If your 2024 side hustle is not yet automated, you are just spending too much time for very little reward. While startup costs associated with automation tools might feel a lot for a side hustle, they are worth all the time and energy you’ll be saving.
You can automate as little as processes and have a big impact. From scheduling social media posts to managing customer inquiries, automation can handle several repetitive activities.
Here are 8 automation tips for your side hustle in 2024:
1. Social Media Management
With tools like OneUp, Buffer, or Hootsuite you can schedule posts across multiple platforms including Google Maps and also get input about optimal times. Plan a week’s or month’s worth of content in one sitting and then all you have to focus on is interacting with social media users and building a community.
2. Email Marketing
Platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit offer automated workflows to send welcome emails, product updates, and personalized messages based on customer actions. Set up these sequences once, and watch your engagement grow without constant oversight. Email marketing workflows can get a little tricky, so don’t be afraid of hiring a skilled professional who can set it all up at once.
3. Manage Finances Better
Apps like QuickBooks and Mint can automatically track your earnings and expenses. Beyond saving time, they also give you a more concise overview of your financial health, which is crucial as a business owner.
4. Optimize Customer Interactions
Your side hustle’s success depends on how well you connect with your customers, especially if you are a service-oriented business. Chatbots can handle initial customer inquiries and provide instant responses. Tools like ManyChat or Chatfuel can integrate with your social media platforms and Tidio and ChatBot work well with websites.
If your side hustle involves appointments or consultations, use scheduling tools like Calendly to automate booking processes. You save some back-and-forth and also offer your customers a smooth process.
5. Feedback Collection
You can send automated surveys after a service has been provided or a product has been purchased. Tools like SurveyMonkey automate this process and compile the results for easy analysis. You can also send timely reminders for feedback and don’t need to follow up manually.
6. AI for Content Generation
Over the last two years, we’ve seen how AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard, and Perplexity AI have changed the content generation game. If your website relies heavily on written content, these platforms will streamline the process for you. You can train them for keyword research, to plan out the content’s outline, and editing.
7. Streamline Operations
If you are a one-person team, you need all the tools to streamline operations. From inventory tracking and planning your restocks to fulfilling orders, you don’t need to manually oversee each step. If you are an e-commerce brand that uses Shopify connect ShipStation to automate the shipping process.
8. Data Management
Use cloud-based services like Google Drive or Dropbox to automatically save and organize your business documents and data. It helps you do two things – generate automatic backups and make them accessible from any device.
Keeping up-to-date with new technologies and trends. Reach out to local side hustle or entrepreneur groups on how you can further automate your business. And as always, for more side hustle support, visit Carrie’s Courses.
