Time to say goodbye? How to Create an Exit Sequence That Brings People Back
Let’s talk about something most small business owners tend to overlook: the exit sequence.
The exit sequence is what happens when someone unsubscribes from your email list or cancels their membership.
Now I get it, when someone leaves, it can feel like a bit of a gut punch, especially when you know your content is brilliant, but sometimes people need a break for a whole variety of reasons and sometimes do plan to come back at some point. This is what makes a great exit sequence such a valuable part of your customer experience.
**Need help crafting an exit strategy that leaves the door open for future business? Let’s make goodbyes work for you! Get in touch, and let’s chat.**
Instead of waving a sad goodbye, or saying nothing at all, why not turn their exit into a positive experience? A great exit sequence can leave the door open for future business, gather valuable feedback, and even bring people back down the road.
So, let’s dive into what things to consider when creating that bloomin’ lovely exit sequence…
1. Make It Personal
Without sounding too deep, the first step to a great exit sequence is acceptance, so acknowledge the person leaving, without making them feel guilty about it obvs! without guilt-tripping them.
So add in an email automation or a landing page post unsubscribe that thanks that for their time and let’s them know they are still here should things change and they want to come back. So something like …
"Hey [First Name], we totally get it—sometimes, it’s just time to move on. We’ve loved having you in [Membership Name], and we hope you’ve found loads of value. If you ever want to come back, the door is always open! Wishing you all the best, [Your Name]"
2. Gather Feedback
This is your golden opportunity to find out why people are leaving. When it comes to an email unsubscribe it could be the frequency of emails or that the focus of their business has changed so your content isn’t as relevant to them as it once was. When it comes to memberships, again there are loads of reasons people may leave it could be budget-related, down to time constraints, or it could be that the membership content just isn’t hitting the spot.
Either way this is a great opportunity to find out a little bit more information which could help you to fine tune your content or how to better shape your offering to meet your customers needs.
Think a *super* short survey, i’m thinking 1 - 3 questions, preferably with multiple choices and a box where they can add further feedback should they wish.
These insights can then be used to shape your offering / content going forwards or simply put your mind at rest that your content isn’t right for that person right now.
3. Leave the Door Open
Not everyone who leaves is gone forever, they might just be taking a break whilst they work on an important project or just need a breather on the finances front. Having a great exit sequence in place lets them know about future opportunities, discounts, or ways to stay connected.
You could:
Offer a free resource as a parting gift, this would work particularly well as a lead magnet if they are leaving your membership but they still want to hear from you.
Give them an option to pause comms from you for a little while. This depends what mail platform you have but you could always create a tag or a new mailing list that is to be contacted in a few months time. This way they are off the main comms list but not off your database forever.
Invite them to stay in the loop with bite sized versions of your emails. If you have a long newsletter, it could be giving the TMDR vibes, rather than loosing these folks it might be worth creating a shorter version that people can opt in to
Let them know about a special re-join offer down the line. You could do this on exit or contact them a short time after their exit if they have remained on your mailing list.
Real-Life Example: Spotify’s Exit Sequence
In my opinion Spotify nails the exit sequence game. If you’ve ever cancelled your Premium subscription, you’ll know they don’t just say “bye” and leave it at that.
Here’s what they do brilliantly:
It’s really easy to cancel your membership (not like the gym in Friends - showing my age there!!)
They give you options to pause your membership
They remind you exactly what you’ll be missing
The final screen is a goodbye playlist with a hidden, but not super subtle message. This has stuck in my mind for a long time!!
Spotify understands that people come and go, but they make leaving so positive that it’s easy to return when you’re ready.
Make Exits a Positive Experience
Your exit sequence isn’t just about goodbyes, it’s about keeping doors open, gathering useful insights, and leaving a great last impression.
So, next time someone hits ‘unsubscribe’ or cancels their membership, don’t panic! Give them a friendly send-off, learn from their departure, and keep things light. You never know when they might just wander back… especially if you’ve made it easy (and tempting) to do so!
What’s your approach to handling customer exits? Let me know in the comments
Not sure how to craft an exit strategy that keeps customers coming back?
I can help! Get in touch, and let’s create one that works for you.
