Joey Coleman Reveals the 8 Steps to Keep Every Client

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Struggling to keep clients after the sale? It’s not your offer. It’s not your pricing. It’s not your follow-up funnel. It’s the experience you're delivering, or not delivering, after they say yes.

In this episode of the Master Your Business Podcast, I’m joined by Joey Coleman, Wall Street Journal bestselling author and global expert in client and employee retention. He shares a proven 8-step framework that helps you build trust faster, deepen loyalty, and create experiences that your clients actually talk about.

Whether you’re a solo coach or scaling a service-based business, this guide is your shortcut to a smoother, smarter, more profitable client journey.

Let’s get into the eight steps you must master if you want to stop the ghosting, silence, and churn.

Step 1: Assess What You’re Really Showing Your Clients

Your client journey starts before the money transaction. Joey calls this the Assess phase. It's where prospects are poking around your website, peeking at testimonials, and wondering, “Is this for me?”

Here’s the kicker… most business owners never audit this phase from the client’s perspective.

✅ Ask yourself:

• Can a stranger tell what I offer in 5 seconds?
• Do they know what it costs?
• Can they see who I am?
  
  

“What amazes me is the number of websites I go to that don’t have photos, don’t name the team, and never say what it costs.” – Joey Coleman

Step 2: Make the Admit Phase Human and Exciting

This is where the sale happens. But it’s not just a transaction. It’s a moment of commitment.

Joey suggests rethinking contracts, confirmation emails, and payment experiences. Make it fun. Make it clear. Make it feel like something exciting just started.

💡 Tip: For an identity-led experience, add a custom signature line in your contract, like “I want to be Millionized.”

Step 3: Affirm Their Decision Fast

Buyer's remorse is real! Especially in coaching or consulting because often there’s no tangible guaranteed outcome. But sometimes it’s simply because… your client signs up, then… silence?

This gap between payment and delivery is often where doubt creeps in.

Joey recommends sending a thank-you card or video message. Keep their confidence high.

🎯 One quick win: Send a short Loom video saying you’re thrilled they joined and you can’t wait to start. 

Step 4: Activate the Relationship with Purpose

Your first session isn’t just a session, it’s your first impression.

This phase is where you bring energy and show them they’ve made the right choice. That could mean sending their favourite drink in the mail before your call or emailing a prep video.

“You’re only limited by the balance of your own creativity.” – Joey Coleman

Step 5: Acclimate Them So They Don’t Get Lost

Your clients are not mind readers. They don’t know your process. They don’t know the milestones. They don’t know what “normal” looks like.

Joey recommends a visual journey map. It could be a simple dashboard, a Notion page, or a printed tracker they put on their fridge. Yes, really.

The goal? Help them see their progress.

Step 6: Celebrate the Accomplishment

Coaches, listen up. You’re amazing at setting goals, but most of you forget to celebrate them. When your client hits a milestone, it deserves more than a “good job.”

🎁 Send a handwritten note. A relevant book. A little surprise that makes them smile.

“The best gifts say ‘I see you.’ They don’t need your logo. They need your heart.” – Joey Coleman

Step 7: Adopt a Long-Term Mindset

At this point, they’re your people. But most businesses stop here.

Loyalty needs to be nurtured, not assumed. Joey suggests sending appreciation videos, private invites, or exclusive content. Keep them close.

💡 Try this: Once a month, record a 30-second gratitude video for your top clients. Simple. Unforgettable.

Step 8: Create Advocates by Being Worth Talking About

You want referrals? Start by being remarkable.

Joey calls this the Advocate phase, where clients naturally share your name. But he warns: don’t expect this if you haven’t done the work.

And when someone does refer you?

💡 Thank them in a way that matches the value. Not a $15 gift card for a $10k lead. Show genuine, thoughtful appreciation.

Quote to Remember

“If it’s a good enough gift, and I mean thoughtful enough, you don’t need to put your name on it. They’ll remember where they got it.” – Joey Coleman

✅ Key Takeaways

• Great customer experience starts before the sale
• Loyalty is built one intentional phase at a time
• Most drop-offs happen between the sale and delivery
• Celebrate milestones more than you think is necessary
• Thoughtful gifts outperform clever marketing
  
  

Ready to Stop Losing Clients?

This blog is just the highlight reel. The episode is packed with examples, stories, and strategies to help you keep every client you’ve worked so hard to win.

🎧 Listen to the full episode now on your favourite app.

Want help creating your uncopyable client experience? Work with me to map it out together.

Click here to listen 👉 Listen on Spotify  |  Listen on Apple Podcasts

Key Takeaways

• Stop running your business on guesswork
• Use real-time systems like Xero for visibility
• Focus on five financial KPIs that matter most
• Embrace profit strategy, not just tax compliance
• Plan for long-term financial health now, not later
  
  

🔗 Connect with Joey Coleman:

🌐 Website: https://joeycoleman.com
📘 Books: Never Lose a Customer Again and Never Lose an Employee Again

About Joey Coleman:

Joey Coleman is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, and global expert on client and employee retention. With his First 100 Days® methodology, he’s helped some of the world’s most respected brands, and hundreds of small businesses, keep the clients and team members they work so hard to win. His work blends customer psychology, emotional engagement, and memorable storytelling to create remarkable brand loyalty.

Keep mastering your business. 

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