Interpret the secondary character for us

Stereotypes prevent your reader from doing mental work - you have to do that work for them if you don't use a stereotype.

Pick a point of view

A major difference between the main character and secondary characters is that you're not in the head of a secondary character. You have to use a different point of view, such as:

The main character's impressions or observations of the secondary.
The narrator's impressions or observations of the secondary.

This point of view is what will interpret the secondary character for your reader.

Pick a reason this character is here

To flesh out a character strongly in a small amount of space, you'll need something purposeful for them to do. Whether that's providing comic relief or acting as a way to tell your reader something about the scene, pick something specific that you want this character to communicate. A secondary character should affect either the actions of the main character or the mood of the reader.

The reason a character is there should make a strong impression on your chosen point of view.

Choose impactful actions

Since this is a secondary character, we only get to see what they do, not why they do it. The point of view you chose is going to observe what the secondary character does, how they do it, and provide a filter for the reader to interpret the why.

The why part is what stereotypes do so well. By using a ditzy party girl, we know how she's going to relate to the main character, what she might do, and most importantly why she might do it. You can make a non-typical secondary character appear understandable to the reader if the main character or narrator understands the secondary character.

Explicitly relate the reasons for a secondary character's actions and your chosen point of view's feelings.

Summary

Describe the secondary character and their actions from your chosen point of view, and make sure your chosen point of view relates to the secondary character in the way that you want your reader to.

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