Teach Soap

Hi All,

I am the Director of Business Development and Marketing for an at-home, hand-crafted soap company that is preparing to launch. My wife makes the soaps. The name of the company is Joyful Soaps LLC. We are in the midst of launching, and plan to have a LIVE website and blog in a few weeks or so. We live in the Pacific Northwest.

I wanted to ask the forum the following few questions from a novice.

Is having two or three sizes of soaps for sale (2.5 ounces, 3.5 ounces, and about 5 ounces) and setting the price points according to quantity proven effective for you in your soap businesses? These soaps have a lot of character and personality, and offering three choices of soap sizes provides a bit more options and allows for fitting different occasions and types of consumers. For instance, family type soaps, individuals, kid soaps, etc. Do most of you tend to sell in two or three or so quantities of soap, and do you set the price points according to weight? We have petite to luxury soaps that cater to different socio-economic customers.

Also, one general question. What suggestions would any of you have for a new hand-crafted, custom soap business starting out, especially in the midst of a very tough economy?

Thank you all in advance very much!

Take care.

Haven't been doing this for very long but I think the best advice is "Promote, promote, promote"
I sell loaf slices as my core business with some guest soaps as well (not very many and not as successful). My thought would be to try each of them and then go with the ones that are the most successful - that could be all 3 sizes, only 2 - or even one! I also sell my soaps at an individual price and then a cheaper price for 4. This is for market sales. Online I just have the individual prices.
Hope this is some help. Hopefully someone with more experience than me (which wouldn't be hard!!) can give you some more advice!

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Soaper from Melbourne Australia
Founding member of Melt & Pour Soap Crafters ... find us on Facebook - we'd love to see you!