Professional Image

Okay need opinions here: I plan on doing a lot of my selling and marketing from a table/booth/cart at malls. What type of image should I be portraying for the general public to take me seriously and want to buy my product.

For instance - do I want to look the Diva who has developed her own line of soaps because well she so loves these products and just has to share with all the other Diva's;

OR

The feminine lab coat type who loves to play around with "stuff" to see how it ticks and since she is totally enthralled with soap as well as bath & body products developed her own line;

OR

The down to earth, nothing fancy lady who loves soap, makes it & sells it.

So put our pre-conceived notions to one side (and I got plenty of those all by myself) and tell me how should I be presenting my physical image to general public.

Believe it or not this is something I think we all need to think about when we start making sales - #1 we need to match our surroundings without blending it #2 we need to project the image of how we want our soaps to be viewed.

So I would really love everyone's input to help me put this together.

Cheers
Lindy

Hi Lindy -

What made you focus on the mall thing? I can give you my opinion as one type of client... which may not be your target client at all, but hey, I haven't bought supermarket/commercial soap in about ten years (except the odd Body Shop bar: no animal testing), so I'm the kind of person who would be a repeat buyer if I liked your stuff (and I can guarantee that your stuff is the kind of stuff I'd like). I'm a mall-hater, avoiding malls unless I can't find what I want elsewhere, and I usually walk past those kiosks with blinders on... except maybe at Christmas. I buy soap from herb farms, specialty shops, farmer's markets, and the like, so I guess I'm the type of client who likes either a granola-head, earthy quality, or a specialty, hand-crafted quality. My bias being what it is, I don't tend to go looking for those things at a mall.

So, I think what would attract me to take a look at a mall kiosk would not be so much the image, but the soaps themselves. They would have to catch my eye (or my nose) to draw me over. And once my attention was drawn, I would have to get a feeling that this isn't some cheesy mall product (why I have such a negative feeling about the mall kiosk, I don't know. I clearly have some kind of unfounded prejudice. Maybe it's all the calender kiosks, and kitchen gadjet kiosks...) - the soap would have to be really appealing (which yours is). What I would want in the seller would be someone who doesn't try to sell to me too hard (no matter what the marketing "image"), who can give me a knowledgeable answer to a question without yakking on endlessly, who is enthusiastic and friendly and pleasant and doesn't have one iota of that air of "superior knowldedge" that some people can give off. So, for me, I don't know that the image itself would play much of a role.

Case in point: I bought some amazing, beautiful wooden bowls from a woodturner at a mall kiosk. I love turned bowls, so the display caught my eye immediately, even though it was a very simple set up, just a quiet guy behind some tables. I don't much like the guy who makes them (I know him in another context), but the bowls were beautiful, he was there himself selling his work and he could talk about the various woods and he clearly loved the art. I've bought at least two bowls from him. Maybe three.

Well Lindy; you could do all 3;
wear those big D&G glasses and have long pink glittery nails, a labcoat and grey wool socks with sandals :wink:
I'd just stick with who you are, not as much as how you want to portrait yourself. If you like what you do, why wouldnt others like it 8)
What IS important is finding out your USP (unique selling point); why are people going to buy from you, when they have the choice to buy from so many others. What sets you apart.
In the end, it is going to be all about your beautiful, lovely smelling soaps, your experience & knowledge.

Lindy said:

The down to earth, nothing fancy lady who loves soap, makes it & sells it.

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I say this one. I have always thought of handmade soap as earthy and kinda country. Not sure if that's the best description - but whenever I'd go down south to visit family when I was a kid, I always noticed the most handmade soapmakers in areas where there was a lot of farming and country folks. I think if you presented yourself as a down to earth, simple lady, you'd fit right in with the soap!

Hi Lindy just be yourself, you know, have a professional causal appearance at the kiosk. I agree with surf girl, i only go over to those kiosk that catches my attention & maybe sells a product am interested and the person has to be knowledgeable about their product (how the ingredients benefit customer) without running off the customer. Give some thought too on how you're going to set up your display at kiosk, you can have towels rolled in logs and botanical flower (e.g. orchid) displayed with your soaps & products give it spa appear and what things you going to say to people that come up too your booth & who maybe a few questions to ask you.

I completely avoid the pushy vendors at the kiosk so don't be pushy it shows desperation to sell. Have some thing posted (little 8.5"x 11") or video (if you're adventurous) that states the philosophy behind why you make your soaps & other products and why someone like myself or anyone else should be interested in buying them & display the prices. Last thing I would suggest is not get the kiosk by Bath & Body Shop.

Linda - everyone has good ideas here and a theme is definitely emerging, don't you think? "Be yourself" - by far the easiest image you can portray :wink:

Your booth and soap display is what will attract attention, then you present yourself in a way that reflects what YOU want to reflect to your customer base. The absolutely best image you can show is a big, genuine smile That is the first thing about you they will notice. Then, if you really want to get your 'Diva on a Dime' concept over to your public, decide what that means to you and go for it! However, the display is where that concept can really be shown. Everyone else has covered this so well.

Tanya

Yep, you will have to be yourself or you will not be comfortable. If it were me, I would hnt at the Diva thing though. Maybe catchy shoes & earrings or fancy nails & lipstick. Whatever you are comfortable with. You do need to show you use & believe in your line but you don't have to drown it it :wink: .

Thanks everyone - I asked because I have elements of all three not only in my wardrobe but personality too - yup I'm a strange one. I had my first day in the workshop and it was fascinating. Branding is really important especially when you have local competition. What seems to be emerging for me is that my product line is "affordable luxury" (Diva on a Dime) and since the phrase is not trade-marked I can use it. So I plan on wearing my Diva earrings and shoes, then the rest will be comfortable.

Surfgirl I too hate shopping in malls however having been a vendor before I do know how successful this can be. One of the things I hear around here is that they want easy access to their suppliers and by being in the mall on a regular basis my clients know they can find me there at least once a month and I plan on creating a calender of where to find me and when. By going into malls on the island and the rest of the Sunshine Coast I am building my website sales.

That's my intention anyways....... 8)

PS I can never be anything but myself but I am comfortable in leggings all the way to my former business wardrobe of high end clothes....prefer my leggings.....

no matter what look your product has you need a more polished look for the mall, nothing drastic but more put together, nice casual. i think people who shop at malls no matter what they are wearing while their shopping expect people working at a mall whether it be in a store or at a booth in the middle of the mall to look professional.

where as street vendoring or farmers market you can get away with with a baseball cap, pony tail, shorts and burkenstocks.

i know we dress differently for art/craft shows then we do for the weekly farmers market.

Linda.

At the Christmas Craft Fair here this year there was a woman selling soap and I was mildly interested but no overly, except, the one thing that was kind of cool was that she had not only her packaged bars but she also had big slabs and her cutter and was cutting sizes to order or just the teensiest little sliver for people to try. It was kind of different from what the other soapers were doing. To be honest I could not tell you in the least what she herself was like. Having said that I would have no clue where to start if I wanted to buy some of her soap but then I'm making my own so it wasn't something I was after.

I guess the moral of the long boring story is that persomnal presentation does have a benefit. This woman never even acknowledged I was present or watching. Not the way to get me to buy.

Jody said:

except, the one thing that was kind of cool was that she had not only her packaged bars but she also had big slabs and her cutter and was cutting sizes to order or just the teensiest little sliver for people to try. It was kind of different from what the other soapers were doing.

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I remember when I first became enamoured of handmade soap, I went to a shop that specialized in soap and bath products. There were logs on the counter, and the lady behind the counter would cut you a slice. (Oh my, I still remember the chocolate soap - it was the nicest chocolate soap I have ever encountered). I see these logs occasionally at soap shops, and I still think they are cool.

Thanks all! I've been thinking about it some more and I've decided to play on all parts of my personality. In my workshop we got talking about image and "branding". We decided that I need to have that "Diva" image but not total flash. Something like a tailored lab coat with my logo on it, a big pink butterfly on the other lapel, stilletto heels and my leopard print top.....

Now that one was for the malls - for the farmer's market jeans or shorts, a comfy top and just real laid back. For the craft fairs, combine funky & diva to make a funky diva.....the possiblities are endless and just way too fun. Since I love people as well as what I make I find it really easy to talk to people/customers so the selling part is really easy.

This workshop is truly amazing! They are giving me all kinds of ideas for additional products and I'm learning not only how to create a Business Plan but why it is important for me personally first and the bank or investors second. I never realized that the Business Plan is actually my road map to follow as I create the business. Way too cool and way too much fun! I'm also gaining confidence that I can actually make a living doing this IF i follow "the Plan".....

Cheers
Lindy

Hi Lindy, I am very pro business plan too, they are a light pointing the direction of the business, giving it an identity.

Once I saw a B&B vendor in the mall and hovered by to check it out. The people there were WAY over dressed - there was a man with a suit and tie and a lady in high heels and a skirt suit. It felt so awquard, like these people were hired to sell but knew nothing about the product. Their products were also REALLY expensive, $50 for a 100ml container of lotion! It really deterred me, too sterile, all image, and of course way overpriced snake oil. Of course this probably has nothing to do with you, but perhaps an extreme example of a situation when a person can dress up too much and not gel well with the products.

I also just thought about how the people at the B&B shops wear aprons to make them look like they have just cooked up some soaps and lotions, and to think of them without the aprons would lessen the atmosphere of the store somehow. Like the apron makes us think subconsciencely that they know more about the products or are more authentic, or like they were just freshly made.... hummm.... maybe you can wear an apron hehe!

It's done

Wonderfull suggestions, all of them.
It can be a fine line ,to walk or be dangled from.
Your whole self product and all.
People will believe you that you have the knowledge by your warm but knowlageble appearance.
You have put in the hard yards .Learing how to make a great natural ,hand made soap.
You are there in front of them looking enthusiastic because you know and believe in your product.
You have a few special bags already to fill up with your customers purchases.
You will close the sale by asking ,"How many are you taking today.?
Then relax , take a deep breath and let them make their move.

Something to think about too:

Do you want to get so big that you are mass produced & more hands off or do you want to keep the handmade, small batch feel?

I actualy did a show where sales were low because I was too professional. I had gotten to the point where everything was just perfect & peole doubted it was handmade so they would walk right past the table muttering about people reselling mass produced products. I guess I appeared more like Avon and was passed by beacuse at this event people wanted handmade.

Just something to think about.

Great ideas all - I have been thinking about an apron with my logo either embroidered on it or printed on it as well as lab coats with the same. I really believe in branding and so I want to have my logo on as much as possible. I so agree that you can get way too professional looking that people assume there is no way on this earth that you could have made the product. So this truly is a balancing act - remain myself, look like I know what I'm doing, not look too crafty and still give that Diva on a Dime image....I think I've got it in my mind now I just need to translate that into the other world....

Tabitha that is an excellend point, and one that is well taken - thanks a bunch...

i like the idea of the apron...it kind of gives you a fresh-out of the workroom kind of vibe... like hey maybe she just came here from home (where she was mixing up another batch of soap of course!!) another cool thing would maybe be to have some bright advertisement boards like a " Whats in YOUR soap" board and list the ingredients in the commercial and compare and contrast etc... show people why your product is better... try not to be one of those people who chase whoever comes near...let your product talk for you

Thanks Ian - I have some aprons I bought from Michaels and I bought some of the inkjet printer transfers packs to we'll see how they turn out.

I promise I'm not one of those who chase everyone that comes near the cart.... ....I'm one of those that say hello, acknowledges your presence and lets you look.....

Lindy said:

Thanks Ian - I have some aprons I bought from Michaels and I bought some of the inkjet printer transfers packs to we'll see how they turn out.

I promise I'm not one of those who chase everyone that comes near the cart.... ....I'm one of those that say hello, acknowledges your presence and lets you look.....

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exactly... the low key approach!

IMO I think it will drive people towards your store even more... use the law of attraction .

The ink transfer packs... you talking about the ones where you iron on after printing?? those work GREAT...I have made many shirts with them... BUT... dont expect them to last long through the wash and make sure to always wash on cold and hang dry (I had a few instances where either the logo would melt and stick to another garment (this was before i separated them from my clothes i washed on the regular)... or the logo will just crack (still be visible and legible... just have cracks all throughout..)...

Or darn... bring your blank apron to the mall... dont they usually have those embroidery stations there?? (oh and do you have a copywright/trademark on your logo yet...because if not I would get one before letting many people see it etc...)

IMO I think it will drive people towards your store even more... use the law of attraction

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That will absolutely work. Have you guys all seen the picture of Lindy on the "Faces" thread? Very attractive!