A simple birthday greeting can transform a one-time customer into a lifelong client. It's one of the most powerful yet underutilized tools in a travel agent's arsenal. Here's how to do it right.

Why Birthday Greetings Work

In an age of automated marketing, a birthday message stands out because it's personal and unexpected. Your customers receive hundreds of promotional emails, but how many businesses remember their birthday?

A well-timed birthday greeting:

  • Shows you value the relationship, not just the transaction
  • Creates positive emotional association with your brand
  • Keeps you top-of-mind for their next trip
  • Often gets shared with family and friends

Crafting the Perfect Message

The best birthday messages are warm, genuine, and brief. Avoid the temptation to turn it into a sales pitch.

Example Messages That Work

Example 1: Simple & Warm
Happy Birthday, Maria! 🎂 Wishing you a wonderful day filled with joy and happiness! From your ADJC Travel family
Example 2: Adventure-Themed
Happy Birthday, Juan! 🎉 May this year bring you exciting adventures and unforgettable memories! - Bella Travel
Example 3: Personal Touch
It's your special day, Ana! ✨ Wishing you happiness, good health, and all the best things in life! From your friends at Dream Voyages

Do's and Don'ts

✓ Do This

  • Use their first name
  • Keep it short (under 160 characters for SMS)
  • Send it ON their birthday
  • Sign with your business name
  • Use 1-2 relevant emojis

✗ Avoid This

  • Mentioning discounts or promos
  • Making it about business
  • Sending late (day after)
  • Generic "Dear Customer"
  • Emoji overload 🎂🎉🎁🎈🎊
Pro Tip

The best time to send birthday greetings is early morning (7-8 AM). Your message will be one of the first they see when they wake up!

Collecting Birthday Information

The challenge is getting birthday data in the first place. Here are natural ways to collect it:

  1. During booking - "May I have your birthday for our records?" (works for passport anyway)
  2. Loyalty signup - Make it part of joining your rewards program
  3. Casual conversation - Note it down when they mention upcoming celebrations

In Reward & Reconnect, you can add birthdays when creating customer profiles. See our Getting Started Guide for details.

Manual vs. Automated

Should you send greetings manually or automate them?

Free Plan: Manual Sending

The Events tab shows upcoming birthdays. You can click to send a greeting via your phone's SMS app. This is free but requires daily attention.

Pro/Team Plan: Automated

Birthday greetings are sent automatically at 8 AM on the customer's birthday. You never miss one, and messages rotate through multiple templates so they feel fresh.

Learn more about the differences in our Points & Rewards guide.

Measuring Success

How do you know if birthday greetings are working? Look for:

  • Customers mentioning it when they call
  • Increased repeat bookings from past customers
  • Referrals from delighted customers
  • Social media mentions or shares

The ROI is hard to measure directly, but the cost is so low that even one additional booking per year makes it worthwhile.

Never miss a customer's birthday again

Start sending personalized birthday greetings today.

Start Sending Birthday Greetings