July Marketing updates
Marketing Funnel Made Simple
WTF Is a Marketing Funnel?
If I say TOF, MOF, and BOF… does your brain go straight to “WTF”?
Fair enough.
Marketers love an acronym. So let’s translate it into plain English and make it actually useful.
We’re talking about the marketing funnel – a simple framework that maps how someone moves from: “Who are you?” to “Shut up and take my money.”
Let’s break it down.
TOF (Top of Funnel) = Awareness
This is the “notice me” stage.
At the top of the funnel, people don’t know you yet. They’re scrolling, skimming, living their lives. You’re not selling hard here – you’re showing up and being interesting enough to earn attention.
Think:
Scroll-stopping social content
Bold, pattern-interrupt ads
Relatable short-form videos
Strong hooks and big ideas
Your goal isn’t conversion. It’s visibility.
You’re filling the bucket.
MOF (Middle of Funnel) = Consideration
Now they know you exist.
But do they trust you?
Middle of funnel is where you build credibility and connection. This is where value lives.
Think:
Educational emails or posts
Case studies
Behind-the-scenes content
Testimonials
“Why us?” storytelling
This stage is intentional, not intense.
You’re not yelling “BUY NOW.”
You’re answering objections before they’re spoken.
You’re helping them move from curious… to confident.
(Frankly, if you’re reading this, you’re in my MOF right now.)
BOF (Bottom of Funnel) = Conversion
They’re ready.
This is not the time for riddles, vague messaging, or five hidden links.
This is:
Clear calls to action
Smooth checkout flows
Obvious booking buttons
Frictionless sign-ups
“Buy now.”
“Book now.”
“Apply here.”
Clarity converts. Confusion kills momentum.
Your Marketing Shouldn’t Live in One Stage
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make?
They market in bursts – and usually only at one level.
Only posting awareness content with no offer.
Only selling to a cold audience.
Only emailing when they want money.
Strong marketing operates across all three stages – consistently.
You should always be:
Filling the top with new people
Nurturing the middle
Inviting the bottom to convert
If you work with us, you’ll almost always have toes dipped into every layer of the funnel.
Because momentum compounds.
The Funnel Isn’t Linear (And That’s Normal)
Here’s the reality: people do not move through funnels like obedient little robots.
They:
Bounce
Lurk
Ghost
Forget your name
See an ad
Ignore you
Read a blog
Disappear
Then randomly convert three months later after a chaotic TikTok trend video
The funnel is a guide – not a strict staircase.
It helps you cover your bases.
It doesn’t guarantee a tidy journey.
That’s why consistency matters.
You don’t control the exact path.
You control how often you show up.
Marketing Isn’t Magic. It’s Momentum.
You don’t need a viral moment.
You need sustained visibility, trust-building, and clear conversion pathways – all working together.
When awareness feeds consideration, and consideration feeds conversion, repeatedly, growth stops feeling random.
It starts feeling predictable.
And predictable is powerful.
If you’re not sure which stage your marketing is missing, that’s usually the gap costing you sales.
Fill the funnel.
Guide the journey.
Keep moving.
Momentum does the rest.
Published on 2 March 2026 by Ashleigh Rushton