Design a flow leading to action.
Before asking 'Where should we add a button?', ask 'Which step is causing customers to drop off?'
A good flow is a purposeful sequence of steps that leads customers to a clear action, with each step only asking for what is needed at that stage. The goal is not to add persuasive language, but to remove friction at points where customers might hesitate or drop off. Before optimizing anything, go through each step and ask yourself: can this step be eliminated?
- want to decrease the dropout rate in the ordering or registration process
- customers often hesitate or abandon at a specific step
- the flow has many steps, and customers are unaware of how far they are from the goal
- want to add persuasion without analyzing friction at every step
- cut steps without checking if that step prevents critical errors
When clients do not reach out, many brand owners' first reaction is to add persuasive content or a call-to-action button. However, the issue often lies not in a lack of persuasion, but in the flow having friction at the exact points the client needs to pass through. Removing the right obstacles is much more effective than adding more words.
What is a flow and why is it more important than the interface
A flow is a series of intentional steps guiding customers from the first entry point to the action you want them to take, such as filling out a form, making a call, or scheduling a consultation. Each step in the flow is a small decision the customer must make: continue or stop.
For Sinh Vũ, the flow and content phase precedes the interface phase in every website project. The page structure and content driving actions must be established first, then the design can follow. The reason is simple: a beautiful interface on an empty flow does not lead customers anywhere.
Factors that determine the quality of the flow
- Clear entry points: Customers must know beforehand where they will go and what they will lose, specifically time and information they need to provide. Vague call-to-action buttons reduce allure (information scent), making customers hesitant to proceed.
- Number of steps and interaction costs: Each click, fill, or wait incurs a cost. Costs accumulate with each step. Unnecessary steps can lose customers even if they initially intended to proceed.
- Distinguishing necessary friction from excessive friction: Asking for confirmation before deleting data is necessary friction. Forcing customers to provide their address early on when it will only be used later is excessive friction.
- Progress signals: In a long flow, if the client does not know how far they are from the finish line, they tend to abandon the process thinking it is still far away.
- Channel transition point: The point where the flow shifts from the website to a phone call or text message is often the highest drop-off point if the context is not continued for the customer.
When to reduce steps, when to maintain friction
Reduce steps and remove friction when the goal is to complete an order, register, or fill out a contact form. Each unnecessary step here increases the risk of customers dropping off. Ask each thing one at a time, at the right moment.
Keep friction when that step prevents customers from making hard-to-repair mistakes, such as confirming before sending important information, or when a decision requires further consideration to avoid customer regret later. Here, friction serves as a protective tool, not a design oversight.
The question to ask at each step: Can this step be skipped? If skipped, will the client lose anything important? If the answer is no, then skip it.
Common mistake in real-time flow
- A vague call-to-action button, such as "Contact us now" or "Learn more," does not inform the customer what the next step looks like, making them hesitant to click.
- It is mandatory for customers to fill in information early even if it will only be used later, creating a sense of annoyance from the start.
- A long flow without progress signals, such as "Step 2 / 4", leaves customers unsure of how far they have to go and may abandon it.
- Suddenly shifting customers to another channel without maintaining context: customers are reading on the web, clicking a phone number, encountering a stranger who doesn't know who they are and is asking about something.
Review the entire journey to identify the customer's biggest pain points, often revealed at channel transition points. Find ways to eliminate steps or add elements that make those steps easier to reduce overall interaction costs.
Nielsen Norman Group, 7 Ways to Analyze a Customer-Journey Map
The viewpoint of Sinh Vũ
In working with small and medium brands in Vietnam, Sinh Vũ sees a recurring issue: websites are designed to look good first, and then content is stuffed in later. The result is a lack of flow, leaving clients unsure of what to do next after reading.
Sinh Vũ's approach is to establish the flow before designing. In the initial project phase, Sinh Vũ creates the page structure and defines each step that guides customers from the entry point to the conversion point. The final deliverable includes a dedicated experience flow section, not just the interface. Sinh Vũ's clients know exactly how their customers will navigate the website and why.
You don’t need a perfect flow right from the start. You need a flow that is clear enough to run, then observe where customers actually drop off, and fix those specific points.
Decision checklist
Topic: Designing flows that lead to action. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
Nielsen Norman Group, Designing for Friction and Flow in Customer Journeys; Nielsen Norman Group, 7 Ways to Analyze a Customer-Journey Map; Nielsen Norman Group, Get Started Stops Users. Practical experience from Sinh Vũ on brand website projects in Vietnam.
Frequently asked questions
I have many call-to-action buttons on my website; why aren't customers reaching out?
Many buttons are not as effective as having the right button in the right place in the flow. A generic call-to-action button like 'Contact us now' does not inform customers about the next step, so they hesitate to click. Check to see if that button is placed after customers have received enough information to want to proceed, and if that button clearly states what customers will receive when they click.
Should I break the contact form into multiple steps to make it less cumbersome?
Breaking steps is useful when a page asks too much and the customer feels overwhelmed. However, if breaking it down only adds more clicks without helping the customer understand better or fill out easier, then it’s simpler to combine them. The principle is: each step should only ask for what is truly needed for that step; anything needed later should be asked later.
I want customers to call instead of filling out a form. How should I guide the flow?
Yes, but switching from web to phone calls is the most common drop-off point if the context is not continued. You need to clearly inform customers who they will meet, the purpose of the meeting, and how long it will take. If possible, suggest appropriate times to call so that customers do not dial the number only to find no one available.