dcroome2005 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Would love to find out how some of you advertise your business. I just started selling in the last year , so I am growing my customer base. Besides my customer and their referrals, I can only advertise by when I am out in public talking to people. I have made bank candles and put them there but no success yet. Which is ok.. I planted the seed. I have my website. How do you do it? I was thinking newspaper but not sure .. Thought this would be a great thread to get going to give us candlemakers/ soap makers some ideasThanksChristina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I giveaway candles. Teachers, Insurance People....or drop off flyers at medical offices about having a 'nooner' partyCar magnets are great or window decals with you biz, tag line, website, etc.Submit a press release to the local paper about a donation you did for something...like an auction. They'll write articles about you for free!I'd even fax blast local businesses with your info. Sure they may throw it away, or it may land on someone's desk that talks a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrealh1975 Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Do you have business cards and or brochures? I give mine out to any and everybody!!! Another suggestion is giving something as a gift. Especially if you know someone likes a certain fragrance, they are more likely to want something else from you. Participate in any and every craft fair/vendor fair you're able to. Even if someone doesn't buy, they will at least have your contact info for the future. Also, do you sell anything on Ebay? I don't sell my candles there, but I do sell books, etc., whenever I ship something I include a card and/or brochure with it. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellkast Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Word of mouth initially. My friends told their friends and so on...my mom and my aunts and cousins helped me a lot as well. My mom put some samplers of mine in her bathroom at work (she works in a HUGE office building) and attached my business card to them and put about 100 brochures out. I made over $1000 in the first week they were up. My Aunts did the same thing and my cousins are all in college and put my catalogs everywhere on their campuses. Then I started doing wholesale- just basically sent out my catalog and info to all the spas, massage places, hair salons, nail salons, tanning places, gift shops and gyms to see if they wanted to carry my product. I also did my first two craft shows this past season, and with each purchase, I included a 10% off their next order online coupon in their bag. I got a TON of repeat business from that. Also, with each order, I throw in a free sample of a product they didn't buy in a scent I think they might like. People have ordered that product and scent afterwards thanking me so much for the sample. I still don't get enough business to pay the bills, but I'm hoping to do some more advertising this new year. I'd love to see what everyone can come up with for advertising!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc26 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 One of the companies I work for did huge gift baskets this year for our sister companies. I donated a candle for each gift basket. I have gotten a few orders from it already! Great way to get your business name out to other small business, they seem more likely to buy from other small businesses when ever they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcroome2005 Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Wow, Great ideas. I do have cards and brochures that I give out. I also give out samples with each order. Never thought about contacting spas, massage places etc to see if they want to carry my line.. That is something I can definetly look into. I have done 3 craft shows .. 1st one was great. other two where flops.. But, got experience out of itThanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 A lot of it is definitely in who you know. I took sample jars of all my scents to my law school and got over $200 in order in under 30 minutes. People like what they can see, feel and smell. So having samples to give away or samples they can sniff, as well as brochures will help get customers. Talk to everyone, your hair stylist, tailor, dry cleaner, real estate agents etc . . . Offer free stuff to try and then give free stuff when they order - that helps keep them coming back. I usually give one free tart or votive with every order in whatever scent I have on hand. People love getting stuff for free (I know I do, lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indescent Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Also, Christina, see if you can exchange links with someone or advertise on someone else's site as a preferred vendor. If you find another non-competing business that has a similar theme, this could work well for you if you are looking to pick up web orders. You may even gain a wholesale account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcroome2005 Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thank you all I am pretty loaded with V-Day orders already, just looking to expand.. Never can have enough orders. At least not me. LOLOhhh For some of you that knew about my cinnobun that I made with the icing and pecans ( i posted a while ago in pics for candles) I have sold 60 of them in 1 1/2 months.. I never thought this would be a popular item-- all from word of mouth.. I must be doing something rightChristina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisinka1 Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 If you're looking to advertise your business nationally, check out www.candlefind.com This is a website where the editors of the site write reviews about candles they buy and candles that are sent to them. Regular candle lovers can also post reviews about companies that they've tried. This is my resource now for finding the best companies out there. Before this website, I didn't know anything other than Yankee (or how a great candle actually smells and burns). Good luck everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valleygrls98 Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 If you are looking for magnetic cars sign or signs/decals of any kind let me know my Dad does that and he's super reasonable he doesn't charge set up fees and he'll even make me design it for you if you want. Let me know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dai Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 when advertising a product or service you must take into account the target market and, of course, available funds.for instance, advertising on TV or in local print media may well reach a very large amount of people but only a small percentage of these will be potential customers - and this also comes at a great cost. therefore, the goal must be to target people most likely to purchase candles.an obvious choice is current clients so be sure to keep in contact with them via flyers and emails. furthermore, always develop a database of these and potential clients - existing customers are the cheapest way of gaining further business.a good source of contacts could be gained by obtaining the pre-booked visitors list from an upcoming craft show. also including the ability for a client to contact you after making a purchase (either an address or a web-site for example.)for several years now the market has demanded that a business be focused on the particular needs of customers - which has made the need of a database necessary.keeping such information would not only aid your candle-making business but could also prove lucrative itself to other companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonWorks Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Christina, I thought your cinnabun was great. Glad to hear it can sell too.I think its a case of 'right product at the right place at the right time'. Looks like you found that combination! Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elle110 Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I consider large craft shows advertising. It is a great way to get your product out there, give out discount coupons for repeat orders etc. I take every opportunity at shows to sell my product an bix because the customer is there in person and is getting to actually see and try my product. The best part of this kind of advertising is I always come out with a lot of $$$$$ and my investment was smaller that most advertising ventures. This has also gotten me to look at the booth fee differently, when I look at it as advertising it seems like a small investment.My SIL owns a company that produces bridal shows and just one billboard for one show cost them $10,000.Ok, when I consider that, my advertising is peanuts LOLElle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dai Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 yes, i heard a quote once from someone i've long forgotten but it was in reply to a business stating it couldn't afford to advertise - the quote was "we couldn't afford not to advertise."exhibiting at a craft show or having a web-site is a very good way of advertising. you need to keep your company in the public domain and, even if you earn zero from a web-site, it is an important method of staying 'in the picture.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftiejean Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 This is what I just did yesterday. I went and took about 100 catalogs and some votives with me and just went and hit different places, salons, shops, banks, etc. The banks and and some of the other place I just left a stack of catalogs and most of the other places I asked it was fine if I could leave a some there.. And they all said yes with no problem.. And with that I handed the person I talked to a votive.. Which put a big smile on their face...Who know such a little thing could give them such a big smile...Jeanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.