It happens quietly. A client stops responding to emails. They miss a review meeting, maybe two or three. Eventually, their account becomes one of many that haven’t engaged in over a year. Or maybe they’re not on your books anymore, just a name in your CRM from years ago. Either way, the result is the same: silence.
For most independent advisors, dormant or former clients don’t set off alarms. After all, they’re not actively unhappy. But left unaddressed, inactive relationships quietly chip away at your growth. According to Alpha FMC, losing just 10–15% of your client base can erase up to eight months of forward progress in a year. And the risk is real: A YCharts survey reveals that three out of four investors considered switching advisors in 2023, with communication gaps cited as the number one reason.
That stat should stop us in our tracks. What’s driving dormancy and churn isn’t dissatisfaction with portfolio performance. It’s a breakdown in perceived relevance. And the only way to bridge that gap is to show up again with something more valuable than another performance report: education.
Related: Why Client Acquisition Isn’t About Volume—It’s About Value
Dormancy Is a Relevance Problem
If you’ve worked in this industry long enough, you know that clients rarely leave because of a single mistake. It’s usually a slow fade. Life moves on—they switch jobs, inherit money, go through a divorce—and we don’t always catch those shifts in real time. Other times, they’re overwhelmed by market noise and just assume things are “fine,” so they stop reaching out. Some may have left your firm years ago and simply haven’t found a reason to come back.
And while it’s tempting to assume those relationships are over for good, the reality is many of them aren’t lost. They’re just waiting for a reason to reengage. According to Betterment’s 2024 Retail Investor Survey, most investors get their financial information from online media or friends and family. But here’s the kicker: They still trust advisors more than any other source. They just aren’t hearing from you in a way that cuts through.
That’s where education comes in. Dormancy is rarely about fees or dissatisfaction. It’s about a lack of visible and relevant value. If clients—past or present—don’t feel like you’re adding something new to their thinking, they tune out. And in today’s landscape, with so many voices competing for their attention, staying silent isn’t neutral; it’s negative.
What Works: Timely Education, Delivered Personally
Reactivating dormant or former clients doesn’t require a total overhaul. It doesn’t require a discount or a gimmick, either. What it does require is a steady return to form: reminding people that your job isn’t just to manage assets, but to help them make informed decisions with clarity and confidence.
That starts by asking yourself: what questions might these clients be asking right now? Then, answer them in a format that invites engagement.
Here are five education-first strategies that I’ve seen work time and again, for my own firm and now for the advisors we support at FMT Solutions.
1. The 15-Minute “You Missed It” Recap
Choose one meaningful market development. Think about something your dormant clients have likely seen headlines about but haven’t had explained well. Record a short video or draft a quick summary with your take and send it out with a simple message: “Saw this and thought of you. If it raises questions, I’d be happy to connect.”
Short, useful, and personal. That’s the goal.
2. The Portfolio Health Snapshot
A quick one-page PDF can go a long way, especially if it highlights portfolio drift, risk changes, or fees that have crept in over time. Keep it straightforward: one or two insights, a short paragraph of commentary, and a closing question like, “Does this still align with your goals?”
Sometimes, it only takes a small nudge to show clients that things may have changed more than they realized.
3. A Seasonal Mini-Course
Choose a timely topic, like “Tax Moves to Make Before Year-End,” and build a short, three-email series. Each message should include one actionable idea and a call to reply, ask a question, or schedule time to meet.
If that sounds like a lot to create from scratch, you don’t have to. FMT equips advisors with turnkey education-first marketing tools, including customizable email campaigns, live seminar content, and compliant messaging that’s easy to personalize. Whether you’re reactivating a handful of clients or launching a full-scale outreach strategy, we help you stay relevant and consistent without reinventing the wheel.
4. Client-Only Roundtables
Bring your clients into a small-group virtual session with an expert, such as an estate attorney, a Medicare consultant, or a college funding strategist. These aren’t sales webinars. They’re learning opportunities.
Set a participant cap (10–15 people) to keep it intimate. You’ll be surprised how often these sessions spark referrals from clients who bring a friend or forward the invite.
5. Life-Event Triggers
Many advisors already have CRMs or LinkedIn alerts set up to flag life changes, but they aren’t using them proactively. A client turning 73? Send a short note about RMDs. A job change? Check in on new 401(k) plans or rollover opportunities.
The message doesn’t need to be super polished. A timely “Saw this—does anything in your plan need to change?” can reopen doors you thought were closed.
Personalization at Scale
You don’t need to handwrite every message to make it feel personal. Most marketing platforms now let you segment based on last interaction, age, milestone, or account size. With a few smart filters and dynamic fields, you can pull in details like “last meeting date” or “previous investment strategy” to show clients that you remember.
Automation can tee up the outreach. But it’s your voice—the real, human one—that makes the reconnection stick.
Measuring What Matters
The true measure of re-engagement success isn’t in vanity metrics; it’s in movement. You’ll know your outreach is working when it leads to renewed conversations, plan updates, or referrals. Clients start replying again. Old names pop back onto your calendar. You hear things like, “I’ve been meaning to reach out,” or “That email made me realize it’s time for a check-in.”
Other signs might include clients updating documents you’ve been waiting on, responding to education content they previously ignored, or introducing you to a family member or colleague.
In short, effective reactivation creates visible momentum. It reminds clients why they trusted you in the first place.
The Bottom Line
Every advisor has dormant clients. Some are quiet households you still serve. Others haven’t been in touch for years. The difference between a flat year and a breakout one often lies in how—and whether—you reach back out.
The good news? You don’t need a massive campaign or flashy marketing to do it. You just need to teach something useful. Lead with education. Deliver it with relevance. Make it personal.
At FMT, we help advisors do exactly that. If you're ready to re-engage past clients and turn dormant accounts into active advocates, let’s talk. Reach out to schedule a strategy call today.
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