Home Soap Parties

[Zelda Rose]

My 21 year old daughter is my incredible promoter. She sells my CP and HP soaps at a popular small cafe where she waitresses and sells alot of it. (She always had "bumps" on her skin till she used my soap).She is hounding me to set up some kind "Soap Party" business idea. She's got women left and right that are interested. She also wants people to be able to smell some scents and then they can order their personal scent soaps for later. I make roll on perfumes from FO's also.. l used to do home partites for , home decor, intimate apparel, make up, facials and face cleaning systems, jewelry, candles, etc but for some reason I can't get my head around setting this up. Has anyone ever been to hand crafted soap party? What activities did you do there??

 

[Zelda Rose]

Do Home Hand-Made Soap Parties Exist?

I should have named the original post "Do Home Hand-Made Soap Parties Exist?" Maybe I can change it above. Maybe I'll get super lucky and find some downloadable software on how to set up soap parties and have girls sell my soap at them. Remember the home decorater parties where if you sell X amount of product you recieve a % of all the sales credit to be used toward something in the catalog?? My neighboor won the "Queen" of Home Decorator Home Partes for the entire State of Washington one year. She actually got a long cape and crown given to her. I know how she did it too. I used to go to the parties once in a while and she always had a FULL Liquor BAR and no ones drink was ever empty. Everyone ALWAYS had a GREAT time and I imagine they felt like it was christmas when their stuff arrived a week later because there is no way they could have remembered what they ordered. :roll:

 

[Hazel]

I think having a soap party would be the same as other parties you've done. I've heard of spa parties and bath & body parties so I know some people market their products through home parties. Think of Mary Kay. :wink: There is a few companies that do sell their B&B products through home parties. I was at a show a few weeks ago and I saw a booth for the company but I don't remember the name. The lady at the booth was trying to sign up people to host a party.

I'd say it would be like any other party you've hosted - have samples so everyone can try your products. You'll need bowls for warm water. You could toss in some botanicals to promote the more conditioning products and slices of lemon to promote items which you've made for people with oilier skin. Make sure you have plenty of towels available for people to dry their hands.

Do you make other products than soap? You could have a door prize made up with a gift basket of your different products. You could have party favors made up from some samples. Maybe a body pouf attached to a sample of one of your products.

You could also look to see what's suggested for baby or bridal showers. You might be able to alter some of the favor and game ideas to be appropriate for soap.

You might find this article interesting to read. Ways to Advertise Bath & Body Products

 

[Zelda Rose]

Hazel, the article was spot on. I liked the part about the "pop up store front" too. I live in a small tourist town and there are little places everywhere. I can taylor the soap party activities around the spa type parties. I make EO sprays and FO sun spritzers also. Maybe do some presentaions about Essential Oils. People are using them more and more these days.. Thanks for answering my post, I needed some help today..

 

[Hazel]

You're welcome but I don't feel like I really helped you. I'll post again if I think of anything else or see anything else which might help.

 

[Zelda Rose]

Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts...others come into our lives and make us want to leave footprints on their face.
I have seen this many times on your posts and actually read it just now. It's hysterical.

 

[Hazel]

Thanks, it made me laugh. I wish I could say I came up with it but I didn't. I found it on a funny quotes site.

 

[Zelda Rose]

I found a GREAT activity for a home soap party. I pass out bars of plain soap and teach everyone how to carve a flower in it and who ever does the best one wins something. I even found tons of websites that have patterns we could transfer onto the soaps if we wanted to try our hand at carving animals etc. I think the flowers would be easier personally. I'm learning how to do it right now with this.. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjBAEki4YCI&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjBAEki4 ... re=related[/ame]

 

[SimplyMadison]

I LOVE DOING HOME PARTIES!!! It's my absolute favorite way of doing business! I make more than just bar soaps, and women seem to really like the fact that i will come to their home, let them try it out, smell all the scents, and make their own "custom" washes and soaps.

I do it very, very simply. I find a host who wants to earn free products or just needs entertainment for a get together. I come to her home and help her set up. We play music, set out some healthy snacks (health is a big pillar within my personal life and company) and mix up drinks. I do a small presentation about my company and why it's better than store bought. I let them know it's that cheaper, paraben and formaldehyde free, local, empowering for women, and we create jobs within the community. I also talk about some of the properties of the ingredients that I use like essential oils. I finish with a quick run through of the products. Next we do samples, give facials, mini manicures, ect using the products. This is where my sales comes in. I make recommendations, give suggestions, or just little tips and tricks. I finish with taking orders and offering "custom" washes and soaps. My custom washes and soaps are simply base formulas with extracts, fragrance, and additives added per the consumer. You can make those at home, or you can make a base and do it at the party. Its a fun little activity. The whole deal can take an hour or two, just depending on what the host wants, either quick and simple or a full blown girls night.

As far as sales, I do cash and carry as well as take orders. I process credit cards through Square. Usually, people love that and think its awesome they can just sign with the finger and have a receipt texted or emailed to them. I provide a hostess gift as well like travel size body wash and lotion, or maybe a facial kit. It depends on the size of her party. I offer sign ups for anyone else who wants to host a party to earn free products. I'm going to try to work on a website now that allows hosts to have online parties as well.

I hope this helps, and I hope you find a lot of success in this aspect of sales. Its so much fun!

 

[Zelda Rose]

All I have to say is WOW!! That sounds like it's exactly where I need to be. I'm going to send the info to my daughter and I'm sure we'll come up with something now. I have supplies to make roll on perfumes and EO spritzers etc.
Should work on base body lotions to add scent to. Can you recommend one? I've got people asking for all kinds of things like this and I feel like I'm so far behind I'm in first place. I live in a small vacation/tourist town and everybody loves the idea of hand made soaps and personalized oil perfumes. Even the men...mostly surfers Your parties sound like so much fun. Brings back lots of memories..thanks for the reply~

 

[SimplyMadison]

So jealous! Can't even tell you what i would give live in a vacation town. I make a whole line of "Beach Beautiful" products and that market os perfect! Must start talking the boyfriend into moving out of Ohio with me! As for your bases, i swear up and down by WSP and NDA. i dont get bases anywhere else. Wholesale Supplies Plus is nice because they have simple recipes if you're newer to lotion making. Really helped me learn basic formulations. NDA has a lot of paraben and sulfate free bases. Bases in general are just a fun thing to use if you're looking to do themake your own type activities. I know some soapers consider it "cheating" but i really enjoy the simplicity.

 

[Lindy]

When I first started out I did Soap Parties and they were successful. I took in a "high end" commercial soap plus of course had one of mine there open. I would have someone open the new bar of commercial soap and then everyone took turns first washing one arm with the commercial and then having someone else wash the other hand with mine. The reaction was immediate and amazing. The ladies couldn't believe how different it felt. I also did little things like teach them how to make a sugar scrub using ingredients from the kitchen.

For someone who enjoys these parties it is a great way to sell. I have loyal customers who after 4 years still buy from me and they met me at the parties. The hostess received a gift from me and then a percentage off their purchase based on how much they had in sales at the show. I had the product in my vehicle so everyone was able to take home their soaps that day.

 

[marketingmentor]

Home parties is a really great way to get a direct business going, plus it is lots of fun.
Here are a few things to consider.
1. Bring samples and make it a play day for all the guests, women love to try, smell and sample
2. Offer all the quests an opportunity to host a party
3. After you host a few parties yourself, you will want to have others host parties.
4. Have brochures for each guest that includes an opportunity to host and all your products
5. Price your product fairly
6. Know your return policy
I hope that helps