Autoresponders and Triggers

This chapter discusses how to use the Autoresponders menu in the navigation bar.

The Autoresponders Menu

Autoresponders Overview

Autoresponders are emails sent out automatically by Interspire Email Marketer in response to actions taken by a contact (signing up for a newsletter, for example).

You can set up autoresponders to be sent out at specific times after the contact has been added to the contact list.

You can also configure an autoresponder to be sent to only the contacts in the list that match the search criteria you specify.

Triggers Overview

When you set up triggers, you can configure certain things to happen automatically when certain other events occur.

For example, you can set up a trigger so that everyone in your contact list receives a “Happy Birthday” email on their birthday, or a “Xmas special offer” email a week before Christmas.

You can also set up triggers that automate certain email processes. For example, you could automatically add a contact to a “warm leads” contact list when the contact opens your email, or you could include a “Tell me more” link in an email, and automatically send a personalized email response to all contacts who click the link.

Event: this is what sets off the trigger. It can be either date‐related, or email‐related.
Date‐related events can be based on a custom field you have set up for your contact list (for example, each contact’s birthday) or based on a single date that you specify when you set up the trigger (for example, Christmas).

Note: If you want to base your trigger on a variable, custom field‐related date, you need to set up the custom field in your contact list (or lists) before you set up the trigger.

Email‐related events can be based on a contact either opening an email, or clicking a specific link in an email.

Trigger: the trigger configuration defines the event that sets off the trigger, the resulting response, and the time relation between the event and the response.
Relation: when you create a date‐related trigger, you can configure it to be set off on, before or after the event. You can also set it to be set off on, before or after the next anniversary of the event, or on all future anniversaries.
When you create an email‐based trigger, you can configure it to be set off on or after the event.
Response: this is the action that is taken when the trigger is set off. These actions can be external (sending an email to the contact) or internal (adding the contact to a new contact list, or removing the contact from the current contact list).
You can perform multiple actions; for example, if a contact in your “Raw leads” list clicks a “Tell me more” link in an email, you can automatically send a subsequent email with more information, add the contact to a “Warm leads” contact list, and remove the contact from the “Raw leads” list, all at the same time.