Why Blogging Is Like Running for Small Business Owners

I am not a runner. But, I run.

Every time I run I am reminded that I am not a runner. It hurts. I kind of hate it. But, still, I run.

I run because like most people I am constantly on the go. I wear many hats. I work here at HubSpot. I am a spouse. I am a new mom. I am a sister, a daughter and a granddaughter. I am an aunt and a niece.

For me, running seems to be the most efficient way for me to stay in somewhat fair condition. In about 45 minutes, I sweat out toxins and stress, I give my heart a good workout and I burn (at least some of) the excess summertime beer, margherita and ice-cream calories.

As a busy person, I know that doing my best to stay in shape is important. I feel better at the beginning of the day, I am more alert and I make better decisions. 

I also know that the more I run, the more I get better at it. When I slack, it stays really, really hard. When I am consistent and committed, it gets easier, though never easy. The bottom line is, I run because it works.

My relationship with running is not unlike a lot of small business owners' relationships with marketing. They are not Marketers. They are business owners. They wear many hats, too. They are CEOs, CFOs, sales people, customer service reps, account managers -- and probably daughters, granddaughters, nieces and aunts. They are not marketers. But, like I need to exercise, they need to market.

It is important for any business of any size to build, grow and nurture a strong funnel of leads to keep the business healthy. In my experience as an Inbound Marketing Consultant, I would argue that as a small business owner, blogging is your running.

Blogging is probably the most efficient and most effective way to drive traffic to your website. An hour or two per week and you are creating a marketing annuity. Like running guarantees to burn calories, blogging absolutely guarantees more, free, search-based traffic.

If you are smart about your posts, you can assure that this new traffic is well targeted and qualified for lead generation. It just works. And, like running, if you are committed and consistent, it will get easier.

So, small business owners, though you may not be marketers, you do need to maintain a healthy business.  I say blog.  It just works.

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