Photo courtesy of Old Whaling Company. Photo by Leslie Ryan. 

When you first start making soap, you’ll soon find you have more bars than you know what to do with. Many crafters give soap and other handmade products to friends and family. It’s pretty common for your loved ones to get hooked on those products and want more. Over time, people may ask about buying them. If that’s the case, selling your products is definitely something to consider. This post has more information on moving from hobby to business. Local farmers markets, fairs and events are a popular place to sell handmade products. But how do you know if that’s the right path for you?

Are markets right for you?
First things first, markets take time, money and effort.

Lauren with Single Barrel Soaps said it’s a lot of work to sell your products at a market. She’s been selling soap for about two years and does at least one market a month. Read our interview with her here. That work includes making the products from scratch, packing them up and transporting them to the event. Once you’re at the event, you need to set up your booth or table and sell products for several hours. At the end of the event, you have to take the display down, pack it up and transport it back. It’s a full day of talking soap and selling products.

Markets are also very social. April with Old Whaling Company said she talks about her products all day to multiple people. She started Old Whaling Company in 2012 and sells her products at the Charleston City Market every day of the week. People there are very curious about handmade soap.

“You have to be ready to answer a lot of questions,” she said.

Several of Old Whaling Company’s gorgeous market displays.

There are definite advantages to selling your products at markets. You have a direct line to customers. You can talk to them about your products, how you carefully chose each ingredient and why they feel so amazing on the skin. The products aren’t made in a factory by a large company; they’re personally crafted by the person standing in front of them. That’s one of the many advantages of handmade soap. Learn more advantages in this post.

“Selling at markets gives us a chance to get out there and meet our customers – to physically see their likes and dislikes and get feedback,” said Jamie with Whitetail Lane Farm. She’s been selling soap since 2014 and does about 8 markets a year. “It also gives our customers a chance to touch and smell our product. We have a sign in our market tent that says ‘smells are free’ and most people that begin picking up and smelling a bar of soap will usually purchase it.”

If selling at markets sounds like the right path for you, the next step is getting started.

How do you get started?
Deciding where to sell your products requires quite a bit of research. Start scoping out markets, fairs and events in your area. Once you find one that interests you, go see it in person! Lauren with Single Barrel Soaps recommends looking at the booths there, talking to vendors, talking to the organizers and buying products. Take note of how busy the market is. She also recommends paying close attention to booths that sell handmade soap and cosmetics. If you find your products are similar, you may want to reconsider what to bring. That way you don’t step on any toes, and you also stand out from other vendors.

One of Single Barrel Soaps’ beautiful market displays.

April with Old Whaling Company said event fees are something else to research. If they’re expensive and you’re just starting out, you may want to find a different event. Once you have a few markets under your belt and a loyal customer base, you can re-examine the larger and more expensive events.

Once you decide on a market, the next step is figuring out what to bring. While you’re visiting the market, see if there’s a theme. Do you notice a lot of products with neon colors and fragrance, or do the products contain natural colors and essential oils? Is there a lot of soap, or are the vendors selling other products like lotion and scrubs? Don’t be afraid to take notes to help you remember. Tailoring your products to the shoppers can be really beneficial. For instance, when Lauren sold her products in Kentucky, the customers preferred fragrance oils. However, when she moved to Maryland, she found they preferred essential oils. She adjusted her product line to cater to those preferences.

There is also something to be said for trial and error. When Jamie with Whitetail Lane Farm started going to events, she registered at local places and didn’t research each one.

“After that first show season we really started ‘vetting’ shows to see if it was a good fit for us,” she said. “If people from our target audience attended and there was significant attendance, we usually attend.”

Over time, Jamie learned that fall shows are better for them than spring or summer shows, so she focused on those. You may find the opposite once you have a few markets under your belt.

While you’re at the event, don’t be afraid to ask the shoppers plenty of questions. Do they prefer soap, or would they like to see bath bombs? What skin concerns do they have? What draws their eye? They can give you helpful tips so you know what to adjust or add for your next show. The more shows you do, the more you learn. That experience is extremely valuable and will help you be successful.

Tips for success
Shopping is a psychological process. People tend to buy with their emotions and rationalize the choices later. That means attitude is incredibly important. A big smile and positive answers to questions can go a long way. If the event isn’t going like you planned, try to put a positive spin on it. For instance, if people aren’t loving your products, you can say, “I’ve been getting great feedback on my products.” If the weather is too hot, rainy, etc., you can say, “It’s so awesome that people are here supporting small businesses even in this weather! I’m really thankful you’re here.” The positive answers really make a difference about how shoppers feel toward you and your products. Get more tips in this post.

Lauren likes to stand for the entire event because it’s more inviting.

“I love talking about soap and getting their opinions. I think that enthusiasm carries though,” she said. “If you wake up and you’re not in a good mood, put it aside.”

Little details like what you’re wearing can also help you be successful. A clean and comfortable outfit is ideal for events. If you’re not sure what to wear, ask yourself if you’re comfortable going to a casual dinner in your outfit. If not, consider other options. The Selling Success at Fairs and Public Markets post has more helpful tips. April recommends bringing snacks and tons of water with you as well. Staying full and hydrated will keep your attitude and energy up.

Hannah helping Old Whaling Company at the Charleston City Market. Notice the big smile and clean, comfortable outfit!

Passion and knowledge about your products is important as well. Make sure to highlight all the wonderful qualities of your handmade products and have answers ready when people ask about them. It’s also helpful to prepare answers for questions you may not feel comfortable answering. Some common topics include why handmade soap costs more than store bought bars, how you make your products, why they only use store bought soap, etc. This post has some common questions and suggested answers that still keep it positive.

It also helps to emphasize your niche. Learn how to find your niche here. When shoppers ask about your products, focus on what makes your products stand out. For instance, Jamie with Whitetail Lane Farm makes moisturizing soap with milk from her own herd of Nigerian Dwarf Goats. Her display features plenty of goat milk branding. She is able to talk about the benefits of creamy goat milk soap, as well as the goats themselves.

Jamie with Whitetail Lane Farm makes soap with milk from Nigerian Dwarf Goats.

What are other selling options if markets aren’t for you?
If selling at markets isn’t right for you, there are plenty of other options including selling online and in stores. The Where to Sell Products post has more information. Markets can be something you avoid altogether, or revisit at a later date. The most important thing is doing what’s right for you, your schedule and your business.

What are your tips for selling at markets? Check back later this month for a post on how to set up your display.

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The gingerbread man is a classic holiday symbol. For something a bit less traditional, click through the Star Anise Melt and Pour Bars Tutorial. They have real anise stars and cinnamon sticks for a unique look. Green zeolite clay and spirulina powder give the bars a minty color, and Anise Essential Oil and Orange 10X Essential Oil provide a sweet and citrusy smell. They’re perfect gifts for your licorice-loving friends and family.

For even more holiday inspiration, check out the Holiday Project Inspiration post. It has everything from cold process soap to candles. The Holly Berry Cold Process Soap has a swirl inside and cranberry seeds on top to mimic holly. If you’re looking for something a little more simple, the Silver Glitter Candle DIY is a great option. It features an easy candle recipe and a sparkly design on the jar. The post also has stunning projects from the #SoapShare hashtag on Instagram. The crafters who post on that hashtag are so talented!

Looking for a gift for the soapmaker in your life? Bramble Berry has some new products that would make amazing gifts. There are fragrance oils, like fruity and musky Bramble Berry’s Juicy Couture Fragrance Oil. For those who prefer essential oils, Petitgrain Essential Oil is a great option. There are also new tools, like the Soap Shaver. It removes any imperfections on top of soap to make each bar look polished and professional. See all the products in the What’s New post.

Lauren with Single Barrel Soaps makes bars that are polished, creative and beautiful. They are also instantly recognizable because of the barrel stamp. Lauren added that stamp so people would know they were her creations, even without a label. She recommends creating a cohesive look for your products so they will stand out. Learn more about Lauren’s journey and see her amazing work in the Interview with Lauren of Single Barrel Soaps.

This week’s Facebook Photo of the Week winner by Katherine with Dragonfly Premium Handcrafted Bath and Body features beautiful swirls as well. It’s scented with Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil and Rosemary Essential Oil.

The soap is made with Olive Oil and Goat Milk Melt and Pour Base. The swirls are so amazing! The purple, green and white offer plenty of contrast that showcases each swirl. Swirling melt and pour soap can be tricky, but is possible with practice and the right temperatures. Read more in the Tips for Swirling Melt and Pour Soap post. You can put the tips to good use in the Ginger Patchouli Melt and Pour Bars Tutorial.

Above (clockwise, top left) are Katherine’s Vanilla Honey Soap, Frosted Pine Soap, Scottish Rain Soap and Garden Mint Soap. If you love the look of the Vanilla Honey Soap, you’ll love the Green Meadow Melt and Pour Bars. Soap scraps look great in cold process as well, as seen in the Cherry Blossom Glitter Cold Process Tutorial.

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This week’s Instagram Photo of the Week by Adiva Soap and Luxuries is perfect for the holidays. Her Pumpkin Pie Soy Wax Melt Cupcake is just darling. The two-toned frosting and warm colors go so well with the shimmery pumpkin embed on top. See more of her amazing work on her Instagram page.

Post pictures of your crafty creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to be featured on the Soap Queen blog and receive a sweet soapy package from Bramble Berry. Photos are chosen based on consensus from the Bramble Berry staff, so the best way to increase your chances of winning is to show us lots of photos!

To participate in the Instagram contest, hashtag your pictures with #soapshare. Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to be featured on the Bramble Berry Instagram account.

For those of you who have been featured on the blog, we now have an official “Featured on the Soap Queen” badge! You can include that badge on your website, blog, pictures, etc. To save the badge, click here. =)

The post Facebook and Instagram Photo of the Week (Oct. 24th ~ 30th) appeared first on Soap Queen.

Single Barrel Soaps’ Shea & Cocoa Butter Soap, scented with Energy Fragrance Oil. 

How long have you been soaping for and how did you get started?
Bubble baths and handcrafted soaps have always been my area to splurge on. After having two kids, I figured a great way to save money would be to try to make my own bath fizzes and soap, and since then I have been hooked! I did tons of research online, bought books, read blogs (soapqueen.live), watched videos and started making bath products and melt and pour soap. At first I was really intimidated by cold process soap and the ever scary lye! But I quickly got over that fear and I haven’t looked back since!

Last Christmas I made tons of soaps, bath truffles and candles as presents for my family and friends. There was such an amazingly positive reaction from them that I had enough confidence and support to start Single Barrel Soaps, LLC in the beginning of this year.

What sort of advice would you give to those soapers just starting their businesses?
This can be a really hard business to start, and be successful in, since we have to make our products so far ahead of time and pay for our supplies upfront. So, take a good look at where you want your business to go and take the time to write a business plan. For all the creative people out there this can be a very hard thing to do (speaking from personal experience). However, in the long run, it really gives you a blueprint to work from and be successful. Also, keep really good records of all of your expenses because they can add up very quickly!

I truly believe if you love and are enthusiastic about what you do, it will show in your overall business and people will be drawn to your products.

Top left, clockwise: Lavender and Cedar Soap, Bonsai Soap, Tobacco & Bourbon Soap, Baseball Blend Soap

What is your favorite type of product to make?
That is a really hard question!! I think hot and cold process soaps are my favorite products to make because there is so much variety in what you can do! You can make so many detailed and different designs with cold process soap that you’ll never run out of ideas. When you make hot process soap you are able to see the saponification process as it happens and that is something I never get tired of.

Lauren’s beautiful rainbow soap! I love how the barrel stamp creates a cohesive appearance throughout entire Single Barrel Soaps product line. 

What inspires you to create?
Everything!! But I usually work backwards from the scent to the design. For me, the scents that I choose to work with are really important and usually make me think of a design or theme. One of my best selling soaps is scented with Bramble Berry’s Energy Fragrance Oil. It always makes me think of bright, happy colors, so I always use bright yellows and oranges and a little green color to make that soap.

Also, if I read something about an interesting ingredient (coffee for example), I usually spend the next few hours researching and making new soap recipes and designs. Even if it happens at 10pm, my brain is always going. Thankfully, I have a very supportive husband!

How did you come up with the name for your business?
When I moved to Kentucky five years ago I had never tried bourbon before and I was pretty much hooked after my first sip! So, when I decided to start my business, my husband and I sat down and talked about things we liked and what would be a great name. He came up with the name Single Barrel Soaps since we wanted to include something with a Kentucky feel. Also, my favorite type of bourbon is Single Barrel, so the name was perfect!

Single Barrel Soaps’ Limited Edition Soap Sampler which includes several of Lauren’s tester bars from the S.O.A.P. Panel! 

Your products are immediately recognizable because of your barrel stamp! What tips do you have for other business owners looking to create a signature style?
When you start thinking about turning your soaping hobby into a business, try to take a step back and really look at how you want to brand your business. In my case, after I decided to make the transition from hobby to business, I figured out the name for my company first. Since I wanted to incorporate the barrel design in someplace, the soap stamp was the perfect vehicle. That way, even if you don’t have the label on your soap, you can still remember who you bought it from. As an added bonus, the barrel looks really cool when the soap is wet.

I think the best advice I can give is to not only put work into an amazing product but also make sure your labels, design and name all work together cohesively. This can take a lot of work but it will really make you stand out. Also, be sure the style will work for you in the long term. As your company grows, many things will change, but it’s important to stay true to your core values and branding so your customers will recognize and purchase your products in a crowded market.

Left to right: Cold process soap created for sensitive skins. Energy, Oatmeal, Milk & Honey and Spiced Apple Chai cold process soap. 

What is your favorite Bramble Berry product and why?
The fragrance oils!! They are amazing, behave wonderfully, hold the fragrance and there are so many of them that you can always find a new one to love (sometimes not a good thing for me!) Also, I love that you can look on Bramble Berry’s website to see how the fragrance oil performs and if it discolors. Usually you can see a picture that shows the color the soap discolors to, which is always super helpful for me when I’m designing a soap. The 10″ Silicone Mold is another favorite because it’s so easy to use and perfect for small or test batches before moving to larger batches.

Tell us something unusual or unique about yourself!
In what feels like another lifetime, I was a zookeeper and wildlife rehabilitator. I worked with giraffes, lions, warthogs, bears, raptors and many more animals. Since I don’t have a business background, I really look to my family (which includes many business people) to help and advise me. My family is a huge part of Single Barrel Soaps! My husband and kids support me on a daily basis and my daughters always love to smell the soaps. My dad is my photographer and website designer, my mom is my go to person for help at festivals and talking me down from the ledge, my mom-in-law and soon to be sister in law are huge promoters and supporters of Single Barrel Soaps and my dad-in-law and my brother are my go to people for business advice. My husband and sister-in-law are always coming up with amazing new soap ideas and names. I also have an extremely supportive group of friends who always fill me with confidence, remind me why I started this business in the first place and celebrate how fast it has grown. So even though Single Barrel Soaps is a one person business, I have a huge support team that helps me every step of the way!

What are some of your other hobbies and interests?
I love to read, exercise (when I have time), take baths, spend time with my family and friends and try out new bourbons.

Top left, clockwise: Rainbow Soap, Lemon Grove Soap, Champagne & Strawberries Soap, U of L Soap

What is your number one soaping tip?
Plan and prep!  Keep notes on every soap batch, ingredients, temp, colors, etc. and always be ready to change your design! Every time you soap, things can go just slightly differently and you may have to change what design you wanted to do. For example, soaping in the summer in Kentucky is very different than soaping in the winter, and sometimes your batch moves faster than you like and you have to change your design.

All of the time it takes for my prep work (measuring ingredients, prepping molds and colorants, etc.) and writing detailed notes easily doubles the amount of time it takes to actually make the soap. But it is all worth it to not have to stop in the middle and find something you need. Notes are critical when I want to replicate an awesome soap that I made six months ago and can’t remember exactly what I did.

Have you ever experienced a horrible soapy fail? How did you work through it, and what did you learn?
Of course!! I think every soaper has, and I am always thankful that I am used to hot process soap, so if a cold process batch doesn’t work out well, I’ll give it a day or two and then rebatch it in the Crock-Pot. I always try to find a way to fix or reuse an “oops,” but once in a while I’ve had a batch that I just couldn’t save. There was one batch that I made with a new fragrance oil and I didn’t read the reviews first. It seized up the batter and then oozed oil after it was in the mold. At that point, I figured I would just learn my lesson and get rid of the batch. Now I’m very careful to either read reviews or do a small test batch first!

Single Barrel Soaps’ Spearmint & Eucalyptus soap. I love the calendula petals on top!

What do you love most about creating bath and body products?
I have a lot of family members, including my youngest daughter, brother and dad that have sensitive skin. I love being able to make things for them that helps their skin and they can use without breaking out. It’s a really awesome feeling to be able to see someone you love benefit immediately from something you made.

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The post Interview with Lauren of Single Barrel Soaps appeared first on Soap Queen.