Cake, candles, presents, those funny, cone-shaped cardboard hats . . . we’re all familiar with the typical traditions that accompany our birthdays.
Now, though, there’s one more item that’s quickly evolving into an important part of these annual celebrations:
The birthday email.
Just as the name implies, birthday emails are messages sent to recipients in response to their birth dates. Done right, they’re customized communications containing anything from simple well-wishes (with no offer) to special promotions, discounts and/or gifts.
And done right, birthday emails are very effective.
I have seen clients who regularly segment/target emails by birthday and then achieve a 60 percent (or higher!) lift in conversion rate compared to control emails that don’t mention the word “birthday” in the subject line.
What can you do to start seeing similar results? Begin by optimizing your birthday emails with these simple steps:
1. Be prompt. Let’s face it: Receiving a birthday greeting at the beginning of your birthday month, or a week after your birthday has come and gone, just doesn’t have the same “wow” factor as receiving it on the Big Day. There’s even data to prove my point. Research has shown that both click through rates and revenues generated are higher for emails delivered on or during the week of the birthday versus some other time during the birthday month. In other words, it pays to take advantage of triggered email technology so you can better target your messages by date.
2. Be personal. By their very nature, birthdays are personal events, so why send a generic greeting when, with only a small additional effort, you can create a more detailed, customized message? Since everyone likes to feel special on his/her birthday, take the extra steps required to create an experience that’s more unique than usual. As you do with all of your emails, think of this one as a conversation between your organization and the customer –just make sure to ratchet up the individual touch. I’ve seen some clients add lots of interesting detail with personalized birthday graphics, mock customized product images, etc.
3. Include a clear call to action. Reaching out to connect with customers on their birthdays is a wonderful way to encourage engagement. But, of course, your ultimate goal is to drive business revenue. Be certain your email contains clear directions about how to claim a gift or use a special discount. Keep the lay-out clean and easy-to-read, and include the appropriate links so subscribers can effortlessly visit your website for additional information. (For more tips, see this earlier post, Seven Ways to Improve Email Click Through Rate.)
Every marketer knows the value of retaining customers, and sending birthday emails can be a very effective way to nurture the brand faithful, while simultaneously driving revenue. Remember: Everyone likes to be remembered on their birthday, and most of us are willing to spend (or have someone else spend) a little more than usual in order to celebrate. That makes birthdays the perfect time to deliver a well-crafted, targeted email and marketing automation is key to making these campaigns relevant and measurable.
Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
About Stephanie Miller
