The "we miss your dog" texts for clients who stopped booking, word for word
Exact texts to win back grooming clients who have not booked in 10 weeks or more, sent before the holiday rush. Three messages, and when to send each.
Every grooming shop has a list of clients who used to come every six weeks and then just stopped. No complaint, no goodbye. They moved, got busy, tried a cheaper groomer, or simply forgot to rebook.
Many of them would come back if you asked. Right now, a few weeks before the holiday rush, is the best time to ask. Here are the exact texts, and how to send them.
Who to send them to
Pull a list from your booking software of every client whose last appointment was more than 10 weeks ago and less than 18 months ago. Leave out anyone who:
- Asked you not to contact them.
- Had a problem visit you never resolved.
- Has a pet you know has passed away. Check your notes carefully. Getting this wrong hurts.
If your software cannot pull this list, sort your client list by last visit date and do it by hand. Even 30 names is worth the hour.
Text 1: the friendly check-in
Send this first. It is short, uses the pet's name, and does not push.
"Hi [Owner name], it's [Your name] at [Shop name]. We were just thinking about [Pet name] and realized it's been a while. Holiday spots are starting to fill. Want me to hold one for [him/her]? Just reply with a day that works."
Why it works: the pet's name shows you remember them as a person, not a number. "Holiday spots are starting to fill" is true at this time of year and gives a reason to act now, without a fake deadline.
Send it on a weekday morning, between 9 and 11. Do not send it at night.
Text 2: the follow-up, five to seven days later
Only send this to people who did not reply to the first text.
"Hi [Owner name], just following up on [Pet name]. If [he/she] is due for a bath and trim before the holidays, I have openings on [day] and [day]. If you've found another groomer, no problem at all, and thanks for trusting us before."
Why it works: offering two specific days makes saying yes easy. Giving permission to say no ("no problem at all") lowers pressure, and many people reply just to be polite, which opens a conversation.
Text 3: the last one, two weeks later
Send this to anyone still silent. After this, stop.
"Last note from me. If [Pet name] ever needs a groom, we'd love to see [him/her] again. Just text this number anytime. Happy holidays from all of us at [Shop name]."
Why it works: it closes the loop warmly and leaves the door open. Some clients will rebook in January because of this text.
What to say when they reply
"Yes, can we do [day]?" Book it right away and confirm: "You're booked for [day] at [time]. See you and [Pet name] then." Then put them on a rebooking schedule at checkout.
"We moved." "Thanks for letting me know, and good luck in the new place." Mark them inactive.
"We found someone cheaper." "Totally understand. If anything changes, we're here." Do not argue on price by text. The pricing guide covers how to handle price conversations in person.
"[Pet] passed away." "I'm so sorry. [Pet name] was a sweet [dog/cat] and we loved having [him/her]. Thinking of you." Mark the record so it never happens again. Some shops send a handwritten card. It is never forgotten.
Rules that keep this from going wrong
- Only text clients who gave you their number for appointments and have not opted out. Add "Reply STOP to opt out" if your texting tool does not add it automatically.
- Send from your shop's number, not a personal cell.
- Never send more than three texts. After that it stops being friendly.
- Never offer a discount in the first text. Most lapsed clients come back without one. A discount teaches your regulars to lapse on purpose.
Make the comeback count
When a lapsed client comes back, do two things before they leave. Book the next appointment at checkout, and ask for a review. The median grooming business in our data has 38 Google reviews, and a returning client is often happy to write one. The reviews guide has the wording.
As a hypothetical, if you text 60 lapsed clients and 10 come back on a six-week schedule, that is roughly 80 extra grooms over the next year from one afternoon of texting. Run your own numbers with the calculator, or see how your shop compares on the benchmark report.
If you want these win-back texts set up and sent for you, the free 14-day trial covers any service, no card. Text or call (385) 386-6239.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, pet groomers among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor