Weathering the Storm: How Agencies Can Survive and Thrive After Losing a Major Client

Losing a big client is never fun, but it’s an inevitable part of business — just as much as landing a dream account. It’s important not to take the loss personally. Sometimes, you might get so focused on your work that you forget to separate what you do from who you are. Admittedly, I might be talking to myself here as well. Often, the decision to part ways is a business move by the client, unrelated to the quality of your work. So, recognize this separation as a business decision, not a referendum on you as a person.

Here are a few questions you’ll want answers to before losing a big client. It’s much easier to think through these decisions when you are thinking clearly and not simply reacting to a bad situation:

1. Why is the client leaving?

Make sure you know the exact reason why the client is not renewing with your agency. Consider conducting an exit interview to gather feedback directly from your client. You want to understand whether the departure was due to internal changes at the client’s company, budget constraints, or dissatisfaction with your services. Sometimes the new marketing head brings in their preferred agency, or perhaps they’ve decided to handle things internally.