If you’re like most handmade soap makers, you probably dream of finding the perfect target market that loves your soap as much as you do. But how do you find these people? And once you’ve found them, how do you reach them?
Soapmaking by hand is a very personal process. People who buy handmade soaps want to know who made their soap, where it came from, and what ingredients are in it. They also want to feel like they’re supporting a small business owner when they buy handmade soap.
In this article, we’ll discuss the target market for handmade soap and provide some tips on how to connect with potential customers.
Who Buys Handmade Soap?
The target market for handmade soap can be divided into different customer segments. To segment this market, we need to try to understand the customer’s needs and therefore their motivations for buying handmade soap as opposed to mass-produced soap from a big brand name.
Such a process gives us the following market segments:
- People who are looking for natural/organic soap
- People who are looking for an artisanal/luxury product
- People who want to support small, local businesses
- People with sensitive skin or allergies
- People who want to avoid certain chemicals
- People looking for a unique gift
Let’s look closely at each of these market segments.
1. People who are looking for natural/organic soap
The target market for handmade soap is a subset of the target market for soap and generally includes those who are looking for natural or organic soaps.
The reason that they gravitate towards handmade soap is that many handmade, artisanal soaps also happen to be organic. This is usually the case because small-scale soapmakers often use organic ingredients and avoid synthetic fragrances, colors, and other chemicals.
Also being handmade and organic is a cachet that sets them apart from factory-made, mass-produced soaps.
People who look for organic soap also tend to buy organic products other than soap. For them going organic is a lifestyle choice.
These people are also very likely to be interested in health and wellness products and so positioning your handmade soap as such a product can help reach this market.
2. People who are looking for an artisanal/luxury product
Handmade soaps can also be marketed as artisanal or luxury products. In this case, the target market is those who are looking for a soap that is not just made by hand but with high-quality ingredients and craftsmanship.
They may be willing to pay more for a handmade soap because they appreciate the time, effort, and skill that goes into making it. They view it as a luxurious indulgence, similar to buying a designer handbag or high-end cosmetics.
3. People who want to support small, local businesses
Another target market for handmade soap is people who want to support small, local businesses. In today’s global economy, it’s easy to feel like our purchases don’t matter because we’re just one small customer in a sea of billions.
But when you buy handmade soap from a small business, you know that your purchase is supporting someone’s dream and helping to keep their business afloat. This is especially important during tough economic times.
People who support small businesses also tend to be environmentally conscious because they know that buying locally produced goods reduces the carbon footprint of their purchases. And so they tend to view a handmade soap from a local artisan as an environmentally-friendly “green product”.
4. People with sensitive skin or allergies
Many people have sensitive skin or suffer from allergies, and they’re always on the lookout for natural skin care products that won’t irritate their skin or cause a reaction.
Handmade soap is often a good choice for these people if it’s made with natural ingredients and does not contain harsh chemicals. This way it’s less likely to cause a reaction than mass-produced soap, which often contains synthetic fragrances, colors, and other potential irritants.
5. People who want to avoid certain chemicals
Some people want to avoid certain chemicals for health reasons, while others are concerned about the environmental impact of these chemicals.
For example, some people want to avoid SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), a common ingredient in mass-produced soap that is known to be an irritant. Others are concerned about the impact of synthetic fragrances on their health or the environment.
Handmade soapmakers often use natural ingredients and avoid synthetic fragrances, colors, and other chemicals, so this target market is attracted to the purity of handmade soap.
6. People looking for a unique gift
If you make specialty soaps such as ones made with goat milk or olive oil, then your target market may also include people who are looking for a unique gift.
For example, someone may be looking for a gift for a friend who is difficult to buy for, or they may want to give a handmade soap as a housewarming present or as a mother’s day gift.
People who are looking for unique gifts often have an appreciation for artisanal products and the time and effort that goes into making them. They’re willing to pay more for an item that they know the recipient will appreciate and use.
Now that we’ve seen some of the key segments of the target market for handmade soap, let’s review some tips to connect with potential customers.
Tips to Connect with the Target Market for Handmade Soap
Here are 5 tips that you can put into practice to connect with potential customers of your handmade soap:
- Develop a niche
- Do your research
- Use social media
- Leverage Influencers
- Partner with similar businesses
#1. Develop a niche
When you target a specific segment of the market, it’s easier to connect with potential customers because you can target your marketing message to them specifically.
For example, if you make olive oil soap, then your target market is people who are looking for natural skin care products or unique gifts. You can use this information to create marketing materials that will appeal to this target market.
#2. Do your research
Once you’ve identified your target market, it’s important to do your research to learn more about them. What are their needs and wants? What motivates them to make a purchase?
By understanding your target market, you can create a marketing message that better resonates with them.
#3. Use social media
Social media is a great way to connect with potential customers and build relationships with them.
For example, you can use Instagram to share videos of people unwrapping and smelling your soap (and of course, loving it!). You can use Twitter to connect with people who are interested in natural skin care.
Word-of-mouth marketing in the modern age is done through social media and there is no better way to get your brand out there than to have happy customers gloat about it all over social media.
#4. Leverage Influencers
And social media is where the power of influencers becomes apparent. You can use influencers to reach a larger audience and get more customers to be aware of the existence of your business.
For example, you can partner with an influencer who is interested in natural skincare and give them free samples of your handmade soap. They can then share photos or videos of your soap on their social media channels and mention your brand to their followers.
#5. Partner with similar businesses to reach a wider market
One way to reach new markets is to partner with businesses that are already selling to your potential customers.
For instance, people who are interested in handmade soap are usually also interested in hand-poured, organic candles. So you could partner with a local candlemaker and look for cross-marketing opportunities to reach each other’s customer base.
You could also partner with a boutique store that carries products that could be complementary to your handmade soap. For example, a store that specializes in selling natural and organic beauty products would be a great place to sell your soap.
Summary
The target market for handmade soap mostly includes people looking for natural or organic alternatives to mass-produced soap.
The market also includes those looking for an artisanal/luxury product either for themselves or to give as a gift.
Many people buy handmade products, including soaps, as a way to support small, local businesses.
People with sensitive skin or allergies or those looking to avoid certain chemicals will often turn to handmade soaps provided they are made with natural ingredients.
The successful marketing and sales of handmade soap require the proper development of the target niche followed by detailed research into the ideal customer’s needs, wants, and motivations.
Marketing tactics include using social media, leveraging influencers, and building synergetic partnerships with other similar businesses to reach a wider audience.
If you’re planning to get into this business or are already in it, we hope you found this article useful. Thanks for reading!