# Build a Journey for a purchase anniversary

Celebrate your customers’ first purchase anniversary and build loyalty with a personalized SMS and a special offer.

### What you will learn

* Set up a segment for purchase anniversaries
* Create personalized message templates
* Build an automated journey
* Add customer variables to your messages
* Launch your anniversary campaign

### Before you begin

Make sure you’ve:

* Created a segment that identifies customers on their 1-year anniversary.
* Built an SMS message template with personalization and an opt-out link.

### Step by step guide

#### Step 1: Set up your segment

1. Go to **Marketing** > **Audience** > **List and Segments**.

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2. Select the segment that captures 1-year purchase anniversaries.
3. Click **Edit Segment** to review:
   * The filter is based on First Order Confirmed (set to exactly 364 and 365 days ago).
   * This ensures you capture everyone whose anniversary falls within that range.

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#### Step 2: Create your anniversary message

1. Go to **Content** in the left sidebar.
2. Click **Create new message template** in the top right corner.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FGqfbGnQcu7wjTK8iPMjb%2Ftemplate1.png?alt=media&#x26;token=09b3d555-e688-419f-b677-51d29854d5ba" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

3. Under Platform, choose SMS.
4. Select Plain Text and name your template (e.g., “1-Year Anniversary SMS”).
5. Click **Start from scratch** > **Get started now**.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FsroS3IMJbzF9dSQNF9Ns%2Ftemplate2.png?alt=media&#x26;token=7ab43e70-ca34-4cd5-9d36-9f52b15b4272" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Add personalization:

1. Go to **Settings** > **Variables**.
2. Click **Add New Variable** and name it first name.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FcbISlAaZor8P22gUzqcN%2Ftemplate4.png?alt=media&#x26;token=464e6a4d-a09b-4d1a-8e7b-37b9f821bd5a" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

3. Set the default value to there.
4. Save the variable.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FPiQj6TCdeXzOCVUUXU2I%2Ftemplate%20variable1.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4fddd2e9-059a-4be1-a585-72c9a87e2742" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Write your message:

1. Switch to the **Editor** tab.
2. Use personalization like: `Hey {{first name}}, happy 1st anniversary with us! Enjoy 10% off with code ONEYEAR.`
3. Add your opt-out link at the end.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FpYEnEZYEii6EhmUCLiL6%2Ftemplate%20variable3.png?alt=media&#x26;token=20753e46-157d-47dd-87e5-d504c60225a2" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

4. Preview your message on the right.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FzBAEolq5AXDYv2dGgp5l%2Ftemplate%20preview.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f9c00f8b-d00b-4f3d-bfdd-ba3c32002903" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

5. When ready, click **Publish** to save the template.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2Fy7m2xjjnkD1WRdvhHJR7%2Ftemplate%20publish.png?alt=media&#x26;token=137f4831-a4f9-4615-862c-84ab28e414dd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 3: Build your journey

1. Go to **Journeys** on the left nav.
2. Click **Create journey** in the top right.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FKIbHm7o9gwo8mtjSELqu%2Fcreate%20journey.png?alt=media&#x26;token=eaa6e692-857b-4e57-920a-9380910a0f1b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

3. Choose the Happy 1st Purchase Anniversary template.
4. Click **Use Journey** to open the builder.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FQvzmk0p0ueAfGdiyX7HJ%2Fuse%20journey.png?alt=media&#x26;token=14243462-d4f2-4cca-a7d4-1020fcccb0e9" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 4: Configure your journey

Set the trigger:

1. Click the first step.
2. Choose **Contact added to a list** as the trigger.
3. Select the 1-year anniversary segment.
4. Leave entry/exit conditions empty for now.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FxlI4LSliiqkuVEEfdDjg%2F1%20year%20anni%201.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4572d517-b927-4f3e-82ee-6c4639d3ac73" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

5. Click **Save**.

Add the message:

1. Click the **Send a Message** step.
2. Choose SMS as the channel.
3. Select your anniversary message template.
4. Scroll down to configure variables:
   * Insert the first name variable.
   * Set the default value (e.g., "there").
5. Click **Save**.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FGYEoTqi3t2lYHtcUpI7W%2F1%20year%20anni2.png?alt=media&#x26;token=273e05a4-6cc3-4c6f-8e68-30b9bfff37f4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 5: Go live

1. Click **Publish** in the top right.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FPR04nsRdtP2ZTyq2122A%2F1year%20anni3.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1d97c4bc-da1f-4e07-b3e5-69468b7736dd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

2. Give your journey a version name and optional description.
3. Click **Save** to make it live.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FOEo8vy4cQG6hWNk3iDC4%2F1%20year%20anni4.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0bb55759-a425-4fd5-8de7-201cce02e98e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Once activated, this journey will automatically celebrate your customers' 1-year milestone with a personalized SMS and a discount code—boosting loyalty and encouraging repeat purchases.