Autoresponders

One of the most important tools you can use is a professional autoresponder. If you don’t know about autoresponders, please take the time to read the post, “The Perils of Email Marketing” first.

US based systems are so much cheaper than anything on offer in Australia as they Americans don’t pay for bandwidth (how nice!). Most have the ability to manage several different lists, deliver in either / or plain text or HTML and let you can send as many emails per month as you like for a flat monthly from as little as $US15 - $US20 per month. (We can help you to set it up if necessary - fees apply of course.)

Let’s look at my top two recommendations…

The first is AWeber which I’ve used for many years. One of the largest firms in this environment, this system is simple and quite easy to use with a very hig level of guaranteed useablilty. It also allows you to manage several lists from the same login.

AWeber has two downsides in that your subscribers must add their own names via your website, and it’s almost impossible to import any other database unless you can prove first that your subscribers have already done a double-opt in confirmation beforehand.

A second option, and one we use frequently applications, is Oprius. Oprius has far more CRM (Customer Relationship Management) capabiities so, as an example, you can export data for print mail merge. It also has a really nice feature that lets you add someone to your database manually then automatically send them an invitation to join your email mailing list.

Oprius is highly customisable, something AWeber unfortunately isn’t. Oprius is also even cheaper than AWeber - free for 30 days then just $US14.99 per month.

Personal choice for a first time email marketer?  Oprius

If you’re looking for a fully integrated autoresponder, shopping cart and customer database program, look at 1ShoppingCart . It integrates into several online payment gateways including PayPal, Clickbank (only use Clickbank if you want to sell eBooks online) and major banks.

Note that these are US based services so fees are in $US.

Inspiration for Small Business Owners

If you’re looking for a great educational forum where you can mix with other business owners and learn about how to structure your business for success, take a look at Ideas Into Business - we run a group here in Brisbane. 

Domain Name Registration

Most people pay far too much when regsitering domains. Here are two of the lowest cost registration sites we’ve found…

For Australian .com.au domains, go to NetRegitry.com.au where you’ll pay just $AUD44.95 for two years. If you’re smart, you’ll look to register both .com.au AND .com names and Interserve will show you if both are available. You’ll pay $AUD23.50 for two years for the .com name but you’ll have the advantage of one management centre for both; easier at renewal time.

Keyword ResearchYou can do your own basic keyword research using Google’s keyword research tool Once you’ve established that there is, or may be a market for what you’re doing, contact us to do more thorough research for you and to see what others are bidding for clicks on Google. We can structure your whole online pay-per-click campaign for you if you prefer.

Virtual Fax and Voicemail

Here’s another very useful service that lets you receive faxes by email without having a fax machine. What’s more, the number doubles as a voicemail line and the voicemails are delivered to you as wav files by email. It, too, is as cheap as chips. Check it out at MBox

Why not give my MBox number a call right now and test it out? From Australia, the number to call is 07 3112 5033 and from anywhere else it’s +61 7 3112 5033.