Overview
Bakery in Manchester, wanted to increase repeat orders from customers who had previously purchased birthday cakes. Their team noticed that many buyers returned only once a year or sometimes not at all, even though the bakery offered a wide range of customised cakes and seasonal flavours. Traditional reminders through email and social media did not generate strong engagement, which made it difficult to stay top-of-mind.
Since most customers were already active on WhatsApp, They explored how personalised reminders could help them create warm, meaningful connections. By using SheetWA to link Google Sheets with WhatsApp, they built a simple but effective reminder system that encouraged customers to reorder for upcoming birthdays.
The challenge: Repeat birthday orders were difficult to sustain
They handled a large number of birthday cake orders throughout the year, but they struggled to keep track of dates and maintain long-term customer relationships. The main difficulties included:
low return rate from past customers
limited visibility on traditional marketing channels
too much manual work required to send reminders individually
missed opportunities due to customers forgetting important dates
The team needed a system that would help them send timely reminders without spending hours sorting through past orders.
The solution: Using SheetWA they send personalised birthday reminders
Bakery saved every customer’s previous order date, contact number, cake type, and name in a Google Sheet. They then used SheetWA to send personalised birthday reminders a week before the event.
Read More : How to Send Bulk WhatsApp Messages from Google Sheets
Here is how the system worked.
Organising customer data in Google Sheets
The team maintained a simple spreadsheet with columns for:
customer name
WhatsApp number
birthday date or previous order date
cake preferences
This sheet became the central source for all reminders.
Sending personalised birthday offers
Using SheetWA, they sent warm, friendly reminders such as:
“Hey Ananya, your friend’s birthday is coming up next week. Want a custom cake again this year?”
These messages felt personal and thoughtful, which encouraged customers to respond quickly.
Offering customisation options
Along with the reminder, the bakery offered quick suggestions such as flavour upgrades, personalised name tags, and themed decorations. Customers were asked to reply with ideas or photos for inspiration.
Creating a simple conversation flow
Once customers responded, the bakery continued the conversation directly on WhatsApp. This helped finalise orders faster without needing website forms or long back-and-forth calls.
Results: Personalised birthday reminders improved repeat orders and engagement
Saw significant improvements within the first month of running their birthday reminder campaign.
Metric | Before SheetWA | After SheetWA |
|---|---|---|
Repeat birthday orders | Low | 33% reordered |
Word-of-mouth referrals | Minimal | Strong increase |
Response time | Slow | Immediate replies |
Operational time spent | High | Reduced dramatically |
A closer look at the results:
Higher repeat purchase rate
More than one-third of past customers placed a new birthday cake order after receiving the personalised reminder. The friendly tone and perfect timing made the offer feel genuine rather than promotional.
Stronger word-of-mouth
Customers appreciated being remembered. Many shared screenshots of the personalised messages with friends and family, which resulted in new inquiries and additional custom cake orders.
Faster ordering process
Conversations on WhatsApp led to quicker decisions. Customers often confirmed flavours, sizes, and themes within minutes, which made the bakery’s workflow smoother and more predictable.
Higher customer satisfaction
The warm, personalised reminder created a positive experience. Customers felt valued and taken care of, which strengthened their trust in brand.
Impact: Timely WhatsApp communication improved loyalty and repeat purchases
They achieved:
stronger customer loyalty through timely and thoughtful communication
a predictable flow of repeat orders across multiple months
reduced time spent managing data manually
an easy and friendly customer experience through WhatsApp
WhatsApp became their most effective repeat-purchase channel, outperforming email promotions and social media posts by a wide margin.
Why SheetWA worked
SheetWA helped Bakery by:
connecting directly with WhatsApp using familiar tools
making personalised messages quick and scalable
reducing repetitive manual work
helping track dates and send reminders at the perfect time
For small bakeries and food businesses, timely communication can be the difference between a one-time buyer and a loyal customer. SheetWA helped them turn simple reminders into repeat revenue.
Key learnings for bakeries and small businesses
Customers appreciate personalised reminders that feel thoughtful rather than promotional.
WhatsApp is an ideal channel for warm outreach that encourages quick replies.
A simple system using Google Sheets can be powerful and easy to maintain.
Timely communication increases repeat orders and builds stronger loyalty.
Takeaway
The experience in Manchester shows that personal reminders on WhatsApp can revive old customer connections and drive consistent repeat business. By using SheetWA to automate birthday reminders while keeping the messaging warm and human, the bakery built stronger relationships and generated steady reorders throughout the year.
Read More : 13 Real Examples of Successful WhatsApp Marketing Campaigns
This case also highlights how powerful small, timely gestures can be for local businesses. A simple birthday reminder delivered through a familiar channel can feel far more personal than a large promotional campaign. Customers respond positively when a business remembers their important dates and makes the ordering process effortless. By combining thoughtful messaging with an easy reply path on WhatsApp, also created a repeatable system that nurtures long-term relationships and encourages customers to return year after year.
