Top 5 Strategies for Generating Bottom-of-the-Funnel Leads

Bottom-of-funnel (BoFu) is the final stage of the marketing funnel, where the main goal is to convert the highly-intent, "almost there" leads into actual customers. By the time they reach BoFU, potential buyers have gone through the awareness and consideration stages, have seen what you have to offer, and are close to purchasing.?

But even at this stage, these prospects might need that final push to hit the "purchase" button.?

The BoFu stage requires a deep understanding of your buyer’s needs. You need to focus on providing solutions that really resonate with them, which is why most SaaS companies have to optimize their BoFu strategy. By doing so, you’ll get a chance to increase conversion rates and build customer loyalty, hopefully turning one-time buyers into repeat customers.

Before we look at the strategies you can implement to make the most of this final stage and generate high-intent leads, let’s first talk about why the bottom funnel is important.

Why Bottom-of-the-funnel matters?

In the lower part of the marketing funnel, you’re dealing with leads who have shown consistent interest and are close to making a purchase decision. Small missteps in this stage can lead to your potential clients choosing another option.

Bottom-of-funnel marketing is challenging because it requires flawless execution of your products and solutions. If the offering isn't perfect, you risk losing these valuable leads. Here’s why it matters:

• Boosts Conversion Rates: By targeting ready-to-buy leads, lower-funnel marketing strategies effectively turn prospects into paying customers.
• Builds Brand Credibility: Lower-funnel content highlights your expertise and value, enhancing your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness.
• Encourages Loyalty: Effective BoFu marketing not only drives initial sales but also fosters customer satisfaction and loyalty, leading to repeat business and referrals.

You want to invest in BoFu because it represents the final opportunity to convert leads into clients after significant resources have already been spent to attract them. Effective BoFu strategies should be problem-oriented, solution-focused, and responsive to the leads’ needs to maximize conversion chances.

1. Get Ready to Create Personalized Content

Different funnel stages require different content. For the ToFu stage, you want to produce content that builds awareness of the problem your SaaS can solve. For the MoFu stage, your content should generate interest in your products. As your prospects move down to the bottom of the funnel, the content you produce should become more personalized and align with the buyer’s specific interest.?

At this stage, your prospects should have all the information they need to confidently choose your solution in the sea of others. BoFu content has to address common complaints, provide relevant, up-to-date information, and position you as an expert in your field. The whole point of having designated BoFu content is to close more deals, shorten the sales cycle, and get a higher return on investment for your marketing efforts.

If you’re looking for ideas to improve and personalize your BoFu content, here are some content types you can start implementing:

Social Proof

Serious buyers always want to see some concrete evidence of how your product has successfully solved problems for other clients. Implementing social proof like reviews, testimonials, or case studies on your site can significantly improve the trust of your potential customers by offering tangible examples of how others have benefited from your products or services. For maximum effect, place these social proofs strategically on your product pages, during the checkout process, and on landing pages to reinforce your value proposition.

For instance, JustCall , a cloud phone system, effectively uses multiple forms of social proof on its homepage, including G2 badges, app ratings, the number of customers it serves, and testimonials.

These stories should ideally highlight specific customer benefits and be placed on pages most relevant to those benefits. For example, if a testimonial highlights a product’s durability, it should be featured on that specific product’s page.

When it comes to case studies, while typically longer than reviews or testimonials, select snippets can be used across your website. To create a case study , choose a successful customer and interview them to gather details about their challenges, the solutions they considered, and the outcomes of using your product or service.

Alternative Pages?

Alternative pages typically target people who are actively researching alternatives to a specific product and often include keywords like "alternatives to [Competitor]" or "[Competitor] alternatives" to capture search traffic. The ones browsing through these pages want to ensure they're not overlooking a better option.

These alternative pages provide an excellent opportunity to highlight your unique strengths. This doesn’t mean you need to criticize your competitors. Instead, focus on what your brand excels at compared to others.

Competitor Comparison Pages?

A competitor comparison is a more focused version of an alternatives page. Instead of exploring multiple options, it zeroes in on a single competitor for a detailed analysis. These pages are meant for those prospects who have already identified their problem and are now deciding between specific solutions. These pages meet their need for detailed, side-by-side comparisons, making it easier for them to choose your product.

The main goal of a competitor comparison is to clearly communicate your unique value proposition, which is what sets your product apart from the rest.

Blog Posts

By now, you should know that not all blog posts are created equal. BoFu blog posts should deliver detailed product information, customer success stories, and content that directly addresses any lingering concerns prospects might have. These posts help to drive sales and increase customer satisfaction. Use clear language, break up longer text blocks with headlines and images, and include calls to action (CTAs) strategically without being overly "salesy."

Product Demonstration Videos

Before buying a SaaS solution, most customers have no idea what the software actually looks like unless they book a demo. And let's face it; no one wants to spend hours on demos for various products, trying to decide which one works the best for them. Product demonstration videos offer a visual show of your product or service, effectively communicating its value. These videos should be clear and concise, focusing on the key features and benefits. High-quality, visually appealing videos can significantly engage your audience and move them closer to making a purchase.

2. Consider Using Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads help you re-engage prospects who had interacted with your website or social media before but left without making a purchase. These ads remind them of your brand and can nudge them toward completing a purchase. Since they target people who have already shown interest, they also often deliver a high ROI.??

The high-intent prospects in the BoFu stage are just a step away from converting, and retargeting ads can be the final push they need. By using segmentation and personalization, such as tailoring your ads to specific user behaviors or previous interactions with your brand, you can maximize your chances of converting these leads into customers.

To set up a retargeting campaign, you can use platforms like Google Ads , which allow you to add a tracking code, or pixel, to your website. This code tracks user actions, allowing you to serve targeted ads based on those actions.?

For example, you can target users who have visited specific pages, such as a "thank you" page after a form submission, or those who have interacted with your social media platforms, like LinkedIn Lead Ads.?

Tools like AdClarity can also help you analyze your competitors' top-performing ads. By entering a competitor’s domain into the app, you can see an overview of their ad strategies, including metrics like estimated cost and ad placement.

Successful Retargeting Case Study: Lumension

Lumension, an endpoint security software provider, demonstrates the success you can achieve with retargeting ads with an impressive case study . Despite a 30% reduction in its marketing budget, Lumension increased homepage views by 835%, total website traffic by 10%, and unique visitor traffic by 8% through a strategic retargeting approach.

What They Did:

1. Retargeted Groups: Lumension focused on five main groups, including existing customers, inactive email recipients, individuals from organizations of existing leads, and attendees of their conference booth.
2. Combined Efforts: They integrated their retargeting strategy with ongoing awareness campaigns. The combination of awareness efforts and retargeting ads helped convert more visitors into leads, leveraging increased audience size and brand recall.
3. Advanced Targeting: The team used advanced data techniques to retarget not just those who showed interest but also others within the same organizations, improving their reach and effectiveness.
4. Conference-Based Retargeting: Lumension used retargeting ads on conference-related websites to reach individuals who visited their booth, ensuring continued engagement.

Despite a reduced budget, Lumension's innovative retargeting strategies resulted in a remarkable increase in website traffic and brand visibility. This example illustrates how effective retargeting can be when executed thoughtfully, even in challenging budgetary conditions.

3. Implement Exit-Intent Popups

Exit intent popups are a great tool designed to capture a visitor's attention just as they are about to leave a website. By providing one last chance to convert visitors, exit intent popups can significantly reduce cart abandonment, increase email subscriptions, generate leads, and boost overall website engagement. ?

These popups are triggered by the visitor's behavior. When the cursor moves toward the browser's back button, they present offers like discounts, free trials, or exclusive content to tempt the visitor to stay longer or take action.?

By continuously testing and optimizing them, businesses can save up to 10-15% of lost website visitors, making exit intent popups a powerful tool for increasing conversions and enhancing customer retention. To be effective, these popups should provide genuine value, feature quality visuals, have a clear call-to-action, and be simple yet personalized.?

Here’s how you can effectively use them for BoFu generation:

Offer a Limited-Time Discount or Incentive: For visitors who are about to leave without making a purchase, offering a time-sensitive discount or exclusive offer through an exit intent popup can be the final nudge they need to convert.

Example: "Wait! Get 15% off if you complete your purchase now."

Promote a Free Consultation or Demo: For SaaS companies, offering a free consultation or demo can be an effective BoFu strategy. Use an exit-intent popup to encourage visitors to schedule a call or demo before they leave.

Example: "Not sure yet? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our experts."

Provide a Case Study or Success Story: Show how your product solved a problem for other customers. Offering a relevant case study can build trust and persuade visitors to engage further.

Example: "See how we helped [Company Name] achieve [Specific Result]. Download the full case study now."

Highlight a Risk-Free Trial: Reassure potential customers by offering a risk-free trial. This can help relieve concerns and encourage commitment.

Example: "Try us risk-free!”?

Collect Contact Information for Follow-Up: If a visitor is leaving without converting, use an exit intent popup to collect their email in exchange for a valuable offer, such as a checklist, guide, or exclusive content that aligns with their needs.

Example: "Not ready to buy? Get our ultimate guide to [Topic] sent straight to your inbox."

4. Run Email Campaigns?

As one of the most popular marketing channels, email marketing can be a great way to guide the customer journey, and you can even send targeted emails based on the interests and behaviors of your potential customers.

63% of consumers are annoyed by promotional emails that are not personalized . So, at the BoFu stage, your email content should be laser-focused on addressing the specific needs, concerns, and objections that your prospects may have. Use the data you have already gathered throughout their buyer’s journey, such as previous interactions, content consumed, and demographic information, to tailor your messaging to each prospect's unique situation.

To be even more effective, consider creating segmented email sequences that cater to different lead segments based on their behavior or stage in the buying process. For example, if a prospect has downloaded a case study, you can follow up with an email that offers a free consultation or demo, highlighting how your product or service directly solves the problems they’re facing.?

If another prospect has visited your pricing page multiple times, sending a personalized email with a limited-time discount or an invitation to chat with a sales representative could be the nudge they need to convert. Additionally, detailed product comparisons or ROI calculators included in your emails can further clarify why your product stands out against competitors.

Each email should have a clear call to action that guides the recipient toward the next step, whether that’s booking a demo, starting a free trial, or making a purchase. The CTA should be well displayed and easy to act on, using persuasive language like "Claim Your Discount," "Get Your Free Trial Today," or "Get Started Now."

5. Create a Sense of Scarcity

Sometimes, you need to convince a customer to take action now, and creating a sense of scarcity can be highly effective in doing that. When prospects are close to making a decision, creating the fear of missing out (FOMO) can be a great motivator to prompt these prospects to move from consideration to conversion more quickly.

There are three scarcity strategies you can use to influence customer decision-making:

Time-Limited

One effective tactic is to offer limited-time promotions or deals, such as discounts on subscriptions, bonus features, or special pricing tiers that are only available for a short period. Clearly communicate the deadline, whether it’s through countdown timers on your website, in your emails, or within your ads. When customers are faced with a time constraint, they are often motivated to act quickly before the offer expires.

Quantity Limited

Another approach is to emphasize the limited availability of certain features or offers. For instance, you could promote a "first 100 sign-ups" deal, where the first set number of customers who sign up receive exclusive benefits, such as early access to new features, personalized onboarding, or a lifetime discount on their subscription. By highlighting that these advantages are only available to a select few, you create a sense of exclusivity, making the offer more appealing and urgent.

Additionally, you can use messaging that highlights the potential loss of value if the customer doesn’t act quickly. Phrases like "Last Chance" or "Offer Ends Soon" can be included in your copy to remind prospects that they could lose something valuable if they delay their decision.

Access Limited

This model involves restricting access to certain information, options, or features to highlight their value. By limiting what customers can see or use, they are often motivated to purchase the full product to gain access to these exclusive features. Freemium SaaS models frequently use this scarcity tactic to encourage upgrades and upselling opportunities. For example, Dropbox limits access to its advanced features, creating a sense of exclusivity and value. Users who want to benefit from the additional features and expanded storage are encouraged to upgrade to a paid plan, thus using the scarcity of access to drive conversions.

Scarcity also works well in retargeting campaigns, where you can remind potential customers who have already shown interest in your product that time is running out on a special offer they viewed.

Finally, it’s important to ensure that the urgency and scarcity you create are genuine. Customers can quickly sense when a deal is artificially limited, which can erode trust and harm your brand’s reputation. Don’t lie that there is only one spot available.? Always deliver on your promises and be transparent about the terms and conditions of your offers.

How to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Bottom-Funnel Marketing

If you want to optimize your conversion strategies, improve customer experience, and improve your marketing ROI, you need to measure the effectiveness of lower-funnel marketing efforts. This will help you implement fine-tune tactics, identify upselling opportunities, avoid past mistakes, and set benchmarks for tracking your progress.

To measure the success of your lower-funnel marketing efforts, focus on these key metrics:

Conversion Rate?

The conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase.

A high conversion rate suggests your lower funnel strategies effectively persuade visitors to move forward. Conversely, a low or declining rate indicates that your content, calls-to-action (CTAs), or offers may need enhancement.

You can track conversion rates using website analytics tools like Google Analytics, where they are labeled as “key events.”

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)?

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) represents the total expense of acquiring a new customer.

A low CAC signifies that you are acquiring customers efficiently, whereas a high CAC points to potential areas for improvement in your marketing and sales tactics, including your lower-funnel strategies.

To determine CAC, sum up all your marketing and sales expenses over a specific period, then divide this total by the number of new customers gained during the same period.

Average Order Value (AOV)?

Average order value (AOV) reflects the average amount spent by a customer per order.

An increasing AOV suggests that customers are responding well to upsells or premium offers. A decreasing AOV may indicate that customers are choosing lower-priced items or not adding extra products to their purchases.

E-commerce platforms like Shopify and website analytics tools like Google Analytics often calculate AOV automatically. For manual calculation, divide the total revenue generated in a given period by the total number of orders.

Why Are You Still Struggling to Generate Lower-Funnel Leads?

Maybe you tried already all the strategies we mentioned above and have consistently high engagement rates across multi-channel campaigns (email + LinkedIn) but yet still failed to generate inquiries/meetings/free consultations/free assessments.??

Here are some areas where you may be lacking that are potentially causing this:

• Misaligned Targeting: While the campaigns may reach a wide audience, they might not be connecting with those who genuinely need your SaaS services. Double-check if you’re targeting the right audience, as the wrong one may stop you from driving meaningful actions.
• Weak Messaging: High engagement doesn't always translate to conversions if the messaging fails to resonate. Your messaging needs to clearly communicate the unique value and benefits of the services in a way that compels the audience to act.
• Unclear Call-to-Action (CTA): The campaigns might lack a strong, clear CTA guiding prospects toward the desired next steps, such as requesting a meeting or consultation. A well-defined CTA can significantly increase the chances of conversion.
• Poor Landing Page Experience: If prospects land on pages that are not user-friendly, informative, or visually appealing, they may lose interest and not take further action. Optimizing the landing pages can lead to better conversion rates.
• Ineffective Follow-Up: Engaging prospects is only the beginning. Without a well-structured follow-up process, potential leads may not convert into inquiries or meetings. Timely and consistent follow-up can help nurture leads into actual clients.
• Competitive Pressure: In the SaaS market, rivals might offer more attractive solutions. Take another look, or redo your competitive analysis to reveal areas where improvements can be made.
• Lack of Credibility or Trust: If your company's brand lacks trust or credibility in the industry, it can definitely be a reason for a lack of conversions. Try to build some trust through testimonials, case studies, or partnerships.

The good news is that these areas can be easily improved by making small changes. Here are five improvements you can implement to change your outcome and start generating those lower-funnel leads:

• Improve Targeting: Sharpen your focus on the ideal audience by using data analytics to pinpoint the most qualified prospects. Use platforms like Marketo, HubSpot, or Pardot to segment your audience based on firmographics, behavior, and engagement metrics.
• Personalize Content: This is the first strategy we mentioned above for generating lower-funnel leads. Customize your content to directly address the unique pain points and challenges of your target audience. You can use marketing automation platforms to deliver personalized content tailored to each stage of the buyer's journey. Tools like Marketo, HubSpot, or Pardot can automate this process.
• Introduce Lead Scoring: Establish a lead scoring system to prioritize and identify the most promising leads. Assign scores based on demographic data, engagement levels, and behavior.?
• Optimize Conversion Points: Simplify your landing pages and forms to enable easier conversions for prospects. Use A/B testing to boost conversion rates and uncover areas for improvement. Platforms like Unbounce or Optimizely can assist with optimizing your landing pages.
• Nurture Leads with Drip Campaigns: Create automated drip campaigns to nurture leads and smoothly guide them through the sales funnel. Use marketing automation tools like Marketo, HubSpot, or Pardot to develop personalized drip campaigns based on the behavior and interests of your prospects.

Conclusion?

Generating bottom-of-the-funnel leads comes down to connecting with highly intent prospects in a way that speaks to their specific needs and behaviors. By using personalized content, retargeting ads, exit-intent popups, targeted email campaigns, and urgency-driven tactics, you can create an environment that encourages prospects to take that final step from considering your product to making a purchase.

Each of these strategies plays an important role in boosting your BoFu efforts. Personalized content and well-timed retargeting ads keep your brand top-of-mind, while exit-intent popups and targeted email campaigns provide extra chances to engage prospects and drive conversions. When you add urgency and scarcity to the mix, it motivates leads to act sooner, minimizing missed opportunities.

If you're struggling to attract lower-funnel leads even after using these strategies, it might be time to look at your targeting accuracy, messaging effectiveness, and overall follow-up processes. Continuously optimizing these elements can help you refine your approach and increase your conversion rates.