Turn your side hustle into a thriving business

There’s never been a better time to get your business idea off the ground

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Small businesses are thriving, with more than five million in the UK in 2021, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.

Whatever your line of work, from making crafts and knitting socks in the evenings to selling online social media courses or plumbing workshops at the weekends, you can make it into a small business.

They provide the economy with a big boost too and account for around half of turnover from private companies in the UK.*

So, whatever small business you run (or are thinking about setting up) once you’ve got your idea your halfway there. But what comes next is turning the dream into a reality and if you want your business to succeed, you need to be online.

Not only do you need an online shop, to showcase your products or services, but you also need one as a way of connecting with customers and most importantly reaching new ones.

Squarespace connects the dots in the often-confusing maze of online businesses and provides an all-in-one platform to stand out from the crowd.

It’s a one-stop-shop making it easy, convenient, and quick to create and manage an online shop in four easy steps.

Visit Squarespace to start your free website trial today

First you need a website

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The start of any small business starts with a website. If you’re not especially web savvy (and even if you are) you can choose from award-winning templates at Squarespace to give your business the presence it needs online. As every business is different, there’s also the tools to customise it to your heart’s content.

You can also analyse how people use your site to find out exactly what makes your customers tick. How long they spend on your website pages, what they’re looking for, how often they’re coming back and even what time of day they’re coming to you. These are the details that really give you an insight into your customers so you can learn the best way to connect with them (and encourage them to buy your wonderful products).

Now it’s time to start selling

There really are no limits when it comes to selling on Squarespace. From poodles to purses and everything in between. The same goes for the size of your company too, whether you’re selling brownie boxes in your spare time, or you have an industrial-sized oven and you post out baked goods all over the world. Customers can select the products they want, pay, and checkout safely and securely all in one place.

If you need a calendar, say you want customers to choose when gifts are sent or they need to book in your services, you can give your customers the ability to book appointments.

You can even boost your bank balance by charging for access or downloads if that’s what works for you.

Start your free website trial today

Shout about your brand from the (virtual) rooftops

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Now you’ve got the foundations in place it’s time to take your company out into the world.

Reach people through a variety of networks with professionally designed social content and keep fans of your company up to date with email lists that match your brand.

You’ll also have access to built-in SEO tools to maximise your visibility and give yourself the best chance possible of creating a thriving business.

It’s all about the extras

We’re not finished yet, there’s also extra services and channels you can add into your website to really make it stand out.

Choose from third-party services to manage your business and fully customised tools to suit your business’s needs.

There’s also a marketplace when you’re in need of hiring some extra help, from designers to developers. Businesses aren’t all 9-5 so if you get stuck, need advice, or just someone else to chat to, there’s also a friendly community and help and support available at any time of the day or night.

Head to Squarespace.com to learn more. Visit the website for full Ts&Cs.

*https://www.fsb.org.uk/uk-small-business-statistics.html