Crafting a Useful Auto-Response Email

One of the age-old questions is whether to  send an auto-response when you receive a email.  I’m sure there are many opinions on the matter.  On one hand, it can be frustrating to get an email attempting to “be personalized” — but it’s also nice to know that your email got through and someone should be looking at it soon.

I’ve collected a few sample auto-response messages over the years — most of them were hiding in the archives of my email inbox.  Looking through the various messages — I found a trend.  The email auto-responders fell into two main categories: generic and detailed.

Generic (e.g. “we’ve received your message”) email auto-responders are ok — but nothing to write home about.  It basically lets the recipient know their message has arrived in your inbox, and you should be able to respond to it at some point in the future.  Honestly, if you’re trying to keep a potential client’s interest, or satiate a current client — these ones are bare bones (there’s nothing to keep your interest!).

Thank You for contacting us. We will contact you within 24 hours to confirm your order or request.

And another:

I am away from the office. I will be back on Monday. Thanks.

Now, let me share an example of a good, detailed, auto-response message. The email text below give the recipient a time frame, the name of who should be contacting them, and some helpful links for “in the meantime.”  I would love to receive more auto-response messages like this, especially when I’m making initial contact with a business (in this case, ProPhoto Blogs):

Thanks for contacting us. This email is checked regularly during business hours (9-5 EST). We’ll get back to you as soon as possible, usually within a few hours. Either Matt or Jared will respond to your email.

Until then, make sure to check out the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

http://www.prophotoblogs.com/faqs/

and try searching for your problem (use one or two search words):

http://www.prophotoblogs.com/search/

And check the Tutorials page:

http://www.prophotoblogs.com/tutorials/

So, which auto-response email would you rather receive? I know I like the most detailed one best.  It goes without saying (hopefully) that you should take the time to evaluate what information your contacts want.  Do you get frequent emails about what types of photography sessions you offer, or prices?  Your auto-response could be crafted to inform — and direct the reader to the appropriate page on your website.

Maybe you don’t want an everyday auto-response email, but if you’re ever away from your desk for an extended period of time (we’re talking days here), it might be a good idea to craft a vacation auto-response email.

Thank you for contacting us.  We are on an exciting business trip and will be checking this email periodically (every Monday and Thursday) throughout the duration of our trip [trip dates].  If you have an immediate need, please contact Sarah at [phone number].

Links to frequently asked questions and local resources can be found on our website. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

One caveat with the vacation approach.  If you’re a large business, this works fine, because there’s always someone to route messages to.  But, you don’t want to send a message implying no one will be at the office for an extended period of time.  Also, don’t just say “the business will be closed” — people might think you closed up shop for good!

What if one of your employees leaves the company?  Well, chances are good that one of your clients will try to contact them in the future (because that’s the email they have in their address book).   I recently contacted the rep of a company via email, and never received a response.  When I finally called the company and left a message, I was told that the rep was no longer with the company.  Good to know… right?  Here’s an auto-response email that might  keep you from losing customers if you have a representative leave:

Thank you for contacting me.  Mark at XYZ company will be handling your business needs from this point forward — if you have any questions, please call him at [phone] or contact him via email [email]. Please update your address book!

Mark will receive a copy of this email, and should be contacting you shortly.  In the meantime, remember our general price list and FAQ can be accessed from the client area of our website.

Another example:

Please be advised that I have resigned my position at XYZ company as of January 1st, 2009.  If you need further assistance, please contact Mark at [phone]

Thank you for contacting me.

Auto-responder emails aren’t for everyone.  Make sure it works into your marketing plan — and make sure your auto-response sends the message you mean for it to send.