Getting leads from the top to the middle of the funnel is a major achievement, but the task isn’t over just yet. That is why you need to nurture the leads and guide them through the entire buyer journey in order to convert them into paying customers.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can optimize the middle of the lead generation funnel for better results and lead generation management.
Why is the middle of the funnel important?
The middle of the lead generation funnel bridges the gap between the initial intrigue among the audience (the top-funnel) and the final sale (bottom-funnel).
When a user is at the top of the funnel, they are just a prospect. But when they reach the middle of the funnel, they transform into qualified marketing leads.
The middle of the funnel is where marketing and sales teams meet to combine their efforts and close leads successfully. When your leads reach the mid-funnel, they are already familiar with your brand and your products or services. They are definitely interested, which is why they have chosen to interact with your business, but they are still not convinced enough to make a purchase.
What type of leads is present in the mid-funnel?
The first thing that you will probably notice about the middle of the funnel is that there are fewer prospects than there were at the top of the funnel. That is because only the users that are actually interested in your services or products make it to the middle.
While the lower numbers may discourage you, the drop off is actually a good thing. Instead of broadly marketing to your entire target audience, you can now focus all of your marketing efforts on customers who are interested in your company and are most likely to generate revenue.
The main goal of mid-funnel is simple — to guide your prospects successfully through the entire buyer’s journey by providing them with all the relevant information that can help them evaluate the brand’s offerings. The best way to do that is by sharing relevant and specific content that can deepen the connection made at the top of the funnel.
The content that you create for the middle of the funnel should be able to:
- Nurture leads and convince them to make a purchase
- Educate both currents as well as potential customers about your brand
- Create an emotional connect with the audience in order to improve brand awareness and build brand loyalty
It’s also important to note that the users that are present in the middle of the funnel already know about their problems and they are actively looking for a way to fix it. The motivation to purchase will vary greatly in leads, which is why you need to make sure that your middle funnel marketing activities are all about convincing your leads.
Tips to optimize your middle funnel successfully
1- Offer more specifics
When you are at the top of the funnel, you only provide your audience with top-level information. But now that your leads are in the middle, they need more specifics about your products or services so that they can compare them to the other options that they have.
After all, if a lead is interested in your product and hasn’t made a purchase yet, chances are, they are looking at your competitors as well. You need to make sure that you are giving enough information to your leads about what sets you apart from the rest.
2- Create targeted content
The content that you create for your middle funnel leads should be laser-focused according to the needs and interests of your audience. If the content isn’t related to your audience, then all of your efforts may reap no results at all.
3- Reduce any handoff friction
All the leads that reach the middle of the funnel are handed off from the marketing team to the sales team. The smoother the transition, the easier it is to successfully close the leads. The sales team can reduce the overall friction by understanding the buyer’s journey so far. B2B companies can reduce handoff friction by introducing their sales team to the leads and allowing them to directly initiate contact with sales personnel.
4- Publish case studies and white papers
Just telling your leads how great your product or service is, is not enough. You need to be able to convince them to make a purchase — white papers and case studies are the perfect way to do that. Though make sure that your white paper and case studies don’t end up becoming a brochure for your products which will eventually bore your audience. Instead, focus on the problems faced by your target audience and how your brand’s product and services can help resolve those problems.
5- Offer a free demo, product sample, or webinar
The best way to convince your leads about the usefulness of your product or service is by seeing it in action. Your sales team can offer webinars, demos, and samples with prospective customers in order to build rapport and create a strong lead relationship. You can also use this opportunity to answer any questions and remove any barriers that might be getting in the way.
Final words
The middle of the lead generation funnel is often the most important stage of your buyer’s journey. That is why it is important for both marketing and sales teams to stay focused on using the right content to motivate the leads to make a purchase.
