New research from Visa suggests that side hustles have become more popular. Over 40% of Gen Zs have a side hustle. One of the top trends is turning an interest or talent into an income stream. In this guide, we’ll discuss some simple steps to get your new venture noticed.
Marketing and promotion
We often think about marketing as a tool for big businesses, but anyone can market an enterprise. You don’t need a huge budget to promote products or services effectively. Whether you’re hosting an exhibition of paintings or photographs, you’re offering tutoring services online or you’re selling handmade gifts or homemade treats, it’s important to spread the word. Draw up a marketing strategy. Start by defining your target customer and exploring the best ways to reach them. Examples of marketing methods include fliers, social media, email marketing, events, SEO (search engine optimisation), posters and print adverts. Choose techniques and channels that will help you connect with your target audience.
Create a brand and show it off
There’s a difference between a business and a brand. Creating a brand is a great way to share your business values, give people more information about your venture, tell people about your brand identity and personality and make your company stand out.
Once you have a clear idea of your brand values and you know what messages you want to send to customers, show off your brand. Connect with people via social media, share news and updates via email and social media, create posts and blogs about the business and your story, and work on branding strategies. Design a logo, craft a strapline and work on packaging ideas. Simple but ingenious ideas like wrapping food products in printed greaseproof paper enable you to promote your brand name and logo while delivering fresh, delicious dishes, snacks and morsels to your customers. You can adapt this example to almost any product by designing customised packaging materials that are relevant to the product, your brand personality and your target customer. Branded packaging will help you stand out whether your products are on a shelf or you’re exhibiting or selling at a fair, festival, trade show or event.
Image from https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-white-ceramic-cups-7674987/
Positive reviews
More than 90% of people now use reviews to help them make purchasing decisions. Positive reviews are an incredibly powerful marketing tool, especially for new businesses. Encourage existing customers to share feedback and incentivise recommendations. Share rave reviews on social media and your website and encourage people to shout about your business from the rooftops. Word of mouth is one of the most impactful ways to promote your brand.
Picture via https://pixabay.com/photos/feedback-survey-rating-evaluation-7759990/
Setting up a side hustle has many benefits, including using your skills, interests and talents and boosting your income. If you’ve launched a new venture, it’s important to spread the word and create a buzz to let people know what you do and how you could enhance their lives. Effective ways to get your side hustle noticed include creating a targeted marketing strategy, building a brand and showing it off and sharing positive reviews.