Marketing on Facebook is easy in the sense that it’s free (we’ll talk paid ads later) and you can do it as soon as you’ve created your page, but getting results is a bit more difficult. I want to highlight a few things that I think are relevant and intentional when it comes to self-promotion on Facebook. Branding Consistency … Read More
Vendor Spotlight: Rustic Escentuals
Happy Friday Tracers! This week’s #HSCGVendorSpotlight goes to our lovely friends at Rustic Escentuals in Roebuck, South Carolina! Having started out in 1999 with founder and owner Amy Pascoe filling orders in the middle of her laundry room, it’s quite impressive that now Rustic Escentuals has grown into a widely popular specialty warehouse that acts as a “one-stop-shop” for the industry! … Read More
Vendor Spotlight: Mad Oils, Inc.
Howdy Tracers! It’s been decided that we’re going to start showcasing all of our lovely feature posts right here on Ye Olde Blogg so that we (and you) will be able to admire them for years to come! I know, we’re excited too. We are even more excited to say that this week’s #HSCGVendorSpotlight goes toooo….(*drum roll*) Mad Oils, … Read More
5 Business Lessons to Learn From Taylor Swift
Whether you’re totally fed up with seeing her face and hearing her music everywhere, or are a diehard fan, you can’t deny that T.Swift is a marketing genius. You may not think that, as a professional entertainer, her tactics bear any relevance in your own life and business, but you’d be wrong. Being a big-time celebrity today doesn’t just … Read More
Proudly Announcing: Cut to the Trace
»We’re back!« Bonjour everyone! I am happy to announce that the HSCG blog, now known as “Cut To The Trace”, is officially up and running (soapmakers, you can definitely appreciate our punny new name, right?) and I must say, we have missed you so! You may have noticed that we look a bit different than before – We got a fancy … Read More
Round ’em up, Social Media Pardners!
Did you attend this year’s HSCG conference in Tucson? You may have caught some of the media coverage (including a live spot on KOLD and coverage in the Arizona Daily Star), but, as usual, attendees were hard at work sharing live updates from conference. There’s no substitute for being at a conference, but get a feel for some of the … Read More
Stretch those Pinning-Tweeting-Selfie-Taking Muscles…it’s Conference Contest Time
Are you joining us at the annual HSCG conference next week? Get ready for a boatload of awesome contests. We’ve already mentioned Soapers’ Showcase and raffle prizes. Today, we want to clue you into the social media contest. Guild conference attendees always enthusiastically share their experiences – why not reward you for doing so? There’s nothing better than sharing your … Read More
Soap Angel Investors
Angel investors are a well-known concept in Silicon Valley, where their deep pockets help start up cash-strapped businesses. Have you ever heard, however, of the soap angel concept? Photo by Flickr member Paul Esson. Used under a Creative Commons License. Soapmakers are a generous bunch, as the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetic Guild has witnessed many times over. This past week, … Read More
2013 Conference Speaker Sneak Peek
Are you joining us in Raleigh next May for the 16th annual HSMG Annual Conference? Let us tempt you with a sneak peek at some of the amazing speakers you will see at the 2013 conference: Discover the joys of working with pourable silicon to make your own, custom molds with Amanda Griffin of Lovin Soap in her session: Make … Read More
Why attend the 2011 Conference? A Personal Perspective
I’ve attended the HSMG Annual Conference for the past 5 years. Each year I am amazed at the depth of talent that we have access to as HSMG members (and guests to the conference). Over the years, I have learned so much about soapmaking, the business of soapmaking, ingredients, tradeshow marketing, etc… etc… The list just goes on. Each year … Read More