You have your dedicated team, things are going well… in fact a little too well! You’re struggling to meet demand, and you find yourself needing an extra hand. What do you do?
Do you commit to hiring someone full-time? It’s a risk. If the workload eases, you’ll still have to pay out a salary and employment benefits. Until you’re ready for a commitment like that, hiring a freelancer on Fiverr is a great option for those running a Shopify store.
Fiverr has made the task of hiring freelancers a breeze.
Advantages of Fiverr and the gig economy
1. Better control over expenditure
Once you get to grips with Fiverr’s 5.5% service charge, prices are transparent, and you can set clear deliverables with your freelancer. All this means that there are no nasty surprises when you are billed.
What’s more, your payment is secure. You pay upfront, and your payment is held by Fiverr until your freelancer delivers what’s promised.
2. Hire on a case-by-case basis
Even when factoring in a higher hourly rate, hiring a freelancer saves on average 20-30% a year compared to hiring someone as a full-time employee.
3. Eliminate negotiation process
Unlike hiring a freelancer directly, hiring through Fiverr enables you to see their prices listed upfront and compare which freelancer works best for your business and your budget.
4. Specialized Shopify knowledge
Fiverr has a dedicated page full of people with specific skills pertinent to starting up and running a Shopify store from help setting up a Shopify dropshipping store to writing engaging product descriptions.
Things to consider
Of course, there are always cons to balance out the pros, and there are several points you need to consider before deciding to hire someone through Fiverr.
1. You’re not guaranteed quality or a bargain
While Fiverr works hard to make sure their reviews and ratings are accurate and honest, it’s still difficult to know what to expect when you hire someone new on Fiverr.
While there are some gems out there, there are also people selling sub-par services who seem great based on their profile.
To avoid this, ask to see examples of their work, but be warned that in-demand sellers (i.e. the best ones) might not court your requests as much as you might expect.
2. Don’t skimp on the onboarding process
Consider everyone who works for you to be an extension of your business, including Fiverr freelancers.
Make sure your fully brief your freelancers and send out all necessary supporting documents to get the most out of them, and it will help them in the process too.
At jdp we can help you set up the necessary procedures to streamline onboarding for new employees and freelancers.
3. You might not find the perfect candidate straight away
Before committing a Fiverr freelancer to a large project, it’s a good idea to start by sending smaller component tasks until you are reassured of the quality of their work and their conscientiousness.
The great thing about Fiverr is that the pool of candidates is large, so if someone isn’t working out for you, you can see if someone else would be a better fit. It might take three or four attempts before you find the right freelancer for you.
4. Build a lasting relationship once you find the one
Good Fiverr sellers are in high demand. One of the challenges for buyers in the gig economy is keeping the same sellers over time. If you can’t commit to providing them with ongoing work, you need to find another reason for them to prioritize you over new clients.
Show your appreciation for them by writing positive reviews and consider tipping them for their work. Create a rapport and make them feel included as part of your team. Report back to them to let them know the effect of their work on your Shopify store.
Depending on your resources and budget, Fiverr is a great option for hiring people who can support running your Shopify store.
At jdp, we understand eCommerce. If you’re not sure what the next best steps are for your Shopify store, get in touch. We’ll handcraft a blueprint that suits your budget and resources to connect you with your customers. Book your free 15-minute consultation today.
