GrandmaArial Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 It’s been an interesting weekend…to put it mildly. My neighbor (who has been testing the lemon soap I made last month) asked if I had something her mother in law could use. An elderly lady with multiple health problems she needs something extra gentle with no scents (even EOs which even in the small amounts she would come in contact with in a bath can be risky) but needed to be extra moisturizing… so I pulled out a bar of the plain oatmeal honey I made about two weeks ago and we tested it.My friend went nuts over it… she already was bragging on the lemon soap, sure there couldn’t be a better soap in the world, but now was going crazy washing her hands with the oatmeal soap! Kept making me feel her hands… saying “it’s like washing with lotion! Feel how soft my hands are!” We then spent the next hour and half testing every soap I’ve made. It became quite a ritual… first a simple hand washing… then rinsing… then patting my arm to see how soft her hands are… then she got the Crisco out and rubbed some on her hands and washed them again to see if it actually would clean it… then more patting so I could feel how her hands were still not drying out! During this all was constant exclamations on how wonderful the lather is! “Look at all these bubbles! Did you ever see bubbles like this?” I had to keep reminding her I was the one who made them… so yes, I have been seeing quite a few bubbles lately. So, after awhile she takes her oatmeal soap and runs to the bank. Why she took the soap in with her I don’t know, but she did, and gave it away to a woman whose husband has very dry skin, with her phone number so the lady can call and order some more after her husband tries it and sees it’s the best soap in the world… returns to my house to get more, and demand I make up a couple baskets full of samples to take with her to give to everyone she knows because “once they try them they will never want to use any other soap again and will have to buy it from you”… OK… I didn’t think I was ready to try to sell them yet… but I guess I am… so spent Saturday and Sunday replacing the soaps I gave her… which brings us to today (Sunday) when I had my (other) neighbor’s daughter visiting while her mom was out of state…and a young man of her acquaintance stopped by to visit her… Now to understand and visualize this in it's whole I have to tell you this young man is 18, 6’6” tall, and of a troubled background. He’s a “tough” kid… (Who is working on straightening his life out, but still a “tough facade). Well… there I am trying to not intrude on their visit as I’m making a batch of lemon soap when he comes to look and ask what I’m doing… so I point him to the bowl of scraps and he starts testing, one after another. I think he tried ever scrap at least twice. My young neighbor girl was rolling watching this big lanky guy caring on about how great this soap is! Almost word for word of the other neighbor! He bought 2 bars for his mother and sister (and would have bought more if he had more money, and yes, I gave him a deal), so he says, but I don’t think they are going to get them, I think that young man is going to enjoy himself some nice baths. Well, I just wanted to share my interesting weekend… hope it gave you a few giggles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 very nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thesoapbox Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 I think it's great! Make up those baskets and get your neighbor busy lol! The best form of advertisement is word of mouth and it looks like she is going to do that for ya!Angi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruina Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBE Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Word of mouth is the best advertisement... samples... samples.... samples.... sometimes you have to give a little to receive back!!! Congratulations Grandma!!! Isn't it awesome when people love your stuff????? Gives me goosebumps! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 You go GrandmaArial! I think you have a lot of talent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBShafeena Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I am like you and keep telling people I am not ready yet... they aren't listening, ROFL. I have an order for 168 bars or lavender soap and milk bath smoothies . At least I have time for those it's for my son's friend's wedding in 2008. I have Christmas orders, yep, Christmas!!! It's only July ! I have quite a few orders from co-workers and I have some international orders. Now, I have no idea how I am going to get all of this done since I have a full time day job, I have my other hobby, my 10 horses.... This should be very interesting next few months to say the least. Maybe I should open a spa, an oasis, where I can check myself into to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katshe Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I think its super , That is how it all starts, one person tells someone and so onI have only made two batches and the people I have given soap to have bought all of the soap I had and now are asking me to have a home party to sell soap and candles and have suggested to offer gift baskets and gift wrapping as an option for some people, so now I am scrambling to figure how to package soap candle and tart melts in an attractive gift pack?One of my customers has told me , "make lots and lots of soap n call me and Ill have a cash and carry party!!!!!!! Wow!! I am so Excited, only thing is I need money to get it all done, But I think by september I should be ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherry Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 :tiptoe: :tiptoe: :tiptoe: Hi: everyone i have a question that needs answers i have a week long Kraft fair next month and i like to give out soap samples how; big the soap sample should be and do you give it free and how to package it with all the ingredients on please help me one more thing there supposed to be over 500 :yay: :yay: hundred people attending this fair i will not sell soap just give out samples so..... hou manny saples should i take whith me and please wish me luck :p :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katshe Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Sherry, this is what I would doI have not done this ever but...I would have a thousand samples - You are saying 500 will attent, I guess i figure more is betterand I would make them the size of those little hotel soapspackage them with a business card and also soap ingredients etc. could be wrapped in plastic wrap and a sticker labelOr use brown paper bag cut into cigarband and sticker label. make sure to include a business card or contact info somewhere.May be others more experienced here than me that could advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherry Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass Sorry my mistake it should be 500 Hundred Thousand people will attend to this fairSorry again:tiptoe: :tiptoe: :tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elitenaildesign Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Thats such a great feeling when people "want" your soap and products. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass :embarrass Sorry my mistake it should be 500 Hundred Thousand people will attend to this fairSorry again:tiptoe: :tiptoe: :tiptoe:I'd say max 1000 anyway - how much can you afford to give away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaArial Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 Thank you everyone for all the encouragement. And thank you for helping me learn from reading about your successes and failures here. I am now out of lye and won’t have my order in until next week so I guess I’ll be taking a break (and hope no one calls until they have had time to cure). Had another neighbor call and ask for some more oatmeal honey soap today, her husband is a truck driver and took the bar I gave them to test with him on the road. She will have to wait til the new batch is cured. One of my friends stopped by today to show me her face.. Which she swears has fewer wrinkles than it did two weeks ago before I gave her a bar of lemon soap. I don’t think it’s the tiny drop of lemon in it, I think it’s the big lack of hydrocarbon based oils and preservatives. I’m really amazed at the response to the soap. I know it isn’t as nice as you experienced soapers are making… and the only thing I can figure out is even my beginners soap is so much better than commercial soap. Sherry… I made bands with cardstock and the printer, and cut 4 oz bars in half for the samples, to give people a chance to really get a feel for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasmine31 Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 You are doing great! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ah-soy Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I was browsing at a HUGE wholesale/retail event a couple years back and one of the soapmakers was giving out tiny random cut chunks of their soap (maybe the size of a dime). They gave them out in tiny white paper pockets...not sure what they are called, but similar to how an order of french fries is bagged, just much smaller. On the envelop they had used an inkstamp to put their company info and website. So very cute...I still have the bag...the soap is long gone. Maybe an idea for you and much cheaper than hotel size with biz cards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Makin Momma Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I went to a craft show once and got samples of soap. It was just a small, maybe 1.5 inchX1 inch rectangle and they gave you an info brochure with it. It was a simple way to give samples Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSoaps Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 I usually give out soap samples in 3x4 plastic baggies with my biz card stapled to the outside. This has always worked well for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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