One of the best ways that craft businesses can help with economic recovery is in the creation of new jobs. This also happens to be one of the most overlooked ways that craft can contribute to improving the economy.
Many of us look at our businesses and think that hiring someone, or paying someone to do work for us, is completely out of the question. But that could be because the people you’re thinking about hiring don’t actually contribute to growing the business.
We often think it would be nice to have someone help pack up the orders, if and when they come. Or have someone help us with production and making stuff.
And while these are good and valuable jobs, in order to hire these positions, your business already needs to be in a place where sales are good. (At the very least, that sales are higher than you can manage on your own.) But many of us just aren’t there.
Instead, what if we started hiring people that would actually boost our sales through the jobs they were doing? Instead of waiting for sales to improve before hiring someone, you’re hiring someone with the idea that their position would help improve your sales. (And more than pay for itself in the process.)
When I talk about hiring, I’m not necessarily talking about hiring them full time as a traditional employee, though this is certainly an option. More so, what I’m talking about are virtual assistants, independent contractors, and other service providers that you might hire in order to help boost your sales and help the economy through the creation of new jobs at the same time.
Let’s take a look at some of the jobs that would help boost sales in your business:
- Sales. One of the best ways to boost sales is, of course, to hire someone whose sole job is to increase sales. And because sales reps normally work on commission, you only have to pay them when you see results. Most product-oriented businesses will sign on with a sales rep or a rep group who also represents various other makers. While this is always a viable approach, you could also hire a sales rep who works only for you (but still works on commission.) In The Ultimate Sales Machine, author Chet Holmes gives a great description of the process for hiring someone to help boost your sales.
- Marketing. If you’d rather create than market, why not hire someone who can focus on marketing tasks for you. Whether a virtual assistant or independent service provider, there are lots of people who can help with the day-to-day, or long term marketing strategies, of your business. Some areas where you might look for a little help are:
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- Copywriting. If you have trouble talking about your own work, a copywriter could be the perfect thing to help you boost your online sales.
- Social media. If spending time on social media isn’t your thing, there are plenty of virtual assistants available who can help market your business that way.
- SEO. If you’re trying to bring more traffic to your website, hiring a Search Engine Optimization consultant could be the way to go. (But I would make sure my copywriting is spot on first.)
- Public relations. Working with a traditional PR firm can be expensive, and of the jobs I’m talking about here, can take the longest to see a return on your investment. However, getting help for PR isn’t limited to hiring a firm. A good VA can research potential press contacts, help draft a pitch, and even email editors on your behalf.
There are many other options to hire people who can help your business grow while providing a boost to the economy. When you think about how your business can help contribute to the economy, consider how hiring someone can be a boost to your bottom line as well.