Read the grow-out clock first
Dormant is not the same for every client. A short-cut client who books on a steady rhythm has drifted once a few weeks slip by, while someone who visits a couple of times a year may simply be between appointments. The grow-out clock is the honest signal. Pull the last visit date from your booking system, compare it to how that client normally books, and only then decide who belongs on a win-back list. A stylist or the front desk can usually name the regulars who have quietly stopped coming, and those names are a good place to start. Write the definition down so the same list is used each month instead of a fresh guess.
Split cuts from colour
Cuts and colour run on different schedules, and a single list muddles them. Cut clients return on a grow-out rhythm, while colour clients think in terms of root touch-ups and tone refreshes. Tag clients by their main service so a colour client is not nudged at the wrong point in their cycle. A client who came in once for a wedding or a gift certificate is not the same as a regular who drifted, so keep one-off visits in a separate group. When the tag is right, the message lands as useful rather than random.
Write a text that names the stylist
Hair is a relationship service. Open with the client's name, mention the stylist they see, and name the last service plainly. Something like: "Hi Dana, it's been a while since your last cut with Priya. Want me to check her next openings?" This feels like a check-in, not a blast. Some clients lapsed because of a move, a schedule change, or a budget stretch rather than anything about the salon, so lead with warmth and let any offer come second. Keep the wording short, skip the jargon, and give one clear action: reply to book.
Make replying effortless
Give the client a simple way to say yes or not now. A two-way text lets someone who is not ready reply to pause messages, which keeps the list honest. Elevoi answers calls around the clock, books appointments, and sends SMS follow-ups, so a win-back sequence can run without the front desk chasing every name by hand. When a reply arrives, confirm the slot and update the record. If the client asks for a different stylist or a different service, note it so the next message reflects the change.
Handle replies and consent properly
Update records the moment a client rebooks, changes cadence, or asks for space. Honour STOP requests right away, send within reasonable hours, and keep a note of how each client opted in. Under Canadian anti-spam rules each text should identify the salon and offer a working way to stop, so build both into every message. Treat a reactivation reply as a fresh conversation rather than a transaction, and let the client set the pace.
Make reactivation a standing routine
Once a month, pull the dormant list, send the first message, and follow up once for anyone who does not reply. Track who comes back so the list keeps improving, and set aside anyone who asks for room. If a client has ignored two attempts, move them to a lighter seasonal touch instead of a third nudge. Keep the message history for each client so the same note is not repeated month after month. Run this way, reactivation keeps chairs full without adding pressure to the front desk.
See also the SMS marketing for salons hub and the page on an AI receptionist for hair salons.