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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.
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. 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.
