Everybody uses soap. Or, at least, everyone should use soap! There are some who consider it nothing more than a utilitarian product, necessary for keeping clean, and that’s about it. They have no interest in scent, lather, ingredients- definitely no love affair going on there.
Then, there are those who appreciate soap a bit more. They may sniff several different types at the grocery store, settling on one that has a bit more “je ne sais quoi” than the Regular Dial they bought last week, and choosing, perhaps, the Mountain Scented Dial instead. There’s hope for these folks. They know they want something different, and they’re starting to wander out of their comfort zones in search of it. If they were only exposed to something really good- outside of the confines of the grocery store… I bet they’d try it, and the addiction would begin.
But, how does a soapcrafter find these people? I suppose I could just frequent the grocery store, lingering in the soap aisle, stalking people who seem a little overly interested in selecting a bar. You know the ones- you see them pick up a bar, sniff it, place it back on the shelf, select another bar, sniff it, put it back as well. Yes, these people are the ones I’m after.
But, realistically, I’m not going to hang out in a grocery store stalking my potential, newest converts. No, this isn’t for me. I’d rather use a skill that’s taken me years to perfect. The skill of, talking.
I like to talk. I always have. I’ve been accused of engaging in “nervous chatter” by those who don’t know me well. I’ve been asked if there’s anything I don’t want to say something about. (I’m sure there is…). I just like to share. I like to engage other people, and hear what they think. The best way to do that, is to open up my mouth, be friendly, and engage them in conversation. Trust me- my willingness to be comfortable and talkative with total strangers is one of the easiest ways to find new customers! Here’s a perfect example of how true this is.
The other day, I shipped out a particularly large BarSoapNatural order. I had run out of tiny bubble wrap, which I love using, because it keeps the bars from banging around and denting each other during shipment… Grabbing the first thing I could find to transport them, I put the 15 bars onto a brightly colored summery serving tray, and headed over to FedEx. The lady who helped me is an absolute gem, and FedEx should be exceptionally thankful to have her as an employee!
Now, earlier in the day, I had gone over there to ship another package and was “helped” by someone other than my new best FedEx buddy. This first girl was not at all engageable. I talked (as usual 
) about the soaps, and how I had to ship them out that day, and how much fun I have making them… It didn’t so much as make her blink. She robotically quoted some pricing and gave a half hearted “have-a-nice-day” when I left. She couldn’t have put any more effort into being disinterested if she had tried.
So, you can only imagine how pleasantly surprised I was, when returning only a short time later, I was greeted by “Oh My goodness!! What do we have here??” The first girl was no where to be seen, but in her place, was a smiling, cheerful-faced lady who actually spoke to me before I spoke to her… and it wasn’t even the standard “How can I help you today,” but instead, was a personal comment directed at me! She was so engaging and talkative! She wanted to sniff my soaps and know what was in them, making comments about each one’s colors and flecks of botanicals. She wanted to know all about BarSoapNatural, how we started, how long we’ve been doing it. She was so complimentary of every last detail- the tissue paper wrapping I use, the labels on the soaps, the name of our company, the scents, colors and shape of the bars. She explained shipping options in detail, and even packaged all the soaps in individual bags, complete with bubble wrap, tissue on top and the invoice. Because of her willingness to engage in conversation, she made a connection to a customer. When I return to FedEx, I will seek her out. FedEx’s shipping didn’t change at all. I still get the same pricing and shipping that I did before, but now I feel more loyal to them, because of the relationship that has started to develop due to my experience with this new girl. She made shipping a box FUN. I’m sure she’s that way with everyone, but she sure made me feel special.
So, that’s my story. FedEx has a new happy customer, and I’ve interested yet another person in all-natural, handcrafted soap. My advice for anyone who wants new customers: Talk to people. Open up and share. Be happy, cheerful and engaging. Show some interest in other human beings. In this world of self check-outs, drive-throughs, net-flix, facebook, you name it, there are people out there just like me, who absolutely crave personal interaction. Don’t be afraid to engage people. Conversation and communication are the best tools we have to make new customers. In my business, new customers means more clean people, and a less-dirty world.
