No matter the type of business you run, one of the most important aspects of marketing is creating a connection and relationship with your clients. This is a great way to improve loyalty and boost customer retention.
By wishing your clients a wonderful birthday, you will also increase the touchpoints with your clients. This is an excellent tactic that helps ensure you stay at the forefront of their minds, even if they don’t need your products or services.
While creating a birthday message to customers is important, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve gathered examples of birthday messages for clients, as well as some tips to help you customize your SMS templates.
Why should local businesses worry about birthday wishes for clients?
We have already touched on some of the reasons businesses should worry about birthday wishes for clients. Another reason is it helps you build a relationship with them. Sending a happy birthday message is a simple step you can take to show clients that you are thinking about them and remind them that your company exists.
It is also a great channel for engagement. Any time you add a touchpoint, such as via birthday wishes, you boost engagement. That’s crucial as it leads to more satisfied customers and increases your chances of positive reviews and referrals.
Before you jump into it, what to think about when writing personalized birthday messages (Tips)
While we will offer some examples to get you started, you should also take a minute or two to personalize them. The following tips will help you get the most from a birthday message for clients.
Personalize your birthday messages for clients
You will likely create a general template or set of templates that you will use for all of the birthday messages for clients. But you don’t want to send a message in template form. Instead, customize them to include whatever information you know about the client, within reason.
At the very least, customize the message with the client’s name. For a touch of personalization, maybe mention how long they’ve been your client. Or mention a recent purchase. For example, if you sell jewelry, you could include a message such as “Your [recent purchase] will help you look your best on your birthday.”
The key here is to let the client know that you put in the effort to personalize the message. That will improve the effectiveness of the message.
Decide your method
You will also want to choose which method you want to use to send the birthday message. The most popular options are SMS marketing, emails, postcards, and phone calls.
Each method has its pros and cons.
For example, a phone call can seem more personal, but it is also likely to be ignored.
SMS marketing campaigns will have a higher open rate, but you have a limit as to how large the message can be. To avoid coming across as spam, learn about how to identify a fake text message.
Clients may hang up postcards and look at them again in the future, but getting mail is so rare these days that some clients may not even check their mailboxes. On the other hand, the fact that mail is rare makes the postcard stand out even more.
Emails give you plenty of versatility but can get lost in an overcrowded inbox. That said, emails are also a great way to incorporate links, discount codes, and images with your birthday wishes.
Be conversational and professional
As you craft your message, think about the type of relationship you have with your client. Then, strike the perfect balance between professionalism and friendliness. Incorporate humor and friendly language without completely eliminating the professional feel.
Nail the timing
You don’t have to send the birthday wishes right on the client’s birthday. However, you should send it within a week before or after their birthday. This will be the most effective time to do so.
Don’t forget to identify yourself
Remember that the whole reason you are sending a birthday message to customers is to build your relationship with them. That would be pointless without letting them know who the message is from.
At the very least, include the name of your business. To make the message more personalized and meaningful, maybe mention the name of the business owner. Or, if you provide a service with dedicated representatives or account managers, have the person in charge of the account send the message (or at least sign it).
Bonus Idea: Include a discount or small birthday gift
If you want to take your birthday message to clients to the next level, consider including a birthday offer. For example, offer a gift with their next purchase or a discount. If you offer a subscription-based service, such as a gym, consider a free month or a similar offer.
Examples of birthday wishes to clients
With those tips in mind, take a look at some examples of birthday message ideas for clients. Remember that you don’t have to use these examples exactly. For the best results, you should customize them to fit your business and your client.
You will notice that these examples do not sound like cheesy advertisements. Your client will know that sending a birthday message is an advertising ploy on your part. If you phrase it right, though, they will care more about the thought and effort you put into the message to wish them a wonderful birthday. All of the following examples should reflect positively on your company, provided you use them right.
Example 1
“We hope that you take a well-deserved break on this special day to relax or have fun – or both!”
This birthday message lets clients know that you are thinking of them. It also implies that you care about their mental health and busy lives. The message shows your understanding of the client.
Example 2
“Happy Birthday! We wish you to live long so you can always patronize our products/services.”
This is a good choice if you have a casual or joking relationship with the client. It clearly promotes your products or services but in an over-the-top way that ends up being comedic. Just take care when using this example. If you don’t have the right client relationship to make this work well, it can come off as selfish or disconnected.
Example 3
“People might see you as just a client, but in reality, you mean much more than that to us. You are a friend, whom we care about so much. Happy Birthday!”
This is one of the more professional and formal options for wishing customers a fantastic birthday. At the same time, it hints at a more meaningful relationship and lets the recipient know that you appreciate them and think they are such a wonderful client.
Example 4
“We appreciate your business today and every day. Happy Birthday, and may you have many more to come.”
This birthday message to clients is another one that highlights your company, but it does so in a much more subtle way than Example 2. You can consider it to be a more professional version of that example.
Example 5
”Happy birthday! We hope that all your birthday wishes [and business plans] come to fruition in the days, months, and years ahead.”
This is more of an inspirational happy birthday message. It is more generic than some of the other examples. At the same time, it is a great option for B2B companies, as you can customize it to also highlight your client’s business while wishing them a wonderful birthday.
Example 6
“Happy Birthday! We hope you have a grand celebration and a marvelous day!”
If you want to keep things simple with the birthday message to customers, this is a good option. It is short and sweet, so it keeps things professional. At the same time, however, there are opportunities to customize it and add more detail.
Example 7
“You have been one of our most valuable clients, and your birthday gives us the perfect opportunity to honor and thank you for being a great treasure to this business. Happy birthday!”
This particular example is especially useful in situations when you want to show your appreciation and gratitude for the client. It is a great way to reinforce how much you value their relationship with your company while wishing them an absolutely wonderful birthday celebration.
Conclusion: Why sending birthday messages to clients is important for local business
By sending a happy birthday message to clients, you keep them engaged and build up your relationship with them. This helps improve loyalty and customer retention, as well as encourages them to leave positive reviews and recommend your company to others.
The right birthday quotes for clients also give you a chance to show your appreciation for them. Even better, a birthday message can be incredibly easy to send, especially if you use a template. This means that it is a small investment, both in terms of time and money, but can lead to great rewards and many happy birthday wishes.