‘Does Anyone Really Want a Birthday Card From Their Jeweler?’

INDEPENDENT JEWELRY STORE owners are divided over the value of birthday outreach. While a segment of the industry relies on automated software and high-value gifts like wine or $1,000 cards to drive repeat business, a significant majority has moved away from the practice. For many, the decision is driven by logistical headaches — some managing databases of over 30,000 clients — and a lack of time. Here is how your peers across the country describe their varied approaches to customer birthdays.

The “Yes” Side: Success Through Strategy and Personal Touch

• “A postcard with a $50.00 gift certificate price.” — Manuel M., Northbrook, IL
• “We send them through the Edge. I probably get back about 25-30 each year, which is enough to pay for doing it. We give them 30 days to use it and it’s a 20% off gift” — W J S., Franklin, VA
• “We send a message on Clientbook with a coupon for $50” — Kate S., New Oxford, PA
• “We are set up through Edge that sends out anniversary and birthday postcards.” — Brenda N., El Segundo, CA

“There are a few customers we send a birthday card out to. One in particular, a very big spender, we send a $1,000 gift card. When she comes in, she usually spends between $8,000-12,000.” — Tim W., Yorktown, VA

• “Depending on the client. I send flowers, gift cards to restaurants and other small businesses gift cards in our community that I know they like.” — Krystal S., Plymouth, MI
• “We use Drive Retail through the edge and send out birthday cards with a $100 gift card. No minimum purchase or strings attached… This has generated some nice sales.” — Eric S., West Springfield, MA
• “We don’t send birthday cards, but we’ve sent Christmas cards before. We definitely send gifts though. We’ll send Wine Country Gift baskets, restaurant gift cards, high-ball glasses, champagne flutes, watch winders and gift baskets from a local candy store.” — Marc M., Midland, TX

“E-cards. Mixed reception. Automated so we don’t have to do a lot but if it wasn’t it would be a waste of time. Used to get better responses to this but with social media providing the information, everyone is a little jaded about it.” — John P., Winter Park, FL

• “We have a Celebration Club where we offer $50 gift cards to our customers on their birthdays, and a $100 on their anniversaries.” — Bill E., Terre Haute, IN
• “$25.00 off any purchase. It previously brought Pandora customers in every day. But now I think we are wasting a stamp.” — Christine M., Boyertown, PA
• “E-cards with a discount for their birthday or anniversary” — Elizabeth S., San Diego, CA
• “Wine, cheese, whiskey.” — Kirk G., Gonzales, TX
• “Depends on the customer. High spending customers may receive a bottle of wine or steaks.” — Joe T., Lubbock, TX

“Annually we have sent an ornament at holiday time… Had people asked if they missed their package for any reason. Goes to show people really like receiving them.” — Tom N., Spencer, IA

• “Gifts for special purchases and gift cards to restaurants etc . Always get a thank you” — James G., Memphis, TN
• “I keep it to a friendly text. Any more seems disingenuous.” — Steven W., Chatham, MA
• “We send automated postcards that give them a discount within a month of their birthday or anniversary. Lots of people use them.” — Katrina S., Racine, WI
• “Handwritten notes and hand addressed. We also call to wish happy birthday and happy anniversary with no mention of sales or marketing.” — James M., Bedford, VA
• “We give an unconditional $50 via a text message to the recipient… of all the techniques we have tried, it is the most successful we have had.” — Amy H., Jacksonville, FL
• “We send cakes and cookies cards and sometimes flowers and we send a birthday card and anniversary card to them with a gift card to use.” — Alan P., Wilmington, NC
• “Just a card with ‘no gimmicks’. Customers love it.” — J. Dennis P., Johnstown, PA

“When they come in I’ll gift them a repair or a discount.” — Earl G., Port Washington, NY

• “We send birthday and anniversary cards to every customer that gives us that info. It is well received.” — Rick S., Gainesville, FL
• “Email and text greetings.” — Gary R., Granger, IN
• “Typically cards or texts.” — Eileen E., Decatur, IN

The “No” Side: Logistical Barriers and Diminishing Returns

• “I did that once, and the guy belonged to a religion that does not recognize birthdays, and he was offended, and I quit.” — Stacey H., Lincolnwood, IL
• “Time and the cost involved does not warrant it.” — James S., Lowell, IN
• “It is just not who we are.” — Jo G., Oconomowoc, WI

“Just an individual decision on the part of the salesperson.” — Georgie G., Palo Alto, CA

• “Because there’s only one of me. Don’t have the time to keep track.” — Janne E., Cocoa, FL
• “I used to and I have such a large customer base that the price of cards and mailing was exorbitant.” — Drue S., Albany, NY
• “It is something I have wanted to do, I just haven’t organized myself to do it. I’d really like a card-sending service to do that for me, but I haven’t found the right one.” — Angela C., Atascadero, CA
• “No time. Alas, I can’t deal with that!” — Eve A., Evanston, IL
• “Don’t send them out to my family why would I send them to a client! Lol” — Scott M., Jacksonville, MD

“We have over 30,000 customers in our database and it would be logistically very difficult.” — Jeff V., Lafayette, IN

• “I wish them well on Facebook.” — Laurie C., Hyde Park, NY
• “Used to. Don’t anymore.” — Ragnar B., Vancouver, BC
• “Does anyone really want a birthday card from their jeweler?” — Gretchen S., Sherman Oaks, CA
• “I don’t require it, but a couple of my salespeople do send traditional cards.” — Laurie L., Omaha, NE
• “We use Clientbook and send out a birthday text with an offer of 10% off for the month of their birthday.” — Sue P., Escanaba, MI
• “We used to, and stopped several years ago without any comments or complaints.” — Annette K., Stillwater, OK
• “We used to year after year, but returns got less and less.” — Shannon P., Altus, OK

“We send traditional, hand-written notes and cards… for personal things like retirement, congratulations, sympathy, etc. Maybe a big birthday if we know about it.” — Nancy & Pierre P., Swansea, MA

• “We were a small business that was crazy busy. Just did not have time to do it. Never had a customer ask why we didn’t send them a birthday card :)” — Tommy T., Perry Hall, MD
• “I keep a VIP list of customer likes and send a text before birthday and anniversary to remind them… that I have a ‘hint list’.” — Monica L., Fond du Lac, WI
• “Not enough time in the day.” — Barry F., Bardonia, NY
• “We just were sending text messages through The Edge. But now we have canceled our Podium to cut back on expenses.” — Niki N., Lyndhurst, OH