A hosted solution, like from AWeber, has all of the functionality built-in on their own systems. They install, configure, upgrade, and maintain the software and databases that you use when you create an account.

An “install yourself” solution is just what it sounds like: YOU install, configure, upgrade, and maintain software and databases on your own system. It’s cheaper in the short-run because you can do all this, but in the long-run, it can become an onerous burden.

I wholeheartedly endorse AWeber, but there are a ton of other services out there that are similar (just break open a google search and find dozens).

For a really quick primer on how to set up an autoresponder that is serviced by somebody else (a hosted solution), pick up a copy of this report, called How to Set Up Your Autoresponder.

In future posts, I’ll show you how it’s done. You’ll just get the information a little at a time, not all at once. The choice is yours.

Of course, the main purpose of having a list is to interact and build a relationship with each of your list subscribers. Here are a few rules to live by when corresponding with your subscribers:

• Always use a double-optin method, like AWeber uses.
• Build a relationship with your subscribers first; sales and profits come later. You have to get their trust first. How do you do this? Offer value.
• Make constant contact with your subscribers. Don’t leave them hanging. Offer free reports, refer them to valuable information on the web (it can be links to your web properties or others’ — it doesn’t matter as long as you’re offering value (there’s that word again).
• Requests to unsubscribe must be fulfilled right away. Don’t email the requester with the question, “Why?” You can put a text box on the unsubscribe page asking why, but don’t EVER ask Why? after somebody has unsubscribed.
• In terms of offering value, try attaching PDFs to your emails. I have found higher open rates on emails I send that have attachments. I send out free reports all the time.
• Send people to your sites and blogs through your emails. There, you can put up offers that people may want to read about.
• DON’T pepper your subscribers with offers. I will unsubscribe right away if I get 2 or 3 offers in a row from a single online marketer.

I personally use AWeber. I love the services, reliability, and support they offer at a very good price ($19 a month, which is a deal, especially if you consider how much time would be stolen from your day if you had to do all of this manually).

However, there are many solutions out there that offer similar functionality; some are in the form of software you have to install on your own domain to solutions similar to AWeber.

Either way, you need an autoresponder. It makes life so much easier, plus it gives you yet another avenue to connect with your readers. Plus, if you build a quality list, you can market to them in subtle ways while providing value that they expect.

Related Post: Six Steps to Six Figures with List Marketing