# unique promos



## Tabitha (Feb 4, 2008)

Lane recently shared an unusual way she promotes by leaving soap on tables with tips & in  public bathrooms with special labels.

What unique ways do you promote?

I need to find new ways to promote my B&B sales as well as to solicit traffic to my B&M craft mall.


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## Lane (Feb 4, 2008)

In the morning I will have to post a picture of my little soaps.  I just had a lady e-mail me this morning asking if I could design something for her Mom for Mother's Day. She said "finding" the soap really made her day.  

You can also go to VistaPrint.com and right now they have free postcards. I fill them up with info and then put them on EVERY announcement board I see!  Like at apartment complexes, laundry mats, grocery stores.

Plus, I know the people at my bank. They ALWAYS remember me (it must be the red hair   ) So for holidays I make a small basket of soaps and little goodies as a thank you for such great service. The people at the bank LOVE it. And they usually leave the basket out that day for other customers to see.

I think most importantly, you HAVE to try something unique. Even if you have a tiny idea that might catch someone's eye, DO IT! Promoting yourself is probably one of the MOST important parts of running a business.  

*yawn* Good night everyone!!


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## thenaturalway (Feb 5, 2008)

That is definitely a unique idea.  I'll definitely have to try that.  Good going Lane! "Redhead" here too!!!


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## Tabitha (Feb 12, 2008)

Bumping this back up!

B&M: I am trying 2 new things this coming month. For my B&M shop I printed up 200 biz cards that say bring this card in for a FREE bar of soap. I need to get more people walking in the door! I will hand out the cards to everyone I come in contact w/-LOL!

ONLINE: For my online biz I think I may do a sampler. Do you all know what that is? Has anyone done it? Any success? I also need to take all new pictures. I think the pictures on my etsy site suck. Lane, how did your light box work? I am thinking about building one myself.


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## Chay (Feb 12, 2008)

I have gone into many small businesses and found "equate" or "suave" hand soap and lotion in their bathrooms. If you make liquid or foam hand soap or lotion you could offer to supply them with those products in exchange for them slipping a business card into their customers bags or having them displayed on the counter.

You could also do a drawing for a gift basket. That would give you a great mailing list. The owner of the business would be given a gift basket in exchange for allowing the drawing in their business.

Easter is coming, for those of you with shops you can have an Easter egg basket with plastic eggs that have some sort of discount coupon in each egg.

For those of you who already have a mailing list you can send out rainy/snowy day coupons. Example: 30% off all products on any day that it rains/snows. It may help business for those slow days.

The good, the bad, and the useless. Just typing out ideas as they pop into my head. LOL


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## Bret (Feb 12, 2008)

Chay said:
			
		

> For those of you who already have a mailing list you can send out rainy/snowy day coupons. Example: 30% off all products on any day that it rains/snows. It may help business for those slow days.



Make sure you really plan this one! A local jewelry store has had a running promotion concerning sales made between certain dates and snowfall. This year, iirc, it was 4 inches of snow had to fall on New Years Eve. We got 4.25, confirmed by some weather service. All those customers for those dates got their purchases FREE! (The jeweler had to take out special insurance to cover it, in case it did happen.)


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## Lane (Feb 12, 2008)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> ONLINE: For my online biz I think I may do a sampler. Do you all know what that is? Has anyone done it? Any success? I also need to take all new pictures. I think the pictures on my etsy site suck. *Lane, how did your light box work? I am thinking about building one myself.*


 I got my light box finished last night! As soon as I get these kids off to school (afternoon classes) I am going to set it all up and see what kind of pictures I can come up with. 

I have been doing "soap" searches on Etsy. *With out a doubt* the sellers with the most professional pictures, sell much better than the lesser quality pictures. They say a picture speaks a million words, right? :wink: 

I have also been researching and bright light causes a bad contrast to light colored products. I am going to try and set up a black back round and see how things turn out. 

What's a sampler??


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## Tabitha (Feb 12, 2008)

http://www.homeofthesampler.com/

You have to get approved, but then you send in mass qtys of sampels & they distribute them, some go to other sampler donation partisipants, some got to people who buy the samplers monthly & some go to members of the press. I *think* it's a big deal. It has been going on for years & the shops that partisipate are all top notch indy shops.


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## Lane (Feb 12, 2008)

@Tabitha- Interesting! I don't really like the idea that they are getting money for my samples... but I see how it would benefit a business... You think you are going to get into it??


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## Tabitha (Feb 12, 2008)

They have to pay themselves for their time & efforts, as well as hosting the site, postage for sending sample boxes to media, etc. 

Samples are due on the 15th of each month so I think I will try for the March 15th deadline & do somthing summery. At the very least I will send 25 samples, when you send 25 samples or more you get a free box. That way I can look at what I get & see if it's as pro an operation as it appears to be.


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## pink-north (Feb 12, 2008)

Tab do keep us posteed. The sampler sounds interesting


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## Lane (Feb 16, 2008)

Got my pictures done!

I'll post A few that I was really happy with...I ended up building two light boxes so there is very little shadowing. I take my pictures on a black back round for my website. And I have been using the black back round on Etsy, and I LOVE how it makes my stuff stand out just that little extra bit.    I think the photography as a whole turned out nice and crisp, even tho I didn't use my tri pod. After I took about 139 pictures and messed up about 50 of theme due to blurs I just about kicked my self in the face...


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## Tabitha (Feb 16, 2008)

I saw your new photos today in your etsy shop. They look GREAT! The black backgrounds shoul brand your items real good. Your bombs look great too!


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## Lane (Feb 16, 2008)

Thanks! I swear I have changed my etsy pictures like a zillion times in the last two days...

Those were like the two bombs I could ever get to work with witch hazel.    I have about 20 more I need to photograph and get up!

Speaking of promos...I think this is how this thread started... I changed my Etsy to Free Shipping in Feb to see how it goes. I need more feedback...Well, SOME feedback from buyers...


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## CPSoaper (Feb 18, 2008)

If you sell other products besides just soap, you can give bars of soap out with purchases of certain amounts. I do this.  For instance, for every $25 spent, they get a bar soap. I let them  pick a bar of soap off this one table. I put my bars out there that either did not sell for me or did not turn out looking like I wanted from looks to the way the scent held.  You can also cut the bars smaller to have more.  It helps me to get rid of soaps fast, and it introduces customers to my soaps that might not have otherwise tried them.  It also lets those faithful soap customers of mine get more soap.  I get a ton of repeat soap business when I do this.

Also wanted to add: This is not really a promotional offering but you check with groups in your area that might need donations for raffles, silent auctions.  Not just schools, but animal shelters, victim advocacy programs youth organizations, veterans organizations, any program or organization that helps your community,  etc.  It is all about supporting your community.  You can donate a simple bar of soap with a cheap (in cost) sponge or scrubbie.  or 2 wonderful bars of soap. Not much money out of your pocket.  You help out the group or organization, get a tax deduction and get your name and product out there at a low cost to you.   Often when you make donations to organizations such as these, they will run a 'Thank You' ad in the local paper listing the sponsors and donors.  I know I am a person that will make a conscientious effort of supporting a business that I see supports my community.


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