The short answer
A growth audit checks four layers in order: positioning (is the offer clear to a stranger in ten seconds), demand (is the traffic from people who can buy), conversion (does the site turn interest into an enquiry), and follow-up (does every enquiry get a fast, qualified response). Work top-down, because a fix at a lower layer cannot compensate for a break at a higher one — more traffic to an unclear offer simply costs more.
Work top-down, always
Growth problems compound downwards. Unclear positioning makes every channel expensive. Weak conversion wastes every visit. Slow follow-up wastes every enquiry. Fixing the lowest layer first is the most common expensive mistake.
The twelve checks
Run these in order and stop at the first clear failure:
- A stranger can state what you sell and who it is for after ten seconds on the homepage.
- One primary action is obvious on every page.
- Your top three traffic sources are named, with volume and conversion for each.
- Traffic is predominantly from your target geography and buyer type.
- The main landing page loads quickly on mobile and has no horizontal scroll.
- Proof appears above the fold: named results, clients, or numbers.
- Form fields number four or fewer.
- Every form submission triggers an instant acknowledgement.
- Median first-response time is under one hour in business hours.
- Every lead has a named owner and a next step with a date.
- You know your cost per qualified lead, not just cost per lead.
- You can state your close rate from qualified lead to client.
What the failures usually mean
Failures in the first four checks point at positioning and targeting — the expensive kind to ignore. Failures in the middle four are conversion work, usually a fast fix. Failures in the last four are process, and they are almost always where recoverable revenue is sitting.
Frequently asked
How often should this be run?
Quarterly, and always before a meaningful budget increase. The constraint moves as the business grows.
Can we run it ourselves?
Yes — all twelve are observable from your own site and CRM. The hard part is judging your own positioning honestly, which is why a second pair of eyes helps.
What if several checks fail?
Fix the highest failing layer first. Sequencing matters more than volume of fixes.
Free GTM Diagnosis
Want this run on your pipeline?
Send two details. We come back with the two or three gaps costing you the most revenue.
No spam. No sales sequence. One reply from a human.
Prefer to talk? Book a 30-minute call