Lockdown has encouraged many would-be entrepreneurs to start a side hustle and in many cases, these fun, part-time projects have grown into major sources of income.
If your freelance gig or side hustle has become sustainable, you might now be at the point where you are thinking of taking the plunge and running it as a fully-fledged business. So, if you have a solid customer base and have all the processes in place to turn it into a full-time business, there’s no better time than now to take that leap of faith!
Thanks to the conveniences afforded to us by the Internet, you have the world at your fingertips. Whether you offer a service or sell products, it’s important to realise early on that e-commerce marketing is vital to your success. More than that, taking your business online opens up more doors to additional income. We built an e-commerce website for Gauteng-based fashion brand,
Gazed Atelier, so that founder and owner Grace Mokhele could reach more customers and sell more fashion items.
All that’s needed to turn your side hustle into a full-time business is some smart business and marketing tactics, and a good measure of self-determination to start promoting your business online:
- Create a website and online shop so that customers can buy products or book your services online. Include information about what makes your business unique and use testimonials from clients to help promote it.
- Set up social media profiles for your business and regularly share updates and useful content. These are great platforms to engage with your customers and to understand their tastes and what they respond to. Be creative and have fun, but most of all, stay focused.
- Send direct mailers or e-newsletters to connect with your customers directly and inform them of new products, promotions or your business milestones. Remember to ensure you are POPIA compliant.
- Track all your activity on your website, social media pages and email campaigns with analytics tools, to help you better understand how customers perceive and interact with your business.
- Allocate some budget towards paid advertising on Google and on your social media pages. This will drive more traffic, and leads, to your website and online shop.
If you are serious about taking your business to the next level, and need professional help to create an online brand and e-marketing platforms, then reach out to us, now! Drop us a mail at info@stratitude.co.za.