# Displaying Soap



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Some of you have posted pictures of your beautiful displays at craft fairs and farmers markets here and I've been so impressed and tried to copy them to some degree. I've got lots of soap. I need to sell soap. I've got two markets I'm doing this year, Friday and Saturday and I want them to be a success, not just a waste of my time. 

I have a certain goal set as to how much I want to generate at each market. I need to do what it takes to get to that point...or there really is no point. 

I've got my soap set up on two shelves made from new lumber. I've used them covered and also naked. I've put lotions on one, soaps on another, matching soaps and lotions together, etc. etc. I have to fit everything in my car. I'm afraid the truck might not get me as far as the markets and back so have to keep things small. I've got old weathered boards I'm thinking of making shelves out of, leaving them uncovered. Is this a good idea?

As far as arranging things, do you find that certain arrangements sell better than others? Like putting all the essential oil soaps together, salt bar soaps, etc? Also do you do signage for all the various soaps? 

Soap Sizes: I have big soaps. I've decided to cut a couple of soaps of each of my varietys in half, and re-package. I'm hoping this will help those folks out who really don't know if they want to shell out $5 bucks for a bar of soap, buy some soap. And maybe they don't know what they want...maybe they like several soaps and will be more willing to buy several smaller soaps, rather than not being able to decide, and so not buying anything? Have you found offering smaller, less expensive soaps to be of help? In the past I've given away 100's of soap samples and have not found that to be of much help. Even with my information on the little label. I think they were too small. Or maybe it was the festival atmosphere...no repeat customers like with the markets. 

Do big bowls or baskets of soaps sell well? What do you think attracts a customers eye? I'm in an indoor building at one market, on the back wall. I'm thinking of putting up a tall sign that says soaps, or goats milk soaps, etc. What wording would attract people all the way back to my booth? 

This week I'll have lotions (I had sold out and needed new bottles), as well as whipped shea butters. I've got two tables available and can have them in a line with all the other tables, or make an L shape by bringing the one table around to the side. If I did that, what would make people step around, verses just keeping on walking down the line of booths, or should I keep both tables in the line? 

What should I wear? I've been pondering my "uniform" thinking of everything from a old fashioned dress with bonnet (I think I'd die from the heat), blue jeans with a really girly top, donning an apron, maybe with my farm name or logo? Your ideas or suggestions? Makeup? I don't normally wear it, and would not want to buy soap from anyone heavily made up, but maybe I should wear a little bit? Anything I could set around to make people think "healthy" when they look at my products? 



Anything else?

Thanks so much!


----------



## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Hi Anita. Your plan sounds good. 

The weathered boards set up on some clay pots would be good for gardening themed soaps, etc. 

I find that the L shape only works well for a corner booth - when you have space on two aisles & you can be inside the "L". It gets congested for a regular space. I've gone to a lazy or spread out "V" shape. The point of the V faces the customers & you have good access to everyone.

Your best selling point is you. I don't wear makeup either & just try to look neat & tidy. Customers will respect your honesty & your product if you look like you live the life. Also, get a photo book together. My husband says he sells more soap with that book than anything else.

Do not forget a change fund. Nothing worse than a lost sale because you could not make change. Take at least $100 in 10s, 5s & 1s. And keep a notepad & pen handy.

Have some samples available. I have a sniffy basket of your soaps & folks can pass it around. If you have creams or lotions or anything else figure out a way to give samples. Samples sell!

Hope this helps. 
Jenny


----------



## Poverty Knob Goats (Apr 13, 2010)

An organized booth draws attention. Don't get it too cluttered.
Dress as you normally do. Overdoing costumes can turn people off.
I would keep LIKE soaps together.
Be Pleasant.
Be Friendly.
Be Honest.
The rest will take care of it's self.


----------



## Dacaree (Jan 31, 2009)

I ask people if they would like to try my lotion. It makes them look at me and then they see the soap or will make a comment about "I was wondering what that smell was."

My sells increase dramatically when I stand up and initiate conversations. Even if it is something stupid. I had a man and wife walk by and you could tell that the man did NOT want to be there. I said "How nice of you to spend the day with your wife." Before I knew it they bought $50 worth of soaps and lotions and sent more customers my way. 

Be creative, but I honestly feel that putting yourself in front of them works the best. Half the time, they walk by and don't even notice that you are there. Give them a reason to look your way.

I know that as a customer, if I walk by a booth and the "owner" is sitting in a chair reading a book, you will not get me to look. To me they are not excited about their products.

Just my two cents worth.


----------



## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Yes, yes, Dacaree, that is so important. We greet everyone that walks by. We have chairs but I never sit. My husband is disabled & I bought a directors chair for him so that he can be up higher but still he gets up to talk to customers. So important to engage people. Every child that come by is given the photo book. We have lots of pictures of baby goats, children holding baby goats, etc. Nine times out of ten Mom & Dad will buy something & i have regular customers that come by to see new photos.


----------



## Dacaree (Jan 31, 2009)

I have a stool that I put up front. When I start getting tired I will sit on the stool but still place myself in front of my booth holding a bottle of lotion.


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I arrange my soaps differently everytime I go. LOL When I first started out I had half bars and full bars. I sold more halves than full. The next year I only offered full size bars. But I did add a 'bargain basket' with soap priced 25% off....bars that were a bit light, discontinued, or just not moving fast enough. I sell lots of those but people still pick from my regular selection as well.

I always do best with my table(s) straight across the front of my space. I dress differently for my market than craft shows. At the market I also sell baked goods and some produce so I dress neat but I don't want to overdress. Craft shows I dress a bit nicer but still, since part of my image is 'farmer' I don't overdo it. I never wear makeup, but that's just me.


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I always do best with my table(s) straight across the front of my space.
.......................

I think this is key, it has to be something pretty spectacular for me to walk INTO an easyup to look at stuff. Vicki


----------



## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

If I'm using my eazy up then that means I'm doing an outside function. The summer markets get very hot so I always put my tables about halfway under. People are really drawn to the shade on a hot day so I don't have a problem with getting them in. I set my tables end to end, straight across & then pull the outside ends slightly towards the front of the eazy up. I can stand in the small gap & help customers & I have easy access to both tables. I have my little shopping bags ready to load as the customers makes their choices & then they go on to my husband who handles the money & runs the credit cards. It's a system we have worked out over the years & it works well for us. Also, I made a sign board up using a metal trellis I bought at Walmart. I have plastic frames attached to it with my info on it. I can change the product info easily week to week as it changes. It's stuck in the ground outside my space & people can see what is being sold without having to come "in". Most people at least stop to take a look. We always take time to say hello & invite them to sample products.

Jenny


----------



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Thank you all for your great suggestions! Luckily, (or maybe not) my booth is indoors so people are not fighting the sun. I do think the plant and veggie folks set up outside have a bit of advantage though. Sometimes I do know that people may not want to walk all the way back to the crafts section...on the very back wall...BUT, I ordered a new banner, fairly big, with my farm name and a big picture of one of my does with a couple of kids, and will hang that on the wall above my booth. My vendor neighbors did that and it really looked good. People should be able to read it when they first walk in and I'm the only goat milk soaper there. 

I am able to have my display set up permantly. I just leave it covered during the week, which is nice so I won't be rushed to get everything set up, and I can make improvements each time. I do find that talking to folks helps a lot. I learned that while trimming horses. I can talk to anyone about anything. I never stop. It's a learned thing that probably drives my boyfriend crazy, but seems to help with my businesses. 

I plan to bring a book with pictures, especially of the babies. 

I had one table pulled around for an L shape. I found that people did not step around the table, so put them back in a straight line..but I have to duck under the table to get behind them. They are simply too close together. Maybe they'll fix that this week. 

A stool sounds like a good idea. I have one I could take. The chairs are much too short, although I do stand most of the time. 

Thanks again for your great suggestions. I doubled my income this weekend! Well, doubling it still didn't get me much money, but I did better than some other folks. I did have a customer waiting for me when the doors opened up. That was cool. One of my herd share folks has offered to set up a booth at her local farmers market and sell my products. I guess that means I really need to get busy making more soap!


----------



## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Jenny, do you have any picts you could post?


----------



## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

I don't seem to be able to resize correctly to post but here's a link to a flickr set. I included a corner set up where I could a table on both aisles. The outside one is a simple set up & the one I'm going to do for the F Ms this season. May get a bigger sign board, tho. The other photo is a display in one of the shops. The owner found this antique shaving stand & the paint exactly matched my labels so he just left it as is. 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157624040805122/

Hope this works.
Jenny


----------



## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Outside I set up with an L so people can walk in and they easily do that just to get out of the sun.
I get a lot of lookers on really hot days. I think they just want a respite from the heat. 
Inside I set up flush across the front.


----------

