Do this with EVERY churned client (it could save your agency)
An agency owner I coach just discovered their churn rate hit 33% this quarter. 😱
Instead of panicking, they're doing something most agencies never do.
Here's the approach I recommended that's already uncovering patterns:
- Go beyond the surface story: When clients say "we're not getting results," that's rarely the full picture. Are they buying leads but expecting qualified appointments? Are they measuring on a timeline that doesn't match their industry sales cycle? The real reasons often have nothing to do with your actual service delivery.
- Create a structured investigation: I shared a framework for interviewing churned clients with specific questions about: original expectations, challenges they faced, what they switched to afterward, and how they're measuring success now. The key is asking CONSISTENT questions across churned clients so patterns emerge.
- Pay for candor: For $50 (not $500), incentivize honest feedback through a neutral third party – not the person who sold them. You want truth, not politeness.
I once discovered a major disconnect with legal clients who wanted qualified appointments, not just leads. This single insight saved one agency $40,000 in wasted ad spend targeting the wrong type of clients.
The cost of acquiring this data is pennies compared to the cost of continued churn.
CQ