With the stay at home orders put in place due to the emergence of COVID-19, more and more people are turning their hobbies and interests into businesses. For some, it is just something fun to do on the side to make a little extra money. For others, though, it is a possible gateway to a new career. Taking your side hustle to the next level requires some work and foresight to present yourself as a serious business. Here are a few tips to help you do that.
Define Your Brand
Branding is more than an attractive logo or a catchy slogan. You need to consider what you want your brand to mean to your potential customers. A good brand should inspire confidence that you are offering a good product or service, presenting enough interaction options to attract a wide audience, and promising plenty of loyal engagement to repeat customers. Brands also continually evolve, so do not settle on just one message to present.
Act More Professional
Fortunately, it has never been easier for side businesses to set up a professional-looking website thanks to user-friendly hosting services. It is the rare host that doesn’t offer personalized domain email addresses. Creating a professional email address has many benefits for your business. You can quickly set up folders to save orders, invoices, and customer questions, and you do not have to worry about a crossover between your business and personal email accounts. You can even have separate addresses within your main account, such as “sales@yourbusiness.com,” to better keep track of incoming emails.
Create a Social Media Personality
Anyone wanting to drive his or her business, no matter what type, needs to have a strong social media presence. A 2018 survey shows that 54% of common browsers use social media platforms to research future purchases of goods or services. Just as with your email, you should establish social media accounts for your business that are not linked to your personal accounts. There is a lot of information online about how to make the most of social media for your business, and you should also check out accounts for businesses that are similar to your own to get a better idea of how to tailor the right social media approach.
Taking your side business beyond a casual hobby requires dedication and ambition. With some planning, analysis, and willingness to learn new skills, your dream of being your own boss is well within reach!
If you need help managing your side business, you’ve come to the right place! Contact us to schedule a consultation!
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