You've chosen Cliniko to manage your clinic operations—but are you maximising its potential for client relationships?
Cliniko excels at the operational side: online booking, appointment reminders, comprehensive client records, and billing. Your day-to-day runs smoothly, your team has everything at their fingertips, and your clients can book 24/7.
But here's the reality: Despite having excellent clinic management software, most UK clinics still lose 60-70% of clients who simply don't return.
This isn't a Cliniko limitation—it's a positioning reality. Cliniko manages your clinic operations brilliantly. What transforms one-time visitors into loyal, returning clients is intelligent, proactive client engagement that goes beyond automated reminders.
Reading Time: 5 minutes | Last Updated: November 26, 2025
1. Segment Your Database by Treatment Cycle
The Problem: Treating all clients the same way.
The Strategy: Export client data from Cliniko and create three segments:
- Active (0-30 days): Focus on pre-booking
- At-risk (31-90 days): Re-engagement check-ins
- Dormant (90+ days): Reactivation campaigns
Different segments need different messaging. Active clients want convenience. Dormant clients need compelling reasons to return.
💡 Quick Win:
Identify your 90+ day dormant segment today—often 40-60% of your database and your biggest revenue opportunity.
2. Automate Smart Follow-Up Timing
The Problem: Generic messages sent at the wrong time.
The Strategy: Map treatment cycles for your services:
- Physiotherapy: Based on 6-8 week treatment plan completion
- Sports massage: 3-4 week intervals for athletes
- Osteopathy: 4-6 week follow-up appointments
- Chiropractic: Maintenance every 4-8 weeks
- Acupuncture: Series of 6, then monthly maintenance
Use Cliniko's appointment notes to record recommended return timeframes, then build follow-ups around individual treatment plans.
💡 Quick Win:
Identify your top three services and their return cycles. Set calendar reminders to reach out as clients approach these windows.
3. Craft Personalised Reactivation Messages
The Problem: Generic "we miss you" emails that get ignored.
The Strategy: Use Cliniko's treatment history to reference specific past appointments.
Instead of:
"Hi James, it's been a while!"
Try:
"Hi James, it's been 8 weeks since your last physio session for your lower back. How's the mobility? We have appointments available if you'd like a check-in."
This shows you remember them and genuinely care.
💡 Quick Win:
Write three message templates for common lapsed-client scenarios and save them in Cliniko.
4. Implement a Win-Back Campaign
The Problem: Letting dormant clients slip away without structured reactivation.
The Strategy: Create a three-touch sequence for 90+ day dormant clients:
- Touch 1 (Day 90): Check-in referencing last treatment
- Touch 2 (Day 120): Value reminder plus incentive
- Touch 3 (Day 150): Final genuine outreach
Track which messages work and refine your approach.
💡 Quick Win:
Create a simple spreadsheet to track dormant clients and log outreach attempts.
5. Prioritise High-Value Client Touchpoints
The Problem: Spreading effort equally across all clients.
The Strategy: Use Cliniko's reports to identify high-lifetime-value clients (top 10-15%). Give them VIP treatment:
- Quarterly personal check-ins
- Birthday messages
- First access to new services
- Handwritten thank-you notes
Personal and consistent beats expensive.
💡 Quick Win:
Identify your top 20 clients by lifetime value. Schedule a personal touchpoint for each over the next month.
6. Monitor Appointment Gaps Proactively
The Problem: Realising clients lapsed only after 6+ months.
The Strategy: Run weekly Cliniko reports and flag clients who:
- Didn't pre-book after their last appointment
- Are approaching 45-60 days since last visit
- Didn't complete their treatment plan
Reach out at 45-60 days: "Haven't seen you recently—is everything okay?"
Early intervention catches clients before they're truly lapsed.
💡 Quick Win:
Set a Monday task to review last week's appointments and message anyone who didn't pre-book.
7. Leverage Referrals from Engaged Clients
The Problem: Hoping clients refer on their own without asking systematically.
The Strategy: Your most engaged clients are your best referral sources. Make asking part of your process:
- Ask post-treatment at peak satisfaction
- Be specific: "Know anyone with back pain who might benefit?"
- Track referrals in Cliniko notes
- Thank referrers personally
💡 Quick Win:
Add a referral question to your post-treatment process this week.
Getting Started: Your 7-Day Action Plan
Ready to implement these client engagement strategies with Cliniko? Here's how to get started:
- Day 1-2: Segment your Cliniko database into Active, At-risk, and Dormant categories
- Day 3-4: Create three message templates for each segment
- Day 5: Set up your tracking system (spreadsheet or CRM)
- Day 6: Launch your first reactivation campaign to dormant clients
- Day 7: Review early results and adjust your approach
Time Investment:
3-4 hours for initial setup, then 30-60 minutes weekly for ongoing maintenance.
Expected Results:
Within 60 days, you should see 10-15% of dormant clients reactivate and a 5-10% increase in pre-booking rates among active clients.
Calculate Your Hidden Revenue Potential
Most clinics have 40-60% of their database sitting dormant. That's thousands of pounds in untapped revenue from clients who already know and trust you.
Use our free Database Audit Tool below to discover exactly how much revenue is sitting in your Cliniko database right now.
Calculate Your Hidden Revenue
Discover how much revenue is sitting dormant in your client database
Want to discuss your specific clinic needs?
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About the Author
Alex Greenwood is the founder of Corua, a client engagement platform for UK health and beauty clinics. With experience helping practices maximise their clinic management software investment, Alex specialises in client reactivation strategies that generate measurable results.
Alex Greenwood
Founder of Corua, passionate about helping aesthetic clinics build meaningful client relationships through smart, personalised communication.