Starting a side hustle is a great way to earn extra income and test the waters for a business idea before potentially doing it full-time. Lots of people have successfully set up side hustles and make a decent living doing so, but it is not always easy to find those first customers and build up a business from scratch.

One thing that can really help you to do so, providing you already have a great idea, is ensuring that your business comes across as professionally as possible. The more legitimate your side hustle appears to be, the more confidence customers will have to make a purchase.

That being the case, let’s take a look at a few simple things you can do to ensure your side hustle seems as professional as possible.

More and more people are choosing to use card payments over cash, so if your side hustle is going to be dealing with customers in person, you really do need to get a card swiper here. Not only will this make your company seem more professional than one that can only handle cash, but it will also mean you don’t miss out on any potential sales that have to be aborted because the customer doesn’t carry cash. 

Even if you are running your side hustle from your home, it is a good idea to pay for a professional virtual business address which will give your company a more legitimate air, while also helping to maintain your privacy too. It's easy to buy a business address for just a few dollars a month and it will help you to bring in so many more customers that it is definitely a worthwhile investment. 

When you are just starting your side hustle, it could be a good idea to offer your services to friends, family members, and neighbors for free, in return for their honest testimonials. You can then post these testimonials online offering social proof that your side hustle is on the level and can be trusted. People are hesitant to use a small business if they are unsure of it, so this can really help you to overcome that particular barrier.

You are going to need to market your side hustle if you want to attract those first customers. There are several ways you can do this, starting with social media, but however you do it, you need to ensure that content is word-perfect, business cards are glossy and professional and your website is up-to-date and responsive. Don’t skimp on marketing materials because if they look cheap, this will reflect poorly on your business and make it appear unprofessional at best, and dodgy at worst.

As you can see there are several very simple things you can do if you want to make your side hustle seem more professional and attract many more customers as a result, so what are you waiting for?