If you are among the people looking for alternative ways to work, you must have thought of going remote.
While some people think that remote work means they need to rely on employers locally or abroad, others know that pretty much any hobby or skill can be successfully marketed online.
The greatest benefit of making a living off the things you like to do best is that there is no limit in terms of audiences. Online work means freedom in the true sense of the word, and no scene is too big, as long as you can efficiently manage your projects and have excellent communication skills.
Enter the wondrous global market!
How to Be Successful Online?
First of all, you need to know your qualities, be realistic, and allow enough time for progress to start taking place. No matter how good you are at what you do, there are people and people who are equally as good.
For the most part, starting out means focusing on marketing.
Not necessarily does everyone have to invest considerable sums to get started? Certainly, it is a good idea to be professional from the beginning – running your own website and all – but wasting money on Google and Facebook ads from day one is absolutely unnecessary.
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Many hobbyists start selling on eBay. This is just one example; there are numerous platforms available depending on the target industry, and even more, ways to learn.
The key is in being present (or better still – omnipresent) online. Think in terms of social media, guest posts, your own blog posts, online platforms, etc.
Getting Started
Every professional has a good understanding of what equals expert practice. It is always a good idea to own a website in your name or your brand’s name (e.g., [brandname].com). It is, however, not a good idea to pay a fortune to make your web page rank on the first page of Google search results, while you still haven’t debuted on popular platforms and forums.
If you want to invest in advertising, first make sure that your website is mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized, and actually features lots of quality content. That is hard work, so it is recommended to start coming up with some content from day one.
Just remember that you need to stand out from the competition. It is cheaper, less fussy, and as reliable as anything can be in this tricky world.
1. Set Your Goals
Even if you’re only indulging in your hobby and hoping to make some extra profit from it, you still need to keep your goals in mind. If you have a job, but only want some extra cash on the side, goals can be easily forgotten.
You should always strive to achieve something, whether it be reputation, recognition, or great profits. That’s why you need to think hard about your goals, set them, and stick to them.
Also Read: Why Overthinking is Bad for Your Business and What to do About it
How much can you work and how much should you charge? Make sure you know exactly how many commitments you are able to complete timely. As for the prices, research the rate range for similar services. When you’re starting out, it is rarely a good idea to overcharge customers, as you yet have to build a base of loyal clients, but it’s also a bad idea to charge the lowest rate. Rather, start with the middle rate and increase it as you gain popularity and reputation.
2. Work on Your Online Presence Continually
As mentioned above, your services must be prominent online in order to reach large audiences. There are many ways to boost your brand’s visibility, and a healthy combination of successful strategies is the best way to go about it.
However, not everyone has plenty of time to advertise their services day and night, so rather than wasting your time trying out this and that, focus on one segment first and go from there.
For example, find a popular forum for your hobby, introduce yourself and post images of your work. It is free, easy and you will even get a couple of new friends. A win-win!
3. Make Use of Social Media
Nowadays, social media platforms are the great stage of all happenings. So, you should tap into this huge potential to make your services more visible.
Social media posts are convenient in that they can be shared, so use tags (or hashtags), meaning the potential for your posts to be seen is multiplied easily.
It is also good practice to answer followers’ queries and generally keep communication alive. Selling is a two-way process, after all, and loyalty isn’t granted – you need to earn it.
Also Read: SWOT Analysis for Businesses: an Effective Strategic Tool
4. Blogging and Email Marketing
Everyone can blog nowadays. Blogs are free and convenient and also a great way to reach more customers. It’s a good idea to post new content on a regular basis, but only if you have something to say.
If you are, e.g., a painter, use Instagram instead.
As regards email marketing, it’s the cheapest form of advertising, but it is also not for everyone. Email marketing campaigns should be cleverly devised, sent only when convenient for the recipients, concise, mobile-friendly, and competitive.
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If you are planning to spam people, better give up the practice altogether. If you have some time to create proper email campaigns, then by all means you should give them a go. Ideas are to be found everywhere; use Google to see what the competition is doing and try to be a step ahead of them. Adjust the prices of your services accordingly, though.
Conclusion
So, is it now time to turn your side hustle into a profitable business? The answer is up to you. We’d argue that the global market is certain to keep expanding, so whenever you start, it’s the right time.
However, a full-time remote business needs to be carefully planned. You need to persevere and keep experimenting until you hit the jackpot. Listen to customers’ feedback, be competitive at all times, make your content evergreen and innovate!
