Most CMOs and marketing leaders love talking about lead generation.
It’s a complex act.
But let’s be honest—filling the funnel is relatively easy. Converting leads into revenue is the real game.
A few critical questions to ask:
- Who should enter the funnel
- How do you nurture and qualify them?
- What marketing tactics progress them from awareness to evaluation?
- How do you convert them at the bottom of the funnel?
This is where most marketing leaders drop the ball. They build pipelines, not pathways.
So let’s break it down—step by step, from strategy to execution.
What Type of Leads Should Enter the Funnel?
(Hint: Not just anyone with an email address!)
Marketing isn’t about getting as many leads as possible.
It’s about getting the right leads.
Bad Lead Strategy:
- Running paid ads targeting “everyone”
- Chasing vanity metrics like CTRs & impressions
- Counting downloads, not intent
Great Lead Strategy:
- Targeting ideal customer profiles (ICP) based on firmographics, pain points, and readiness to buy
- Using lead scoring to prioritize real buyers over tire kickers
- Creating content that attracts decision-makers, not just browsers
How to do it?
- Define your ICP: Industry, company size, pain points, decision-makers
- Use intent data: Who’s researching your product category?
- Segment based on behavior: Who’s engaging meaningfully?
Pro Tip:
If you can’t clearly define a high-quality lead’s top 3 to 5 indicators, your funnel is leaking.
How Do You Nurture Leads from MQL to SQL?
(Because an email address doesn’t equal a sales conversation!)
Most MQLs are not ready to buy.
And if you pass them straight to sales, they’ll ghost your reps.
What doesn’t work:
- Sending generic email sequences
- Waiting for leads to “reach out when ready”
- Assuming one webinar = buyer interest
What works:
- Personalized nurture sequences based on intent
- Behavior-based triggers (not just time-based drips)
- Multi-channel engagement (email, LinkedIn, retargeting)
How to do it?
- Segment your MQLs (e.g., early-stage researchers vs. comparison shoppers)
- Use progressive engagement (e.g., invite them to exclusive roundtables, not just webinars)
- Handoff leads at the right moment (e.g., when they request pricing, engage in deep content)
Create micro-conversions—get them to take small steps (reply to an email, book a discovery call) before expecting them to jump into a demo.
What Drives Leads from Consideration to Evaluation?
(From “interested” to “seriously exploring”)
This is the middle of the funnel (MOFU), where most leads stall or drop off.
Why leads get stuck here:
- They like your content but don’t see urgency
- They’re comparing competitors but need a reason to choose you
- They don’t fully understand why they need to act now
What makes them move forward?
- Solution-focused content (not just feature dumps)
- Comparison guides & decision enablers
- Interactive experiences (ROI calculators, workshops, self-assessments)
How to do it?
- Develop case studies that highlight pain-point resolutions
- Offer free tools or interactive experiences (ROI calculators, product quizzes)
- Create urgency through industry shifts (e.g., “Regulation changes make this critical in 2024”)
Pro Tip:
Your competition isn’t always another vendor. It’s the customer doing nothing. Could you give them a compelling reason to act?
What Marketing Tactics Move Leads from Evaluation to Purchase?
(How to turn “I’m interested” into “Let’s do this”)
This is where marketing directly supports sales.
Your goal? Reduce friction and increase conviction.
Common mistakes:
- Overloading buyers with too many choices
- Sending generic follow-ups instead of personalized sales enablement
- Expecting the sales team to “handle it” without marketing support
What works?
- Tailored sales collateral (one-pagers, pitch decks, ROI justification)
- Personalized nurture sequences from sales reps
- Risk reducers (pilot programs, flexible contracts, onboarding guarantees)
How to do it?
- Equip sales with specific assets for buyer objections
- Create product tours, demos, and webinars focused on ROI
- Introduce “executive alignment” calls to get leadership buy-in
Pro Tip:
Your lead’s biggest fear? Making the wrong decision. Reduce perceived risk through clear guarantees and real-world success stories.
What Proof, Validation, and Credibility Seal the Deal?
(Because logic gets them interested, but emotion gets them to sign!)
At this stage, buyers need confidence.
They’re thinking:
“Is this the right choice?”
“Can they actually deliver results?”
“Will my team adopt this successfully?”
Weak validation tactics:
- Throwing generic testimonials on the website
- Relying only on word-of-mouth referrals
- Assuming “they’ll just trust our brand”
Strong validation tactics:
- Industry-specific case studies (relatable success stories)
- Customer video testimonials (real people, real results)
- Third-party validation (G2, Gartner, independent analysts)
How to do it?
- Create in-depth customer success stories (specific metrics + before/after impact)
- Feature social proof in every stage of the funnel (not just the end)
- Offer live customer references (nothing beats a happy client speaking to a prospect)
Pro Tip:
Buyers don’t believe what you say about yourself—they believe what others say about you.
Final Thoughts: Marketing’s Job Doesn’t End at TOFU
If your marketing team only focuses on lead generation, you’re leaving money on the table.
A real marketing strategy does this:
- Brings in the right leads (not just anyone with an email)
- Nurtures and qualifies them with precision
- Progresses them through the funnel with targeted tactics
- Builds confidence at every stage
Marketing isn’t just about lead gen—it’s about lead evolution.
So…
Are you optimizing for leads, or for revenue?
Would love to hear—what’s your approach to full-funnel marketing?
What would you like to add? Your thoughts?
