Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU) Marketing Strategies That Drive Conversion

The key to bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) marketing is providing value and building trust and credibility with potential consumers. But it's hard to know what will make them commit when they’re so close to purchase. In this blog, we’ll explore key BOFU marketing strategies that drive conversion to turn your leads into loyal advocates for your brand.

Why BOFU Marketing Matters

Getting your customers through the marketing funnel is like a marathon; they’re about to cross the finish line, but they need one final push at the end. The bottom of the funnel is the stage where you focus on turning interested customers into loyal ones. Your BOFU marketing needs to give these potential customers the right incentive and resolve any lingering doubts to complete their purchase. Otherwise, you’ve done all the other work in your marketing funnel for nothing!

BOFU Marketing Strategies for Lead Nurturing 

Personalized email campaigns

At the bottom of the funnel, there’s no doubt that your customer has already shown interest, which makes them perfect for personalized marketing. 

By leveraging data such as their previous interactions or browsing behavior, you can send personalized email campaigns that include reminders about their abandoned carts or tailored product recommendations. 

The more personalized and relevant the content, the more likely it is to resonate, nudging them closer to purchasing.

High-intent landing pages

High-intent landing pages are designed to capture and convert customers who are ready to take action. These pages should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimized for any device, especially mobile. Don’t just take your BOFU leads to a generic home page or an irrelevant page with little to no CTAs. 

Let’s say your customer abandoned their cart. You can send them a personalized email with a CTA that takes them directly to a landing page that clearly highlights a promotion such as buy one, get one free as an incentive to complete their purchase. You can even send them to a page highlighting testimonies or an embedded video tutorial to address any questions or concerns. This approach works to slowly lure them back into the funnel instead of simply taking them back to your home page, where they have no clear direction. 

Retargeting ads

Retargeting ads ensure you’re not losing out on already interested leads that just need a little more encouragement. These ads gently remind them what they’re missing out on, especially when the messaging focuses on a special offer, a low stock alert, or even a personalized recommendation based on their previous interactions. 

For example, if a potential customer has been eyeing a specific pair of shoes, but hasn’t completed their purchase yet, a retargeting ad showcasing those shoes saying, “Only a few left in your size!” can create a sense of urgency. If they’re not ready to purchase quite yet, retargeting keeps your brand top-of-mind so that your product is their first choice when they’re ready.

Product demos and free trials

Allowing potential customers to experience your product or service for free gives them the confidence they need to make a final decision. Demos can be tailored to showcase how your product or service solves their specific problem, while free trials remove the risk barrier, making it easier for customers to say yes. 

However, the landing page must reinforce the idea of a no-strings-attached commitment. This page should clearly communicate that there are no hidden fees, obligations, or pressure to continue after the trial period. Plus, the sign-up form should be easy to fill out and not require too much personal information. To really solidify trust, add an FAQ section to address common concerns about the demo or trial so that your leads feel completely comfortable moving forward. 

SMS marketing

SMS marketing is excellent for BOFU since text messages are immediate and pretty hard to ignore. Since text messages are typically short and concise, they strategically prompt quick action, helping you capture last-minute conversions that might otherwise slip through the funnel. SMS marketing is especially great for time-sensitive promotions or flash sales since messages are often opened within minutes of being received. 

An often overlooked part of BOFU marketing is turning customers into fans of your brand. With SMS marketing, you can follow up with customers after a purchase, offering a thank-you note or a special incentive for their next order to build loyalty and encourage repeat business.

Customer testimonials and case studies

Nowadays, most consumers don’t purchase a product without referring to customer reviews—this is where testimonials and case studies come into play. Testimonials offer proof from satisfied customers, giving potential customers the reassurance they need to trust your brand. Case studies take this a step further by offering detailed, real-world applications and measurable outcomes into how your product or service has effectively solved specific problems for other customers.

When used together, testimonials and case studies create a compelling one-two punch in BOFU marketing. It builds credibility and fosters a sense of trust that’s crucial for converting interested leads. 

Best Practices in Bottom-of-Funnel Marketing 

Identifying high-intent leads and audiences

While the top of the funnel serves more as brand awareness, once leads make their way toward conversion, it’s crucial to know which ones are most likely to convert. For starters, high-intent leads probably have already engaged with your brand in meaningful ways, such as by visiting multiple pages on your website, downloading free content, or interacting with your chatbot or sales team. They might have also signed up for your newsletter, participated in a webinar, or even added items to their cart without completing the purchase. Recognizing which audiences are ready to move forward allows you to allocate resources more effectively.

CRO

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is a critical element of BOFU marketing. CRO involves analyzing the performance of your landing pages, forms, CTAs, and overall user experience to identify areas where leads might drop off. By making data-driven adjustments, whether big or small, like simplifying forms, optimizing load times, or refining your messaging, you can remove any barriers or inconveniences to conversion. As the name says, the key is to continuously optimize by testing every element to fine-tune the consumer journey. 

A/B testing

A/B testing is a great way to figure out what really drives your leads to conversion. You can try out different elements such as headlines, CTAs, email copy, and landing page layouts to see what gets the best response. For example, you might experiment with something as simple as a CTA button that says “Buy Now” versus “Get Started Today.” By testing which button leads to more conversions, you can make better decisions about what to use in your campaign materials. 

Creating offers and incentives

Whether it’s a limited-time discount, a bonus gift with a purchase, or an exclusive deal for first-time buyers, creating offers and incentives can be that final push toward the finish line. The most effective way to use this strategy is to tailor the incentives to your high-intent leads’ specific needs and motivations. For instance, if you have a skincare line and notice that a segment of your high-intent leads are looking at anti-aging products, you could offer a discount off their first purchase of any anti-aging serum, along with free samples of complementary products. This approach addresses your consumers’ unique concerns or needs to increase the chances of turning them into repeat buyers. 

Clogged Funnel?

There’s no such thing as the perfect funnel, but there are a lot of strategies and tools to help you create a frictionless customer journey. AdRoll can help you deliver impactful, personalized advertising that drives results at every stage of the marketing funnel. 

Last updated on August 26th, 2024.