At the beginning of this month, I had to let go of the marketing company that had been handling SEO and lead generation for one of the companies I work with.

Despite three years of effort, there had been no improvement in lead generation. In fact, the number of incoming leads had decreased significantly. Last year alone, we received only six genuine leads through the website—six in twelve months.

I sent a polite email thanking them for their hard work and informing them that we would be discontinuing their services in a month.

Yesterday, nearly three weeks after my email, the CEO responded with a rather snarky message, blaming me and the company for the lack of results. According to them, nothing was their fault, and they were utterly shocked that we were ending our partnership.

This response only left a bad taste in my mouth. There were countless ways the CEO could have handled the situation that wouldn’t have left me feeling disappointed. Because of that email, I now want nothing to do with them and will never recommend their services to anyone.

It’s tough when a business decides to cancel their contract with you. However, responding with blame and negativity is not the right approach, even if you believe the fault lies with them.

Tips for Responding When a Business Cancels Your Services:

1. Stay Professional: Maintain a professional tone and avoid letting emotions dictate your response.
2. Express Gratitude: Thank them for the opportunity to work together and highlight any positive experiences.
3. Request Feedback: Politely ask for feedback to understand their decision and improve your services.
4. Acknowledge Issues: If there were challenges, acknowledge them and outline any steps you’ve taken to address similar issues in the future.
5. Keep the Door Open: Leave the conversation on a positive note by expressing your willingness to work with them again in the future.
6. Focus on Improvement: Use the feedback to refine your services and prevent similar situations with other clients.

Here’s a sample email template to consider:

Subject: Thank You and Next Steps

Dear [Client’s Name],

Thank you for the opportunity to work together over the past [duration]. We appreciate your trust in our services.

We understand your decision to discontinue our partnership. To help us improve, could you kindly share any feedback on our performance? Your insights are valuable to us.

We acknowledge the challenges faced during our collaboration and are committed to learning from them to better serve our clients in the future.

Should your needs change, we would be delighted to work with you again.

Wishing you continued success.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Position]
[Your Company]

About Dare 2 Sell:

Dare 2 Sell is a leading sales training and consulting firm dedicated to empowering businesses and individuals to achieve sales excellence. With a focus on ethical sales practices and long-lasting customer relationships, we offer bespoke training programs, one-on-one coaching, and strategic consulting services. Our mission is to transform your sales approach, drive profitability, and help you reach new heights of success. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help you dare to sell with confidence and integrity.