An autoresponder is simply a software program which stores email messages and then sends them out to email addresses stored in a database. the order in which the messages are sent out is defined and the delay between messages can also be predefined.

For example, message 1 may be sent immediately, message 2 may go a day later, message 3 a further day after that etc. You load your messages into the responder once and then just let it do the follow up for you.

Email addresses can be input manually, via a form on a website, or by sending a blank email to the autoresponder address. If you put email addresses in manually then it is absolutely essential that you have the recipient