The Friction You Can't See

How invisible barriers are costing you clients (and what to do about it)

Some years ago, I advised a large global tech firm that had a surprising problem...

...despite their scale and innovation, they couldn't explain what they actually did in simple, human terms to the C-level clients they needed to win over.

Their messaging was wrapped in technical jargon and internal language — and it was causing real friction.

Even genuinely interested prospects struggled to understand how they could help, and the confusion slowed down opportunities, deals, and relationships.

I worked with their senior executives to reframe everything into a clear narrative using a storytelling process.

Once they could articulate their value simply, client conversations shifted almost overnight.

The solo consultant's hidden problem

It's easy to assume only big firms get tangled up like this.

But in my experience, it happens just as much when you're working solo.

And often, we don't even notice the friction we've created — until the momentum stalls.

Friction can appear anywhere in the buying journey.

And when it does, it makes it far too easy for potential clients to hesitate, drift, or walk away.

Common points of friction

Watch for these issues in your own business:

• Making the initial offer too big, too soon — before trust is built

• Speaking in vague, confusing, or process-heavy language

• Not providing a clear, easy next step for the client to take

• Hiding fees or making pricing feel vague, which erodes trust

• Taking too long to respond to signs of interest

What happens in your prospect's brain - When they hit friction:

• Their brain goes into threat detection mode

• Stress responses activate

• Decision-making capacity drops

• They default to the safest option: doing nothing

When you remove friction:

• They feel more comfortable moving forward

• Trust builds naturally

• Decisions feel easier

• They're more likely to say yes

Three ways to remove friction immediately

Simplify your message: Lead with the outcome and benefit — not the method or technicalities.

Create an easy first step: Offer a low-commitment engagement (like a paid diagnostic) to start building trust fast.

Be clear and responsive: Make the buying process obvious, price expectations clear, and stay quick to follow up.

Your next move

Your goal is to help clients move towards working with you — not to make them work harder to understand you or buy from you.

A question: Where in your client journey might you be creating friction without realising it?