What Is a Marketing Funnel? Stages from Awareness to Purchase
What to do at TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU — and where the model falls short
The marketing funnel is a model that divides the entire process from when a potential customer first becomes aware of a brand to actual purchase and becoming a loyal customer.
The AIDA model (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action) is the most representative, and in modern digital marketing, it extends to Retention and Advocacy stages.
By placing appropriate channels and messages at each stage, you can maximize conversion rates.
Execution Steps
TOFU (Top of Funnel): Awareness — Brand exposure through blog, SNS, ads
MOFU (Middle of Funnel): Interest/Consideration — Provide email, webinars, case studies
BOFU (Bottom of Funnel): Decision — Offer free trials, discounts, demos
Post-conversion: Retention — Onboarding, loyalty programs, customer success
Pros
- ✓ Systematic management of customer journey
- ✓ Quick identification and improvement of bottlenecks
- ✓ Clear KPI setting for each stage
Cons
- ✗ Real customer journeys are often non-linear
- ✗ Over-simplification may miss important touchpoints