How does one make their skills into real-life propositions? Let’s say your main job is a project manager, salesperson, or software engineer. Or, possibly you’re a student with no job at all! How to make that extra $200, $500, or even $5,000 per month?
This piece is not some simple step-by-step checklist that most would like and not a one-size-fits-all solution that can be blindly followed to generate additional income. Here, we offer five ways (or steps toward) turning your skills into a money-generating side hustle:
1. Understand the Freelance Is the Feasible Option
There are many ways to earn additional funds; the most obvious one, in our opinion, is outsourcing work.
- You can start earning right away, quickly test your services, get rid of unnecessary work and increase your income.
- We think that about 95% of professions can be practiced as outsource workers. But 5% isn’t really a possibility: for example, you cannot be an outsource cardiac surgeon.
- Just like dating, finding the right match between your skills and the market’s needs will take more than one try.
The last point is very important. Sometimes people spend so much time building their own business – including buying various supplies and making legal obligations – that when they finally launch it, they find out that the potential client is only that – potential. It turns out that no one wants to buy their product.
It’s not enough just to be okay at some activity, be it marketing, mowing lawns, or website creation. Millions of other people are better than you at countless activities. It’s not just knowledge: you have to format your proficiencies into a product that customers can see as valuable.
2. Choose Between Passion and Purely Money
People love to talk about passion, hobbies. Your job should be your driving motivator! Of course, the reality isn’t that simple. In some cases, this can be true, but passion and similar strong emotions are overrated and used as a panacea for everything. And guess what! You’ll start to be extremely involved in an activity as soon as you start improving at it.
Your job doesn’t have to be a source of inspiration for outsourcing work. If you work as a project manager during the day, you can become a creative writer in your spare time. After all, these professions have a lot in common! You must be organized, create structure out of chaos, and focus on getting the job done on time, every time. After all, if a project manager can outsource $1,000 as a writer, what’s there for you to do? The possibilities are endless.
Your professional skills can be applied to different areas, no matter how unique you think you are. Do you train dolphins? Wow, really unique! But in fact, no. You have the proficiencies to work with animals; it is understandable, which hints at training pets. But you also have a background in training and behavior change, which many science labs and companies will be eager to compensate dearly for. You can educate children. You may assist people in leaving behind their bad habits. Or a hundred more different options.
Don’t just say, “I’m a process engineer! Nobody hires outsource process engineers. I give up!” Instead, ask yourself, “What activity am I in love with? What do I excel at?”
3. Begin With Defined Objectives
Too many people start with strategies without realizing what or how to accomplish things. Of course, it’s always greater to do something rather than nothing – that’s true. But if you can put in a little strategizing time – and keep moving forward – you will save a lot of valuable time.
Here’s a simple truth: if you wish about beginning doing outsource because you need extra income, find a lucrative market and tailor your offerings. Still, if you want to outsource because you want your favorite activities to produce money, first shape the offerings around the hobbies and then find a lucrative market. Do you feel the difference?
Identifying a Lucrative Market First Example
Let’s say Paul wants to make an extra $1500 in 30 days to repay his credit card debt and propose to his SO after all debts have been paid. Excellent! His first goal, therefore, is to produce income. Obviously, he must find the most suitable market for his skills and strive relentlessly to it.
Jack is a full-time customer service employee, so he is looking for additional income outside of his market. He reads a lot of average bloggers and realizes that they might need help editing their email list. He negotiates paid distance services. Victory! 2 customers every 30 days start bringing money in. Since Paul was primarily thinking about making an income, not hobbies, just focused on adapting his proficiencies to the existing demand.
Following a Passion Example
Unlike Paul, Lisa wishes to work within hair services. She understands that she can tell a lot about coloring, haircuts, and proper use with various women. Hair services are her favorite field, so she wouldn’t want to start an outsourced service that does some corporate optimization.
Since she’s dedicated to making money with hair services, she gives herself the freedom to explore the various services that she can turn into feasible offerings for the clients, which would attract lots of them. Maybe she will aid others interested in hair services to get to private shows? Or become a VIP customer service specialist? It is not yet obvious what will be beneficial, but Mary finds out through quick experiments.
Prioritize Strategies
Whenever possible, always think about this: start with objectives and then apply tactics (How do I attract customers? What should I have? What applications do I need?). Even if you want to provide something as basic as college essay editing EssayEdge, you still want to plan out your work.
4. Realize Which of Your Skills Can Be Sold
It is overwhelming to realize that you have literally 500 potential ways to generate funds. This is why people love SEO or other automated funds-making outsourcing methods that provide a simple-to-repeat formula … but such things rarely work.
What industry are you in?
Finance, you say? Okay. You probably don’t want to become an independent investment banker. But … you analyze something all day. How to utilize it?
- Example 1: You know Excel like the back of your hand. But there are people (like me) who simply hate it but need a detailed analysis of their business. Can you build models for other people?
- Example 2: You are well versed in industrial rationing. Often, aspiring businessmen need it. In that case, you’ll be able to sell this skill easily.
Identify your skills and interests – and then think creatively
“I’m very communicative … But I have no idea how to get anything out of this point.” It just won’t work. Nobody hires just a “very sociable” person. Hire people who’re able to figure out issues and make them disappear. What is it all about – “very sociable”? This means that you are so lazy that you haven’t bothered to find available options to channel your energy and generate funds. Can you write press releases? Can you teach a course in public speaking? Only real-life examples.
Even if you do not have any professional skills, there are other possibilities
Etsy is a great possibility and an illustration of how you can generate additional income even without special professional skills. People do well there selling niche products to niche audiences.
5. Utilize a Reliable Platform
At this point, you should start building your client base. If you’re only starting, you’ll probably have little to no exposure to make any sales. In that case, make the most of the following outsource platforms:
- Upwork.
- Fiverr.
- Freelancer.com
- Supersourcing.
- Or Etsy.
These are great and reliable platforms with which you can generate capital on the side. Of course, if you want to increase your earnings, you’ll have to establish yourself as a commercial entity and operate as such.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try
Delivering outsourced work as working full-time or studying in college might seem very hard, but your efforts will be significantly returned to you up financially. Also, it can result in you working in a field that you’re passionate about, so try to turn your existing skills into a feasible client offering!
