A few weeks ago, right before clicking “confirm” on an order for several basketball tickets, I noticed a surprising number …

The total price was nearly double what I expected.

Somewhere between the time I selected the tickets and entered my credit card, several fees were added.

The extra costs were so frustrating that I immediately left the website and bought tickets elsewhere.

In the marketing world, this type of hidden problem within a sales cycle is referred to as “friction.”

You can define friction as any variable that slows down or stops progress in the sales process. It’s basically anything that people complain about when telling someone about a buying experience.

The longer friction goes undetected, the more revenue you lose.

But here’s the good news:

This is one of the secrets to creating a successful marketing campaign.

You simply identify what’s preventing prospects from taking your desired action and then provide a solution.

For instance, Uber and Lyft burst on the scene because they removed the friction associated with taxis. Prices are usually less than normal taxi fares, and you don’t have to deal with long wait times.

Zappos removes the friction associated with buying shoes online by offering a free 365-day return policy. If your shoes don’t fit or you don’t like them, you have a full year to send them back at no cost.

I’m not a Constant Contact fan (the company’s “be a marketer” campaign is especially maddening), but it’s hard to argue against their offer. They remove buying friction by providing a free 60-day trial.

So think about it …

Is price a problem?

Offer a payment plan or provide more value.

Are they skeptical of your claims/offer?

Try a trial period or share more “how-to” content.

Do people worry you won’t be available when they need help?

Make it easy to reach you or give a guarantee.

If you fix the friction, you’ll often uncover a hidden source of sales.

Talk soon,
Tom

P.S. I’m opening a couple spots in my 10X One-on-One Coaching program in March. It’s a way to work one-on-one with me to multiply your marketing results, update your marketing materials, and create new campaigns and outreach strategies.

The program comes with a 10-times-your-investment guarantee.