Two emails, then stop
Send the check-in in January and one follow-up three weeks later. After that, move the contact to your newsletter list if they have not opted out, and stop direct asks.
Win Back Tax Clients: Re-Engagement Email Templates | HelloBooks Re-engagement emails to win back tax clients who did not return: a check-in, a reason to return, and how to handle records requests under Circular 230 §10.28.
Email marketing · win-back
Re-engagement emails for lapsed tax clients
Some clients leave on purpose; many just drift. A two-email check-in in late winter recovers a share of them, and tells you why the rest left.
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- From
- {Firm name} <hello@yourfirm.com>
- Subject
- Are you all set for this tax season?
- Preview
- We did not hear from you last year and wanted to check in.
Hi {first_name},
We prepared your return for {year} and noticed we did not hear from you last season.
If you would like us to handle this year’s return, reply and we will send your checklist. If you have moved on, we would value a one-line note on why.
{Firm name} · {street address, city, state} · Unsubscribe
Handle records requests promptly
Some replies will be requests for records. Circular 230 §10.28(a) requires a practitioner, at the client’s request, to promptly return any and all records of the client, though the practitioner may keep copies. Treat a win-back reply asking for records as that request.
Respect opt-outs
A win-back email is commercial. If a former client opts out, CAN-SPAM requires you to honor it within 10 business days, including across any lists an agency manages for you.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Should the email offer a discount?
- That is a pricing decision for your firm. Many firms find that a reminder of what they already know about the client is a stronger hook than a discount.
- How far back should I go?
- One or two seasons. Older contacts are better served by the newsletter than by a direct ask.
Related
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Email marketing for CPA firms: the complete guide
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Email templates and campaigns for accountants
For CPA and EA firms · email
Tax return changes for CPA firms
Every federal change for the 2025 and 2026 seasons
Sources
- Treasury Circular 230 (31 CFR Part 10) — checked 2026-10-21
- FTC, CAN-SPAM Act: a compliance guide for business — checked 2026-10-21
General information for tax and accounting professionals, not legal advice. Rules are summarised from the primary sources listed on the date shown; read the current text before relying on it.
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