What an inactive client is
A fixed rule, like “60 days without a visit”, treats everyone the same. But someone who gets a haircut every three weeks and someone who colors their hair every three months have very different rhythms.
A more useful criterion compares each client with their own usual interval between visits: they are drifting away when they pass the point where they usually come back.
On Horanza: Horanza calculates each client's usual interval from completed visits. With few visits, it compares against the establishment's average rhythm.
1. Separate who is due, at risk and gone
Not every overdue client is lost. Grouping them helps pick the tone: a light reminder for those who are due, an invitation for those at risk, a more personal contact for those who are gone.
Leave out anyone who already has a booking. Nobody likes being called back when they've already come back.
On Horanza: Clients are grouped into “due”, “at risk” and “gone”, with a score from 0 to 100. Those who already have a booking are left out.
2. Start with who matters most
Time to reach out is limited. Prioritize by frequency and value: a client who came every month and spent above average deserves contact before someone who came once.
On Horanza: Each client shows a potential annual value and a priority. The Today screen shows the most important first.
3. Reach out the right way
Prefer a short message, with the client's name and a direct way to book, over a generic ad.
For the most valuable clients, an individual conversation makes sense. For a larger group, a campaign saves time.
On Horanza: One tap opens the WhatsApp chat with the client. For groups, the win-back campaign sends, by email and push notification, an invitation with a booking link.
4. Respect those who don't want to hear from you
Pushing too hard drives people away for good. Always offer an easy way to stop receiving messages, space out contacts and stop reaching out to those who never respond.
On Horanza: Every campaign includes an unsubscribe link, honored automatically. Nobody receives campaigns less than 30 days apart, and those who don't click after several campaigns are paused.
5. Measure who actually came back
A message sent is not a client back. Track how many opened the link, how many booked and how many actually showed up.
On Horanza: Each campaign shows audience, sends, clicks, new bookings, completed appointments and recovered revenue. Revenue only counts completed appointments booked within a set period after the click.
6. Keep the next client from drifting away
Winning back takes more effort than keeping those who still come. A reason to come back and a guaranteed time help regulars keep their rhythm.
On Horanza: Loyalty programs give a discount every so many completed bookings, and recurring bookings keep the next appointment scheduled.
Summary to apply this week
- Define inactivity by each client's rhythm, not a single rule
- Separate who is due, at risk and gone
- Remove anyone who already has a booking
- Start with the highest-value clients
- Short message, with name and booking link
- Easy unsubscribe and spacing between contacts
- Measure bookings and completed appointments, not just sends
Know today who should have come back
Horanza calculates each client's rhythm, shows who is drifting away and measures the results of win-back campaigns.