5 Free and Easy Ways to Draw New Customers to Your Side Hustle

There are a lot of hurdles to starting a side hustle, but one of the biggest is learning how to draw in new customers. Paid advertising is one option, but it's not feasible for all new business owners. If you've spent a lot on inventory getting your business up and running or it's just a part-time venture you're using to bring in a little extra cash, spending money on advertising might not feel like a good investment right now.

Fortunately, there are plenty of free ways to get the word out about your business. Here are five for you to try.

1. Targeted apps

Apps built to connect certain types of business providers with customers can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. For example, if you want to start working as a dog walker, you could join a dog-walking app that can connect you to people looking for someone to walk their dogs.

Some of these apps may have a one-time registration fee, but you can just charge this to a business credit card. Then, you can get connected with others in your area with no additional work on your part. Of course, you always want to read the fine print on these services. The platform might take a cut of your profits, and that could affect how much you decide to charge for your services.

2. Social media

Practically everyone is on social media these days, so it's a great place to get the word out about your business. You can even make a dedicated page for your company and invite your friends to like and share it.

Doing this is free, though you'll still have to do the work of creating posts and responding to questions from potential customers. It takes a bit of practice, but for many, it's time well spent. Be careful about posting in social media groups, though. Some have rules that prohibit members from advertising goods and services.

3. Word of mouth

Perhaps the oldest form of advertising, word of mouth also remains one of the most powerful. It's tough to beat a great testimonial from a satisfied customer. Plus, when others spread the word about your business, it can help you reach a much larger audience than you could on your own.

If they're willing, encourage family and friends to pass your name along to anyone who might be interested in the goods or services you have to offer. You could even offer referral bonuses to existing customers who send you new customers as a way to incentivize getting the word out.

4. Flyers

A lot of businesses have bulletin boards that advertise other businesses and upcoming local events. They might be willing to help you advertise your side hustle as well. Technically, this one isn't free, but the cost of printing flyers shouldn't be too hard on your bank account.

Go around to local businesses and ask if you can advertise your services. Remember to always be polite and make sure your flyers have all the information a potential customer would need to know what your business does and how they can contact you.

5. Local events

Depending on the type of side hustle you have, local events can provide an opportunity to meet with new potential customers. For example, if you make jewelry, you could participate in local craft fairs that get your pieces in front of new faces.

Scout your neighborhood events calendar and check out the calendars for other nearby towns as well. If there's anything that seems as if it might be a good fit for you, reach out to the organizers to figure out how you can get involved.

Choose one or two of these strategies and give them a shot for a little while. Once you see the effect they have, you can decide whether they're worth continuing or whether you want to try a different approach to finding new customers.