You make beautiful handmade soap that gets rave reviews from friends and family and everyone keeps encouraging you to sell your fragrant bath bars but you don't really know where to start. Fortunately, there's been a renewed interest in items that are locally made by artisans and if you have a good product, there's probably a market for it. Here are some of the best places to start selling handmade soap:
Farmer's Markets
This is an ideal environment for selling handmade soap. You can usually rent a table for very little money on a Saturday morning and set up shop. One advantage of selling at a Farmer's market is that you're offering a local, handmade product and many people want to support products made by people in their local community. Plus, you'll get the chance to interact directly with customers and get valuable feedback on how your line can be improved. Be sure to carry a guest book with you for customers to leave their email addresses so you can contact them with special offers on your handmade soaps. This will allow you to build repeat business.
Craft Shows
Local craft shows are another place where handmade soaps sell briskly. This type of outlet will give you one-on-one interaction with your customer which can help you refine your product line. When you attend your first craft show, observe what types of soap customers pick up and comment on. Are they looking for particular scents? Don't be afraid to ask questions and make note of the answers. You'll soon learn which fragrances are most popular and can adapt your line accordingly.
Home Parties
Why not adapt the Tupperware home party concept to your soap business? Simply invite a group of friends to your home for refreshments and to view your collection of handmade soaps. Encourage each guest to bring along another friend and you'll soon have a full house. Serve light refreshments and display your soaps attractively around the room where you'll be meeting. You can even display a pretty glass bowl filled with warm water and let people test the soaps on their hands. There's nothing that sells soap quicker than giving people the opportunity to try it. At the end of the evening, recruit some of your guests to host their own handmade soap party. Emphasize that they'll get a free soap gift basket for doing so.
If you're serious about selling handmade soap, these are three of the best ways to get started. Why not give them a try?
