how do i start selling full time? and write a successful business plan

[tinytreats]

So i have been making soap for about 4 years now, and have only recently started to sell. I do seasonal craft fairs and the occasional Farmer's Market. I have gotten spontaneous response doing these shows, and i want to take this to the next level.

I am considering on wanting to do this full time, but I have a few questions for those that are way more experienced than I am. I kinda want to make a go at opening up my own store. I have no interest in selling wholesale, mainly because in my area, I really don't know which business I can see my product in. I have read to go to local boutiques and spas, but I almost feel like my product could be overlooked because it doesn't "match" the boutique.

I am also wanting to develop a business plan. I have a business plan model to refer to when writing this up, but the hardest question so far is answering "what problem does your product solve?". Well obviously it puts a stop to body odor! (haha) no, i'm joking, but i notice that a lot of soapers will have "all natural" ingredients in their products and use that as a selling point. My soaps are all natural as well--minus the fragrance oil & the occasional mica oxide. So i can't really use that as to "what makes my product better than yours". I guess what makes my products different than other's is that I'm not like the other soapers in my area. Almost every other soaper i have met uses all natural ingredients and all natural colorants and all natural everything. Their colors are muted and blah while mine are bold and bright. They're scents are earthy, mine are like POW! Like i said, I'm all natural too...to a point. I think my soap looks delicious, fun, and posh. Can I say that in my business plan? That my soap uses 99% all natural ingredients but is still fun and delicious? LOL

Now, I know some questions that may be asked are, how many clients do you make in a day, are you able to sell enough to make a profitable income and what not. I don't really sell online because how can someone buy soap without smelling it? I am the type of person who would never by scented products without smelling it. And selling on Etsy is a joke because of all the competition there is out there. I do get repeat business from who I have sold from previous shows, but I want a place to display what I have and urge a sale.


Sorry. That was long.

 

[dixiedragon]

Not a seller, but I would see if you can take a course about starting a business. You'll learn a lot of good general information specific to your state and city.

Re: a website - Websites are great for repeat customers. If somebody buys a bar from you at a farmer's market and loves it, then they can go to your website and order more, rather than trying to catch you at the farmer's market again.

Re: how is my soap unique? Well...it's not. there's nothing new under the sun, as they say. I don't think you need to be thinking about what is totally unique about your soap, but what it's strong points are. What makes your soap great?

 

[CorinaDragonfly]

I am new to selling ( I have had my soaps at a local indoor farmer's market), and I will be at a show in June, July, and August, and hopefully another quaint shop just north of me. I have had similar concerns. I really love empowering others and my experience with fellow soapers is that they have been a generous and gracious bunch willing to offer assistance and advice. Therefore, it seems really foreign to me to then talk about why my soap stands out from all the rest. I can say "all natural" but that is just a marketing gimmick that just doesn't hold sway with me. I can say "vegetarian" and though that is true, I don't want to come off as if I am putting down fellow soap-makers who are not. I can say "I don't use Palm Oil", but the use of palm is complicated, and some of my favorite soap companies use it. So in that way, I am in the same boat. I am trying to develop an elevator speech that shows off my enthusiasm for my products and creative spark that doesn't rely on putting down others. It has been a real challenge. I am not a "self-promoter" by nature, so gimmicks and out-doing my fellow soapers is just not someplace I want to go.

I was watching a spoof on marketing techniques and it specifically said that adding words like "all natural", "organic", with an outdoor visual (furry animal, leaf, tree/twig, etc.) automatically increases sales - and it does. So I am struggling with how to align my values and my business practices.

 

[ilovesoap2]

I've read a lot about soap making and selling over the past couple months and I'll probably remember or come across it again but for now I do not remember where I read it but I remember reading that we cannot label soap as 'all natural'. It may not even have been a US rule but I do remember reading it someplace.

 

[Cindiq4u]

I am new to selling ( I have had my soaps at a local indoor farmer's market), and I will be at a show in June, July, and August, and hopefully another quaint shop just north of me. I have had similar concerns. I really love empowering others and my experience with fellow soapers is that they have been a generous and gracious bunch willing to offer assistance and advice. Therefore, it seems really foreign to me to then talk about why my soap stands out from all the rest. I can say "all natural" but that is just a marketing gimmick that just doesn't hold sway with me. I can say "vegetarian" and though that is true, I don't want to come off as if I am putting down fellow soap-makers who are not. I can say "I don't use Palm Oil", but the use of palm is complicated, and some of my favorite soap companies use it. So in that way, I am in the same boat. I am trying to develop an elevator speech that shows off my enthusiasm for my products and creative spark that doesn't rely on putting down others. It has been a real challenge. I am not a "self-promoter" by nature, so gimmicks and out-doing my fellow soapers is just not someplace I want to go.

I was watching a spoof on marketing techniques and it specifically said that adding words like "all natural", "organic", with an outdoor visual (furry animal, leaf, tree/twig, etc.) automatically increases sales - and it does. So I am struggling with how to align my values and my business practices.

I've struggled with these thoughts as well. And what it comes down to is believing in your product. It's hard to come to that "Happy Medium" when you're making a conscious decision about your business sometimes. I say this while I struggle with my own "what avenue to follow".
So my husband asked me one night "what is the one thing you love about soap even if you don't make it' I stated smell, then color, then what are the ingredients... What draws you first he said "my answer was color" Then play with color be it natural or synthetic, be aware of what put's you off "GMO's" and play. When I started along time ago it all about EO's and now we are so much aware of the chemicals that affect ourselves and others. Follow you Passion and there will always be others that want what you have to offer "as long as it feels good on their skin"... Cheers and Love

 

[Belinda02]

Not a seller but there is a ton of info on this forum. Your questions are answered in older threads just keep reading and doing your research.

 

[Dennis]

Do a search for Small Business Development Centers. I don't know where you are located but here is the introduction to the Center at the University of West Florida. There may be similar services available in your area.

The Florida SBDC at the University of West Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a non-profit network of college and university-based centers providing entrepreneurs with high quality one-on-one consulting, management training, and vital information they need to grow and prosper in a complex and competitive global environment. Based in the University of West Florida College of Business, the SBDC at UWF has helped prospective and existing small business owners form, grow, and sustain successful businesses for more than 30 years. Serving Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties, the SBDC at UWF maintains full service offices in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach. Consulting services and training are also provided at several locations throughout our service territory.

From time to time they hold seminars for those interested in starting new businesses. This might be a path that would be helpful.
Here's the link to their page ----> http://www.sbdc.uwf.edu/

 

[dixiedragon]

@ Corina - tooting your own horn isn't putting down other people. I make lard soaps. If I put "made with lard" on my soap, would you feel like I was insulting your all veggie soaps?

It's not about putting down other soaps, it's about finding people who want YOUR soap. There are people who want all natural, all veggie, organic soaps. Good for them! And there are people who want the scents we can get from FOs and big, bold colors, and don't really care if it's natural or not. And good for them!

It's not a put down, it's a preference. If you put "lavender scented" on your soap, are you putting down soap that's scented with something else? Not at all.

I have read to go to local boutiques and spas, but I almost feel like my product could be overlooked because it doesn't "match" the boutique.
So i can't really use that as to "what makes my product better than yours". I don't really sell online because how can someone buy soap without smelling it? And selling on Etsy is a joke because of all the competition there is out there.
Re-reading your original post - see how many times you're telling yourself "no"? Nobody will say "yes" to you if you say "no" to yourself!
Say you take your soap to a spa or boutique and they don't like it. What has that cost you? A brochure and a few minutes of your time?
What's the worst that can happen? As my dad says, "They can't cook you and eat you!"
I'm being all kinds of hypocritical here b/c I would like to sell and I too have a million "reasons" why I can't yet. If you are too shy to go into a shop and say, "Hey, I'm a local soap maker. Here's a sample bar and some information. Let me know if you're interested," then you don't have the skills to make this work. Not picking on you - I'm certainly not doing any better!
You have to get yourself in the mindset of, "My soap is great, and somewhere there is a market for it." And go find that market!

 

[tinytreats]

Thanks dixiedragon, you have a great point. You're definitely right, i keep telling myself no!

 

[Relle]

Just found this on some ones FB page

'Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.'

Very true.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I agree with what Dixie & Relle are saying.

When you are marketing your soap, you are appealing to a customer who is looking for something. If you think about cars, there are fast cars, big cars (cars who climb on rocks?), eco cars, lux cars (even cars with chicken pox!) but there is no "right car" or "wrong car" for all people, rather the car that meets the needs of someone - that might be a fast car for one person but for another it will be an eco car - each one being the best choide for the needs of each person. By saying that your product is veggie does not mean it is in generally better than non-veggie, but that it is better for someone who wants a veggie soap - sorry for the hotdog mashup, but I do love that jingle!

This is markteting 101 and it is crucial that you get used to this. You CANNOT sell if you don't think that your soap is worth buying - this does not mean that it is the best soap in the world for all people, but rather that there is a group of people out there for whom it is the answer to their prayers and for them the selling points of your soap are very important. Veggie might not be better than non-veggie, but to your potential customers it is very important. Target these people, appeal to them. Tailor your branding to them. Sell in places where they will be.

You're not saying that your veggie soap is better than non-veggie soap - they are! They want to buy a veggie soap (a market segment) and then there are people in this segment that want all natural (another segment) and then people in this segment who really want coloured soap (yet another segment). Work out which segments you want to appeal to and sell to them because, to them, your soap is better than others.

 

[Frankinscience]

Just found this on some ones FB page

'Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.'

Very true.

That quote is very powerful!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

To the OP, I think that there are too many things that you don't want to do if you want to make a living from the soap. Wholesale and online could well be the most lucrative areas of your business, while markets are more of an exposure outlet rather than a main selling avenue - from what others have said about markets, they appear to be getting very hard to get a profit from, let alone enough profit to live from..................

 

[houseofwool]

To the OP, I think that there are too many things that you don't want to do if you want to make a living from the soap. Wholesale and online could well be the most lucrative areas of your business, while markets are more of an exposure outlet rather than a main selling avenue - from what others have said about markets, they appear to be getting very hard to get a profit from, let alone enough profit to live from..................

I fully agree the TEG. Wholesale accounts are what gets us through the lean summer months.

We FINALLY got a few products in out local health food store. At first it was only 6 bars of 3 kinds of soap. Now they order a dozen at a time of 6 or more different soaps.

Look for gift shops as well. They tend to be a great place to sell as well.

 

[Earthen_Step]

To the OP, I think that there are too many things that you don't want to do if you want to make a living from the soap. Wholesale and online could well be the most lucrative areas of your business, while markets are more of an exposure outlet rather than a main selling avenue - from what others have said about markets, they appear to be getting very hard to get a profit from, let alone enough profit to live from..................

I agree with this as well. I am new to selling, started the business side of things early this year. It has been a slow start, but I expected that. Where I live, if all I did was open a store it would be a very dumb move. Maybe in a city you could pull that off, but I'm in a very low population area. Most businesses take 2-5 years to start turning a profit. If you do go the open a brick and mortar store route, make sure you have plenty of money to give it a long go without much gains.

Personally I opened my online store first. After the website was functional I set up in my favorite shop in town. Since then I have talked to a few businesses but I don't plan to set up in their store till after the holidays. I have no idea how many sales I'll get and don't want to run short. One major part of my plan is anticipating a slow start and not going into debt. I have just rolled all profits right back into the business and buy more ingredients/equipment. I hope to expand into some limited wholesale in the future, when I'm ready.

 

[houseofwool]

We also are careful to not have our products in more than one retail location that overlap a great deal. So, we have items in a gift shop and the natural food store in the same city. They are also in a salon in a city about 30 minutes away. We don't want to over saturate a location because it will reduce sales for each location.

We are looking to add a limited line at a micro brew, but it would be limited to items made with their beer.

 

[wetshavingproducts]

Debt is the killer of businesses.

 

[aftgalleysoaps]

I officially started my soap business a year ago. It is a very small business, just me, and I make soap on the few days off a month I have. I sell online, at a select number of craft fairs/farmers market events/and through word of mouth. The summer was very slow this year - it actually scared me. Thankfully, a well-placed Labor Day sale got some $$ rolling back into the business. I have invested until this point all of the money I've earned back into my soap company. I am finally about to pay myself for the first time! It won't be a lot of money, but it will be nice to earn something off my soap personally for the first time. I am gearing up for fall and Christmas - the two biggest selling seasons I have experienced so far!

 

[Aki_onlineboutiquesource]

There are a lot of sites out there with help on starting you own store ( not specifically soap but it can help you). I run one , but there are others and tons of free information. Try googling "start online boutique" "start online store" " soap making store" "selling soap"

Etsy has a blog and information site for sellers too, there is a lot of great information even if you don't sell on their site

 

[Frankinscience]

There are a lot of sites out there with help on starting you own store ( not specifically soap but it can help you). I run one , but there are others and tons of free information. Try googling "start online boutique" "start online store" " soap making store" "selling soap"

Etsy has a blog and information site for sellers too, there is a lot of great information even if you don't sell on their site

Thank you Online Boutique Source.