM explains those that apply in the Netherlands. The guest article on writing an effective email covers how to keep the message itself clear.
Automation helps when it answers a predictable question on time. People should still be able to reach a person when their situation is unexpected or difficult.