Custom annual message campaigns let you send an automated message to customers on or before a recurring annual date — such as a membership anniversary, join date, renewal date, or any other custom date stored on the customer's profile. Like birthday campaigns, they run automatically each year once configured.
Key Features
Date-Field Driven Automation
The campaign uses a date field on each customer's record to determine when to send the message. This can be any custom date field — join date, anniversary, renewal date, contract start, or any date that is meaningful to your organization.
Flexible Timing
Choose to send the message on the exact date, a set number of days before, or a set number of days after. Sending early lets customers prepare or take advantage of an offer before the milestone arrives.
Annual Recurrence
Once activated, the campaign runs every year without manual intervention. Each customer receives the message around their specific date annually — no need to re-create the campaign each year.
Personalization
Use merge tags to personalize each message with the customer's name, the relevant date, and any other custom field data.
How to Set Up a Custom Annual Message
Step 1: Ensure the Date Field Exists
The campaign requires a date field on the contact record. Navigate to Contact Fields and confirm the field exists. Common fields include:
- Join Date — when the customer became a customer
- Anniversary — a custom milestone date
- Renewal Date — when membership or subscription renews
- Start Date — contract or program start
If the field does not exist, create it as a date type custom field.
Step 2: Ensure customers Have Data
The campaign only sends to customers who have a valid date in the selected field. If many customers are missing the date, consider running a survey or updating records via import.
Step 3: Create the Campaign
Go to Campaigns and click Create Campaign. Select Custom Annual Message as the campaign type.
Step 4: Choose the Date Field
Select which custom date field the campaign should use to determine the send date.
Step 5: Set the Timing
Configure when the message should send relative to the date:
- On the date — message arrives on the anniversary or milestone
- Days before — message arrives 1, 3, 7, or a custom number of days early
- Days after — message arrives after the date (useful for follow-ups)
Step 6: Write Your Message
Compose a message that acknowledges the milestone and includes a clear purpose — a congratulations, a renewal reminder, or a special offer.
Example messages:
Happy anniversary,
{first_name}! You've been a customer for another year. We appreciate your continued support — here's a special offer to celebrate: [link]
Hi
{first_name}, your membership renewal is coming up on{renewal_date}. Reply RENEW to confirm or call us with questions.
Step 7: Select Your Audience
Choose which customer group should receive the campaign, or select All customers. Only customers with a valid date in the selected field will receive the message.
Step 8: Activate
Review the date field, timing, message, and audience, then activate the campaign.
Real-World Examples
Membership Anniversary
Congratulations,
{first_name}! Today marks your anniversary as a customer. Thank you for being part of our community — we're lucky to have you!
Renewal Reminder (7 Days Before)
Hi
{first_name}, just a heads-up — your membership renewal is in 7 days. Reply RENEW to continue enjoying all the benefits, or reply with questions.
Join Date Celebration
Hey
{first_name}, it's been a year since you joined! To celebrate, enjoy 10% off your next visit this week. Just show this text at checkout.
Contract Anniversary Check-In
{first_name}, it's been a year since we started working together. We'd love to hear how things are going — reply and let us know, or we'll be in touch this week to schedule a check-in.
Tips & Best Practices
- Choose the right date field carefully. Make sure the field contains accurate, consistently formatted dates. Dates entered without a year or in unexpected formats may not trigger correctly.
- Send renewal reminders early — at least 7 days before the date — so customers have time to act.
- Include a call to action. Anniversary messages with a specific next step (renew, visit, claim an offer) see higher engagement than greetings alone.
- Combine with birthday campaigns for a well-rounded customer engagement strategy. customers who receive personalized messages on meaningful dates are more likely to stay engaged.
- Test the campaign by setting a test customer's date field to tomorrow and verifying the message sends correctly.
- Keep data clean. Periodically review your custom date fields to ensure customers have valid dates and remove or update stale records.
Common Questions
How is this different from the birthday campaign?
The Annual Birthday Message specifically uses the customer's birthday field. The Custom Annual Message can use any custom date field — join date, renewal date, anniversary, or any other date you define.
What happens if a customer does not have a date in the selected field?
They will not receive the message. The campaign only sends to customers with a valid date in the chosen field.
Can I have multiple custom annual campaigns?
Yes. Create separate campaigns for different date fields — for example, one for membership anniversary and another for renewal reminders.