Setting up a simple AutoResponder
Before you even get started, remember to set some message rules on outlook express, or
other email software, so that your normal email reader doesn't read and delete the emails
before DeskTopResponder has a chance to respond to them!
There are 3 types off Account
a) Host accounts.
b) Header Match accounts.
c) Order Accounts.
The demo version comes with 1 account of each type. Upgrading to say 20 accounts give you 20 accounts of each type.
What is an 'account' ?
Basically you need 1 set of accounts for each AutoResponder you make. You need 1
host account for each distinct mailbox you interrogate. You need 1 'Header Match' account
for each different set of matching criteria. You only need Order accounts is you are
processing orders, in which case you need 1 'Order Account' per product code.
Getting started.
Using DTR is easy, even though there seems to be a bewildering amount of knobs and buttons. Just follow this step by step guide, and you will be up and running in minuets.
When you run DTR for the first time, it will create a new set of accounts for you.
1) First fill in the info on the Host tab, this will set up your first Host
account. Make sure 'Account status' is set to active. The standard ports for POP3 and SMTP
are 110 and 25 respectively, and they should not need changing.
Press 'Save Edits' to commit your settings to disk.
2) Now go to Header Match accounts
Most important, select the host account to use under 'Check email headers sent to ISP
account:' (if you are using the unregistered version there is only one to choose from) Set
'Account Type' to be 'Standard AutoResponder'
Give the account a name, and set all the matching details. If you set all three to IGNORE,
then ALL emails will be captured, so don't do this on an important email address. The
matching does a case insensitive 'string contains' match. so if an email had in its
subject line "the hippy hippy shake" then "py hi" would work, so would
"hippy" so would "the hip". As an anti-spam measure, DTR will not send
emails unless [MY_EMAIL] is valid.
Now it's time to pen your email reply. First make sure that 'Total number of emails in the series' is set to 1, and delay is 0.
The To: line will already be set to [RETURNPATH], because you chose 'Standard
AutoResponder'. Set your subject line, type in your letter, and you're set. You can press
the example key to see an example with all the keys you can use.
3) If you need to send an attachment, click 'Add...' As a general rule 1MB is the most you
should ever send, but 500K or less is better. Any more than this is considered rude!Make
sure 'Send Reply' is checked.
Press 'Save Edits'
4) Send your self a test email using the button provided, then press 'Check email now' on the 'Main Menu' tab which starts the mail loop and checks immediately. WARNING, it will then check every 10 mins. unless you press stop.
When you send test emails to your self with all header matching set to IGNORE, you have
to be careful not to end up in an endless loop where more and more emails are created and
replied to. If this happens, you can get rid of them by un-checking 'Send Reply', which
will cause them to be downloaded and deleted from your server, but not replied to. To help
stop endless email loops, there is a check box on the host tab labelled 'Prevent infinite
email loops'. This should always be checked.
Setting up a 'Standard AutoResponder' with delayed follow-up emails.
One of the most useful properties of DTR is that it can be used to send delayed follow up emails, after the initial email. Simply follow the steps as above, but before starting, set the 'Total number of emails in the series' to the total amount you want to send, then select the email you want to edit, and set the delay (in days). It is vital, that if you do not wish to be accused of SPAM, that you set the [BLOCK_ME] field, and include [BLOCK_ME] at the end of each email. For [BLOCK_ME] to work it should be either the same email address as [MY_EMAIL], or if [MY_EMAIL] is a 'catch all' email address, it can be another name before the @ sign. Here is an example of how to use the [BLOCK_ME] tag.
To unsubscribe. please click on the following link:
[BLOCK_ME]
DTR will translate this into something like this:
To unsubscribe. please click on the following link:
mailto:block@myemail.com?subject=UNSUBSCRIBE_MACC0#customer@emailaddress.com
Always test your AutoResponder series by emailing it from another account, as if you were a 'real' customer, and make sure you can unsubscribe. For test purposes, you can set all the delays to be '0' then, once you are satisfied, set them to the proper amount. Don't forget to press 'Save edits'