If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve thought about turning your favorite hobby into a little extra income for retirement—or maybe you’re already on the path! I am.
The path seemed easy and the journey worth it when I took that first step. There have been days when I wondered if I’ve bitten off more than I wanted to chew. After all is said and done, aren’t I retired?
The Challenge: Bridging the Gap Between Hobby and Business
Like many retirees, I started with a simple goal: make a bit of money doing something I truly enjoy. Sounds easy, right? Well, I quickly discovered that enjoying a hobby and running a business are two very different things. The biggest hurdle? Finding customers.
When you’ve always created only for yourself or family and friends, suddenly reaching out and convincing strangers to buy feels daunting. I feel like a fraud, somebody who doesn’t have the skill needed to do it. What will people think of my offer? I’ve got to move move very far past that thinking.
Sales Experience: The Difference Between Selling for a Corporation and Selling for Yourself
Before I retired, I spent decades in sales. I thought those skills would translate effortlessly to my hobby-based business. Boy, was I wrong! In the corporate world, your product, brand, and market are largely defined for you. When you’re selling your own work, you have to build everything from scratch. That means learning how to connect with people for yourself, not just as a representative of a big company. Suddenly, every sale feels personal, and every rejection hits a little closer to home.
The product seems a little less glamorous without the shiny brochures and the professional marketing team putting together the perfect description. It feels like I’m in elementary school while the competition has a PHD, but that’s not true. I have skills. I’m not even very far behind on the ones that lag. I’m skilled and I should stop doubting my abilities.
Narrowing Down: Why Focusing on One Thing Matters
Early on in my sales career, I offered a fair bit of variety to each prospective customer… all the products in my company portfolio. I thought more choices meant more customers. Actually, that is exactly what the formal sales training program taught. What happened was confusion and lack of sales. I was failing miserably those first few weeks in sales back in my twenties.
A nearly retired, experienced salesman took me under his wing and taught me some basics about human beings and good old-fashioned sales. I needed to narrow down my focus. Specializing not only helped me improve my ability to find prospective customers, but it made communicating what I had to offer easier. Customers could identify me as the one to talk to.
Identifying the Right Customer: Shifting Perspective
At first, I assumed everyone would love what I offer so getting the word out would be the most important step. However, I couldn’t focus in on how I was going to put together my marketing messages. My assumption was naïve, but it’s also a common mistake. I was looking at my hobby from the wrong perspective.
The real turning point came when I started paying attention to who actually wanted my work, not just who I thought should. I began asking questions, listening to feedback, and even observing at local craft fairs and other events. Over time, I developed a profile of my ideal customer. Now, my marketing and sales efforts are tailored to their preferences, not just my own assumptions.
In other words, I had to shift my perspective just a little to see my customer differently. I needed to be a customer for a minute. I needed to see that my thinking was from the wrong perspective.
Delivery and Marketing: Meeting Customers Where They Are
Marketing is a lot more than putting up a website or passing out flyers. I see my customers everywhere now, because I’m one of them. I’m in the community. I’m always associating with them casually and socially. I know that meeting customers where they already spend time will work far better than hoping they’ll come to me after seeing an advertisement.
My customers will be my neighbors and friends, my friends’ friends and people in my social circles. Delivery and marketing will simply be a matter of sharing information rather than promoting and advertising. They won’t need swag or an option to unsubscribe.
The “Customer is Always Right”: What That Means for my Hobby Turned Business
In my world, where a hobby becomes an income, the customer is a friend and I appreciate that they have things that they need. The customer is always right. The customer decides what they need and what they want while I decide if I can offer that to them. If not, then maybe I’ve reached my limits with skills and equipment or time. Maybe I’ve learned what needs to go onto my goals list.
Every customer cannot become mine, but every friend will know that I tried to do the right thing and I look forward to the next project.
Turning a hobby into a retirement income is something that feels more personal than all the other adventures in my career. Maybe that feeling is how so many retired people are successful in supplementing their retirement through a hobby or personal interest.
Here’s to turning passions into possibilities!
