In the early 2010s, bloggers were queens. I was a mommy blogger (although I hated that phrase) for many years around this time. I made some money, some friends, and discovered so much about marketing and how to start a blog to get leads. Plus, I got to write. What’s better than that?

Back then, I didn’t have anything to sell but my stories, and the currency was my readers’ attention. Y’all, my first post was about my new stove — I mean, really now. Blogging has since gone out of style for me and the blogging crew I ran with (ran as in, Tweeted with in all hours of the night), but I still think knowing how to start a blog to get leads is essential for many small and networking marketing businesses. While blogging for business isn’t “make or break”, it can provide a substantial lift to a business brand and provide great custom content for social. And also? It’s a great way to sell a product. Yep, I said it.

If you have a small business or networking marketing company, you may wonder why you should bother to start a blog to get leads. After all, you’re already having trouble juggling allthethings without adding blogging to the mix. Before I hop into the nitty gritty of starting your blog, I want to share three reasons you should register your URL and get started.

1. Blogging can set you apart from others in your industry, networking marketing company or direct sales company. Shockingly few people are going this route, and the ones who are can potentially reach thousands of additional “cold” leads.
2. Having a blog helps you sell without being salsey. When you make your blog about your life or your industry — or a combination of both — you will include products or services that you also sell.
3. Your blogs can provide content that will serve your community and your ideal customers. That builds trust in you and your product.

How to Start a Blog to Get Leads

Before you begin, assess your comfort level. Blogging can feel a little intimidating when you start it up. How much time do you have to commit to launching your blog? How much money could you spend on monthly packages or hosting? Remember: You don’t have to spend anything on a blog. It’s a myth that you have to spend thousands of dollars for a simple blog! There are platforms out there that give you a nice, simple look and cost zero dollars.

Choose your Platform

Some of the most common platforms out there include:

• Wix (drag-and-drop interface and no tech skills needed; $8 per month when you pay for a year)
• SquareSpace (drag-and-drop interface and can be a bit complicated depending on what design you choose; around $12 per month)
• WordPress.com (free version gives you lots of bells and whistles, but includes ads; the professional version is $4 per month and includes your own .com)
• Strinkingly – This is a brand new one to me, but I’ll be building one for a lucky DIY Digital student and doing a tutorial on their Forever Free plan!
• WordPress.org (requires much more setup, including the purchase of hosting and a domain name but is incredibly powerful once set up) — I use Namecheap; they have a WordPress hosting package for only $22 for the whole year.
• Tumblr.com (quick and free, and a great solution for those who just want to blog and share their products; technically a social media platform, so it’s simple to use)

Plan your Content and Goal

Because your blog will be one part of your lead generation strategy, commit to your writing schedule, and then brainstorm 20 topics you could integrate with your product or service. After you do that, write 20 more topics that are related to your brand or industry. For instance, let’s use essential oils (since I’m helping a client with her Young Living website right now):

Topics with Product

• Essential oil blends for sleep
• Essential oil blends for energy
• Cooking with essential oils
• DIY recipes
• ETC.

Topics with Personality

• Mom life
• Healthy living journey
• Recap of a recent make-and-take event
• Traveling with kids
• ETC.

See how these work together to promote her product and her brand?

Include the type of product or service you want to link to in each article so it’s top of mind while you’re writing your thoughts.

Your next planning step deciding how often you’d like to publish. This is completely dependent on you and your time, and should be able to fit in with your other marketing scheduling without overwhelming you.

Can you commit to one new post per month? GREAT!Will you post three times each week? INCREDIBLE! Feeling the quarterly publication schedule vibe? Friend, that’s FANTASTIC!

Approach your blog from a place of service. What’s on your mind that could uplift, encourage, help, inspire or entertain your customers? What would they enjoy? That’s what you should write.

Next Steps: Tech

IT’S NOT SCARY…COME BACK! Seriously, learning how to start a blog for leads is not nearly as complicated as it seems — specially when I walk you through each step.

Next week, I’ll get into the specifics of starting your blog and beginning to generate leads!