What to Say When You’re Turning Your Hobby Into a Business

Are you thinking about turning your hobby into a business?

If you’re good at what you do so people really benefit/find value in your products or services, you might have a viable business.

One challenge?

Getting comfortable as conversations transition to business. It’s uncomfortable. Not just for some people, for most of us. Especially if you’re mission-driven and want to help everybody (or almost everybody).

So how do you get comfortable?

Sadly, there’s no magic bullet.

For most people, the answer is powering through, experimenting with what works, what feels right. Seeing how people respond. Learning, growing, habituating until it no longer feels awkward.

Here’s one way you can jump start the process of getting comfortable:

0. Think of 5-10 different ways you could have the sales conversation, introducing them to the idea that this is the kind of work that you do as a business now. Write them down. These don’t have to be long—a few sentences will usually suffice.
1. Get together with a small group of people you know and trust who will give you honest feedback. Ideally this group would have 2-5 people.
2. Tell them that you’re struggling with having a sales conversation and you have some ideas you’d like to run past them for their feedback.
3. Share 5-10 different ways of approaching the subject.
4. Get feedback/suggestions about what worked well, what fell flat.
5. Practice the ones that work so they roll easily out of your mouth. Believe it or not, practicing those phrases out loud will make it easier to say it when you’re talking to people who might be your prospects/ideal clients. You might even practice in front of a mirror. Sounds silly, I know, but it helps.

Here’s the bottom line: if you’re going to turn your hobby into a business, you’ve got to be brave. And the more you prepare and practice, the braver you’ll be.

If you need help turning your hobby into a business, let’s talk. You can email me ron@rontester.com and let me know what you need help with. I may not be the right person to help you, but we’ll never know unless you’re brave enough to raise your hand and ask for what you want.

If you’re looking for a great place to learn more about marketing for small business, check out the course I teach with Connie Ragen Green called How to Market for Small Business. You can find out more by clicking here.