Client Reactivation Email Sequence: What To Say When You Reach Out
Keep it simple, keep them short.
Continuing from our lost client reactivation campaign a few days ago, what do you actually say in this email sequence?
Most practitioners write such emails like an apology. We tend to hedge why we’re reaching out, over-explain ourselves, offer a discount to actually make the ask for business. But remember, this isn’t a client that got angry, they got busy and just drifted away.
Instead, we send a warm check-in. We let them know they are seen, thought of, and that their absence was noticed.
Send three emails, spread over two weeks. The first acknowledges the time, acknowledges their needs, and makes one specific offer with a 14-day expiration. The second arrives seven days later with a testimonial and a reminder of the offer. The third arrives five days later, as a calm reminder. Each one is short enough to be readable with at most one swipe on their phone.
Don’t skip the testimonial in email number two. Specifically, it needs to be a testimonial from a client that had a similar gap in time between sessions with you. Ideally, a testimonial that acknowledges they drifted away, expresses how that absence made them feel, and expresses a sense of relief at how nice it was to come back to see you. This testimonial dissolves the resistance that other clients have about returning.
Don’t have such a testimonial? Go through your recently returned clients, and ask several of them for one. Clients are more willing to provide testimonials than you think; oftentimes we just fail to ask.
🎯 Go!
The three-touch sequence:
Reach out to a few returned clients to get that testimonial.
Write your day 0 email: “It’s been a while, so I’m reaching out to see how you’ve been.” Make an offer — temporary expanded hours to accommodate them, a one-time small group workshop, etc. A 14-day deadline.
Write your day 7 email: “Here’s what a recent returning client said:”. Include the testimonial, offer reminder, deadline.
Write your day 12 email: “Last one from me about this.” Offer reminder. Calm close, no pressure, best wishes.
Queue all three in your email marketing software to the sub-list you identified a couple days ago.