There are a multitude of different types of side hustles, side gigs, extra revenue streams or whatever you want to call it. As promised, here’s a list of eight:

1. Selling things
2. Teaching or Tutoring
3. Performing
4. Marketing your Arts and Crafts
5. Organizing professionally
6. Virtual Assistant
7. Pet-Sitting
8. Renting your things

Of course there are many more that aren’t listed here. But over the next few months we’ll talk about each of these in more detail.

Sales was my first extra revenue stream. Remember when children could go door-to-door in their neighborhoods for school fundraisers. Well personally I didn’t have much of a neighborhood, but this was my first training in sales which is a learning experience a lot of children miss out on these days.

Regardless of whether you got early experience in this area or not, you may be one of those people who thinks they’re not good at selling. Cast off those negative ideas now, especially when there are so many different ways to sell things these days. Besides you’ve done it already like when you interview for a job for example. After all, you are basically selling someone the idea of you as a competent employee when you go on a job interview.

The first way I’ll talk about is direct sales since that’s what most people think of when they hear sales. In my high school days I became a licensed cosmetologist and my instructor stressed the importance of retailing. This retail focus evolved into direct sales of cosmetics, you know the ones Mary Kay, Avon, Amway’s line, etc.

No matter what you decide to sell, the most important thing is that you truly support and see the value of what you’re selling. If you’re only partially positive about the supplier or are merely caught in the initial excitement, you won’t be able to persist like I mentioned in the first edition.

Many if not all direct sales companies offer websites these days. Maximize the effectiveness of those websites with these tips:

1. A sale can’t happen with a contact’s information.
   Offer some freebie to those who sign up at your website. You get their contact info and be sure to keep in contact with them. Just don’t take it to the extreme and become a spammer or digital stalker.
2. Build relationships.
   Social media should be more than just a fun way to blow off a couple of hours if you’re in sales. Use it to find out what people need. Engage in genuine conversations before highlighting how your product or service can fill that need. Use surveys, polls, and blogs to build a two-way flow of information between you and potential customers.
3. Update regularly.
   Attention spans seem to be growing shorter and shorter. If your website isn’t updated regularly, people stop checking it out because they feel they’ve seen it all before.

What tips do you all have that have proved effective in sales?

Next Divorce Your Job post in 2 weeks!