Home / Message templates / Thank You Message to Clients When Leaving Company
How to Tell Clients You're Leaving (and Keep the Relationship)
A thank you message to clients when leaving your company should thank them for something specific. Give your last day, introduce the person taking over and wish them well. Check your job contract and your employer's process before you send anything. Never use the goodbye to pull clients with you. A clean, generous handoff protects your good name and the relationship.
How you leave is what clients remember about you. A kind goodbye with a clear handoff shows you cared about their work, not just your sales. Clients talk. A graceful exit is often why past clients reach out on their own years later.
What makes it land is timing, thanks and a smooth handoff. Talk to your manager first. Many firms want to announce exits together, and some contracts limit what you can say. Then name a real memory and introduce the new contact warmly. Keep the focus on the client's needs, not your next move.
On this page
Write yours in 20 seconds
Free, no signup. The example is filled in: press the button, then replace it with your own situation. In Capstone, a message like it is written for each person you know when their check-in is due.
10 examples to copy
One message is easy. Hundreds of people, all year, is the hard part. Capstone Outreach puts everyone you know on a rhythm you pick, from weekly to every three months. When someone is due, a message like these is already written in your voice from your history with them. You approve it, and it goes from your own email or phone. See how it works.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
Everyone on a rhythm. Who is due, and when. Recorded in the app on a demo account.
1. Standard farewell with successor introduction (email)
Subject: An update on your account, and a thank you
Why it works: It gives the client a date, a named contact and a plan. The change feels taken care of.
2. Joint announcement with your manager (email)
Subject: Introducing [Successor name] as your new contact
Why it works: Sending it with your manager shows the client the firm stands behind the change.
3. Long-time client you're close to (email)
Subject: Thank you for [number] great years
Why it works: A shared memory makes the goodbye personal. The line about the new contact keeps the focus on their needs.
4. Last working day note (email)
Subject: My last day at [Company]
Why it works: A last-day note closes the loop. It repeats the new contact's details in case the first email got lost.
5. Retiring from the profession (email)
Subject: Retiring, and thanking you
Why it works: A retirement note can be openly warm and sentimental. Clients like that after many years together.
6. Short text to a client you usually text (text)
Why it works: They hear it from you, in the channel you already use. That respects the bond.
7. When the client asks where you're going (email)
Subject: Re: Where are you headed?
Why it works: It answers honestly and stays within your rules. It points the client back to the right contact.
8. Leaving on short notice (email)
Subject: A quick change on our side
Why it works: You say sorry for the timing and show a written handoff. That eases worry about a rushed exit.
9. Handwritten card for a key client (card)
Why it works: A handwritten card is a personal goodbye. It doesn't rely on your work email, which will soon be gone.
10. Personal goodbye with no business content (text)
Why it works: Keeping the last personal note free of business shows the bond was about more than the account.
Sending these to more than a few people? See how people keep track of who to follow up with, and when: what a personal CRM does and the best personal CRMs, compared.
When to send it
- Read your job contract, including any rules on contacting clients or keeping things private. Talk to your manager before you tell any client.
- Send the goodbye after your employer agrees on the timing. That is usually one to two weeks before your last day.
- Introduce the new contact in the same message or within a day. The client should never wonder who to call.
- Send a short final note on your last day to clients you worked with closely.
- Don't send personal follow-ups from your new job unless you're sure your contract allows it.
Subject lines
- An update on your account, and a thank you
- Introducing [Successor name] as your new contact
- Thank you for [number] great years
- My last day at [Company]
- Retiring, and thanking you
- A quick change on our side
- Some personal news, and a thank you
- Saying goodbye, and introducing [Successor name]
- Thank you for everything, [Name]
- Your new point of contact at [Company]
- Before I go
- A note before my last day
What to avoid
- Don't tell clients you're leaving until you've read your job contract and agreed the timing with your employer.
- Don't use the goodbye to invite clients to follow you or move their business. This matters most if you signed a rule against it.
- Don't copy client lists, contact details or files to personal accounts on your way out.
- Don't criticize your employer, your team or the new contact, even if the client invites it.
- Don't leave the client without a named contact and a clear way to reach them.
- Don't make promises about prices, service or projects you won't be around to keep.
After you send it
If a client doesn't reply, that's normal. The intro to the new contact is what matters, so confirm they've connected before your last day. Answer replies warmly and send business questions to the new contact. After you leave, a personal link on a work network is usually fine. Check your contract before any business contact. Keep notes personal, like congrats on news or holiday wishes. Fully respect any waiting period. Let clients reach out to you when they choose.
Building the habit: how to keep in touch with contacts and what a personal CRM does.
Taking your network to the next job? Capstone keeps your contacts, notes and where you met in your own account. Your clients stay a call or text away, wherever you work next.
Start 14 days free, then $25/mo
A study of 20 million LinkedIn members found that acquaintances, more than close friends, led to new jobs (Science, 2022). Capstone keeps those people warm. You approve every message, and it goes from your own email or phone.
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell clients you are leaving the company?
Talk to your employer first. Then send a short, warm note that thanks the client, gives your last day and introduces the person taking over. Many firms like a joint note from you and your manager. Keep the focus on smooth service, not on where you're going next.
Can I tell clients where I'm going when I leave?
It depends on your contract and your employer's rules, so check them before you say anything. Some contracts limit what you can share. Some bar you from contacting clients for a time. If you're unsure, ask your employer or a lawyer. When in doubt, keep the goodbye about thanks and the handoff.
When should I tell clients I'm leaving my job?
Tell clients after your employer agrees on the timing and the handoff plan. That is usually one to two weeks before your last day. It leaves time for a handoff call with the new contact. Telling clients before your employer knows can hurt trust on both sides. It may also break your contract.
Should I connect with clients on a professional network before I leave?
Connecting on a personal level is common, but read your contract first. Some limit contact with clients after you leave. If you connect, keep it personal. Avoid any message that asks for their business. Let the official handoff to the new contact do its work.
What do you write in a goodbye email to a client on your last day?
Thank them for something specific and confirm it's your last day. Repeat the new contact's name, email and phone. Keep it to a few lines. A last-day note is a final courtesy. Skip the long thoughts. Make it easy for them to know just who to contact tomorrow.