samples

[mattiesoap]

Has anyone given away free samples? The owner of the shop where I sell soap has asked if I would be willing to do free samples. She thinks it would boost soap sales. I am not opposed to this but not sure how to do it. I was thinking about cutting slices off a regular soap bar but need ideas on how to label/package with little to no $. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[kelleyaynn]

I'm a good year away from selling, but it is definitely on my mind. I was thinking that it might be good to get a mold that would make it easy to slice off small rectangles that could be used as samples.

Then, there are the "guest" size molds, but they are a bit large. Of course, you could always do what you had in mind as well. But I was thinking a sample that looked "real" so to speak might go over better than one that was clearly a "chip off the old block."

 

[Tabitha]

You can use little 2x3 or 3x4 ziplock baggies & apply a regular return address label sticker w/ the info on it.

 

[LavenderLady]

I cut small, very small slices and squares for embedding and for samples from each loaf. I also keep a few larger sample sizes for "special" clients, as in potential vendors or gifts for current clients.

 

[paillo]

i slice off the ends, and sometimes use a whole bar, and cut up into sample sizes. i make extra labels and put each kind in its own baggie with the extra labels. people can grab a sample and a label, if they wish. sometimes i make a batch larger than my molds, and make a bunch of guest sized molds, which i then slice horizontally into 3 or 4 each. i usually use hearts for these, so the samples are pretty little hearts.

for a while i wrapped each sample individually with a label, but that was waaaayyyy too time- and labor intensive.

sometimes i also sell the whole guest sizes individually as 'trial sizes' which sell for a buck.

people LOVE samples, they always disappear quickly. and i do think they have boosted my sales.

 

[Soaplady22]

At fairs I give out samples that are sliced from a small, rectangle bar. I put them into snack size ziplock baggies as needed. I keep them in a decorative bowl on my table.

At the store I have them in a small gusseted bag, with a label on it. I don't put on all the information as I do with the for-sale bars - if they want to know all the ingredients they can look at the large bar label.

Yes - people do love the samples!! I like the idea of using a small heart shape. But for now, my rectangle samples are working.

~hth

 

[Tabitha]

Just make sure it has your contact info on it. I was at a fair a few years back & lady handed me a slice off a bar of soap asking if I wanted a sample. I said sure, there was no baggie, no biz card, no nothin. If I had wanted to order 1000 bars I wouldn't have been able to find her. I have no clue to this day who she was.

 

[smartinoff]

I cut misshapen bars into small sqares and place them in a bowl at my craft shows with small kraft paper bags. That way people can choose which ones they'd like to try. Most people won't take more than 2 samples in my experience. I put my business card in the bags beforehand to make sure they get one I try use minimal if any packaging so I don't do a lot of prepackaged stuff, if you are doing it in a store, You could cut your ends into single use sticks and put them in a bag or just a bowl. Since you don't make money from free samples, I wouldn't put too much money into the packaging!

 

[crafty86]

I'm not a soap maker...yet :wink: but I got a bunch of "mini" soaps for gift favors at my wedding and they were all wrapped in saran wrap then they put a return label with the info on it! I loved them! But that would definitly be cheap! HTH!

 

[Jezzy]

I use a bite sized brownie form to make my samples. Works great and it is a nice size.Then I attach a small version of my card to it.

 

[mattiesoap]

Thanks Everyone

Your ideas have been very helpful! I was at a loss on how to begin with this idea. Including a business card especially, made me remember I had ordered 500 cards some time ago that did not turn out, had no idea what to do with them - they will work great for this.

I so appreciate everyone on this forum!!

 

[see]

whats the size of what you guys are giving out? i was thinking the size of a square of bit size cheese (less than 1/2 inch square), but that doesnt really seem like it would be useful except for to smell. my idea was to punch a hole though the soap and a card (say business or just paper w/ label on it) w/ a ice pic (or something smaller) and tie them together w/ twine. im sure its more work that it originally sounded.