An autoresponder automatically sends a pre-written reply to anyone who emails you. This is useful for vacation notices, out-of-office messages, or acknowledging receipt of inquiries.
Creating an Autoresponder
1. Log in to your control panel.
2. Navigate to the "Email" section.
3. Click on "Autoresponders" or "Auto-Reply."
4. Click "Add Autoresponder" or "Create."
5. Configure the following settings:
- Email Account: Select the email address for the autoresponder.
- From: Your name as you want it to appear.
- Subject: The subject line of the auto-reply (e.g., "Out of Office" or "Thank you for your message").
- Body: Write your autoresponder message.
- Start Date: When the autoresponder should begin (leave blank for immediately).
- End Date: When it should stop (leave blank for indefinitely).
- Interval: How often to send to the same address (e.g., once per day to avoid flooding repeat senders).
6. Click "Save" or "Create."
Example: Out-of-Office Message
Subject: Out of Office
Thank you for your email. I am currently out of the office and will return on [date]. During this time, I will have limited access to email.
If your matter is urgent, please contact [colleague name] at [email address].
I will respond to your email as soon as possible upon my return.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Example: Customer Inquiry Acknowledgment
Subject: We received your message
Thank you for contacting us. This is an automated confirmation that we have received your email. Our team will review your message and respond within 24 business hours.
For urgent matters, please call us at [phone number].
Best regards,
[Company Name] Support Team
Best Practices
- Keep the message professional and concise.
- Include an alternative contact for urgent matters.
- Set a reasonable interval (once per day) to avoid sending multiple auto-replies to the same person.
- Remember to disable the autoresponder when you return.
- Do not include sensitive information in auto-replies, as they are sent to anyone who emails you.
- Test your autoresponder by sending a test email to the account.