Retention isn’t reactive.

Retention isn’t what happens after a client threatens to leave. You won’t save a client with a deck.

It’s what happens between the initial contract signature to every moment of exceeded (or unmet!) expectations.

A lot of teams treat retention like a fire drill. Something you scramble to fix when there’s a red flag. But in reality, retention is a system. It starts well before the first invoice.

It lives in:

• Your onboarding experience (including your internal handoffs)

• The way you set and reinforce expectations (throughout the entire course of the engagement)

• How proactive you are about performance conversations (and how transparent you are with data, a client would rather see the truth and what you’re going to do about it opposed to inflating the numbers)

• Your internal feedback loops and escalation paths (are these clearly defined?)

This issue of Refine explores how to shift your approach from reactive to intentional. Building a structure where clients feel seen, supported, and satisfied long before there’s any risk of churn.

Retention isn’t a save tactic. It’s an ongoing strategy.

Read on to explore the invisible signals that lead to renewal or regret.