Key Terms
Key Terms
Required to know for this article specifically:
Business = Business/Law Firm who invested in Hona
Hona (Business) Org = Hona Account owned by the Business
Business User = An individual account within a Hona Business Org
Just like there are many employees at 1 Business, there are many Users in 1 Hona Org. Which Hona features and settings are accessible to each User is determined by their User Role.
Client = Client of the Business
End-user of Hona Client and its features
Hona Client = Hona Client Portal interface where Clients can interact with Hona features
Business Users build Hona Client features in their Hona Business Org
Important to know in general:
"Automation" refers to an automatic workflow which typically results in triggering a Client notification
"Project" is used interchangeably with "case" and "matter"
CMS = Case Management Software (often used interchangeably with CRM)
Messages = 2-way messages sent through Hona's 2-Way Messaging feature (typically sent via text)
Notifications = messages sent to the Client to notify them of Hona features you have configured (Project Type case updates, Forms, E-Signature requests, Review requests, etc). These are sent based on the Client's Notification Preferences.
Business User Notifications = Notifications sent to Business Users after a Client has taken action in Hona
What is a Birthday Message?
What is a Birthday Message?
The Birthday Message feature sends birthday notifications to your Clients automatically, without any manual effort from your team. Once a Client’s birthday is in Hona, Hona will send them a birthday notification on the day of their birthday. What your birthday message says and who it sends to is configured in the settings of the feature.
Goal
By the end of this article, Business Users will know how to configure Birthday Messages to automatically send to Clients. This feature helps Businesses strengthen Client relationships, enhance loyalty, and create meaningful interactions which show Clients they are valued beyond their case.
Overview of Steps
1. Access Hona Reputation
From the side-bar in your Hona Business Org, select Company Settings → Reputation
2. Create Birthday Message
Under Birthday Message, type out what you want your Birthday Message to say. You can personalize the message with the Client's name by using the Pipe Text.
What should I put in my Birthday Message?
What should I put in my Birthday Message?
Not sure what to say? Here are some examples that other firms have used as a starting point, feel free to copy & paste:
Wishing you a wonderful birthday and a year filled with success, good health, and happiness. We appreciate the trust you’ve placed in our team and hope you take some time today to celebrate you, {{client_first_name}}!
Happy Birthday, {{client_first_name}}!
We hope your day is filled with great moments, laughter, and the people who matter most. Thank you for being a part of our business — we’re grateful for you!
On behalf of everyone at our firm, we wish you a very happy birthday, {{client_first_name}}. May the year ahead bring you peace, prosperity, and many reasons to smile.
Happy Birthday, {{client_first_name}}! At our firm, we believe in celebrating the people who make our community great — and that includes you. Wishing you all the best for the year ahead.
Happy Birthday and cheers to you, {{client_first_name}}! We hope your day is filled with good vibes and even better company. Thanks for letting us be a small part of your journey — here’s to another great year ahead!
3. Configure Filters
Now that you have decided what your Birthday Messaging is going to say, you just need to decide who should receive that message.
What should I put in ___ field?
What should I put in ___ field?
Project Status
This determines whether Birthday Messages will send to Clients based on the status of their Project in Hona.
Any = any status
In Progress = only active cases
Complete = only closed/completed cases
Not Started = only leads
Hona Enabled
This determines whether Birthday Messages will send to Clients based on their Hona Enabled field.
Any = Birthday Message disregards Hona Enabled status
Yes = only send to Clients with Hona Enabled marked as Yes
No = only send to Clients with Hona Enabled marked as No
Project Types
This determines whether Birthday Messages should/should not send to certain Project Types. You can select Any or filter by your Project Types.
4. Enable Birthday Message
The final step once you have configured your Birthday Message is to turn it on. The banner will change from disabled to enabled.
FAQs
How do I prevent Birthday Messages from automatically sending to "Deceased" contacts?
How do I prevent Birthday Messages from automatically sending to "Deceased" contacts?
The safest way to prevent this is by marking the contact's Project in Hona as Hona Enabled "No" and then configure your Birthday Messages Hona Enabled settings to only send to those marked as "Yes."
That being said, there are some CMS/CRMs that track "Deceased" data which can be used to block Hona notifications. Refer to the table below.
Case Management Software: | Compliant with birthday messages: | Will check if client is deceased & not send: |
FileVine | ✅ | ✅ |
MyCase | ✅ | ❌ |
Clio | ✅ | ❌ |
CASEpeer | ✅ | ❌ |
SmartAdvocate | ✅ | ❌ |
Neos | ✅ | ✅ |
Litify | ❌ | ❌ |
Cerenade | ✅ | ❌ |
Smokeball | ❌ | ❌ |
Lawcus | ✅ | ❌ |
Growpath | ✅ | ❌ |
PracticePanther | ✅ | ❌ |
How does Hona know when my Client's birthday is?
How does Hona know when my Client's birthday is?
It is the birthday listed on their Contact in Hona. If they do not have a birthday associated with that Contact, they will not receive a Birthday Message. If your Hona Org is integrated with your CMS, the birthday which appears on a Contact in Hona is pulled directly from the Client's contact in your CMS. If your CMS does not attach a Date of Birth field to their contacts, your Contacts in Hona will not likely have birthdays either.
Do you have a visual guide I could share with these steps?
Do you have a visual guide I could share with these steps?
Why This Matters
Building and maintaining strong client relationships is essential for long-term trust and referrals. Automated Birthday Messages help Businesses maintain thoughtful, consistent communication with Clients—fostering goodwill, improving client satisfaction, and reinforcing a positive brand image without adding extra work for the team. For any questions or concerns, please chat with our support team or reach out to us directly at [email protected].