Hone Your Side Hustle: Tip-of-the-Day #354

 

A strong side hustle never hurts the pocketbook. I've been writing copy for years 'on the side' of my full time marketing job. Why? Because it's easy for me, it pays well, and I can do it on my time (evenings, weekends, holidays, etc.). A friend of mine is looking to start, without much professional experience, but with a whole lot of talent. Here's the advice I gave to him.

Create a portfolio that showcases your work. Even if you don't have a professional body of work to tout, you can certainly round up anything you've written (blog articles, short stories, "fake ads" for companies you love, etc.) and feature it in a professional way for easy consumption. I can't tell you how many years I succumbed to sending zip files to prospective employers. That just doesn't cut it in 2021. Not when there are easy website building tools out there the likes of Wix. And, to the tune of FREE, you can create your own site in minutes. If you get to a point where you'd like a custom domain or an ad-free experience, you can upgrade your site, but it's really not necessary in the beginning. 

Once you've created a simple portfolio that makes it easier for prospective employers to review your work (your voice, your range, short form vs. long form content, etc.) then you can start looking for more opportunities to flex your writing muscle.

Sean Kernan, American writer, recently wrote a fascinating article about leaving his full-time job in finance to become a full-time writer. He didn't worry about where the money would come from, he followed his passion and it paid off. He started writing for Quora, Medium, and getting freelance gigs. And his followers grew quickly. Note: in addition to getting paid for your strong content, you can also begin to monetize your content with ads and/or partner marketing programs, but that's for another article.

I've found that signing up for Upwork and searching the thousands of opportunities that exist there is a great way to start. In fact, this article sums up how to do it. My favorite takeaways are:

1. Start small. Take a fast-turn, low-paying gig to get the experience and the (positive) feedback, which will make you more attractive to other employers. Also, one small, well-performed job can lead to more work with that business!
   
   
2. Submit proposals. If you see something you like, throw your hat in! If you don't play, you can't win. And, in the beginning, you won't likely get many invitations to submit. So, you have to make the first move. 
   
   
3. Optimize your profile. Make sure you include information about yourself, your skillset, your strengths, and your availability. Answer as many questions as you can, upfront, to minimize misalignment.

There are tons of articles out there that explain how to start your side hustle - from dog walking to search engine optimization. Find your niche, and monetize it! The time is now.

Drop me a note and tell me how you've been hustling!