# How do you deal with competitor questions???



## Iluminada (Sep 29, 2014)

So at every craft show, competitors will ask me questions about where I get my products, why i use certain clays and etc. They love to try to pry information out of me about my aroma rocks which nobody sells at any of the festivals I have been to and very few people are familiar with. The thing I get most asked about is my aroma rocks. So I lie and say I use course dead sea salt because it retains the aroma. i mean, why should I tell you how I make it and risk having a competitor at an event.

So, how do you deal with these situations? I think I am just going to start telling people it is a trade secret. i mean really, everything I know comes from doing my own research along with the help from people on this forum.


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## Relle (Sep 30, 2014)

I would just say I can't tell you all my secrets or I would have to kill you. Make a joke of it.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Sep 30, 2014)

Or tell them that for $1million they can become a partner and have access to the recipe.................


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## neeners (Sep 30, 2014)

say "thank you for the compliment, and everyone seems to be curious about this product (meaning  you're not the first nosey person to be asking me about this), but what goes into my soaps are proprietary information that I would not like to share."

 the million dollar buy-in would work too.  haha


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## kmarvel (Sep 30, 2014)

What the heck is a aroma rock?? haha


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## freesia792 (Sep 30, 2014)

I'd tell them "I did my research, I put the cash out to experiment, and I can't afford to just give it away".  That might explain why I'm not popular even within my own family.


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## dixiedragon (Sep 30, 2014)

Tell me more about these aroma rocks. Not requesting your secret recipe, but can you describe them?


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## Iluminada (Sep 30, 2014)

*Aroma rocks*

Its a type of potpourri made from salt, dyed and fragrant and you put them on a tea light wax/oil burner or an electric oil warmer along with the included oil.


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## snappyllama (Sep 30, 2014)

Iluminada said:


> Its a type of potpourri made from salt, dyed and fragrant and you put them on a tea light wax/oil burner or an electric oil warmer along with the included oil.



That sounds pretty awesome.  Have you got a recipe to share for it?  Just kidding! 

I like the other posters' suggestions on how to deal with pushy/clueless/slugworth people.


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## goji_fries (Sep 30, 2014)

~*~ Why thank you for asking! Everyone else in the soap crowd asked my recipes too. And may I thank you again for transforming my experience from wonderful to magical?! (at this point you stare at their forehead without blinking). "it is my trade secret, a proprietary blend of antifreeze, dessicated elf livers, unicorn love, eau de burning dog hair, and hydrazine!" ~*~

or just tell them it is a family kept recipe. Are they willing to share with you or are they going on a fishing trip to syhpon your recipes?

PS.. SMF is different though. Everyone here helps each other. People genuinely help one another, share recipes, pointers and I am so thankful for this. Anything that I know I share too, although it may not be much.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 30, 2014)

I make these for my home and family at christmas.  Haven't thought about selling them though.


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## lenarenee (Sep 30, 2014)

By all means you are not required to share that information with people. I think your average person will understand and respect you when you simply thank them for their interest, but you worked hard on developing the best products you can and can't reveal the specifics.


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## Iluminada (Sep 30, 2014)

*sell them*



shunt2011 said:


> I make these for my home and family at christmas.  Haven't thought about selling them though.



You should try selling them. The only reason I even made them in the first place was because I had bit off more than I could chew by scheduling too many events and I was running low on body products and did not have enough for an upcoming event. It was something that I had left in the back of my mind to one day make. So with very few product for an event I made some up real quick and it sold so good at the event that I continued to make them and add more scents. 

I display them in 1 gallon jars. I used to display them in 2 gallon jars but they were too heavy. It is a great conversation starter. I put them at the front of my display. People will walk by and say bath salts and i immediately correct them and tell them "aroma rocks" and explain what the are. And usually ends in a sale. Also anyone that makes any sort of eye contact with get the question "are you familiar with aroma rocks"? another sell. I have them burning on display and people will comment on the good smell. I explain what the smell is and get another sell. 

There are several sellers of aroma rocks online but not one sells it with simmering oil like I do. They just sell the aroma rocks and maybe a refreshing oil and are not meant for burning in a warmer. Theirs are just to display in a dish and shake to when the smell goes away to move the rocks on the bottom to the top. Mine are made to be used in a wax/oil burner.


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## neeners (Sep 30, 2014)

can you post a picture of your aroma rocks?  I'm curious to see what they look like......


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## Iluminada (Sep 30, 2014)

*pictures*



neeners said:


> can you post a picture of your aroma rocks?  I'm curious to see what they look like......



here you go.


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## neeners (Sep 30, 2014)

how cool!  do you burn them?  sorry for the question...I've never seen them before...


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## shunt2011 (Sep 30, 2014)

I might have to give it a try next year.  I'm just so busy right now I don't want to add something else until I'm all caught up but I might have to give it a try.  I just keep mine in a dish.  Would you mind sharing how to use them for the burners?  I understand if you don't.   I like your packaging too!


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## Iluminada (Sep 30, 2014)

*Yes*



neeners said:


> how cool!  do you burn them?  sorry for the question...I've never seen them before...



Yes, you burn them. Mine comes with a bottle of simmering oil that has the same scent as the rocks. so you combine some rocks with the oil and burn them in wax/oil burner. The salt I use is the trade secret (they do not dissolve or melt) :shh: along with how I make my simmering oil :shh:. 

I only know of one person that sells them here in the Atlanta Metro Area. She has a kiosk at a mall and not really sure if we use the same technique or not but hers are for burning too.


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## dixiedragon (Sep 30, 2014)

Tangential here - 

My dad had a friend who served in WWII. He told me a story of how when he was stationed in London, there was this fish and chips street vender that he just loved. Being from the Southern US in the 40s, he'd never heard of fish and chips before this, much less had them. And he knew he'd never be able to get them again once he left England to return home. So he begged this guy for his recipe constantly. Finally, this guy agreed to give him his recipe, but ONLY the day before he left to return to the US, so he couldn't pass it around. The guy gives him the recipe - only for my dad's friend to realize that most of the ingredients were not available in the US!


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## LunaSkye (Sep 30, 2014)

Even if you are profiting off of research and information passed on to you, you still put in your time (can never be gained back) and hard work of finding the information and formulating the recipes. They should put in their own time for research if they are that interested in making aroma rocks. Of course you could also offer private classes for a fee if you feel that strongly about sharing the knowledge.


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## goji_fries (Sep 30, 2014)

LunaSkye said:


> Even if you are profiting off of research and information passed on to you, you still put in your time (can never be gained back) and hard work of finding the information and formulating the recipes. They should put in their own time for research if they are that interested in making aroma rocks. Of course you could also offer private classes for a fee if you feel that strongly about sharing the knowledge.



I see what eveyone is saying. Good point LunaSkye. The thing I see with OP is that OP has a unique product. A personal artisan masterpiece. If we don't want the entire mad dog cutthroat sales world copying your product then reselling it, reticence in conversation is completely normal. 

ROCK ON LUNASKYE :razz:


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## LunaSkye (Oct 1, 2014)

goji_fries said:


> I see what eveyone is saying. Good point LunaSkye. The thing I see with OP is that OP has a unique product. A personal artisan masterpiece. If we don't want the entire mad dog cutthroat sales world copying your product then reselling it, reticence in conversation is completely normal.
> 
> ROCK ON LUNASKYE :razz:



Thank you, goji_fries.  I understand that it's natural that people would want to learn more about a new selling point, but it amazes me that some artisans feel it is great to take the easy route to expanding their line. One still has to learn the ins and outs of the potential product as well as for whom the product may or may not be suitable for. That is information that you most likely can't get from another soaper, more so because the other soaper is too focused on their own business than anything else.


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## goji_fries (Oct 1, 2014)

LunaSkye said:


> Thank you, goji_fries.  I understand that it's natural that people would want to learn more about a new selling point, but it amazes me that some artisans feel it is great to take the easy route to expanding their line. One still has to learn the ins and outs of the potential product as well as for whom the product may or may not be suitable for. That is information that you most likely can't get from another soaper, more so because the other soaper is too focused on their own business than anything else.



Hey LunaSkye, :wave:
Learning new points and helping each other is what it's all about. SMF is an awesome example of this. And it is a real benefit to us all. 

Not limited to soapmaking, I've seen aggressive undermining of one's business/etc take shape in various forms; thus arrogating your business to themselves. None of it is necessary. When you have a product like the quality shown of people here on SMF, the products stand on their own. The expansion of their line via direct syphoning is sad. Thank you for your contributions LS.


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## LunaSkye (Oct 1, 2014)

goji_fries said:


> Hey LunaSkye, :wave:
> Learning new points and helping each other is what it's all about. SMF is an awesome example of this. And it is a real benefit to us all.
> 
> Not limited to soapmaking, I've seen aggressive undermining of one's business/etc take shape in various forms; thus arrogating your business to themselves. None of it is necessary. When you have a product like the quality shown of people here on SMF, the products stand on their own. The expansion of their line via direct syphoning is sad. Thank you for your contributions LS.



I appreciate the kind words, but I myself am still a newbie. Almost six months of soaping and I just recently started playing with colors and using a basic (albeit nice) technique. It's not a problem for me to share the little I know because I can see the blessing from other people's contributions.

I definitely have to thank you for your words as they reminded me of another soaper who said something similar. He was the owner of Clean Essence and definitely has a good product in his pocket. He was very secure in his business and even stated that the product will stand on its own when the product is of quality. When it comes to jewels like that, it's only fair to share that knowledge with others if it can help them out.

With that, I have to bid you good night as my mind is starting to drift. enjoy your day... or night.


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## Jencat (Oct 1, 2014)

Those are cool!  I have some that I purchased a while ago that just sit in a bowl.  Your idea to create non-melting rocks that you can simmer with the oil is ingenious! I wouldn't share that kind of secret either.  I'd just thank people for their interest in my products, but I can't share my trade secrets.  Then I'd tell them what a great deal the large size is ;-)


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