With the economy getting tougher for survival, people have resorted to finding secondary incomes. Some have turned their passions into side businesses and hustles.
But for those who have not yet ventured into this, it may seem like a daunting task to launch a side business. However, with the right amount of admin work and taking one step at a time, you could start a successful side business.
The following are a few tips to get you started.
Register your company
The first thing you need to do is register your company. 
In South Africa, we use the CIPC, which registers your company and reserves a company name for only R175.
To register on the CIPC all you need is the amount, your ID number and your company’s name. Once you create a customer account, you then move over to the TRANSACTION tab and click on “REGISTER A COMPANY”. From then on, it’s a walk in the park.
Find out how it works in your country and get on with it.
Get a logo
Designing a simple logo is important for building your brand. Although this is really dependent on what business you have, you need to decide if a logo will strengthen your brand awareness.
When it comes to logo, a simple design is always best. Not only is it easy to recognize but it ensures that you don’t have to rebrand anytime soon.
Create Social Media Pages
Social media is very helpful in getting your brand out there especially when you don’t have a website. It acts as your point of contact when you cannot engage with your potential customers face to face.
There are certain key rules for social media. First, you have to create content that engages your followers. Through short and simple messages, you build a community of followers who you can then interact with.
To do this, it is important to choose the right platform. While Twitter is good for short messages, Instagram is more visual and Facebook allows longer texts and pieces. It is also helpful to always redirect your social media posts to your websites.
Start advertising
When you’re getting started, your social media pages, friends, and family will be your advertising. However, even if you don’t have a big budget for advertising, there are other methods to get your brand across.
Offering your products to influencers at discounted rates is a good way to market your brand. For example, a branding company can offer their services to clients who would benefit and portray this, a chef can sell their signature dishes at a food market and even make-ups artistes can cover small events such as school plays.
Create templates for your documents
It is often distracting when people send their quotes via text or in a poorly constructed Word document. However, if your business has a standard price list, you should invest in a well-designed page that has your information, price list, payment details and other important details.
The simple rule is to ensure your customers do not have to struggle to find information while making a purchase. Often customers are ready to make their purchases and therefore you shouldn’t slow down their momentum.
When your customer base grows, it will be very important to invoice. This helps you keep track of payment transactions and also helps you understand what customers like. You can also do this by giving customers a platform such as Facebook ratings to voice out their feedback on your services.
If you’re looking for a full-time gig at a global organization, the SLA team is growing and glowing. Find out about open positions here.
