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?”
Click here to see the answer to “Cool! Where do you buy your supplies?”
Short Answer: Ah, Dove! That’s a good start for your face and certainly better than much of what is out there. I really like the soap we make here at Happy Local Soaping Company, especially because we have a gentle soap bar formulation with no fragrance or essential oil. It smells like … well, soap because sometimes fragrances or essential oils can irritate skin and we certainly wouldn’t want to do that. It’s just $6. Would you like to try a bar? (if no, end with: “Here, take a sample and try it for a couple weeks and see what you think.”)
Note: In my opinion, the key when addressing any of these comparison type questions is to remain positive about the “competitor” (or fellow vendor) while pointing out your products’ positive features. If you say negative things about your fellow vendor, it’s possible that this negativity will reflect poorly on you. Plus, while a sale is a sale, it’s rarely a good plan to scare a customer into buying your products. Gentle, positive persuasion is a more sustainable sales tactic.
Longer Answer: Ah, Dove! That’s a good start for your skin and certainly better than much of what is out there. You’re in good company. Dove has about 23% of the facial beauty bar market so there’s lots of people that like it. In fact, I used to use Dove myself before I started making my own soap. One of the reasons I really like my soap is because I use only vegetable oils and which definitely makes my soap over 25% cream ingredients too. After all, what’s a cream except water and oils mixed together?
My Gentle Skin Soap is fragrance free too. Did you know fragrances often can irritate sensitive faces? Another reason I prefer my soap to Dove is because Dove actually has a pretty long ingredient list and while life can be better with better chemistry, in this case, I like keeping it simple. My soap has X ingredients: coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil and a little bit of shea butter. It will clean your skin and leave it nicely primed for your sunscreen or night cream application.
Finally, I really appreciate that you’re here at this local show. Did you know that money spent on buying local usually contributes three times as much back to the community as dollars spent at chain stores? Sales with me help to fund small business jobs, helping me contribute to the city through my taxes and allows me and the other crafters here at this show invest in our community. So, thanks for thinking about switching from Dove to my soap. It’s just $6 per bar and I think you’ll be thrilled about it. Do you want anything else with that bar?
Resources:
Dove MSDS Sheet (showing “fragrance” as an ingredient)
Ingredient List in Dove: sodium lauroyl isethionate, stearic acid, sodium tallowate or sodium palmitate, lauric acid,sodium isethionate, water, sodium stearate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoate or sodium palm kernelate, fragrance, sodium chloride, tetrasodium EDTA, trisodium etidronate, titanium dioxide
Market Photo: “Les savons de Marseille” by Garrulus
Dove Ad: courtesy of RoadsidePictures
Great – I love these questions – I’ll be sure to answer them in an upcoming blog post. =)
I love this thread. It gives me fresh ideas for not only answering questions, but for set ups as well.
I noticed in the picture that the vendor has their soap out in the open.
Here is a suggestion for another question pertaining to shows.
Does this propose a health or contamination risk?
Thank you for sharing.
I guess this is related to the “why does your soap cost so much question”, but I was wondering how people handle being haggled down selling at a fair or farmers market. I was at our Farmers Market the other day, and while waiting to buy a jar from my favorite honey vendor, the customer in front of me was trying to talk her prices down. I know in some countries they say the vendors expect you to do that, but in my opinion, in North America, that isn’t a custom, and I’d probably get all tongue-tied trying to say “no” nicely.
Teresa, I am continuing the thread – just got a little side tracked. But, only have one more question to answer! Got any suggestions for other ones?
Brigette, I’m glad that this was helpful. Practicing answers in front of the mirror isn’t a bad idea either … =)
Michie, My husband used Dove when we got together and thought “soap was soap” too so you’re in good company. =)
Heather, I’m glad that you have had the same experience with positive selling. I generally feel icky getting sales via the negative reinforcement way.
You’re so right about the approach to competition! In my past life, I was a sales rep who competed against Sysco, the giant food service distributor. The nicer I was about my competition, while still pointing out the benefits of doing business with me, the more sales. It works like magic!
I never used to use soap until I started making my own. I’d always thought soap was soap. How wrong I was! Thanks for the info Anne-marie!!
Great info. I went back and read some of the other questions and answers. This is helpful as people do ask these types of questions. Getting comfortable with appropriate responses and demonstrating knowledge of our product and industry will hopefully boost sales. Great timing with the impending holiday season and lots of shows we can put this to good practice.
Oh, good…you’re continuing this thread! Thanks!