I started selling handcrafted soap about 2 years ago to friends and family and want to try to go wholesale but don't know how to approach shops. I know too well there are a handful of talents needed to be a successful business owner, one of those being a salesman. I'm having a problem in this area. I don't know selling ettiquette. I mailed out a dozen or so samples with a price list and cover letter to shops but got no response. Is it best to cold call, asking for permission to bring a sample in? Can I just walk into a shop i'm interested in and give a sales pitch? How do I start up the conversation so they don't automatically try to shut me off?

Thanks for any help, Lynn

-- Lynn (lynn@hotmail.com), April 17, 2002

Answers

You can do the cold calling thing on small businesses, just be prepared to sell on the spot if allowed to. Go to the business and ask to talk with the buyer or when is a good time to speak with the buyer about your product, have a card, price list and sample ready to leave if the buyer is busy or “will get back to you”. Start with the small independent shops first and realize that there are seasons for products and some shops buy at certain times of the year only.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), April 17, 2002.

Take your product to your area health food or herb store and offer some on consignment and then get payment when you go back to restock them. I did this with neclaces a few years back by putting ten on display at a convienence store. Once a month, I went in to replace those sold or stolen(my agreement called for the store to pay for all inventory replacement in the consignment agreement) and collected for what I put out from my restock inventory.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), April 17, 2002.

If you do a cold call, make darn sure the owner or manager isn't busy. If you try to keep his attention & he loses a customer he won't be happy with you.

There are a lot of books out on marketing crafts - check with your library.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 17, 2002.

I have sold several things in the past years, once it was wrought iron that I made im my shop at home and sold mostly to small shops. I soon found that if they were to sell it at 15 dollars I had to wholesale it at half of that. Sounds like a huge mark up but by the time they paid rent, labor, insurance, liscence I was still makeing more than the retailer without a fraction of the cash outlay. Now we do hand carved hand painted one of a kind bowls that are hand turned from trees we salvage from storm dammage or been cut for some reason. We then carve, either dogwood blossoms, on the bowls or ivy vines or just what ever the person wants. We do a lot of Santas both full figure and santa head ornimants that my wife designs and I carve partially then she carves the facial features and paints them. We have our first show of the year this weekend in Kennesaw GA, we have spent this evening pricing the santas. If a gallery buyer selects some of our items we will be expecting about half or retail but some times we do that. By selling through a gallery we don't have to spend days and considerable money for fees, hotels and travel. In the end we make the same. Getting you product out on the market is not easy, it can be done but you have to have a unusual product and it has to meet a need, and be competativly priced. You are going up against companies that spend millions getting a new product before the public and still over half of their products don't make it. Don't get discourged but look at the market in your area for your product and be realistic, go to several craft fairs in your area see how much of your type product there is and can you compete with it. Best of luck been there done it.

-- David in North Al. (bluewaterfarm@mindspring.com), April 17, 2002.

You could also try selling your soaps a craft shows.

-- Jo in PA (farmerjo02@yahoo.com), April 18, 2002.

I've had the pleasure(?)of working in sales for a good portion of my life, and a good ice breaker for approaching the owner /buyer is to complement them on some feature of their shop early in the conversation. But be sincere! Folks know when you're just being "gushy" and it's a turn off. Also, an attractive way to carry in your samples is important. For soaps, I would probally go with a wicker basket with a handle,that you could carry comfortablly, lined with a gingham cloth, or trimmed out to be "country looking". When you dress to go out with your samples, try to match your outfit with what you're selling (like, selling crafts or soaps, I probally would pass on the suit and high heels) Also, if your product is scented, rub it on before you leave home so you'll be a walking advertisement for that "delightful, heavenly- smelling, hand crafted soap" that every one will be clamoring for! good luck and happy selling!

-- Judy Corwin (corwinsusa@netscape.net), April 18, 2002.

Thanks for the replies. I have researched this extensively and know the market pretty well. I plan to sell to the stores at 50% of what they can easily sell it for. I've crunched the numbers and figured in labor and I came up with good results. Even though there is alot of this on the internet, it is unique in my local area. I have a price list and a brochure I designed that is geared towards shop owners. It explains very briefly why my product is unique, that it is exceptional quality and why it's hot with consumers.

I can't realistically do craft shows since I work full time and have small children. I know that is how soapers make most of their money. Most of them don't like wholesale, they like the interaction, etc. I would really like to pursue the wholesale side of it.

One of my customers that is also a frequent customer of Whole Foods Market told them about my soaps and they are interested in it. I want to try a few smaller shops first to get my feet wet. I would love to eventually get into Whole Foods though.

I'm going to get my inventory back up and then pay a few visits. I'm ready to take this to the next level so I can eventually get out of my 8-5 job. I will need to find other venues for income, but think it's best to concentrate on this one first. Thanks for all the help, it's put a fire under me to get going on this. This list is such an inspiration.

Lynn

-- Lynn (lynn@noemail.com), April 18, 2002.

I buy homemade soap from a woman who started her business "Countrywoman Soap" and sells it in the barn where she makes it. She also has a gift shop set up there. It is also sold in various shops in the area, but at her location I can buy it unwrapped at a cheaper price ($2.25 each). I know you can buy cheaper soap but we like the "soap lady's" soap so much more.

Anyway, depending on your location you could perhaps have your own shop.

-- Jane in southwest WI (ladyjane@mwt.net), April 18, 2002.

You could also try mail order. A.

-- a.eadie (a,eadie@mailexcite.com), April 18, 2002.

I have a disabled friend that mskes really nice wooden toys. Any one know of a market for him? He has a couple of items on ebay right now (email me if you'd like to look at them) but I'm looking for more outlets for him. He doesn't have much cash for advertising, living pretty hand to mouth.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), April 18, 2002.

Please be sure you have adequate business coverage for liability purposes, and also be wary of making any claims (such as "cures" this or that, etc.) that may be misconstrued as medical in nature. You don't want the FDA shutting down your business for that.

Mail order might work well for you once you get established (in other words, do a few shows and get in a few stores), but soap is not like books--people usually want to touch and smell the soaps, and you can't do that by mail. And you well know that smells of soap vary from EO manufacturer to EO manufacturer, as well as between soap recipes themselves.

Another thing is to target the stores--if you make a dog soap, try going to your vet with it. Beauty shops may be a place to sell soap, etc. Also, I know you said you can't do many shows, but you might want to try your local Christmas bazaars run by non-profits--let hubby watch the kids for a day, and bring plenty of business cards so that people can call you with orders.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), April 18, 2002.

Let us know what happens. My neighbor orders her soap from a lady near us and gets hers in the mail.

-- Narita (hsnrs@att.net), April 19, 2002.