How to market your side hustle and start making sales

Marketing is undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of any side hustle. You may have an amazing and unique offering, but you need to get your name out there and start making some sales, writes Téa Angelos, founder and CEO of Smart Women Society.

The best place to start is by asking yourself where your ideal customer or client hangs out and what is the best way of reaching them. Your time and resources are limited, so you want to be strategic with your marketing tactics.

There is no hard and fast rule for what specific marketing strategies will work for you and your side hustle. Once you understand your ideal customer or client, it is all about testing a variety of strategies and being persistent.

Your personal network

Your personal network is the best place to start to let people know that you are in business and to find your first client/customer. The people who know you will be more willing to give you a chance when you have no experience, and it will be less intimidating to ask for a glowing testimonial and a referral.

Use your personal social media accounts to announce your side hustle and spread the word. You may also choose to offer a discounted introductory rate as you get started.

Social media

In this day and age, social media is a necessity when it comes to promoting your side hustle. Not only does it help increase your exposure, but it also allows you to connect with your existing and potential customers and clients on a much deeper level than ever before.

What social media platforms does your ideal customer or client use? A younger target audience is likely on TikTok, whereas if you are targeting mid-career professionals, you would have better luck on LinkedIn.

Start with one or two platforms and learn how to use them well before incorporating another platform. It is better to use one platform strongly than spread yourself too thin across multiple.

There are three main ways to help you gain followers, increase brand recognition and make sales fast: content, engagement and collaboration.

Tech tip! Using LinkedIn Search to build your business:

Content

Consistency and creating valuable content are the two most important parts of your social media game. Social media can often be the last thing on your mind, so get organised by planning, creating and scheduling your content ahead of time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

If you have no idea what exactly to post, follow the 80/20 rule: 80 per cent of your content should educate, inform, inspire or entertain; the other 20 per cent should be used to sell.

And lastly, but also most importantly, be unique and have fun. People relate to other people, so be yourself and show off your personality.

Engagement

The main purpose of social media is to be social. Engage with your audience and similar accounts to help you build authentic relationships.

Keep talking to your customers to learn more about their needs and get to know them better. Ask them what made them decide to buy your products or services and if anything caused them trouble or concern. You can use this feedback to update and refine your side hustle.

Collaboration

Collaborating with others running similar or related side hustles to yours exposes you to new audiences and allows your followers to see new perspectives.

Be friendly and build authentic relationships with others. You may want to collaborate to produce content, do a giveaway or share information with your audiences.

Third-party platforms

Another way to expose your side hustle to a wider audience is to utilise third-party platforms and websites that already have an existing audience.

Here are some suggestions for both product-based and service-based side hustles:

Product-based side hustles

• Amazon is a trusted platform that can give you exposure to a very large audience, however, it can be difficult to stand out and rank among the many other products.
• Similar to Amazon, eBay is a large marketplace, however, be wary of higher selling fees.
• Etsy caters to a more niche market than Amazon and eBay, and is known for its low fees and ease of use.
• Facebook Marketplace’s primary focus is buying and selling local goods.

Service-based side hustles

• Freelance job boards: Sites like Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer allow you to apply for ‘jobs’ posted by other users. Although this is the most straightforward way to find clients, the competition is high and payments can be low.
• Facebook groups: Join industry-related and general business groups on Facebook. Regularly scan groups and apply as soon as an interesting job shows up, or put yourself out there and post what you have to offer and that you are looking for new clients.
• Cold emailing: This one can be scary, but cold emails can also be the most effective way of getting high-paying clients. Research and find potential clients and link your website in your email. You might only receive a few replies, but those may develop into some incredible collaborations.

Creating a website

Even if your side hustle is done locally or you sell through a bigger third-party platform like the ones listed here, it is still a good idea to create a website for your side hustle. A website legitimises your side hustle and hosts all the information that your potential customers or clients need to know about you and your offer.

Here are some of the elements that you may want to include on your website:

• About page
• What you offer
• High-quality photography
• Online store
• Portfolio/project gallery
• Current/past clients
• Testimonials
• Blog
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Press/media page
• Contact form

There are many websites, like WIX, Shopify or Squarespace, that make DIYing your own website simple, or you can hire a professional website developer to make one for you.

In person

Your side hustle may be best seen in person. Head down to your local community markets, take to the streets, or head to the next relevant industry event and start spreading the word about what you do.

This is an edited extract from Smart Moves: Simple Ways to take Control of your Life (Wiley $32.95) by Téa Angelos, available now at all leading retailers and online at www.smartwomensociety.com

This article was first published on Flying Solo, read the original here.

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