3 Simple Improvements to Boost Your Soap and Skincare Business Before the New Year
3 Simple Improvements to Boost Your Soap and Skincare Business Before the New Year
Today I want to share a few quick and practical ideas you can put in place before the New Year. I’ll be honest – these aren’t magic wands, but they’re effective little tweaks that can get you up and running and really set the stage for 2025
1. Refine Your Product Names and Descriptions
This is one of the most straightforward things to get sorted, and it can make a real difference. Think about it – we often buy with emotion or because we want specific results. So if you're selling, for instance, a lime and mint body scrub, ask yourself, what sounds more appealing: “lime and mint body scrub” or “Magical Mojito body scrub”? That one appeals to the emotions whilst calling it a “Detoxifying Mint and Lime Body Polish” gives your potential buyer an indication of the results. Both really add to the products kerb appeal.
I’m not suggesting you make medical claims you can’t back up (clinical trials are out of the reach of most of us here), but a little creativity can go a long way. There is a caveat however, do always keep your customer base in mind. For example, if I were selling my dog products, something like “Mojito Soap” wouldn’t really land with dog owners. Think about how your niche audience will interpret these names and descriptions.
You can use AI to help with this – tools like ChatGPT can be very helpful. Just remember, the more you tell it, the better the response you’ll get back. Tell it about your product, your customer base, and your style, and ask for suggestions that highlight the product’s results or appeal. Have fun with it and see where the results take you. If redoing all your labels isn’t practical right now, maybe you have them all preprinted and therefore cannot change all the names at least try refreshing the descriptions for your website or social media.
Quick tip if you use AI, give it an example of your own writing so it can mimic your voice. You can use something like a existing social media post, blog post, or product description that’s already yours, and tell it you want to sound like you, not like a robot. This is a great time saver and means you will keep your over all look and feel.
2. Tweak Your Social Media Strategy
I know social media can be a bit of a love-hate relationship for many of us. That’s why I suggest simply tweaking what you’re already doing rather than making a whole overhaul. We know that being consistent on social media builds brand recognition, keeps you front of mind with your customers, and slowly brings in new followers but we can't let it take over our lives.
Here’s my take, don’t get too hung up on the “must-do’s” that every social media guru talks about. It’s not one size-fits-all. I’ve had posts perform well even when they don’t follow the so called “rules.” So, instead of aiming to post a million times a week, set achievable goals. Small wins add up, and you’ll feel great as you hit each one.
Content batching is also a lifesaver, honestly. I know it sounds cliché, but it works. Templates can speed up the process too, you just update the text, swap out photos or videos, and off you go. For my Soap Suite members I’ve recently provided a Christmas toolkit with 45 templates they can easily customise which will save them having to think too much and save them some time.
If you use something like Canva, keep your designs in a folder for easy access and reuse. Revisit your analytics too, see what posts performed well a few months back, then refresh them with new images or updated text. And yes, AI can be a great tool for generating ideas for captions, SEO keywords, or even hashtag suggestions.
Another tip? Repurpose your content wherever possible. I do this all the time , you may not even notice it! I like to create one main piece, like a YouTube video, and then pull the transcript into AI to generate a blog post, (that is how this has been written) edit it, and repurpose it for social media posts, reels, and shorts. This process works wonders, especially if you have a niche or specific expertise to share. Evergreen content like blogs or YouTube videos stick around and can bring in views long after you post, unlike social media which disappears into the ether quite quickly.
3. Experiment with Pricing Strategies
Pricing, it doesn’t need to be set in stone. While there are plenty of calculators to work out costs and multipliers for wholesale and retail, sometimes small pricing tweaks can make a big difference. For example, raising the average order value can be more impactful than focusing purely on individual product prices.
Creating product bundles is a great way to encourage larger purchases. When I was selling to dog groomers, I offered a “groomer’s loaf” , a single loaf of soap that cut into 13 slices and sold for less than 13 individual bars. I could save time by keeping it simple, no need for beveling or individual labels, just one label on brown paper. Options like bulk buys can really save time and boost sales.
If you’re feeling a bit tech-savvy, you could even try options like subscription boxes or “open boxes” where customers add to an order over time until it reaches a set amount and is posted out. There are so many ways to play around with this, and if you’re willing to experiment, you might be surprised at what works well.
Remember, It’s Not a Magic Wand!
These tips won’t magically solve all your business problems overnight, especially if there are bigger gaps in the basics. If the fundamentals aren’t quite in place yet, it’s like trying to fix a leaky bucket, you’re better off plugging those gaps first. Think of your business as an ecosystem where each element should feed into the other, making it clear who you are, what you do, and why people should buy from you.
If you need help with this side of things, I now offer a Business Growth Audit where I can sit down with you on a Zoom call, dive into your business, and pinpoint areas that could use some attention. It’s a deep dive where I assess what’s aligned with your goals and where you might be unintentionally working against yourself. You’ll get a full written report with clear steps to help move the needle forward.
Click here for more information or if you’d like to book one – it’s an investment, but it will give you the insight to really move forward.
There are your three simple improvements you can implement before the New Year. No magic wands, but practical actions that can set the stage for a successful 2025 Let me know how you get on, and as always, feel free to reach out with any questions!
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