Carving out your own unique soap niche sales channel is key. It is one of the best things you can do for your handmade soap making business. In this article, we will explore successful ways to accomplish this, based on actual real-world results.
To best show you how I did it, I’ll show you the process I followed, step by step. If you just want to get to the good stuff, skip to “Breaking In.”
Starting Small
When I started making soap, I had no intention of selling it. My wife has skin sensitivities. unfortunately, the soap that we purchased from the grocery store and even the specialty shops was making things worse. After we found all-natural soap recipes that worked well for her, things really turned around.
That’s when I realized that the skin is more than just our outer covering. It is the largest organ of our bodies. As such, it absorbs just about anything placed on it. This includes the detergents and other harsh chemicals used in most modern large-scale soap production.
Taking care of my wife’s skin was my first soap niche. The rest was far easier.
Word Spreads
My wife told her sisters about the soap. They share similar skin sensitivities, so we sent them a few bars. Once they got good results, they spread the word to their friends. Before you know it, I was in the soap making business. Most importantly, I was about to learn the value of having a unique niche.
Discovering a New Soap Niche
Just a couple years ago I began selling one of the soaps I had previously made just for my wife. It is made from beer rather than water for the lye solution.
Again, I do not make any health benefit claims regarding this or any of my soaps. Beer, however, has long been perceived as a hair and skin nourishing product. The wealthy often used it for bathing in ancient civilizations, including Egypt and parts of Western Europe.
For legal reasons, my specialty soap niche is not based on addressing allergies or skin sensitivities. Instead, it is based on being made from beer and all-natural products (although not always organic).
Breaking In
Once you know what your soap niche is going to be, you are halfway there. Now it’s time to consider the best way to break into that particular market. If you make soap out of beer or wine, it’s easy to contact owners and managers in your area. In Virginia, we have plenty of both.
Don’t Get Distracted by “What if…”
What if you live in an area that does not have local breweries and wineries? Start by making some sample batches with your favorite brand and flavor. Once it has fully cured, try it. After you have used it and loved the results, consider giving a few bars to the brewer or winery.
If the business locations are close enough to where you live, consider delivering them in person along with a beautiful presentation. We will talk about that in a moment, but for now, a good presentation might include a wooden box purchased from a craft store or a gift basket of some kind.
The point is, this is your chance to put on your marketing hat and make a great first impression. In a moment, you can decide how best to get that presentation into their hands.
Am I crazy? Why give just a few bars. “Won’t that seem cheap?” you might ask. Surprisingly, three to four bars for a small company and six to eight for a larger company works well. At least, those seem to be the magic numbers that do best for me.
This will sound strange, but scarcity drives action.
If you have the free time to make and label twenty bars of your valuable soap. Then give it all away for free – the perceived value can drop. If, however, you send a generous yet reasonable amount you have added value. At least, that’s how it worked for me.
Before You Get Too Far
Before you start planning your soap samples or publicity kit, check the website. You want to make sure your intended recipient does not currently sell soap. If they do, see if it is their brand or a third-party’s. You might be able to get in on the action if it’s not too crowded.
The handmade soap industry has been gaining in popularity for years, and some breweries and wineries already carry their own line of soaps. These are often made by people like you and me. You can be next.
Building Your Soap Niche Publicity Kit
This is really all about creating buzz around your product. The initial unveiling might be limited to whoever receives your gift at the shop. However, that does not mean it will not generate a lot of conversation and excitement.
To prepare for making your kit, the first thing you should do is research who it should go to. If it is a small establishment, you probably only need to send a few bars. These are for the owner and his or her family or top employees who might want to try it.
Most websites will tell you all you need to know. Primary recipients might be owners, managers, marketing directors, and sales execs. But DON’T forget the “inside champion.”
The inside champion is the trusted resource that might not have the fancy title and big paycheck. The do, however, have the ears and respect of the bigwigs. In a mid-size company, this is often the office manager/admin, and all-around “doer”. If you can find out who this is – be sure to include him or her in your gift.
Going Big
If you are working toward getting the attention of a larger outfit, I would consider sending six to eight bars. This will allow multiple people to actually use your soap and talk about their experiences with each other. It will also make those people who received one of the bars feel just a little bit special.
Tip: Everybody loves something that makes them feel special.
Boxing it Up
As far as packaging, the soap can be boxed, shrink-wrapped, or simply wrapped in a paper or cardstock belly-band. Just present it however you envision it being sold in the tasting rooms, retail centers, or websites.
Regardless of how you package your soap, remember to adhere to all labeling regulations. Also, consider how you want the sample soap bars branded. Do you want to use your logo, their logo, or a made-up one? Be careful and think this part through.
Personal Experience: Some marketing agencies pitch a new prospective client with props. I have dealt with those who use an item they had made, which includes the customer’s logo.
The prospect might be thrilled by this because it helps them more firmly envision the end result. They might also be very upset because they feel this infringes upon their intellectual property rights and brand.
Just be very careful with how you proceed. You don’t want to inadvertently upset the company representatives that you are trying so hard to win over.
A Quick Note on International Arrangements
If you intend to work with a company across national borders, be certain you follow their country’s rules on everything to ingredient use, labeling, packaging and shipping.
For example, I specialize in making beer soap. What if I made a special batch of soap using Australia’s New World Pilsner and sent it to the brewery in a nice traditional wooden beer crate?
That sounds nice, right? I would love to do that. Unfortunately you are not allowed to ship any wooden boxes into Australia unless it comes with a certificate of fumigation.
This does not seem like something anyone would just happen to know. And every country has special rules you might not consider. I have done a lot of that research for you if you ever need it.
On this site is a post titled Can you send bar soap in the mail?. Check it out anytime.
The Next Critical Factor
Inside the kit, along with the soap, you should include a well-crafted note to whomever you want to reach. This does not need to be a long letter or any have other special qualities. It just needs to present a sincere message of what your soap can do for their company.
You should also try to incorporate a bit of descriptive text that helps the reader envision what you are proposing. You gave them soap to try. I’s not so much a matter of describing how great it smells or feels or how well it lathers. This is more about setting a mood to get them interested.
Here’s a sample that I’ve used as an icebreaker:
“What makes soap good? That’s easy… A rich-lathering, great smelling rock hard bar made of all-natural ingredients. What makes soap great? Beer! Not just any beer, but the best beer you’ve ever tasted – or bathed with! YOUR beer.”
The note should also include the link to your website where they can learn about your niche soap. This is in case the note gets passed on without any context. Make it something simple like “domain.com.beersoap/.”
The Presentation – Putting It All Together
And finally, we have the presentation. Although it might seem like a small detail, how you present your gift will make a tremendous amount of difference. Try to capture the personality of the company do you want to do business with.
If their shop photos and logo are of an old-timey tavern, maybe go with a rustic wooden box. If their theme is more on the new and shiny side, consider getting a highly polished tin box, preferably something in a unique shape that they might get a kick out of.
In short, what you want to do is impress them before they have even opened the box (kit). That will set the tone for the grand unveiling.
Once the box is open, the first thing they should see, lying neatly on top, is your note. When packing the kit, try to arrange the soap in such a way that it doesn’t move around. It should occupy the interior of the box as wholly as possible, keeping everything firm and in place during Transit.
Every item of your box or kit is a uniquely and specially ordered phase of introduction. That is why we call it the “presentation’ – even if you are not presenting anything in person.
Delivering The Presentation
I have done these multiple ways. The first time I did this, I simply showed up with my box, all excited about presenting it. The owner was not there, and the kid running the cash register was old enough to vote but not old enough to drink. She had no idea what you do with some box a guy dropped off.
It would have been far too awkward to walk away and say that I would come back when the owner is available. I left all my carefully packaged hard work with the cashier and never heard back until I followed up a week later. The owner got the box but had no context around it. He left the soap in the breakroom for any of his team to take at random.
Lesson Learned
Having learned my lesson, I got an appointment with the owner of another Brewery. I was able to successfully meet with him. Unfortunately, when we did meet, I could tell he was on his guard, expecting I was going to be a pushy salesperson. I really thought the only word he knew was “no” until he let me explain that it was a free gift and just intended to see if it was of interest. To make a long story short, I struck out.
Strike two. I needed to change my strategy, so I did something a little bit different the third time.
I made a small batch of hot process soap using the company’s beer. Their logo and all the images on their website we’re extremely rustic. I thought hot process would be an excellent match to their brand.
I went to Michaels craft store and bought a small rustic looking wooden box on sale for $5. Rather than boxing my soap, I printed cardstock belly bands on my laser printer and wrapped the soap in those. I also handmade a cardboard insert with dividers to keep all of the soaps in the wooden box.
The box was only slightly over an inch deep, on the inside, so I simply placed a piece of parchment paper directly over top of the soap. Then I placed a sheet of black cardstock directly over the parchment paper. And finally, I put the note on top of the card stock.
Going the Extra Mile
It was a good fit. But not perfect. As an added measure, I pulled everything out and placed a thin sheet of bubble wrap underneath the cardboard insert. Then I placed another on top of the note. It would travel well.
I already had the owner’s name, so I sent it directly to him in a priority Flat Rate mailer. The box had rolled bubble wrap all the way around for added protection.
Shipping Tip: If you live in the US, the United States Postal Service typically offers the best rates for fast package shipping. DHL offers good deals around the world.
The Waiting Game
I didn’t hear anything for five days. Mailed on Saturday, it was to arrive by by Tuesday. I was concerned that I might have made another mistake and started thinking about a new strategy for my next attempt.
At a little after 10 p.m. on that fifth day, I received an email from the owner thanking me for the generous gift. He, and more importantly, his wife and daughter, loved it.
That was my first bulk niche customer, and I never looked back.
>>> The Inside Edge
This is a good time to discuss another topic covered in depth on this site: how to make your soap standout from the rest. Tips 1 and 3 will be especially useful for a niche business.
In Closing
I am not asking you to follow my example of working with a brewery. But, please try to carve out a soap niche that has big potential for repeat business. I can tell you from experience that keeping a client is far easier and less expensive than getting a new client.
I hope this information helps you in some way. If you ever have any questions or comments, please feel free to use the contact form on this page, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible.
Happy soaping and selling!