# What do you think?



## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

I have been asked by a good friend of mine to put my GM soap in her gift shop at the State Fair of Texas next year. She runs the Little Hands on the Farm and has a gift shop there. Does this sound like something good or a nightmare waiting to happen?

I have no idea how much I would need to have and also i think i would only have a few scents so that it wouldn't make me crazy trying to get my inventory ready.

I would love to hear your feedback.

Karla


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

would sure be worth a try I think


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## debrad636 (Jul 17, 2008)

Boy, I sure would jump at a chance to get my soap out there, in front of a lot of people. You never know!

Go ahead, Just my opinion.

Deb


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

You will get SO much exposure- get ready!
L


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## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

It will be on a commission basis, haven't worked out the details yet. I hopefully am getting a Kelsie mold for Christmas so that will make it a bunch easier to get ready. 

She said she had 50,000 people come through Little Hands during the fair.

Karla


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

So you should figure if 10% of the people that visit her, buy one bar that is 5,000 bars you should have on hand. The nice thing with this show being in the fall is that Christmas orders are right around the corner to take up any bars that don't sell, plus by then you may be soaping for chrismtas anyway, so if orders are more than this you have extra soap to run to her.

Make sure you aren't just a stack of soap in a corner on the shelf. Make a sign for the door that says "Home of Nubian Soaps" and think about purchasing a bubble machine to run, so bubbles go out the front door. Its' a super chance with that many folks, do it up right. I would spend as much time as I can up at the shop talking Goatmilk soap to my customers. Vicki


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## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

Thanks for all the info. I will make note of all the things mentioned and talk them over with her. We are good friends so I am sure she will make it worth my while.

5,000 bars! :faint I better get started now! 

She also has a LaMancha doe that I am going to milk this next year so i should have plenty of milk between her 
and my Nubian. They will both freshen in the spring, one the end of March and the other in April.

Karla


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

You will never be ready if you wait for those does to freshen, best start now with canned goat milk  Vicki


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## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

I think 5,000 bars may be a bit overkill. I would have to sell 179 bars per day, every day of the fair to sell that much. think I will do quite a bit less than that. I have used the goats milk from the store, not the canned but the "fresh" in the carton. I can't really tell the difference in the soap.

Karla


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## jimandpj (Mar 11, 2008)

Be really careful with the bubble machine - depending on the flooring material, it can make the floor really slick. We did the Kentucky State fair and were set up next to a person selling bubble machines - he was constantly wiping up the floor and worried about people slipping. If the flooring is carpeting, that is much safer. We were pleased that we had the bubbles flying around, but not the liability. 

I also think 5000 bars is more than you need. We've found that the number of people attending the fair is not a good indicator of the number of bars we sell. You can only fit so many people in front of your soap at a time. So a lot of it depends upon how much real estate she'll be giving your soap in the shop. If it's just a small display, only so many people will actually see it - even if 50,000 are going through the shop.

Will you be there selling it? Or is it just going to be something she stocks? If it's just an item in the store, that would further reduce the number you will sell. Can you be there at the busiest times (usually Saturday) talking to people and giving out free samples? You don't want to have free samples there without you, or greedy people will just come along and grab handfuls and empty you out.

Be careful with the commission setup as well - usually those don't work very well for you, the crafter. Be sure you address stuff such as stolen or damaged soap before you agree to do it. 

And don't make more than you are comfortable having in inventory if nothing sells (not that that's going to happen). But if you're not there selling your soap, you have very little control. Most people still don't know what goat milk soap is. So without someone there to educate them, that hurts sales.

Are there any other goat milk soapers at the fair? Any other soapers at all? All of that will figure into how much inventory is reasonable.

At the Kentucky State Fair, we found that more people were there just for free entertainment and carnival food, rather than buying. Something else to consider. 

If you work through the details (and try to get it in writing - even if she's a friend, business is business), I'd say go for it! If you can afford to build some inventory, every time your soap is out there is better for your business.

Just my 2 cents,
PJ


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## icboers (Feb 1, 2009)

Thanks PJ. I agree with you on many of the points you made.

The commission is 8-10% of total sales and that is just to cover what she has to pay the fair. She isn't making anything off of it. I won't be there the whole time to sell, but I may try to go down at least a few days a week.

I hadn't thought of the damaged or stolen items, there will definitely be a contract in writing. Even though she is my friend the contract will help protect our friendship as well as my business and hers. 

I don't know if there are any other soapers at the fair. I am not sure how to find that out. I will just plan on around 50 bars per scent or so for the fair and then have extra just in case.

karla


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Lots of soap In the go texan building as well as some of the other venues. The little farm thing was for children so I would think about things for kids


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