Going out of business, need advice on how to inform clients

Hello,

I will be closing my doors in 30 days and need to send a letter to all my clients informing them of the news. My business was thriving and I had hundreds of loyal clients, but I have decided to close my doors and stay at home with my newborn daughter. The hours of labor going into running my own business does not offset the cost of daycare, etc. It is a difficult decision to make, but I know it's best for my family.

Any advice on how to word such a letter would be very helpful. Or any advice in general regarding closing a business.

Thanks so much for our help,

Tara

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Roberta Gilbert on October 2, 2014 at 7:54am

Hi Tara. Good for you for deciding to stay home. I did it for 10yrs and would not have traded that experience for anything in the world. Keep your letter positive and upbeat. Set the tone that you are making this decision with joy. Thank them for their loyal support, and if at all possible provide them with a recommendation. If there is another practitioner you trust turn your clients over. As a side thought you after a few months you might decide to do something at home if your space can accommodate it and be in compliance with the law. Tell them that you will be checking in from time to time. People will be sad to see you close, but happy for you.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tara Carson on October 3, 2014 at 12:38pm

Thank you Roberta for the encouraging words! I felt better just reading your reply. I think it's a great idea to keep it positive and upbeat even though I am a little heartbroken :-( And I am going to look into possibly doing something from home at some point in the future.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Valarie on October 3, 2014 at 10:01am

All the best to you Tara. I completely understand where you are coming from. I know you will enjoy this new chapter in your life.

Valarie

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tara Carson on October 3, 2014 at 12:38pm

Thank you Valerie!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cindy Greenwood on October 3, 2014 at 10:14am

I sent out via my newsletter with MailChimp. Unfortunately with spam filters only about 60% of my list opened the email. So sending out thank you cards with explanation via regular mail would probably be more effective.

This is what I wrote:

After serious consideration, I have decided to close my Skin Care and Massage studio located in xxxxxx.

I will remain open until the end of November to accommodate anyone who is still holding a Gift Certificate.
So please make your appointment as soon as possible!
I am discontinuing the sale of new Gift Certificates effective immediately.
Skin Care services will NOT be available after Nov 28th - until I locate a new office.

For clients who would still like to see me for Massage & Reflexology I will have appointments available at these locations: xxxxx."

I also sold off my skincare retail at 25% off the first half of the month and at 50% off the last couple of weeks. I still ended up with a lot of unsold inventory.

Good luck to you!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tara Carson on October 3, 2014 at 12:59pm

Thank you Cindy for the great advice. Thank you cards and selling off the inventory at a discounted rate is a great idea.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by betty bliss on October 4, 2014 at 11:08am

Hi Tara-- Congratulations on mommy-hood! You say that your business was thriving with hundreds of loyal clients. Is it possible to sell your client list to a local business in your area? This way when you send the letter to clients you can ask if they mind being contacted by XYZ or give them the info to check out XYZ. Also, how long have you been in business and how did you manage to get it "thriving with hundreds of loyal clients?" Why not make a few bucks sharing your success? Sometimes we esty's get stuck. If you have secrets to share, I'd be interested :-D Enjoy baby girl!