The Friction Audit
See Your Business the Way a New Customer Does.
Before you spend more on traffic, campaigns or a redesign, find out where buyers get stuck and what to fix first.
Snapshot 2–4 weeks · Complete 4–6 weeks · Part of the fee is credited toward what comes next
Friction Scorecard
Illustrative Example| Place | Score, 1 to 10 | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Find You |
7 out of 10
|
Minor |
| Understand You |
4 out of 10
|
Leak |
| Trust You |
6 out of 10
|
Leak |
| Choose You |
3 out of 10
|
Constraint |
| Stay with You |
9 out of 10
|
Clear |
Higher is healthier · Clear 9–10 · Minor 7–8 · Leak 4–6 · Constraint 1–3
Why It Matters
Psychologists call it the curse of knowledge: once you know something, it’s hard to imagine not knowing it. You know what you do, why it’s good and why customers choose you. A first-time buyer knows none of that, and that gap is where friction lives.
The audit tells you what kind of problem you actually have:
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If people find you but leave confused,
the message needs work.
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If they understand you but stay skeptical,
the missing piece is proof.
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If they’re interested but don’t take the next step,
the path to yes isn’t clear.
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If customers stall after they buy,
they need better guidance after the sale.
Where We Look
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Find You
“Where should I look?”
Search, AI answers, LinkedIn, useful content, industry conversations
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Understand You
“What do you do, and is it for me?”
Positioning, company story, website, product and service descriptions
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Trust You
“Why should I believe you?”
Customer stories, specific results, testimonials, expertise, a recognizable human voice
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Choose You
“Why you, and what’s next?”
How easy it is to evaluate fit, see differences, get answers and take the next step
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Stay with You
“Am I getting what I expected?”
Onboarding, customer communication, visible value, reasons to refer
Not ready to talk? Get the One-Page Self-Check by Email
How It Works
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1. Kickoff and Materials
We collect what you already have: sales deck, proposals, website analytics, CRM data, onboarding materials. Nothing needs to be created for us.
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2. Interviews
One-on-one conversations with your leaders and team, reported by theme and never attributed. Everyone answers the same core questions, so we can see where the team agrees and where it doesn’t.
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3. The Buyer’s View
We go through your business the way a buyer does: search, AI answers, your website, your sales materials, and real buyer language from calls and emails.
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4. Scoring
Each place gets a plain-language rating and a score from 1 to 10, based on evidence.
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5. Readout
We walk your leadership team through what we found and what to do first.
What You Get
Not a 60-page report. A short, clear readout.
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A Friction Score for Each Place
In words and numbers
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The Alignment Gap
How differently your team describes the business
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3 to 5 Priorities
With the biggest impact
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What to Change, and What to Stop Doing
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A 90-Day Plan
Next Steps Follow the Lowest Scores
Illustrative example
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Choose you · 3
Make Choosing You Easy.
A clear comparison, one next step.
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Understand you · 4
Say It in One Sentence.
One core message everywhere.
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Trust you · 6
Put Proof Where Buyers Decide.
Real stories at every decision.
Two Ways to Run It
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Snapshot
2–4 weeks
A fast, focused read on where you stand.
Your team’s view · 4 interviews · core materials and buyer-facing review
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Complete
4–6 weeks
A full picture, including your customers’ view.
Your team + your customers · 6–10 team + 3–5 customer interviews · plus recordings and research
Part of your audit fee is credited toward your next engagement with us.
Snapshot and Complete Compared
| Snapshot | Complete | |
|---|---|---|
| Interviews | 4 (leadership, sales, delivery, marketing) | 6 to 10 leaders and team members, plus 3 to 5 customers (can run without customers if access is limited) |
| Evidence | Core materials and buyer-facing review | Adds call recordings, customer feedback and past research |
| Timeline | 2 to 4 weeks, once materials are in and interviews are scheduled | 4 to 6 weeks, depending on materials, interview scheduling and customer availability |
| Price | Fixed fee, set after a short call so you only pay for the scope you need. | Fixed fee, set after a short call so you only pay for the scope you need. |
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What It Won’t Do
Removing friction won’t fix a product that fails to deliver or create demand for something people don’t need. If we find problems in pricing, product or sales, we’ll tell you and point you to who can fix them. What it can do is help a good business stop getting in its own way.
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After the Audit
Most clients move straight into removing what we found, as a project or with ongoing fractional leadership. Part of your audit fee is credited toward your next engagement with us. Minimum engagement applies.
Questions Buyers Ask
- How much of my team’s time does it take?
- Nothing needs to be created for us. Your team’s time goes to the interviews (4 for a Snapshot).
- Are the interviews confidential?
- Reported by theme, never attributed.
- What if we already know the problem?
- We can start there, as a project.
- What does it cost?
- Fixed fee, set after a short call so you only pay for the scope you need. Part of the fee is credited toward your next engagement.