Autoresponders are automatic emails that you broadcast to your list. They serve many functions for your online home business including:

• They reassure your prospect that their email has been received and that a response is forth coming. No more guessing if the email got through the firewall and into the right hands.
• They are a way to announce vacations and other times when you will not be available.
• They are a way to supply information in the form of FAQ's, pricing of products and other fixed information.
• The most notable use for auto responders is building a relationship with your prospects that results in trust. When trust has been created this can result in sales of your product, affiliate products, business opportunity...

To have a very effective autoresponder you must clearly define your target market so you know their needs, problems and solutions they are seeking. This way you can deliver the most value by having the content of your emails provide solutions to their problems. Most importantly, your emails must deliver what was promised in your lead capture page. Remember, your prospect is giving you very valuable information in the form of his/her contact information. You must treat this highly guarded information with respect and gratitude and deliver unsurpassed value.

Knowing how to correctly use an autoresponder series as a tool to grow your online home business is critical. There are 6 mistakes to avoid if you want to be the most successful at marketing your business online.

1. Stay focused and avoid going way off topic. If your product is a wellness product than it is important that your autoresponder be about health and wellness.
2. Do not discuss emotional and controversial topics including, religion, politics and sex. It is very important that your audience not be offended by a radical point of view. Stay away from emotionally charged topics. That will be the quickest way to get someone to opt out of your list.
3. Give up trying to be funny. Humor often has to do with biases. What is funny to you may be very offensive to someone else. Avoid "blonde" jokes, "fat" jokes, etc. It is okay to use humor to poke fun at yourself and the problem but not the victim of the problem.
4. Avoid the temptation of jumping right into trying to sell them before you have delivered what you have promised. Or for that matter not building trust first. Otherwise, it will be viewed as a sales pitch. Remember people do not want to be sold!
5. Don't be boring. If you are, your emails will net be read and ultimately your list will shrink. To avoid this be entertaining. Tell interesting stories that tie in well with your content and that your audience can relate to. People have many demands on their time. Be respectful of this fact.
6. Be clear and concise with what you are saying. If you are hard to understand and difficult to follow this will cause confusion. This leads to inaction and will be reflected in your monetary results.

Avoiding these pitfalls with your autoresponder will greatly improve your relationship with your list. This then will lead to better monetary results, the desired result of any successful online business.