# Funnel Design

> When to activate: funnel design, TOFU MOFU BOFU, conversion funnel, marketing funnel, funnel optimization, drop-off analysis, multi-touch attribution, pipeline

- Skill: `mattakushi432/funnel-design` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mattakushi432/funnel-design`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mattakushi432/funnel-design/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: Mattakushi432 (https://skillmd.com/u/mattakushi432)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mattakushi432/funnel-design

---


# Funnel Design

## Funnel Stages

### TOFU / MOFU / BOFU Model
```
TOFU (Top of Funnel) — Awareness
  Goal: Capture attention of people who have the problem
  Content: Blog posts, social, podcasts, videos, SEO
  Metric: Unique visitors, impressions, brand searches

MOFU (Middle of Funnel) — Consideration
  Goal: Educate and build trust with interested prospects
  Content: Guides, webinars, case studies, comparison pages
  Metric: Lead captures, email subscribers, content downloads

BOFU (Bottom of Funnel) — Decision
  Goal: Convert ready-to-buy prospects
  Content: Demos, trials, pricing, testimonials, proposals
  Metric: Trials, demos, qualified pipeline, closed-won
```

### Extended Funnel (with Retention)
```
Awareness → Interest → Consideration → Intent → Purchase → Onboarding → Retention → Advocacy
```

## Funnel Mapping Process

### Step 1 — Document Current State
For each stage, answer:
1. What is the user trying to accomplish?
2. What content/touchpoints exist here?
3. What is the conversion rate TO the next stage?
4. What is the biggest drop-off reason?

### Funnel Mapping Template
| Stage | User Goal | Touchpoints | Entry Volume | Exit Volume | Conv Rate | Drop Reason |
|-------|-----------|-------------|--------------|-------------|-----------|-------------|
| Awareness | Understand problem exists | Blog, SEO, ads | 100,000 | 5,000 | 5% | Irrelevant traffic |
| Interest | Learn more | Newsletter, retargeting | 5,000 | 1,500 | 30% | Low email open rate |
| Consideration | Evaluate options | Webinar, case studies | 1,500 | 450 | 30% | Trust gap |
| Intent | Make decision | Trial, demo | 450 | 90 | 20% | Friction in signup |
| Purchase | Buy | Pricing, checkout | 90 | 45 | 50% | Price objection |

### Step 2 — Identify Biggest Drop-off
```
Leakage = (Stage_In - Stage_Out) × Stage_Value
```
Fix the stage with the highest leakage first — it compounds improvements downstream.

## Content by Funnel Stage

### TOFU Content Types
- **SEO blog posts** — target informational keywords
- **Problem-aware social content** — LinkedIn/Twitter threads
- **Podcasts / YouTube** — long-form educational
- **PR / media features** — credibility and reach
- **Paid awareness** — broad targeting, non-conversion objective

### MOFU Content Types
- **Lead magnets**: checklists, templates, calculators, benchmarks
- **Email nurture sequences**: 5–10 email series educating on problem → solution
- **Webinars**: live demonstration of expertise
- **Case studies**: proof that your solution works
- **Comparison content**: "[Your product] vs [Competitor]" pages

### BOFU Content Types
- **Free trial / freemium**: self-serve evaluation
- **Live demo / sales call**: human-guided evaluation
- **ROI calculator**: quantify value before purchase
- **Security/compliance docs**: reduce enterprise risk perception
- **Customer references / calls**: peer validation
- **Proposal templates**: accelerate procurement

## Conversion Points Design

### Friction Reduction Checklist (per conversion point)
- [ ] Is the ask proportional to where user is in the journey?
- [ ] Is there a lower-friction alternative for users not ready?
- [ ] Is the value exchange clear before the ask?
- [ ] Is the form the minimum viable length?
- [ ] Is there social proof at the point of conversion?
- [ ] Is there a risk reducer (guarantee, no CC, cancel anytime)?

### Progressive Profiling
Don't ask for everything upfront:
```
Conversion 1 (TOFU): Email only
Conversion 2 (MOFU): Email + company name
Conversion 3 (BOFU): Full qualification (company size, use case, timeline)
```

## Drop-off Analysis

### Diagnosis Framework
For each high-drop stage, test hypotheses:

| Hypothesis Category | Diagnostic Question | How to Test |
|---------------------|---------------------|-------------|
| Messaging mismatch | Does the content promise match what they find? | User interviews, exit surveys |
| Trust gap | Do visitors believe the claims? | Social proof A/B, review count |
| Friction | Is the ask too hard at this stage? | Form field reduction test |
| Wrong audience | Are the right people arriving? | Segment analysis |
| Timing | Are we asking too soon / too late? | Behavioral triggers |

### Exit Survey Questions
- "What stopped you from [completing action] today?"
- "What would have made you more likely to [action]?"
- "What were you hoping to find that you didn't?"

## Funnel Optimization Process

### ICE Prioritization for Funnel Tests
| Idea | Impact (1–10) | Confidence (1–10) | Ease (1–10) | ICE Score |
|------|--------------|-------------------|-------------|-----------|
| Add testimonials to pricing page | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8.0 |
| Simplify trial signup form | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7.3 |
| Add exit-intent popup on blog | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6.3 |

### Weekly Funnel Review Cadence
1. Pull conversion rates at each stage (vs prior week, vs target)
2. Flag any stage with >10% week-over-week decline
3. Review top traffic sources by quality (conversion rate, not volume)
4. Review top-performing content for each stage
5. Assign one experiment per high-drop stage

## Multi-Touch Attribution

### Attribution Models
| Model | Logic | Best For |
|-------|-------|----------|
| First touch | 100% credit to first touchpoint | Measuring awareness channels |
| Last touch | 100% credit to converting touchpoint | Measuring conversion channels |
| Linear | Equal credit to all touchpoints | Balanced view |
| Time decay | More credit to recent touchpoints | Short sales cycles |
| U-shaped | 40% first, 40% last, 20% middle | Account-based, high-intent |
| Data-driven | ML-assigned credit | Mature data teams |

### Attribution Tooling
- **Simple**: UTM tracking + GA4 + CRM source field
- **Mid-market**: HubSpot attribution reports, Segment
- **Enterprise**: Rockerbox, Northbeam, Triple Whale, Ruler Analytics

### UTM Standard
```
utm_source    = traffic source (google, linkedin, newsletter)
utm_medium    = channel type (cpc, email, social, organic)
utm_campaign  = campaign name (q1-launch, brand-awareness)
utm_content   = specific ad/link variant (hero-cta, sidebar-link)
utm_term      = paid keyword (for search ads)
```

## Full Funnel KPI Dashboard

| Metric | Formula | Frequency |
|--------|---------|-----------|
| Traffic by channel | Sessions per source | Weekly |
| Lead conversion rate | Leads / Visitors | Weekly |
| MQL conversion rate | MQLs / Leads | Weekly |
| SQL conversion rate | SQLs / MQLs | Weekly |
| Pipeline value | Open SQLs × avg deal size | Weekly |
| Win rate | Closed-won / Total SQLs | Monthly |
| CAC by channel | Channel spend / New customers from channel | Monthly |
| Time to convert | Avg days first touch → closed | Monthly |