Of all the marketing campaigns you could set up as a loan officer, birthday and home anniversary messages are the closest thing to free money. They take 30 minutes to build, they run forever on autopilot, and they generate a steady stream of replies, referrals, and warm conversations with people who already know and trust you.
Yet most LOs don't do them. Not because they don't want to — because they never got around to it. If that's you, today's the day you fix it.
Why These Two Campaigns Matter
Birthday and anniversary campaigns work for a simple psychological reason: they make people feel remembered. In a world of automated noise, a message that arrives on a personally significant date stands out. It says "I know you. I remember you. You're not just a loan number in my database."
The data backs this up:
- Birthday emails have an average open rate of 45% — nearly double standard marketing emails
- Home anniversary messages generate 3x more replies than regular database touches
- LOs who run both campaigns report 20-30% of their annual referrals trace back to one of these touchpoints
The Birthday Campaign
What to Send
Keep it simple and genuine. This is not a marketing opportunity — it's a relationship touchpoint. The moment you add "and by the way, do you know anyone looking to buy?" to a birthday message, you've ruined it.
Birthday text (best option):
"Happy birthday, Sarah! Hope you have an amazing day. 🎂"
That's it. No pitch. No ask. Just a human being nice to another human being. The referrals come later, naturally, because you've stayed on their radar.
Birthday email (alternative):
Subject: "Happy Birthday, [Name]!"
Body: "Hey [Name] — just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! Hope this year brings you everything you're hoping for. If you ever need anything mortgage-related (or just want to chat about the market), I'm always here. Enjoy your day!"
Pro Tip: Send It the Day Before
Send your birthday message at 8 AM the day before their birthday. You'll be the first person to wish them happy birthday (besides maybe their mom). That "how did you remember?" reaction is exactly what you want.
Setting It Up
In your CRM, you need one field: date of birth. You should be collecting this during the loan process (it's on the 1003). Create a workflow that triggers on the birthday date annually and sends the text or email automatically. One-time setup, lifetime value.
The Home Anniversary Campaign
This is the higher-value campaign of the two, because it naturally leads to mortgage-related conversations.
What to Send
Year 1 Anniversary:
"Happy 1-year homeowner anniversary, [Name]! Can you believe it's been a year since we closed on [Street Name]? Hope you're loving it. If you ever have questions about your mortgage, taxes, or anything home-related — I'm always just a text away."
Year 2-3 Anniversary:
"Happy [X]-year anniversary in your home! Fun fact: based on the market in your area, your home has likely appreciated about [estimated %] since you bought. Want me to pull a quick equity snapshot? No strings — just thought you might be curious."
That equity offer is gold. It gives them a reason to reply, opens a conversation about refinancing or equity lines, and positions you as their ongoing mortgage advisor — not someone who disappeared after closing.
Year 5+ Anniversary:
"Wow — [X] years in your home! Time flies. A lot has changed in the mortgage world since we closed. If you're ever curious about refinancing, tapping equity, or even thinking about a move, I'd love to catch up. Your home has done really well."
Setting It Up
You need one field: closing date. Your CRM should trigger annually on this date with a different message for each year milestone. The message evolves because the client's situation evolves — year 1 is celebration, year 3 is equity awareness, year 5+ is "time for a change?" territory.
Combining Both Into a System
Here's the annual automated touchpoint calendar for every past client:
- Birthday: Personal text or email (no pitch)
- Home anniversary: Milestone-appropriate message with equity or market info
- Q1: Market update + "know anyone buying this spring?"
- Q3: Rate check-in + refinance opportunity
Four automated touchpoints per year. That's the minimum to stay top-of-mind. Add in monthly email marketing and you've got a complete past client marketing system that runs without you lifting a finger.
The Data You Need
Both campaigns require data most LOs already have but haven't organized:
- Full name (first name minimum)
- Phone number (for SMS — preferred channel)
- Email address
- Date of birth
- Closing date
- Property address (for personalization)
If your data is scattered across spreadsheets, old LOS systems, and email threads, the first step is getting it into your CRM. Yes, it's tedious. Do it anyway. This data is the foundation of your most profitable marketing channel.
What Happens Next
Once these campaigns are running, something interesting happens: people start replying. "Thanks! Actually, my sister is looking to buy..." or "Hey, we've been thinking about refinancing..." These aren't cold leads you paid for. These are warm conversations that you created by simply remembering someone on an important day.
Set them up today. Your automation platform can have both campaigns running in under an hour. The ROI starts immediately and compounds every year as your database grows.