Are you self-sabotaging your business?

Are you making the purchase process for your customers as easy as possible? Without realising it, we get in our own way when it comes to growing our business.

Here's my checklist (with sample prompts) to check how you could be self-sabotaging your business.

1. Are you easy to FIND?

Once you’ve done the work narrowing down the specifics of who your customers are (insert target markets, customer personas, niches etc). It’s time to make it as easy as possible for these dream customers to find you. Here are some prompts to help make your business easier to find (it’s not exhaustive):

• Do you show up where your customers are currently spending time? For example, Instagram Reels? Facebook Community Groups? LinkedIn B2B groups?
• Is your *Instagram handle easy to remember or memorable?

*insert the latest social media platform where your customers spend time*

• Is your google business profile up-to-date?
• Do your socials and website link to each other? (And do the links still work?) Do you have a business card, flyer or something tangible you can give someone when talking about your business?

2. Are you attractive and MEMORABLE?

You’ve done the hard work of getting a customer to your store. But are you making the best first impression you can? Just like no one wants to visit, let alone learn more about a store with a faded and peeling sign your online image needs to be attractive and memorable. Ask yourself;

• Is the first impression of your business positive? Overwhelming? Confusing? Customers won’t spend long on your website or socials, you only have seconds to grab their attention. As a result, most will “bounce” away and will never take the time to learn more about your business.
  

3. Are you easy to LEARN about?

Ok, so you’ve managed to keep a customer in-store or online. Are you communicating the key information customers need to learn and interact with your products and services?

• If your customers are on Instagram looking at your business, do you have your timetable saved in highlights or as a pinned post?
• Do you describe your services and what to expect?
  

4. Are you easy to BUY from?

Ever felt frustrated because you can’t find the checkout? Are you ensuring it’s intuitive to navigate your socials, website and in-store experience to purchase products and services?

• How many clicks does it take to buy a product or service? Consider your own most recent online purchase, how easy was the process?
• Does your business sell where your customers spend time? For example, does your website work just as well on your phone as on a desktop computer?

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