As the holiday season approaches, we are now getting ready to enter…craft show season (simmer now, we can hear your heavy applause and yells of joy from here!). Craft shows are a little different than farmers’ markets. Typically it will be a one-day show. There won’t be time for a trial period to see which of your products perform, and … Read More
Marketing Your Business: The Facebook Edition
Love it or hate it, social media is one of the biggest platforms that small business owners have to advertise their business. Sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter provide a free way to get the word out about your business, and a relatable way to connect with your customers. In this article, we’ll explore how you can use Facebook as … Read More
Growing Your Business: 5 Ways to Connect With Your Customer
Digital life is an incredible thing. With social media, Handcrafters are able to reach more customers than ever before. No matter whether you sell in person or online, one thing is very important: connecting with your customer. Take a look at five things you can do to connect with your customer and move those fabulous products! Be genuine. Customers can … Read More
Honesty in Marketing: Why Transparency is Important
Imagine walking into a store; let’s say it’s a grocery store. You’re doing your weekly grocery shopping, ready to pick up your weekly supplies. As you meander down the vitamin aisle, you stop; a bottle on the shelf reads “Drop 25 pounds in one week AND grow 4 inches taller!”. Now, most people will pass by this very confident weight … Read More
Common Scents: Patchouli
Welcome back to our series, Common Scents! Common Scents is a collection of articles exploring the history of commonly used essential oils, and how they became so popular in modern day soap and cosmetic crafting. This week, we’ll talk about patchouli! Scent is an incredible sense. A certain smell can make you remember a person or place, or can be … Read More
The HSCG Annual Conference: 2017 Wrap Up
Time flies when you’re having fun, and here at HSCG Headquarters, time also flies when you are knee-deep in planning a sold-out conference for 614 registered attendees! A Conference is Born Planning for the 2017 Annual Conference actually began several years ago, when Executive Director and conference planning extraordinaire Leigh O’Donnell visited several sites in Las Vegas. She was on … Read More
6 Ways to Secure Your Business and Peace of Mind
Everything is becoming digital. Many things are becoming more simple because of this electronic revolution; payments are becoming easier and more secure, advertising opportunities using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are limitless and mostly free. Your customer base isn’t limited to who comes to your brick and mortar location or your market booth; anyone can buy from you, … Read More
Getting Creative With Molds: 5 Do’s and Don’ts
When Handcrafters first start out, one of the most difficult expenses can be the cost of a good mold. Any seasoned soapmaker can tell you that a good mold is worth its weight in gold; but if you are just starting out and aren’t quite sure if you even like the process yet, we have a few guidelines you can … Read More
Advocacy Day 2017
As you most likely saw on our social media pages, the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild hosted our very first Advocacy Day on April 5th, 2017. Dozens of Handcrafters including HSCG Board Members and two HSCG staff members participated in this incredible effort to educate members and staff of both Congress and the Senate on the businesses of handcrafted soap … Read More
Common Scents: Ylang Ylang
Welcome back to our series, Common Scents! Common Scents is a collection of articles exploring the history of commonly used essential oils, and how they became so popular in modern day soap and cosmetic crafting. This week, we’ll talk about ylang ylang! This month we are going to talk about everyone’s least favorite essential oil to pronounce: ylang ylang! Pronounced … Read More