Every coach has ten to fifty former clients on the roster who paid, trained twice, and disappeared. That inventory has a cost - you carry them in your head as unfinished work.
Four decisions
Every dormant client gets one call:
- Reprogram. Life changed - new job, new city. Rebuild the plan around the new reality and win them back.
- Repromo. Life didn't change, motivation did. Send the four-week reboot, discounted, one-time.
- Bundle. They're never coming back for 1:1. Move them to the group class or a self-guided program at a lower price point.
- Close. They're gone. Send a warm "no hard feelings" and take them off the follow-up list.
The tone
The call is not about you. It's about giving them permission to either come back or leave cleanly. Most coaches hold clients emotionally in a way that stops them from ever making the call. The call itself is the retention lever.
Why it matters
An open case in your head is more expensive than an empty session slot on your calendar.