Soap Makers Help!

[chiknwhisperer]

Did better then I thought I did today comsidering that FM was just so darn slow. And I am felting a bar of OMH scented soap for a lady that is using it as a gift for her boss

 

[TM Chickens]

Quote:
Does it have an ingredient list or a brand name? If not I believe you would enter it into the calc as canola oil.

 

[Morgaine]

Corrie, your display looks great! I think that ones is the best looking one you have posted so far. Very nice. Glad to hear you did well at the market.

LA~Poulet: There was a thread on here a while ago making your own laundy detergent, I think it was started by SouthenChick~28. When you do you search you can put her as author. I htink it was 1 bar zote soap, grated, and 1 cup each washing soda and borax.

Rockpile99: I would look at the ingredients. It will tell you what vegetables were used to make the oil. It is most likely soy bean oil. I've used soy and have liked the soaps with it but to me there are some cons with it. 1. Soap made with soy seems to melt away faster. Ihave made the same recipe. but subbed out RBO for the soy and they do last longer. 2. Too much soy in your soap and you run the risk of DOS. 3. A lot of people are allergic to them.

But, you can't beat the price of soy with most other oils and it does help make a nice conditioning bar when used as a substitute for part of your more expensive oils like oilve.

I did the watermelon festival yesterday and I consider it a bust. It was so freaking hot, not a lot of people were there and the ones who were didn't really seem like they wanted to shop. I made $180 after my booth fee and I don;t know that it was enough to make me go again. I also was next to an asian couple who kept pushing their tables into my area so close that it was partly under MY tent. I had to ask them to move, I had no room to get to the front of my table on that side. They also didn't use a trash can and would just throw the trash into the back of their tent the wind was blwoing it all down the road and into other peoples tents. But the lady on the other side of me was geat and we got along fine. She even bought some roll on perfumes.

 

[LA~Poulet]

thank you!

 

[chiknwhisperer]

Morgaine I'm sorry to hear that it was a bust. That couple next to you could stand to learn a few manners from the sounds of it. Although I can honestly say that I would love to be able to bring in the kind of money you do. I guess it is because of the different areas but I sure don't see anyone except the produce people, bakers and flower people that make that kind of money in a day. If things don't turn around by the end of the FM I will be looking for another one fo next year. The problem is that the same people are coming through each week. There are only a few new people and a lot of people go " oh soap " and keep walking. I ad one older lady get all excited and come into the tent thinking the soap was candy and away she went.

 

[Morgaine]

Quote:

Maybe finding a new market would help. But there are just days that are slow too. DH only made $68 at the farmer's market saturday. sales are definatly way down there.

Here are a few things that I think help me, I'm sure you do some of them too.

1. Smile and greet as many people as you can who walk by your booth. Manners will make most of them return the gretting and this usually makes them pause long enough to look at you and your product. Then they get a whiff and come over. Then you can tell all abput your soaps, what good stuff is in them, how you make it all yourelf from scratch, etc.

2. I have a hard time with this one, but it does help. Stand up as much as you can. It does seem to make a difference. I usually stand the whole tome when it is busy from 8-10 and then sit after that unless it looks like some one is coming over to my booth.

3. People beed to know that you sell soap. If there isn't a clear sign, people don't know what it is and won't come over. The more traffic you can get to your booth, the more sales.

4. I have a small little speech memorized that I use to start talking about my soaps. That helps me so I don't get tongue tied.

I hope some of that can help you. Keep at it Corrie, it will come. You honestly might need to find a different market if this one isn't making i worth you time. Some of you soaps make me wish I could make soaps as pretty as you do.

 

[chiknwhisperer]

You made me blush Morgaine

I love the soaps you make and wish that I could do the things with my soaps that you do to yours.
All of you guys make such great soaps in look and scent. Moragine you have definitly helped to inspire me with keeping at this and the thing s that I want to do with my soap.

 

[charlotteda]

Please forgive me if this has already been addressed :

What is the best source for soap supplies for those of us in the Southeast ?

I'm a beginner....
thanks
charlotte

 

[Morgaine]

I would check out the reference thread. i've put links to a lot of places on it. You can go through and see who has what you and at the best prices. i usually order from a couple of places, The Scent Works, Brambleberry and Southern Garden Scents are some of my favorites. Southen Garden Scents even made a special code just for us here at BYC. Use BYC09 and you save 10%. Cool huh!

You made me blush Morgaine
I love the soaps you make and wish that I could do the things with my soaps that you do to yours.
All of you guys make such great soaps in look and scent. Moragine you have definitly helped to inspire me with keeping at this and the thing s that I want to do with my soap.

Feeling is mutual! You have done some gorgeous soaps, I don't want you to sell yourself short. It will come.​

 

[chiknwhisperer]

There is a fall harvest fest going on in Sept. They had an ad in the paper looking for vendors. I'm going to give them a call and see what the details are.