Click here to see the entire list of Commonly Asked Craft Show questions.
Click here to see the answer to “Why does your soap cost so much?”
Click here to see the answer to “Cool! How is this made?”
Click here to see the answer to “Cool! Can you teach me to make this?”
Cool! Where do you buy your supplies!?
Answer You Might Want to Give: “Sorry, no. I’m not telling you where I buy my stuff so you can go copy all of my best ideas. Learn how to do it like I did it – from scratch with hard work and effort put into it. Good luck.”
Or “Can you keep a secret?” (they nod) “Well, so can I.”
Being diplomatic at all times is a good business skill to learn and there’s no better time than right now. Here are some different answers for this pesky question based on your comfort level with freely sharing your knowledge. At Otion, one of our Core Values is that we freely share information. I generally divulge everything I can without jeopardizing our core business. Where you fall on this scale (stony silence to verbal fountains) determines how friendly and encouraging you’ll want to be with this answer.
Nice Freely Sharing Knowledge Answer: “I am so flattered that you like my XYZ (scent, color, mold). I get it at Bramble Berry Soapmaking Supplies. Their web site is www.brambleberry.com and their phone number is 1-87-SOAP-STUFF. Soapmaking is so fun and easy! I hope you like it as much as I do!”
Less Sharing but Still Nice Answer: “I am so flattered that you like my XYZ (scent, color, mold). I’d prefer not to share my sources for my supplies but I’m happy to give you some good starting places for you to search around so you can find a (scent, color, mold) that’s unique to you and really appeals to your sense of style.”
“When I started out, I actually bought all of my molds and stuff at Michael’s craft store. You could get a basic starter kit there or you can always go online and Google “Soapmaking Supplies” and some of the top vendors in this industry will pop up. (transition question) So, you’re crafty? What other crafts do you do?”
Having just watched the Indie Beauty Biz Interview post above, I’m feeling more strongly than ever that there is enough for all of us. There’s something so special about the sharing & encouragement that happens in the soap world. I think karma takes care of us!
(However, I haven’t done a craft show this week! 😉
I make soap for a hobby, but I sell my art professionally, and I get asked similar questions. Where do I get my frames, what kind of paint do I use, what paintbrush, etc.
I’m happy to tell ’em where I get everything. I know it won’t hurt my sales.
The magic isn’t in the materials, it’s in the artistry and long hours of practice we bring to our craft. Most people understand that. Anyone who says “I can do that myself” isn’t really a customer, are they?
Regina, We’re super lucky with our search engine placement and feel lucky that we come up in the top three for many categories.
Shanster, I agree with you that it’s nice to find fellow soapers who freely share knowledge. Sometimes, when you’re at a craft show, selling your wares, on your feet all day, away from family for the weekend, having driven hours to set up at the crack of dawn … well, sometimes, anyone asking you where you buy your supplies just feels like an afront. It really depends on the setting I think.
At a soap gathering and meeting, you would naturally expect information to flow at a generous and open rate.
At a craft show, where you are there to sell, sell, sell, the mindset might be different.
That’s why it’s good to think about the answers ahead of time before you get asked and stammer away. =)
Shanster brought up some very interesting points. I intend to hone my soap-making craft, but I am pretty certain I will also continue to patronize other soap makers, not only because the ones I’ve met tend to be such super nice people, but also because, like Shanster said, everyone makes it differently, and I love to try different things even if they are variations on a theme!
But it seems that without all the divulging of information I got at a conference I attended with Anne-Marie where people were really upfront and honest, I would never have thought I could do it! I don’t want to “hide” the information I got – it seems sorta wrong when I got the information that way too?? It is definately a fine line to walk! I figure most people won’t want to go thru all it takes to find packaging, labels, look, scents, figure out a price, and then hoof it to sell it. And no one will do it just like me…we all have so many different ideas and viewpoints!
Wow! “soap supplies” search and brambleberry is number 2 in the list!
“Ancient Chinese secret *wink*” – Works for me! Ha! With the internet at anyone’s finger tips…let ya fingers do the walking would be my best answer. {note to self, is that why sales are down?}
~Thanks, I love the “Answer You Might Want to Give”! Sometimes it is hard to know where to stand on this subject…