Are you familiar with TOFU? No, we don’t mean that delicious source of protein for countless vegetarians and vegans. We mean the top of the (sales) funnel, also known as TOFU. And, when it comes to the sales funnel success, the top must be followed by the middle (MOFU) and the bottom (BOFU). Let’s take a look at why all three are important and how they build upon one another for conversion.
Top of the Funnel
TOFU is a large pool of leads who, generally speaking, have a problem to solve and are looking for information. With so many potential customers, those at the top of the funnel have little value as they are unqualified leads. Your job is to qualify them and continue moving them down the funnel.
Individuals in the top of the funnel typically begin by conducting an online search about their particular pain point or concern. When prospects are seeking information, you want them to find you, so make sure that your site is chock-full of relevant content, including a keyword-relevant blog.
While keywords are important, avoid stuffing. Optimize your blog, titles, meta titles and descriptions to feature relevant keywords and fit SEO character limits. Share and promote your blog post every time you add a new one and continue to market evergreen content on your site. Content is critical to the TOFU since it is what initially captures someone’s attention and draws them to your site.
Middle of the Funnel
Congrats, you have eaten the TOFU and made it to MOFU, which many consider the most critical stage of the sales funnel. Now that you have garnered attention, you need to capture visitors’ data and turn them into qualified leads.
At this point, people have fully acknowledged their problem and are actively seeking a solution. The primary difference between this stage and the top of the funnel is that content at the top is aimed at educating buyers, while content in the middle of the funnel should explain to potential buyers why your product or service is the best solution.
So, this is your time to shine and let them know how your products or services can help them. Leads in this stage are warm and are apt to decide whether or not they want to work with you based on the data you offer them.
Use “gating” to capture data on landing page forms in exchange for content. While form questions vary, it’s imperative you get an email address so that you begin nurturing these leads with personalized emails and content.
Bottom of the Funnel
As prospects move from Middle Of the FUnnel to BOFU, they will know—and you should too—whether or not they are planning to make a purchase. What should happen in BOFU is that they decide to buy from you!
These leads are ready to commit, and the right offer can be just the push they need. Research from Forbes indicates that most buyers get more than halfway (60-70 percent) through the sales process before they want to even speak to a salesperson.
Just like in MOFU, the quality of offers and the approach can be the deciding factor. HubSpot suggests combining MOFU and BOFU offers to catch buyer attention earlier on and stay on their radar. Regardless, it is important to think of the bottom of the funnel as more than just closing the deal. It is the beginning of a new relationship and a way for you to analyze the effectiveness of your campaigns so that you can constantly improve your conversion.
All 3 of these levels are not stand-alone components—they must work together and build upon one another in order to succeed. Picture an inverted pyramid with Top Of the FUnnel being the largest, widest section at the top, followed by MOFU in the center. At the bottom of the pyramid—the smallest, most exclusive section—is where the most qualified leads become customers.
When it comes down to it, all of this matters and all of this works when you are attracting the right audience. 