Soap Makers Help!

[Morgaine]

LOL, Shelly you crack me up sometimes too.

Want to be my spy? :lol

She sells liquid soap also so I was thinking of buying some from her. I know she told one person they could use it as tooth paste. I can't believe she told them that, but I did hear it myself.

Sadly we use a lot of the same oils. Her bars are smaller, 3.5-4 oz is what it says online and she sells them for $4 at the market. Mine are $4.50, Tax included so You really get a better deal with mine, but her bars are very rectangular and maybe 3/4" thick. Hers are wrapped in plastic and I have had a lot more people tell they really like my packaging Saturday. I'll just play it by ear and report back Thursday how the Wednesday maket goes. It's such a small market I'm hoping that I'll atleast make enough to cover gas.

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It's not sneaky.

It's called sizing up the competition.

I learned a few sales tricks here and there working at fundraising booths over the years. There are lots of ways to play up your product without overtly putting down your competition. By knowing their product, you know just what to play up in your own product. For example, let's say that their product has fewer luxury oils than your soap. When folks come to your table, you "educate" them on the value of quality ingredients. You don't have to say, "Hey, that lady over there only uses . . . ." but you point out that your product has 7 luxury oils (or whatever you have). If they then go over to her table and see she has only whatever she has, they'll think to themselves that your product is better. Likewise, if your product lathers better, mention that your product has wonderful lathering qualities. If your product is creamier, play up the creamy quality of your soap. The same thing would go for moisturizing, superfatting, etc.

The ONLY way to do this is to use their product, not for a day or two, but for several days or a week. In my experience, you can't really tell the qualities in a soap without using it for AT LEAST 4 days, if not more.

Plus, by sending over a spy, you can have your spy report back as to what SHE is saying about HER soaps and how she's playing them up.

Just make sure that your spy takes their bag, goes home, and reports to you later.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

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There hasn't been a discussion with any details toward that end, but I'm sure that there will be one. I'm STILL working my way through all the soaps from the last swap. I still haven't used them all.

I'm still working through mine as well.

 

[Morgaine]

I've used everyones a couple of times and almost all of MLF and BB. It's so cool to see all the different soaps we made.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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Too bad I don't live closer. I would totally be your spy!

I'm really good at it and can keep a straight face while doing it.

OK, if she's wrapping in plastic, you already have an edge. What is the first thing someone does when they pick up one of your bars? It goes straight to the nose, right? If she's wrapping in plastic, even if she has a sample bar there, the shoppers will STILL pick up the plastic bar and try to sniff it. Half of the time, they won't realize why they're doing it. It's just automatic. If it doesn't catch their fancy, they may just put it down and not even think WHY they're doing that, either. BUT, if you can catch them with the scent and they really find they like it, that bar will be up by their nose and they won't be able to put it down.

Scent is a powerful marketing tool. That's why fast food places use equipment to vent their scents out to the public. Scents trigger a response and it's that response that is your edge with your competition at the market.

Might not hurt to put a little sign somewhere that notes that your company is committed to using natural wrapping products. I think I mentioned this in a PM, but perhaps you could also sell potpourri in a scent that matches some of your biggest soap lines. Encourage your customers to buy a small amount of potpourri to put in the soap bags afterwards to reuse in their car, home, etc. Or, your sign could also suggest uses for the bags. You could even get your customers involved. Have a sheet of paper for folks to write down what they did with their bags. Maybe have a board up each week and list the "suggestion of the week" with the suggester's name included. That could provide a connection between you and your customers, bringing them into the fold, per se. Plus, it shows potential customers that you value their input.

Just some thoughts. . .

 

[Morgaine]

BB, That's a really good idea. I'll have to make sure to remember to talk about the bags too. And people totally pick up the wrapped bars to sniff, lol.

I'm so pooped right now. Mil and I just finished grouting the shower at the other place. I'll post a pic if you want.

 

[Backyard Buddies]

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Please do! I'd love to see it!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Ok I have the pictures from my SIL's camera on her phone. The quality isn't very good but it could be worse.

I have a different table cloth that I picked up today that I think will look much better, and DH is making me an easel to put my price board on instead of leaning it on a chair. I hope to have it looking a lot better on Saturday. AND I will have my camera.

 

[Morgaine]

I like the color you painyed you shelf. Makes it pop.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Actually that is the cool thing. It's not paint, it's scrap material. That way I can change it when I feel like it

This Saturday I am changing some things around and I have a different table cloth that will cover the whole front of the table. I really think that will help. And DH is making an easel for me o put my sign on so that people notice it better since it will be brought up to eye level. And I think I will raise the tent another notch higher and maybe hang the sign outside in the front. What do you think?

 

[Morgaine]

That is cool that you can just change the color like that! How did you do that? I think th easle is a great idea too, might have to use that one!