Soap Makers Help!

[Morgaine]

I think the raspberry I used was from Camden Grey too. DH loves that one. Say's he wants to take a bite out of it every time he smells it. The french red clay made the perfect raspberry color. I can send you some in your soap swap if you want. It was raining to much to make the trip earlier so I still Have the package.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

That would be great if you could. I haven't worked with any of the clays yet. It sounds great.
Now for the bad part of this post. I could spit nails at this point. I just opened my box for my pop tent and it was labeled wrong! It's just the 2 side panels!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

http://www.golfoutletsusa.com/ProductDetails.asp?PCLinkID=2288

OK here it is. Since I was in panic mode I started searching really This is less then what I paid for 2 side walls

 

[cheeptrick]

I'm at the point where folks want the same thing over and over...lavender, omh, clean cotton...these 3 fragrances sell OUT so fast. I can never keep it in stock..it is time for BIGGER MOLDS....and bigger batches but I just cannot keep up. I found that offering more than 6 fragrances at a time was making folks olfactory gland overload! After you get selling you will find what sells the best...I made a lovely swirled honey almond coco bar and I STILL have it hanging around. I donated some of it to the Community Kitchen thinking I got rid of most of it...WRONG...just found about 10 bars of it tucked in the back of my curing crates!!

I go to the store and check the crate from time to time...I like to see which soaps are selling the best. If one fragrance is hanging around too long...I ditch it...move on to a new fragrance. BUT OMH, Lavender, and Clean Cotton never hang around. 3 steady and 3 new fragrances every order seems to be the norm.
With the 3 accounts (farm stand, gift shop, and corner store) PLUS Chickenstocks' and internet orders...I get very frustrated with not being able to please every time. I'd save the internet website for later....I could not keep enough cured stock on hand. Start making soap for X-Mas in AUGUST!!

My best tips for you all just starting...

Soap 2x a week 6 different fragrances 40 bar batches total weekly is 240 bars ...get your stock UP to around 1000 bars. THEN market it and try to keep a running inventory in excel. It helps...to get ahead before you start selling. Keep to your 2x week soaping schedule...that way you can rotate the stock easily.

I run OUT all the time...customers get disappointed quick. I try to keep returning customers happy by giving a free bar now and again. I excuse myself by telling them I'm a one woman show and folks are patient with me...my price is good that is why...they will wait.

Also keeping track of your expenses for the business for come tax time....excel, again is perfect for calculating your expenses and total cost per unit can be calculated easily. It is important to see your profit...I could be doing a WHOLE lot more...but keeping it small helps me develop my product better...test the market....and evolve my packaging.

Remember small business starting out have 2-3 years before they are running smoothly and with a profit...so do not fret too much. Have fun and enjoy this craft...passing on the knowledge helps keep you motivated.

I LOVE the tent!!

 

[NanaKat]

I'm attempting to upload some photos so I hope this works

these are the sizes of soaps I make. Heart is a silacome mold. next is poured into a small milk carton and sliced (confetti bar) I used to wrap each individual bar and label it by hand
next rows I get 6 bars from an 8 " pvc tray or 9 square bars. I cut guest size bars 1.75 x 3 x 1/2 inch (pink)
6 from 8" tray or 12 from a 12 inch tile mold. Round bar is from a pvc pipe.

These are the soaps I've made.
In the basket are first vertical row: F to B Citrus Tea Tree, Vanilla Almond, Palmarosa Vanilla, Citrus Honey Oatmeal
Middle vertical row: Raspberry Almond, YlangYlang Sandalwood, Orange Swirl, Tropical Cooler
3rd Vetical row: Lemon Verbena, Rosemary Peppermint, Butcher's Bar (has the pumice sand

Outside the basket are Nana's Garden in front and Evergreen and Old Rose confetti

 

[NanaKat]

Oh, the labels are printed lengthwise on 8.5 x 11" colored papers.
I have the page set up to print 5 or 6 labels per page. Then I cut them with a paper cutter and used a tiny pricetag label to tape the label around the bar.
Name of soap and contents ...figures out to pennies a bar.
Time spent wrapping is shared with watching TV,

The photos look a little dark, the Citrus Honey Oatmeal bar is a tan not a brown.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

They look great! I'm still trying to set my page up on the computer to give my that many labels but I'm doing some thing wrong.

I just love all those soaps. I can't wait till I get more stuff so I can make a bigger variety. I really need to get more colors. Thanks for the pictures, they have given me more inspiration. I made a batch of castile soap last night with rose petals in it. I really hope it turns out well. I haven't soaped in a over a week and it felt great getting back to it.

 

[Morgaine]

Quote:
Yeah, I definately can. I put the soap into the muslin bags and then put the two soaps into ziplock bags with labels stuck to the outside. I'll just stick you some clay in a baggie and put that baggie inside with the soap. How many pounds of soap do you make per batch? I've got at least 6 tablespoons.

NanaKat- I love the way your confetti soaps look! And I think you have very pretty hand writing if that is your in the corner of the first pic.

Cheeptrick-Thank you so much for that post! I'm try to build up my stock and it good to hear from someone who has been there too. I'm finding that the ones I'm selling the best of right now is the plain ole soap and lavender and goat's milk. I just another order last night for six bars, that pushed me over the $100 mark for this week! And 12 of the bars are at wholesale price of $2 and six at $3.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

I second Morgaine about that post Cheeptrick. That is a great post. I definitly intend on doing that.

You know what that means lol Time for a bigger mold

I'll use any reason to get a bigger mold

Morgaine, I mostly make 4 pound batches right now but I still do the occasional 2 pound batch as well. Thats great that you'll put some in there for me. Thanks so much

 

[cheeptrick]

Nanakat...I love the salmon colored bar! Beautiful soaps!!

Another tip I have is that I notice that folks balk at my rural price...but when I'm at a show in or near a large city I sold OUT quickly. So the best thing to do is have your country price/wholesale price and your CITY price. Pricing your soaps by the economic market is a good idea. Chickenstocks get the rural price because I LOVE my chicken friends.

But the further I have to travel to sell...the higher the price!!