The Middle of Funnel: Your Secret Weapon for Growth

As a growth lead at Pareto, I’ve seen first-hand the power of focusing on the Middle of funnel (MOF) to drive growth. In this article, I’ll explain what MOF is, why it’s often neglected, and how you can use it to supercharge your growth. We’ll cover six common MOF marketing strategies, dive into how to create effective MOF content, and explore metrics to measure MOF campaigns. Finally, we’ll look at some examples of effective MOF marketing campaigns to inspire you.

What is the Middle of Funnel?

The funnel is a metaphor for the customer journey from initial awareness to final conversion. The top of the funnel (TOF) is where you generate awareness and attract potential customers. The bottom of the funnel (BOF) is where you convert those potential customers into paying customers. The MOF is the middle section of the funnel, where you nurture those potential customers and guide them towards the BOF.

MOF marketing is all about building relationships with potential customers and convincing them that your product or service is the best solution to their problem. This involves providing value, building trust, and addressing objections. MOF content can include case studies, testimonials, webinars, whitepapers, and demos.

Why is the Middle of Funnel Neglected?

MOF marketing is often neglected because it’s not as glamorous as TOF or BOF marketing. TOF marketing is all about generating buzz and excitement, while BOF marketing is all about closing the deal. MOF marketing, on the other hand, can be seen as the “boring” part of the funnel.

Another reason MOF marketing is neglected is that it can be difficult to measure. While you can track clicks and conversions at the TOF and BOF, MOF is all about building relationships, which can be harder to quantify. This can make it harder to justify the investment in MOF marketing.

However, neglecting MOF marketing can be a fatal mistake. If you focus too much on TOF and BOF and neglect MOF, you risk losing potential customers who are not quite ready to convert. By neglecting MOF, you’re leaving money on the table.

The Importance of Middle of Funnel Marketing

MOF marketing is critical for several reasons. First, it can help you build a relationship with potential customers and differentiate yourself from the competition. By providing value and building trust, you can position yourself as the go-to solution for your customers’ problems.

Second, MOF marketing can help you overcome objections and reduce friction in the customer journey. By addressing common objections and providing social proof, you can make it easier for potential customers to convert.

Finally, MOF marketing can help you create compounding growth loops. By delighting your customers and turning them into advocates, you can generate word-of-mouth referrals and reduce your customer acquisition costs.

6 Common Middle of Funnel Marketing Strategies

Here are six common MOF marketing strategies you can use to supercharge your growth:

1. Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing is all about staying top-of-mind with potential customers and guiding them towards the BOF. This can involve email marketing, retargeting, and personalized content. The key is to provide value and build trust over time.

2. Customer Engagement

Customer engagement is all about getting potential customers to interact with your brand. This can involve surveys, quizzes, contests, and social media. The key is to make it fun and interactive.

3. Conversion Optimization

Conversion optimization is all about reducing friction in the customer journey and maximizing conversions. This can involve A/B testing, landing page optimization, and checkout optimization. The key is to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to convert.

4. Product-led Growth

Product-led growth is all about using your product to drive growth. This can involve product demos, free trials, and freemium models. The key is to provide value upfront and let the product sell itself.

5. User Acquisition

User acquisition is all about getting more potential customers into the funnel. This can involve paid advertising, social media, and SEO. The key is to target the right audience and provide value upfront.

6. Growth Marketing

Growth marketing is all about experimenting and iterating to find the most effective MOF marketing strategies for your business. This can involve data analysis, hypothesis testing, and agile marketing. The key is to be constantly learning and adapting.

How to Create Effective Middle of Funnel Content

Effective MOF content is all about providing value, building trust, and addressing objections. Here are some tips for creating effective MOF content:

1. Focus on the Customer

Effective MOF content is all about the customer, not the product. Focus on the customer’s pain points, needs, and desires, and show how your product can help.

2. Provide Value

Effective MOF content provides value upfront. This can involve educational content, case studies, and best practices. The key is to provide value that the customer can use right away.

3. Build Trust

Effective MOF content builds trust over time. This can involve testimonials, social proof, and thought leadership. The key is to show that you’re an authority in your field and that you have the customer’s best interests at heart.

4. Address Objections

Effective MOF content addresses common objections and reduces friction in the customer journey. This can involve FAQs, demos, and free trials. The key is to make it as easy as possible for the customer to convert.

Metrics: How to Measure Middle of Funnel Campaigns

Measuring MOF campaigns can be challenging, but it’s critical for optimizing your funnel. Here are some metrics to track:

1. Engagement

Engagement metrics include email open rates, click-through rates, and social media shares. These metrics indicate how interested potential customers are in your content.

2. Lead Quality

Lead quality metrics include lead score, lead source, and lead-to-opportunity conversion rate. These metrics indicate how likely potential customers are to convert.

3. Time to Conversion

Time to conversion metrics include time between lead capture and conversion, and time between MOF engagement and conversion. These metrics indicate how long it takes potential customers to convert and how effective your MOF marketing is.

4. Customer Lifetime Value

Customer lifetime value (CLV) is the total value a customer brings to your business over their lifetime. CLV is a critical metric for measuring the effectiveness of your MOF marketing in creating compounding growth loops.

Examples of Effective Middle of Funnel Marketing Campaigns

Here are some examples of effective MOF marketing campaigns to inspire you:

1. Hubspot

Hubspot uses lead nurturing to guide potential customers towards the BOF. They provide educational content, personalized emails, and retargeting ads to stay top-of-mind with potential customers.

2. Drift

Drift uses chatbots to engage potential customers and guide them towards the BOF. They provide personalized demos and free trials to reduce friction in the customer journey.

3. Slack

Slack uses product-led growth to drive growth. They offer a free version of their product that provides value upfront and encourages users to upgrade to the paid version.

4. Dropbox

Dropbox uses user acquisition to get more potential customers into the funnel. They offer referral bonuses and social sharing to encourage users to invite their friends.

5. ConvertKit

ConvertKit uses growth marketing to experiment and iterate on their MOF marketing strategies. They use data analysis, hypothesis testing, and agile marketing to constantly improve their funnel.

Conclusion

The Middle of Funnel is often neglected, but it’s a secret weapon for growth. By focusing on MOF marketing, you can build relationships with potential customers, overcome objections, and create compounding growth loops. Use the six common MOF marketing strategies to guide you, and create effective MOF content that provides value, builds trust, and addresses objections. Measure your MOF campaigns using engagement, lead quality, time to conversion, and customer lifetime value. Finally, look to examples of effective MOF marketing campaigns to inspire you.