HOW DO I TURN MY HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS?
- If this is your hobby, the chances are you know a little bit about it already. Write up a few texts and start a blog.
- If you keep a steady supply of texts, you will have at least one ready to publish every week and enough material to upload for at least a couple of months. This may seem excessive now but it will be extremely helpful when you find yourself so busy you cannot keep up.
- Create profiles in Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. Share interesting content and add links to the uploaded material in your blog.
- Search for blogs and forums where topics concerning your area of interest are being discussed. Participate in ongoing discussions and start new ones. Add a link to your site.
- Register your blog in directories and optimize it (SEO) so that it turns up on top in Google.
- Participate in an affiliate program or link your blog to AdSense. This may bring your revenue, though it is unrealistic to expect that your main income will derive from it.
- When you have enough information on the relevant topic and believe that you can be useful to others, organize a seminar and announce it through the sponsored links on Google AdWords and other forms of online advertising.
- In time your blog may grow into a site. Create a community of enthusiastic supporters by adding a forum and by sending out a newsletter to subscribers.
- Contact the providers of products and services related to your area of interest and offer them ad space, links and barter. You may find some are willing to sponsor your seminars. Consider selling their wares in an online store.
- Publish a book in hard copy as well as electronically and offer it for sale through your site.
- You are now an expert. It is time to earn money through starting your own business, consultancy, and training.