One of my favorite things in life is to look at beautiful things; specifically, YOUR beautiful soap creations. My book hashtag, #soapcrafting, on Instagram has many stunning photos already. But because I just can’t get enough of your photos, I’d love to see even more! Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to win a copy of the Soap Crafting book, and share on Bramble Berry Instgram account. To enter, use the hashtag #soapshare on your Instagram photos. I can’t wait to see your soapy projects. =)
What is a Niche, and How Do I Find Mine?
When you own a business, it’s crucial to stand out from the pack. In order to stand out among other businesses, it’s helpful to find or create a niche. The term, “niche,” refers to a distinct segment of a market. Having an identifiable element will catch the eyes of customers that identify with the niche, and may motivate them to buy. Developing a niche also gives your products specific appeal and contributes to strong brand identity.
When first starting a business, uncovering your niche can be difficult. Don’t overthink it; a niche can be as simple as a signature fragrance, ingredient or product design that will appeal to specific customers. In order to develop a niche, it’s important to first consider your strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of your business. Discovering your business strengths and weaknesses is a learning process, and pays dividends beyond finding your niche. Ideally, a niche will build off your strengths.
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Interview with Burly Stone: Soap with a Masculine Perspective
Some people assume that the bath and beauty market is a women’s world, but Burly Stone Soap Co. proves this is not the case. Created by Gates and Maurice, Burly Stone is cleverly marketed towards men with rustic packaging and masculine names. In addition to cold process soap, Burly Stone also specializes in other products for men, such as beard elixir and hand balms; they even have soap for mans best friend! Read on to learn more about Burly Stone, and how they developed their niche market. – A.M.
A collection of Burly Stone’s cold process soap, wrapped and ready to sell.
How long have you been soaping for and how did you get started?
I’ve been soaping for just over 2 years now. It sounds weird, but I started soaping because I was frustrated. I was frustrated that I couldn’t find a big enough bar of soap in scents that I wanted.
What sort of advice would you give to those soapers just starting their businesses?
There’s a lot of competition out there – you need to find away to make your product unique, to find a slightly different niche that gives you a foothold in a crowded market. But don’t let this stop you from going for it. There’s so much success to be had for people who believe in their product – who have passion & let it shine through.
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