When it comes to marketing, the middle of the funnel (MOFU) is often the unsung hero. Many businesses pour resources into attracting new leads at the top of the funnel or focus on closing sales at the bottom. However, MOFU marketing can be a powerful catalyst for nurturing potential customers, building trust, and ultimately driving conversions. Here are five surprising ways middle-of-funnel marketing can transform your business—and why you should start paying attention to this critical stage.
Surprising Stat: Content that educates and addresses customer pain points can increase brand trust by up to 80%, according to Demand Gen Report.
At the middle of the funnel, customers are no longer strangers to your brand. They’re evaluating whether your product or service truly meets their needs. By delivering educational and relevant content—think blog posts, case studies, and webinars—you can guide them through the decision-making process and address any concerns head-on. For instance, HubSpot doubled its lead conversion rate by creating tailored eBooks for different customer segments, leading prospects further down the funnel with valuable, personalized resources.
Takeaway for Small Businesses: Invest in creating in-depth guides or resources specific to your target audience's interests. This step helps position your brand as an expert, making customers more likely to trust your offerings.
Surprising Stat: Retargeting ads can lead to a 70% higher conversion rate than regular display ads, according to Invesp.
Retargeting is one of the most effective MOFU strategies to keep potential customers engaged. Many buyers who visit your site are still in the consideration stage and need additional reminders before making a decision. Retargeting allows you to reach out to those users who have shown interest but haven’t converted. Amazon famously uses retargeting to promote products customers have viewed but didn’t purchase, leading to an impressive conversion increase.
Takeaway for Small Businesses: Set up retargeting ads on Google or social media platforms to re-engage users who have visited key pages on your website, such as product or service descriptions. It’s a cost-effective way to stay top-of-mind and bring leads back to convert.
Surprising Stat: Over 90% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase, as reported by BrightLocal.
Social proof—like testimonials, case studies, and user-generated content—is especially persuasive in the MOFU stage. Prospective customers often seek validation from others before moving forward with a purchase. **Slack**, for example, leverages case studies featuring well-known clients to showcase its product’s impact, helping to sway undecided users. This form of social proof can be as effective for small businesses, highlighting positive experiences from real customers or showcasing reviews and feedback on social platforms.
Takeaway for Small Businesses: Feature testimonials, reviews, or case studies on your website and social media to show that others trust your brand. This strategy reassures prospects that your product or service is worth the investment.
Surprising Stat: Nurtured leads produce a 20% increase in sales opportunities compared to non-nurtured leads, according to Forrester.
Email nurturing is a powerful way to guide middle-of-funnel prospects toward a sale. Automated email sequences, customized with valuable content, can gently nudge leads closer to a buying decision. A notable example is **Grammarly**, which uses personalized emails to show prospects their writing statistics and suggests ways the premium version could improve their experience. This approach boosts engagement and provides value to the user, making them more likely to convert over time.
Takeaway for Small Businesses: Set up a sequence of educational and value-focused emails for leads who have shown interest but haven’t purchased yet. Deliver insights, tips, or exclusive offers to keep them engaged and move them closer to a sale.
Surprising Stat: Webinars have an average conversion rate of 55%, according to ON24.
When customers reach the middle of the funnel, they’re often searching for a deeper understanding of how your product or service works. Live demos or webinars give prospects a chance to see your offering in action and ask questions in real-time. **Zoom** is a perfect example; the company saw a significant rise in conversions after offering live demos to showcase their video-conferencing capabilities to prospective customers.
Takeaway for Small Businesses: Consider hosting live demos or webinars to address frequently asked questions and showcase your product’s benefits. This interactive approach can help turn qualified leads into committed buyers.
Middle-of-funnel marketing is often underutilized, but it’s a critical phase for converting interested leads into ready-to-buy customers. By focusing on trust-building content, retargeting, social proof, email nurturing, and interactive experiences, your business can transform casual interest into brand loyalty and conversions. Each of these strategies offers small businesses a way to maximize their impact and efficiency—while creating a more robust path to purchase.
