subject: Sell Handmade Soap -- Where To Get Started [print this page] Sell Handmade Soap -- Where To Get Started
You can sell handmade soap at a profit if you learn about a few tips to get you started. Don't kid yourself though. There are soap makers on every corner trying to sell soap and with varying levels of achievement differing from much to nil. How can one sell soap with all the choices available? Is there money in handmade soap? Tip 1-- Soap can be unique to you. Name 5 ways that your soap beats store bought versions. You can do that. How about this? Can you list 5 ways your soap is different than other handmade soap makers provide? Maybe yours isn't different. It could and should be... That's what is called a unique selling proposition. Make your product different and better. It truly can be done and must be done for you to have the best chance of moving soap in volume. Tip 2-- Point out the unique parts about your situation. Where do you live? What's unique? Does a certain herb grow well there? Could you make that herb or scent a signature soap? What about organic? The organic materials make for a real soap difference. Can you develop unique packages? Do you like milk soap? What about just olive oil soap? How about bar shampoo as a specialty? Make unique products and you are the only source and there's no real competition. Tip 3-- Get where the customers are. Get in front of potential buyers. Where??? Try a local festival or fair or flea market or a craft show... Think in terms of large gatherings of people looking for things to buy. Get in there and try. It may be tricky to get in, but there are ways to learn about that. There is more value you get from large crowds and buyers than you may at first think. Tip 4-- It's possible to sell from home. This is a way... People who buy from you have another value... This is how... Follow up with every customer. Give then a brochure that makes ordering easy. Quality products mean reorders. Soap gets used up and it's fairly cheap. Most people use soap... Customers will send back an order form or call you... There's more too. Mail out a little catalog to past buyers and a large percentage will buy more. Web sites work too as a great follow-up tool. Tip 5-- Think small... No manufacturing business is much easier to start than a soap business. Just use your hobby supplies. You need a few tools to produce professional looking products. Other than that, don't spend much to start. Grow from a small start and grow from profits, not from debt. A soap business is about as easy or at least simple as you can get anything going. With just a few hobby supplies you can get going. Get in front of a crowd that might buy and sell, sell, sell. Quality products almost surely make for repeat sales too. That's how you build a real home business and sell homemade soap like crazy.
