Commercial crafting, whether that is woodworking or fine art, can often be a thankless task. After hours of drafting, designing, and finishing products, many find themselves feeling underappreciated by customers and fellow craftspeople alike, which can reduce creativity and lead to burnout.
Thankfully, there is a simple way to get beyond this roadblock: custom statues & sculptures. These beautiful reminders of an artisan’s value will provide a much-needed boost that lasts long after the project has been completed and the invoice closed. Today, we will examine some of the most pressing reasons why those in the craft industry deserve awards for their hard work.
Boost Creativity With Contests
Creativity often feels like magic, a divine intervention that appears out of nowhere, but the truth is that many factors play into what drives a craftsperson to excel and develop novel ideas. One of these is the right amount of competition, which pushes a person to beat out others with the freshness of their ideas. When people are competing with others for a prestigious prize, they are more likely to take well-measured risks in order to stand out, which can be incredibly helpful for those seeking to find new processes or simply produce a new piece of art.
Those in the craft industry can nurture this creativity by holding contests with a tangible prize for the culmination of all that hard work. Potential contests could include high-concept wood carving, designing a new product line, or trying a new craft.
Acknowledge Excellent Service With Awards
Craftspeople who install things like wood kitchen cabinets or hardwood floors must have both skill and great customer service skills, as they are spending an extended period of time in another person’s home. This is a delicate operation and is arguably more important than great customer service in a retail setting because customers may feel vulnerable with a stranger on their property.
As such, acknowledging those who go above and beyond to make customers comfortable is a key way to boost productivity and ensure that your craftspeople feel appreciated.
You may hold a contest amongst your installers to identify the one who receives the most positive comments over a given period, then present them with a statue that shows your appreciation for their service.
Consider Sales Goals Through Quota Awards
Whether you run an art gallery or cabinetry shop, making sales ensures that you stay in business. Salespeople are just as important to your operations as the actual crafters, as they bring in the funds that help you stay in business. It’s common to set sales quotas and quarterly goals for employees, but often, these are only acknowledged with a thank-you rather than any tangible reward.
To keep your salespeople motivated, you must show them that they are a vital part of your company and that their efforts are acknowledged. Setting high but realistic goals, then showering high achievers with praise and a special gift, demonstrates that their efforts do not go unnoticed and that they are an essential part of your operations.
Additionally, this does not just motivate the winner, but it also encourages others to excel during the next sales period so they can also receive an award and bragging rights over that quarter. You’ll drive competition amongst the salespeople, which will translate to big benefits for your company.
Encourage Collaboration by Showing Appreciation
While craftspeople often work alone or in small groups, there is a large network of fellow artisans who encourage and support your staff. Whether it is sending a customer your way when they request something in particular or providing contact details to great vendors, you and your team have been helped along the way by numerous others in the industry, and it’s only fair to show gratitude.
Offering a small award after a particularly important transaction can demonstrate that you recognize how vital this person or organization is to your work, and it will encourage them to continue helping you in the long run. There doesn’t need to be any special occasion to warrant this, either: simply sending over this award with a letter of thanks will be a welcome reprieve from the daily grind and be remembered fondly for years.
Conclusion
Crafting helps make the world a more beautiful place, but it can often feel like unseen labor by those who perform it. To get the best out of craftspeople, it’s important that they receive recognition on a regular basis. Statues and sculptures that commemorate great achievements are the perfect way to ensure that you and your team remain productive all throughout the year.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nurlana Alasgarli
Content Specialist
Nurlana Alasgarli is a professional copywriter with more than 6 years of creative writing experience. Having lived and experienced all over the world, there are many writing genres that Nurlana follows, including nature, arts and crafts and the outdoors. Nurlana brings life to content creation, captivating her readers.
