Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Whether you’re a small business owner looking to branch out, or just want to earn a bit of extra cash, a side hustle can be a great way to stay busy and drive revenue throughout the year. So, if you find yourself with a little bit of down time, why not pursue a new business venture?
Maybe you spent the last year perfecting your chocolate chip cookie recipe. Or, perhaps your DIY skincare products have become high-demand among your friends. Are your colleagues constantly complimenting you on your homemade jewellery? Do you spend all your free time knitting? Are you the go-to person in your friend group for designing party invites? If so, that passion for creating offers the perfect opportunity for a side hustle. Whether you’re an aspiring pastry chef, budding jewellery designer or self-taught graphic artist, selling your goods can be a great way to generate extra income this.
VistaPrint Tip
If you’re selling goods, you want to make sure people know where they’re coming from. Add a custom sticker with your company name and logo to every package — or include your business card with contact information for future orders.
Perhaps you live somewhere that’s a seasonal holiday destination. Listing your property (or even just a spare bedroom!) on home rental sites like Airbnb can be a great way to take advantage of tourist travel schedules and bring in extra cash during these months. Or, if there’s an influx of seasonal events and shops in your area, pursue a summer side hustle scooping ice cream or working at a local festival.
Not inspired yet? Check out our full list of side hustle ideas:
- Babysitter
- Retail assistant
- Delivery person
- Digital content creator
- Dog walker
- Event planner or coordinator
- Fitness instructor
- Cleaner
- Handyperson
- House-sitter
- Gardener
- Lifeguard
- Local tour guide
- Mover
- Personal shopper
- Pet-sitter
- Driver
- Seasonal worker
- Sports referee
- Tutor
How to market your side hustle
Choosing a side hustle is only the first part of the equation. If you want your venture to be successful (and lucrative!), you need to know how to market it. Here are a few side hustle marketing tips to help you get the word out, connect with customers and start generating more income.
- Brand your side hustle. Your side hustle is a business, and just like any other business, it needs an identity. Take the steps to create a cohesive brand for your business, including designing a logo. Having a cohesive brand will help you look more professional to customers and build trust — both of which are a must when launching a side hustle.
- Create marketing materials. Use your brand design to create the materials you need to get the word out about your business, like business cards, marketing brochures and flyers.
- Build an online presence. Most people look online before engaging with a business — so, even if your side hustle is primarily an in-person one, you’ll want to build an online presence, including a website and social media profiles.
- Look for partnership opportunities. Partnerships can be a great way to get your side hustle in front of new customers and build on the relationships (and trust) they have with other businesses. For example, if you have a side hustle selling baked goods, you might reach out to local coffee shops to see if they’d be interested in partnering on an event.
- Ask for reviews and referrals. Word-of-mouth marketing is extremely powerful. When potential customers see that others are satisfied with a business, they’re more likely to engage. So, anytime you work with someone through your side hustle, ask them to leave a review or share your business details with a friend.
