Some of the reasons why your business isn’t growing are easy to address if you know where to look. By identifying the bottlenecks, you can reignite growth and scale your business smoothly.
Your business is rolling along nicely, but suddenly… CRICKEY!
Growth has stalled, and you're left wondering why. 
Is it your marketing? Your sales process? Or maybe your operations?
The honest answer is: a bottleneck in any of these areas could contribute to reasons why your business isn’t growing.
Bottlenecks are inevitable in business. BUT staying stuck is optional.
So where do you start when you don’t even know what the issue is?
In this episode, we’re breaking down the most common bottlenecks in business growth I observe as a business coach. PLUS I’m going to give you practical solutions to get back on track.
Let's tackle this together—grab a cuppa and let’s sort this out! 
Common Business Bottlenecks In Marketing–Attracting The Right Leads 
Marketing is notoriously tricky because many of us don’t come with a marketing background. It’s easy to spend a lot of money without the results to show for it. So where is it going wrong?
The most common answer is: one way or another, you're probably not reaching the right people. It’s like casting a wide net but catching the wrong fish.
Not Knowing Your Ideal Client
Before you can effectively market your business, you need to know who you're marketing to. Can you describe your ideal client in detail? What are their specific pain points, and what motivates them to seek your services? If you’re not crystal clear about who they are, even the best marketing tactics will fall flat.
Solution: Of all the reasons why your business isn’t growing, not defining your ideal client is big. So take a moment to write down who your ideal client is. How long have they been in business? How many staff do they have? What geographical area do they serve? What keeps them up at night? Think about their challenges, their goals, and the platforms they spend the most time on. The clearer you are about who they are, the easier it is to tailor your marketing efforts.
Not Addressing Your Client’s Needs 
Once you know who you're talking to, make sure your marketing messaging speaks directly to their needs. Are you addressing their pain points and are you positioning your business as the perfect solution? Are you solving their problems rather than talking about all your credentials and achievements? Businesses often struggle with trying to appeal to everyone, but remember, if you try to speak to everyone, you’ll connect with no one.
Solution: Look at your current marketing materials and ask, “Does this directly speak to my ideal client?” If not, tweak your message. Be specific and make sure you’re highlighting what matters most to them.
Using The Wrong Channels To Reach Your Clients 
Even if your messaging is on point, you won’t see results if you're not reaching your ideal clients where they spend their time. Are they on Instagram or LinkedIn? Do they prefer email newsletters or podcasts? Focus your efforts on the platforms that your audience is most engaged with, rather than spreading yourself too thin across every channel.
Solution: Evaluate your marketing channels. If your ideal clients are professionals, LinkedIn may be more effective than Instagram. If they’re busy entrepreneurs, perhaps a well-timed email newsletter will resonate better. Focus on where they’re hanging out!
By fine-tuning who you're marketing to, what you're saying, and where you're saying it, will attract more qualified leads. This makes all your marketing efforts worthwhile.
Common Business Bottlenecks In Sales–Your Conversion Process 
Let’s move on to sales.
You might get leads through the door, but are they also converting into paying clients? If not, this could be a bottleneck in your sales process, another factor that negatively affects business growth.
Let’s see how you can turn the fruits of your marketing process into loyal customers.
Do You Have A Sales Funnel? 
In my experience, many business owners don’t have a clear sense of what their sales process actually looks like from start to finish. When you don’t have a defined series of steps that you consistently follow with each lead, you WILL miss opportunities.
For service-based businesses, a sales funnel typically looks something like this:
- Awareness - Someone becomes aware of your services.
- Interest - They sign up for a free resource or booking a discovery call.
- Qualifying - You have a consultation with them.
- Decision - You send a proposal or a quote.
- Action - They either say yes or no.
Solution: If you don’t have a clearly mapped out sales process, this is where you should start when tackling the common business bottlenecks in sales. Ask what a typical journey looks like for a potential client in your business? Map out your sales process step by step. Include all the steps: emails, questionnaires, phone calls, meetings, etc. Once that is in place, consider: Where are people dropping off? Is it after they get your proposal? Or maybe they’re going through all the steps, but not showing up for the consultation? Pinpoint the trouble spots so you can start smoothing them out.
Not Following Up Like a Pro 
One of the biggest mistakes in sales is not following up. Just because a potential client doesn’t respond right away doesn’t mean they’re not interested. Maybe they’re distracted by other things that are going on in their business? Maybe they have (new) questions? Or maybe they are undecided and need a gentle nudge to move forward.
Solution: The solution to this reason why your business isn’t growing is obvious: implement a follow-up system. Whether it’s a quick email after a discovery call or a check-in after sending a proposal, staying top of mind will help potential clients to take the next step.
Confusing The Heck Out Of Your Potential Clients 
Another common business bottleneck in sales is complexity. If your potential clients are confused about your service packages, pricing, or deliverables, they’re more likely to walk away. Make it as easy as possible for your potential clients to close the deal. If they need to chase you to get basic information, many people will simply not bother.
Solution: Review your sales materials. Are your service offerings clear and straightforward? It's helpful to ask somebody outside of your business to have a look at your offerings. Are they confused? Does the value of what you offer come across immediately? Simplify where necessary so potential clients can easily understand how you can help them and why they should choose you.
Common Business Bottlenecks In Operations–Streamlining What You Do
Finally, let’s talk about operations.
If you’re asking why is my business not growing, then this is another area to take a closer look at.
Not Automating Wherever You Can 
If you have been listening to the podcast for a while, you’ve no doubt heard me harping on about this factor that negatively affects business growth.
Spending hours on repetitive tasks is a trade-off of for valuable time you could invest in growing your business. From appointment scheduling to project tracking, many of these tasks can be automated with the right tools.
Solution: Identify the tasks that take up too much time. Could you automate your client follow-ups with email software? Could a project management system help you stay organized? Look into tools like Monday.com (my favourite) to streamline your processes and free up time.
Not Delegating Enough 
As business owners, we often think we need to do everything ourselves. It’s a natural response because we were the ones who built our business from the ground up. But if you’re drowning in admin work, it’s time to delegate. Whether it’s hiring a virtual assistant or bringing on a team member, delegating tasks that don’t require your direct involvement is key in resolving this common bottleneck in business growth.
Solution: Make a list of the tasks that don’t require your expertise, and consider outsourcing them. Freeing up time allows you to focus on the big-picture tasks that will drive growth.
Having No Systems and Processes For Consistency 
To scale your business, you need systems. This means creating workflows for everything, from client onboarding to team communication. When your operations run smoothly, you can take on more clients without feeling overwhelmed. But also, it makes sure that if you delegate to a team member (or in case you get sick), there are processes in place that guarantee a level of excellence you desire in your business.
Solution: The solution to this reason why your business isn’t growing is to audit your current processes. Where do things feel chaotic or inconsistent? Put systems in place that ensure everything runs smoothly, whether you’re managing a team or delivering a service. This will not only improve efficiency, but also avoid expensive mistakes and enhance the client experience.
Streamlining your operations will help you handle more clients, improve consistency, and take your business to the next level—without burning out.
So, there you have it. By fine-tuning these areas, you’ll be well on your way to overcoming the most common bottlenecks and seeing real, sustainable growth. Remember, it's all about making small, intentional changes. 
If you're feeling overwhelmed, start with just one of these areas and make improvements step by step. Before you know it, you'll be back on the path to growth! 
Would You Like Some Help With That?
OK , I admit.
It’s not always easy to see the forest for the trees when it comes to looking at your own business. It’s so much easier for somebody else to tell you where the reasons why your business isn’t growing lie. (This is exactly why a business coach has a business coach!)
If you’re feeling unsure about where those bottlenecks are hiding, don’t worry—that’s exactly what the Business Growth Snapshot is for!
For just $50, I’ll take a deep dive into your marketing, sales, and operations to uncover where your opportunities lie. You’ll walk away with a clear, actionable plan to make improvements that will move the needle for your business.
Normally, this Snapshot is priced at $97, but until the end of October, you can grab it for only $50!
Sound good? Head over to sandrajulian.co/snapshot to secure your Business Growth Snapshot today. Let’s get those bottlenecks sorted so you can focus on what you do best—growing your business! 
Don't wait—this special pricing won't last forever!
