In business, small friction points can cost you leads, create confusion, and make it harder for potential clients to connect with you. Often, we don’t notice these roadblocks until they’re pointed out – by a customer, a colleague, or even a random conversation. But when you listen to feedback, good or bad, you gain real insight into what needs to change.
“If you want to fix something, you have to admit it’s broken.”
I’ve had a few of these moments recently. Here’s what I learned – and how it applies to your business.
1. Make It Easy for People to Contact You
A client emailed me asking for my phone number to discuss a new project. My first thought was: How does he not already have it? Then I looked at my own site and realized the number was buried in a sidebar – not in the header where someone would actually look for it.
The fix: I moved the contact details to the header. If someone wants to reach me, I don’t want them hunting for that information.
Takeaway: If your phone number, email, or contact form isn’t immediately visible, you’re losing inquiries. One click should be all it takes.
2. Keep Your Business Profile Updated
A colleague I hadn’t spoken to in a while asked what I’d been working on lately. It made me realize I hadn’t updated my LinkedIn profile in months – in trying to cast a wide net, I’d made my services less clear, not more.
The fix: I rewrote my LinkedIn profile to clearly communicate what I do and who I help. When someone checks your profile, they should understand your value in the first ten seconds.
Takeaway: Outdated or vague business information means people don’t know how to engage with you. Audit your LinkedIn, website, and social bios at least a couple of times a year.
3. Use Clear, Industry-Specific Language
I handed my business card to someone outside the web industry. He looked at it and asked: “What kind of development do you do?” In his world, “development” meant construction and real estate – not websites.
The fix: I stopped using shorthand that makes sense inside the industry but means nothing – or the wrong thing – outside of it. “Website Design & Digital Marketing” is clearer than “Design & Development” to anyone who isn’t already in the room.
Takeaway: If your terminology is vague or easily misread, you’re creating friction before the conversation even starts. Your branding should communicate what you do to the people who don’t already know.
4. Listen, Adapt, and Improve
The pattern across all three of these is the same: someone pointed something out, I paid attention, and I fixed it. Feedback is only useful if you act on it.
- Are potential customers asking the same questions repeatedly? Update your FAQ.
- Are people misunderstanding your services? Clarify your branding.
- Are you missing inquiries? Make your contact info impossible to miss.
Small adjustments compound. A phone number in the right place, a clearer headline, a more specific job title – none of these feel like big moves, but together they remove the friction that keeps people from reaching out.
Need Help?
If your website or marketing has friction points you haven’t spotted yet, that’s exactly what a fresh set of eyes is for. Reach out anytime.
Worth Knowing
Research consistently shows that it takes less than 50 milliseconds for a visitor to form an opinion about your website – including whether your contact information is easy to find and whether your messaging is clear. First impressions aren’t just visual. They’re functional.
Source: Nielsen Norman Group – First Impressions and Web Credibility
