Email autoresponders are like the call waiting of the online business world. When you get sent an email auto-reply, it’s exactly like when a call operator says ‘Can I put you on hold?’ and then just does it without even waiting for a reply. Rude.

Email autoresponders are dead useful though, especially for business owners. Customers and potential clients get pretty grumpy if you don’t reply to their emails promptly but an autoresponder can buy you some more time. They give the illusion that you haven’t seen their email when really you have but you’re busy drinking a fishbowl cocktail in Bali and will respond when you’re less wrapped around a cute Spanish guy you only just met.

Here are a few fun ideas for when you’re out of the office and won’t be replying to emails, because why be boring when you make everyone comedy spray their morning coffee all over their work keyboard?

7 Fun Email Autoresponder Ideas

1. The teaser

Sometimes it’s not clear straight away that you’ve been sent an autoresponder email. Similar to those answering machine messages where the person who recorded it goes ‘Hello? Hello? Who is this? Just kidding! This is my answering machine!’. Because people who do that are SO clever and not at all stuck in the 90s era of doofus style comedy. When an email autoresponder reply pops up in your inbox, most of the time it’s masquerading as a real response. Pop this meme in your auto-email to give your clients and mates a bit of a giggle.As if your reply would have been swift and enthusiastic anyway.

2. The honest approach

Let’s be real here. When we set email autoresponders that say we’re not going to check our email what we REALLY mean is we’re not going to REPLY to our emails while we’re away. If your business or workplace has a cheeky vibe, give this responder a go next time you’re on holidays.Random question - when was the last time you actually saw someone using a Blackberry in real life? Best update this one before you send it out otherwise your clients will be like '1999 called and it wants its handheld emailing device back!'.

3. The sincere approach

I think most people would get a hearty giggle out of this email autoresponder. I mean really, everyone KNOWS you only go on holiday so you can neck a bottle of prosecco every day without feeling guilty about it.

4. The cryptic approach

This example is for a honeymoon (how cute is the ‘honey’ and ‘moon’ emoji?), but you can adapt it to suit whatever reason you’re taking leave like travelling interstate to a country bumpkin town for your cousin's wedding who you don’t even really like very much. That would be super fun to convey in only emoji.

5. The confusing everyone on Twitter approach

Not only is this approach hilarious it’s also an excellent way to increase your social media following. Maybe get your customers and clients to DM you on Instagram or comment with a penguin emoji on one of your photos. Fabulous way to organically increase your engagement on any stagnant social media channel you’re trying to boost.

6. The graph approach

Some people are visual learners and really who doesn’t love a graph? This also plays into the psyche of everyone everywhere who has ever come back from holidays to 300 plus emails in their inbox.