Lost a big client? How to set social spend now

Key takeaways

Marketing after losing a big client starts with the gap, not the ad account. Work out the monthly revenue to replace, the customers that means and the enquiries needed, then set a 90-day social media budget to close part of it. Contact past clients and referrers first, because warm routes are faster and cheaper.

• Size the gap: monthly revenue lost and customers needed.
• Work warm routes first: past clients, referrers, contacts.
• Set a 90-day social budget from your sales target.
• Avoid panic discounts and untested big campaigns.

How do you size the gap?

Take the monthly gross profit the client brought, not just revenue, and divide by gross profit from a typical new customer. That shows how many new customers replace one large one. Illustrative example: £4,000 a month of lost gross profit and £800 from an average new client means five new clients.

• Social media budget for a UK small business
• Work out a social media budget from your sales target

Why start with warm routes?

Past clients, existing customers who could buy more, and people who refer you already trust you. Contacting them costs time, not ad money, and converts faster than cold audiences. Social media supports this by showing recent work, so a warm contact who checks your profile sees an active business.

• Split social spend between new and existing customers

What should the 90-day social budget cover?

Enough ads to test two offers to the type of client you lost, a retargeting campaign for website visitors, and content showing relevant work. Fund it from the target, not from fear. If the sum is unaffordable, aim social at part of the gap and cover the rest with direct outreach.

• Two offers tested to your best-fit client type.
• Retargeting for website visitors and engaged followers.
• Case stories that match the lost client's sector.
• A weekly review of enquiries against target.

What mistakes make the gap worse?

Heavy discounts that attract low-value buyers, large untested campaigns, and adding platforms in a rush. Each spends cash you need. A short, focused plan aimed at clients like the one you lost usually works better than doing everything at once.

• How to stop attracting price shoppers on social media

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a business that depended on one client for a large share of revenue loses it and doubles ad spend overnight. Pausing to size the gap, calling past clients and running a focused 90-day test usually replaces more of the revenue for less money.

• See client work
• Social Media Marketing for UK businesses

Lost client checklist

• Calculate the lost monthly gross profit.
• Convert it into new customers needed.
• Contact past clients and referrers this week.
• Set a 90-day social budget for part of the gap.
• Review enquiries weekly and adjust.

• Should you spend on social media when fully booked?
• Local vs national: how reach changes a social budget

Next step

Write the gap in gross profit and the number of new customers it means. List ten warm contacts to call before spending anything on ads.