In 2017, there were a staggering 3.7 billion email users worldwide, a number that is expected to skyrocket to 4.3 billion by 2022.
There’s a reason for that: email is an essential channel for marketing and business that is constantly evolving and ripe for automation. that’s especially important considering that a fair amount of the emails we send are autoresponders, as we answer the same queries and questions over and over again.
Such repetitive tasks can be tedious, and I’m sure you’ve found yourself thinking “there has to be a better way”.
well, if you’re using gmail, there is. You can set up an autoresponder in Gmail that triggers specific template responses based on the content of the emails you receive, so you can spend less time in your inbox and more time doing what matters most.
With that in mind, here are step-by-step instructions for setting up an autoresponder in gmail, plus examples of how you can best take advantage of this useful feature in your business.
create a canned response for automatic responses in gmail
Before you can implement the autoresponder feature, you must configure a message to act as your autoresponder.
step 1. go to https://mail.google.com/mail, then click the gear icon and select ‘settings’:
step 2. click “advanced” in the menu, then select “enable” next to “standard responses (templates)”:
don’t forget to click “save changes” at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Now that ‘canned responses’ are enabled, you can create a new email by clicking the ‘compose’ icon in the top left corner and typing the message you want to receive automatically . send. once you’re done, click the three dots in the email window to bring up the email options. select ‘canned responses’ then ‘new canned response’:
Step 4. Next, a window will appear where you can name your default response. type the name and select ‘ok’:
how to set auto reply in gmail
Now that your autoresponder email template has been saved as a canned response, you’re ready to use it as an autoresponder to specific emails.
step 1. click the gear icon again and select ‘settings’ once more:
Step 2. This time, click on “filters and blocked addresses” in the menu. select ‘create a new filter’:
Step 3. In the next window that appears, choose which rules you would like to apply for the gmail filter. you can choose to include certain “from” email addresses, a specific subject line, or emails that contain (or do not contain) particular words. once you’re done, click ‘create filter’:
Step 4. On the next screen, check the box that says “send standard response” and choose the standard response you created:
step 5. click “create filter” and voila. You have now successfully set up automatic replies in gmail.
Note that old mail will not receive a standard response, but in the future, any new mail that matches the criteria you set for your filter will automatically receive the standard response.
automatic reply examples to use in gmail
There are many different types of autoresponders you can set up, depending on your intended use and purpose. below are some examples that you can customize for your own needs.
1. customer service
A customer submits a customer support request and now has to wait. this begs the question:
what can you say to make them feel important while they wait for an answer?
Instead of silence or a simple “your support ticket received” email, try cheering him up a bit. here’s a great example:
source: groovehq
as you can see, this email came from a real person accompanied by a photo, which gives it a strong personal touch. greet the customer by her name, give her a deadline for a response, show gratitude, and even give her a little humor. now the customer knows exactly what to expect, when, and will feel confident that their question or problem will be resolved in a timely manner.
2. contest/gift
everyone should be a winner when they enter your contest or sweepstakes. Obviously, not everyone can be a grand prize winner, but offering a discount code or some free premium content can go a long way. here’s an example in action:
It appears that this email was personally written, rather than overly loaded with graphics and advertising. It provides specific links to promote the company’s social media page, an option to forward the contest entry to others, and a hefty coupon code to show gratitude. it’s super short but very effective.
3. shipping confirmation
shipment confirmations are a bit boring, but they are necessary to keep your customers informed. Entrepreneur and author Derek Sivers wrote a shipping confirmation email that he called “the most successful email he’s ever written”:
source: stu.me
derek’s shipping confirmation email distinguishes itself by providing a humorous exchange, where most companies would simply send a “your item is on the way” email. while the customer service autoresponder example does a good job of adding an element of humor, this email goes beyond that, while also providing necessary details like the date sent. Finally, the email ends strong with sincere gratitude and Derek’s personal signature line. that the message comes from the president of the company is also a special touch.
4. ‘looking for a quote’
If you work in the service industry (wedding photography, insurance agency, etc.), you probably get a lot of emails asking for quotes. You may not be able to reach them right away, but you want the prospect to feel special enough to wait for your response and not rush to the competition. here’s a stellar example:
source: colorvale
While this email is a bit long, you can definitely tell that it fits the personality of the sender and gives the prospect that extra personal touch that can make waiting for a quote more enjoyable. show you’re human by giving the prospect a peek into your personal life, set a reasonable time frame for a response, and offer a few details about your business that the recipient might find helpful. It doesn’t get any better than that.
5. vacation autoresponder
[your greeting],
Thank you for your email.
I am currently out of the office as of [date] and return on [date].
If you need help during this time, one of my team members will be able to assist you. They can be reached at
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.For non-urgent inquiries during my absence, you may contact [name] at [email] and they will be happy to assist you.
Best regards,
[name]
Are you planning a trip far away? it is imperative that you set up an office autoresponder on your gmail. As you can see, there are many effective uses for autoresponder emails that don’t seem impersonal. when done tastefully, they can even train your audience, prospects, or colleagues to wait for certain wait times, give them pertinent details on autopilot, or simply add some cheer to their day, all while easing the load off your inbox. email input.
leveling up your email automation in gmail
Never again worry about losing control of your outreach efforts. you can trigger emails to follow up with a prospect or journalist regardless of who they have sent and who they haven’t. your automated follow-up emails should provide context and value; In other words, they need to remind their prospects what their product is and why it’s important.
A follow-up email might be asking if the recipient has received the email and is interested. If the recipient doesn’t respond to that second email, he may want to send one saying that she won’t contact him again.