How Business Coaches Can Quickly Reactivate Past Clients and Boost Revenue

Q: “Adrian, I’ve been a coach for 25 years. COVID tanked my business. How can I get revenue flowing again—fast?”

If you’ve been in the coaching game for 25 years, chances are you’ve built up a strong base of past clients. And here’s the good news: those past clients are the fastest path to new revenue.

Like you, many of your former clients were impacted by COVID. But if you helped them once, there’s a high likelihood they’d welcome your help again.

That’s why your #1 move right now should be launching a client reactivation campaign.

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Why Reactivating Past Coaching Clients Is So Powerful

Most business owners obsess over finding new clients. The marketing world pushes that agenda hard—almost every ad, funnel, and tactic is focused on acquisition.

But here’s the truth:
It’s 5x easier (and cheaper) to reactivate a past client than to land a new one.

Why? Because past clients:

• Already know you

• Trust your process

• Have experienced results

• Have far fewer objections

If you’re looking to boost revenue fast, reactivation is one of the highest ROI moves you can make.

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The Two Things That Block New Sales: Fear and Trust

The biggest reasons prospects don’t buy?

• Fear of making the wrong decision

• Lack of trust in the provider

You’ve already overcome those hurdles with past clients. So instead of chasing cold leads, start with people who already know you can help.

The problem?
Most coaches close a client, deliver results—and then disappear.
The relationship ends. No follow-up. No check-ins. No upsells. No reactivation.

Let’s change that.

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5 Proven Strategies to Reactivate Coaching Clients

1. Send a Personal Reactivation Letter or Email

Reach out to every client you haven’t worked with in the last 6–12 months.
Keep it simple and human:

• Apologize for losing touch

• Thank them for being a past client

• Acknowledge the impact COVID may have had

• Extend an offer to reconnect and help them recover lost momentum

This works especially well for transactional or program-based coaching but can be adapted to any style of business.

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2. Create an Exclusive, Irresistible Offer for Past Clients

Give them a compelling reason to come back—something they can’t get anywhere else.

Ideas:

• A special discounted rate

• A “legacy client” bonus package

• A results-based risk-reversal offer (see our article on Risk Reversal Strategies)

Once they’re back in the door, you can re-engage them with additional services.

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3. Introduce New Coaching Programs, Tools, or Services

Clients can lose interest if you’re always offering the same thing. Keep your content and coaching dynamic:

• Bundle your services in a new way

• Launch a group coaching program

• Offer quarterly strategic planning sessions or refresh packages

This gives you a legitimate reason to check in and creates urgency to re-engage.

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4. Host a Free Client Appreciation Event or Webinar

Invite both past and current clients to a high-value online event. Teach a new strategy. Answer questions. Celebrate wins.

This repositions you as a current, relevant expert and helps you reconnect with people who may have drifted.

Bonus: You can use the event to make a soft offer for a new program or a one-on-one planning call.

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5. Send a Handwritten Thank You Card

Yes, snail mail still works—and it stands out.
Send a simple “thank you for being a client” note. No pitch. No sales copy. Just genuine appreciation.

This small gesture keeps you top of mind and opens the door for future conversation.

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Why Most Coaches Fail to Reactivate Past Clients

Let me tell you a quick story.

I once met a personal trainer who had worked with over 100 clients. His business was struggling. When I asked him how often he stayed in touch with his former clients, he stared at me blankly.

He’d never even considered it.

When I asked what percentage of those former clients had likely fallen back into old habits (poor eating, no exercise), he estimated 70%. That means 70 people were probably in pain and still needed help—and he wasn’t talking to any of them.

Don’t make that mistake.

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How to Identify Your Best Reactivation Candidates

Start by asking:

• Who hasn’t purchased or engaged in the last 6–12 months?

• Do you have current contact info?

• What was the last thing they bought from you?

• What results did they get?

Then segment them:

• High spenders

• Long-term clients

• Clients who didn’t finish a program

• Clients who gave referrals

Pro Tip: Use lifetime value data or average purchase frequency to prioritize who gets contacted first.

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Reactivation vs. Retention: Know the Difference

Retention keeps current clients engaged.
Reactivation is about bringing past clients back.

Once a client stops responding to your content, stops showing up, or hasn’t purchased in a long while, they move into the reactivation category.

That’s your queue to reconnect with a message that shows you care and offers them a next step.

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Final Thoughts: Don’t Leave Money—and Relationships—on the Table

Your past clients already believe in you. They’ve paid you. Trusted you. Learned from you. Don’t let those relationships fade.

If you’re trying to grow your business, don’t ignore the easiest path to more revenue: reactivate the clients you already have.

It’s faster. It’s cheaper. And it works.