4 Steps To Turning Your Side Gig Into A Full-Fledged Business
If you’ve been running a side gig for a while, you're probably wondering if you can turn it into a full-time business. The answer is: Yes! The fact that you are making some money on the side shows that you want more financial freedom. We all do. Turning that side gig into a full-fledged business is the only logical way to achieve that goal. Running a business has always been hard, but the internet has made it easier. In this article, I will share the steps I took that made the transition smoother.
1. Change Your Mindset
If you have any anxiety or fear of starting a business, this is normal, no need to worry. Taking such a big step towards financial freedom can be scary, but in time you will learn to get over this fear. The transition from side hustle to full-fledged business means a change in mindset. This means you have to start thinking like a CEO. The first thing you will need to do is draw up a business plan and give your side hustle the right structure.
Separating your finances is another crucial component. You should not be using your personal bank account for business purposes. Open a separate business account and use it exclusively for anything business-related. When I started out with my freelance business, I used my bank account to receive client payments and it became difficult to keep track of which funds were for my business.
Maintaining a productive mindset is important for sustaining your business. Don’t get side-tracked. Set reasonable goals and focus on the little steps that lead up to achieving them. For example: Don’t set a goal of making a million dollars this year. Instead, aim to sell 10 items or land 5 clients per month. This way, you are less likely to fail at hitting your targets.
2. Get Online
Whether you’re providing a service or selling products, taking your business online gives you a massive advantage. Everyone’s online. Why aren’t you?
The best way to build an online presence is by having your own website. Setting up a business website is more accessible with the platforms available. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated, the simpler the better. Make sure that you include a Home page, About page, Services page and Contact page. You should also include ad-ons to collect visitor emails so you can follow up with email marketing.
I have no technical skills or coding experience, but when I discovered the amazing concept of drag-and-drop website building, I felt relieved. Hosting services like Bluehost and Dreamhost provide simple drag-and-drop facilities that are beginner-friendly. These are the two hosts with the lowest start-up cost and it will get you going in no time.
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3. Branding
An important, but often overlooked aspect of running a business is branding. Creating a unique identity for your business allows you to stand out, and also makes it easy for your customers to find you. Start by choosing the colors for your brand. This should be three to five colors with good contrast, which complement each other well.
Then select two or three fonts that you will use for advertising and content. Then, using your chosen colors, create a unique logo for your business. Your logo should be simple enough to draw by hand and include only two or three colors. Be sure to focus on good contrast as the logo should not be dependent on the colors.
If all of this seems daunting, don’t worry, it can be done using an easy and free design tool like Canva. This is a web-based graphic design application that doesn’t require downloading any expensive software. In fact, Canva is free to use, with premium packages available.
I honestly don’t know what we did before Canva. You don’t need any prior graphic design knowledge as there are millions of templates and elements available to create almost anything you can think of. You can sign up for free, but I recommend upgrading to the premium package as soon as your business takes off and your budget allows it.
4. Marketing
Marketing is key to the success of any business. Finding clients can be difficult, especially if you are just starting out. However, there are many ways you can go about it. I never understood marketing in the beginning and my business suffered. But when I started learning the ins and outs, everything fell into place.
The first thing you’ll want to do is come up with a customer persona. This is a fictional person you create by listing all the characteristics of your ideal customer. This includes demographics (age, occupation, location, etc.), career goals, pains (things that cause them sleepless nights), etc. Really get into the mind of someone who would need your product or service.
Once you have your ideal customer in mind, check online platforms where they are most likely to spend their time. This can be Facebook, Instagram, Quora, Reddit or online forums. From there, you’ll want to capture email addresses and use email marketing to convert your audience into customers.
Social media is the best method for finding clients and it’s free. Set up a business page for your brand on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Share content regularly to engage your audience. Keep it interesting and relevant.
In this day and age, humour is the best way to attract an audience and turn them into loyal followers. So share funny posts like memes and fun facts, and don’t forget to add links back to your main site.
In Closing
Turning your side gig into a full-fledged business can be challenging, I know. However, with the right mindset and the correct utilization of online tools, you can find a path to financial freedom and say goodbye to that soul-destroying 9-5.
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Meet The Writer!
Greetings. My name is Edwin Kannemeyer (or just Ed or Edi). I’m a freelance writer, living the write-life to the fullest. Currently, I lay my pen down in the self-improvement niche, with a focus on working parents. Helping people work from home and live happy, fulfilling lives is my goal as a writer. I would love to hear from you, so get in touch with me on LinkedIn or edikannemeyer@gmail.com
