The Only Side Hustles That Count
If you are online and looking for work, you have encountered advertisements and articles describing ways to make money on the side. Heck, you see lots of ways to make money selling things, making things, promoting other peoples’ stuff, investing, starting courses and et cetera. If you need extra money, you’ll find plenty of opportunities out there. Or, will you?
That’s what this article is about. What you’ll read here applies to online side hustles, not stuff like driving for Uber and DoorDash.
What Side Hustles Really Are
Most of these opportunities — affiliate marketing, drop shipping, selling crafts on Etsy, and so on — are marketing jobs. No surprise here, but if you want to sell something online, you have to market what you’ve got.
Publishing an e-book will not make you any money.
You will not make money by putting your cute coffee mugs on Etsy.
You will not make money by signing up to promote nutritional supplements.
How will you make money? You will find ways to sell your art or e-books or vitamins. Then, you will do those things. You will invest money. You will do the things some more. You will learn and adapt. If you persevere, and you have something people want, then your odds of success are probably decent.
Of course that depends on what your definition of success is.
Can you really make $10,000 a week selling crafts on Etsy?
Maybe.
Eventually.
The secret is to first master one of the two side hustles that really count. You could also consider there is only one meaningful side hustle but two ways to go about it. In reality, you may have to/want to do both of these things.
Meaningful Hustle #1 — Digital Marketing
You have to be known by people online, for something. It could be steampunk-inspired art or panda-themed mugs or nonfiction on social activism. Whatever. Lots of people online need to know who you are and what you are about. This way, when you offer your panda mugs, steampunk art, or books, people will be ready to buy.
I’ve tried to self-publish and promote my stuff online at the same time, with a modest marketing budget. This does not work, unless Lady Luck smiles on you, which she will not do. So, don’t let Chance decide your fate.
> Create a website
> Start blogging
> Comment on Facebook and LI
> Put your website URL all over the place
> Keep it up
You may prefer to focus on getting known in the offline world. This is smart if you offer a personal service business, like mobile pet grooming, or are a consultant or coach.
Meaningful Hustle #2 — Networking
Develop an elevator pitch for you and your services. Get out there and talk to people. Go to business networking events. Volunteer. Get some nice business cards made. Set up a business page of some kind. It can be very simple, as long as it is professional. Follow up with people. Try to get appointments. Invite people to visit your website and schedule a call. I think you get the idea.
> Network
> Network some work
> Don’t ignore your online presence
Review your business objectives and figure out how much effort you’ll need to expend on one of these hustles. And then consider how much effort you’ll need to invest in your “other” side hustle.
What “They” Won’t Tell You
These two activities reduce something that may ruin you and your online business. This “something” is what economists call opportunity cost. If you invest time in becoming known as the guy who does X or the gal who creates Y, you are not doing something else. If you invest money in your Meaningful Hustle, which you really must do, then you don’t have the money for something else.
Warning: People really can do things right and make serious money on Etsy, or with whatever. It takes time and money, and some business smarts. You are not going to join some online business opportunity today and start making $1,000 a week or more within 12 weeks.
You cannot become a skilled copywriter in a month and start making $10,000 a month a few months later. You cannot publish a few e-books on Amazon and quit your day job. Again, these things have happened, probably, but if you are smart you plan based on what’s realistic.
And learning what that is, is up to you. Let the buyer beware.
