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Successful and effective marketing is the most important thing you need to do to ensure the success of your business. Many small businesses find it difficult. But marketing does not have to be. This helpful guide contains valuable information for the entrepreneur who wants to promote a handcrafted bath and body care business without going broke in the process. Here is a look at the table of contents:

Chapter 1: Getting Your Products Ready To Market. A checklist of items to make sure your products are ready to be sold.
Chapter 2: Five Things That Will Help You Sell More Bath and Body Care Products.
Chapter 3: Marketing and Selling Handcrafted Bath and Body Care Products Through Craft Shows, Farmer’s Markets and at Home. This chapter includes tips for selling at outlets such as these. Also includes information on how to find out about craft shows and farmer’s markets.
Chapter 4: Marketing and Selling Through Consignment Shops, Craft Malls and Seasonal Boutiques. Tips for selling at outlets such as these. Includes information on how to find out about consignment shops, craft malls and seasonal boutiques and tips for protection your products from theft and damage.
Chapter 5: Marketing and Selling Wholesale. Information to help you sell wholesale. Includes contacts for finding sales reps.
Chapter 6: Marketing and Selling: The Internet. Information on mistakes to avoid and ideas for where to promote your products online.
Chapter 7: Last Thoughts
Appendix 1: Magazines. Potential publications to promote your products in.
Appendix 2: Virtual Trade Shows. Contact information for several online trade shows
Appendix 3: Other Web Sites. Other important sites to know about.
Appendix 4: Sample Press Release
Appendix 5: Games for Home Parties

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If you’re thinking about selling your products on the internet, but don’t want to set up a website, consider Ebay. According to Alexa (the website search engine that is run by Amazon.com), Ebay is the 9th most visited website in the world, and the 5th most visited site if you only consider sites in the English language. They get millions of visitors everyday from all over the world. And selling on Ebay is extremely easy. All you have to do is register and create an ad for your product (or service). For just pennies you can have your ad seen by visitors all around the world.

If you visit Ebay you will find that there are literally thousands of skin care products being sold by a wide variety of sellers. Most are commercially produced products, but there are several handcrafters that are selling products there too. To be successful is not something that happens overnight on Ebay (although it might for some), but for the small amount it costs, it is certainly worth it to try. Here are some tips for success.

Register On Ebay And Purchase Something First. Although it is not necessary to buy something on Ebay before selling there, it might make you more comfortable to see how the buying and selling process works before launching out as a seller.

Know Your Categories. Before you actually sell something on Ebay browse the different categories to see which ones your product should be sold in. Many products can be sold in different categories. For instance, one soapmaker on Ebay sells loaf soaps in one category, and shaped soaps as wedding favors in another category.

Choose Your Title Carefully And Study What Other Sellers Are Doing. People shop on Ebay differently. Some browse through the different categories until they find something that interests them. Others type what they are looking for into the search box. If you offer something that many people are looking for, and the words you use in your title match what they type into the search box, you will do much better than if your title doesn’t contain words that your customers are searching for. How do you know what customers are looking for? One way is to spend time browsing through the “completed listings” on Ebay. Every time you advertise something for sale on Ebay, your ad is called a listing. When the time has expired for your listing (whether your item has sold or not) it is completed. Ebay keeps a record of all completed listings for the past month available for registered users to browse through. By browsing through completed listings you can see what has sold, and for how much. Studying these will give you an idea of what sells, and what doesn’t sell.

Specialize. When you first start on Ebay try different products to see which one does well for you. Then when you find one that you can sell pretty easily, focus on that particular product. One Ebay seller offers a handmade face cream. This cream targets people who suffer from acne. This is the only product that this seller sells, and from what I have observed they seem to be selling it consistently.

Open a Store. Some sellers save money by opening an Ebay Store. This allows them to save money on listing fees while still selling many different products.

One of the easiest ways to start selling your soaps and cosmetics to wholesalers is to begin near home. Your telephone directory is just brimming with opportunities for you to sell your products wholesale in your local area. Here is a look at some of the types of companies which may be interested in what you have to offer.

Bath and Body Boutiques
A bath and body boutique is a small store that sells bath and body care products. They may also carry robes, slippers and other associated items. Some bath and body boutiques are part of large nationwide chains that sell only their own brand (like Garden Botanica®, Bath and Body Works® and Crabtree and Evelyn®). Don’t bother trying to sell to these. Look for independently owned bath and body boutiques that carry an assortment of products from different manufacturers.

Bed and Breakfasts
Bed and Breakfasts are small establishments that are run like a hotel. Usually they are run by one or two owners and they specialize in offering personalized attention to their customers. Some Bed and Breakfasts may want miniature sizes of the products you offer. Others may want special gift baskets for special occasions. A soapmaker featured in a recent issue of a major crafts publication makes most of her sales through a bed and breakfast in her area.

To find out about bed and breakfasts in your area, look in your telephone directory or visit your local chamber of commerce or tourism office.

Clothing Boutiques
A clothing boutique is a small clothing store that caters to a specific clientele. There are several different types of clothing boutiques including: boutiques that carry expensive upscale clothing, boutiques that carry clothing made by the owner of the boutique, boutiques that carry only natural baby clothing, etc. Clothing boutiques are good prospects for bath and body products.

Gift Basket Companies
Gift basket companies are excellent prospects for selling your bath and body care products to. Gift basket companies buy bath and body care products for their “pamper baskets.” These are especially popular around Mother’s day. Many small gift basket companies are looking for vendors which will sell them quality bath and body care products in small quantities at reasonable prices. To locate gift basket companies in your local area, look in your telephone directory under the following categories: gift baskets, gift shops, flower shops.

Gift Shops
Bath and body care products make excellent and inexpensive gifts. If you want to sell your products wholesale, don’t over look gift shops. Gift shops can be located in your telephone directory under the category “Gift Shops.” Be aware of the fact that many gift shops are not advertised. Other places that have gift shops are hospitals and garden supply centers.

Health Food Shops
Many health food shops also sell natural cosmetics. If your handcrafted bath and body care products fall under this category you may want to investigate selling your products wholesale to health food shops in your local area.

Spas
Thousands of spas have sprouted up all over the country that are catering to people who need to relax. Some spas, in addition to offering traditional services, offer skin care products. If you are interested in selling to spas, look under the category “Spas” in your local print or online telephone directory.