Re: Halloween Advertising ?

[Guest guest]

No, I haven't done it. It sounds like a good idea, but there are a couple

of things I would suggest considering:

1) Where I live, there are strict zoning laws. Make sure you can't get into

any trouble if a neighbor reports that you are running a business from your

home. Find out what your particular zoning laws are.

2) This is the KIDS day! It may be too late to get them (but maybe not) but

you can get a nice Halloween jello mold that has two cats, two witch heads,

two bats, two pumpkins and two ghosts per mold. I make M & P soaps with it, I

haven't tried Hot Process soaps in it yet. The cavities range in size from

about 1 - 1½ oz each, perfect for a kid's treat soap. You can check it out

at the Jell-0 website. Or do you have other Halloween molds?

2) I wouldn't attach a business card to them. As I parent I would probably

be resentful if someone tried to use my daughter's fun time to pitch their

product to me. Keep the focus on the kids, get card stock from an office

supply store and make up some neat cards for the kids. Maybe a Halloween

design on one side and a little story about Halloween on the other. Maybe

you can find 2 or three such mini-stories on the web. Or historical

anecdotes or maybe some games. By having more than one you might generate

additional interest in the kids - " what does YOURS say? I'll trade ya! "

You could add a line at the bottom - Handmade soap by

CountryMeadowCreations.com. You could be cute and add Sugar free,

guaranteed not to promote tooth decay. I would suggest adding safe for

diabetics, but if my child were a diabetic, I might resent that. By adding

the sugar free line though, you could be perceived as wanting to offer a

better substitute for candy instead of wanting to pitch your soaps.

HTH and good luck!

Diane

GreenFireHerbs.com

" Never say 'can't' when there's a 'How About This' still to be tried! "

Halloween Advertising ?

Has anyone here ever done advertising with trick-or-treaters? You

know, making up samples & attaching biz cards to either give the kids

or their parents.

We've never lived where we could hand out candy. This year will be

our first year! The neighbor said they get at least 60+ kids. I was

thinking of giving it a try, especially since most of the neighbors

don't even know I make soap.

Anyone ever done this & have you seen any results?

Colleen

Country Meadow Creations

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the input Diane! I'm a registered business, so no problem

there. I've already got some samples made up & plan on running them

by my kids and a couple of their friends.

Colleen

Country Meadow Creations

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

Hey Colleen. I'm also a registered business, that has nothing to do with

residential zoning laws. Unless you have commercial space, make sure you

are allowed to run a business out of your home. Make an anonymous phone

call - say you are planning on moving to the area, that you make <give

general product list> and plan on running the business from your home.

Would that be a problem? Get the person's name.

If it IS a problem, don't put your name anywhere on the soaps. Just your

web address. That may generate web orders. It may not be as good as having

your neighbors come to you for soaps, but it's better than being closed

down. Around here, neighbor complaints HAVE closed home-based businesses

that had no where else to run their business from.

Of course, I live on LI, outside NYC. Things may be different where you

live. Just be careful. Protect yourself and do the research.

Diane

GreenFireHerbs.com

" Never say 'can't' when there's a 'How About This' still to be tried! "

Re: Halloween Advertising ?

Thanks for the input Diane! I'm a registered business, so no problem

there. I've already got some samples made up & plan on running them

by my kids and a couple of their friends.

Colleen

Country Meadow Creations

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

Sorry Diane, I should have elaborated. When I registered the biz with

the " city " I live in (population 3500), we discussed that I was a

home-based biz & selling from my website. They said as long as I

didn't have a sign out front, and wasn't " selling " like a retail store

from my house, I was fine.

Thank you for being concerned & sharing your knowledge with the group.

There are probably quite a few members out there that never thought

of the points you brought up.

Colleen

Country Meadow Creations

http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com

[Guest guest]

Thats how things are in my area as well. As long as people arnt

comming to the house, building up traffic and there is no signs or

equipment or even biz and shipping trucks outside im fine. WHich

well im fine about i don't want people comming to my house anyways

and all my mail and packages go to my UPS addy.

My comments about the halloween thing. Some may think its a cute idea

while some may think it to be a bit tacky. people already go on

about how all the holidays are made commercialized just so businesses

can make money. Not sure if you wish to add to this problem.

Another concern is that kids are expecting to get candy and if the

child is young they might not notice that it is in fact NOT candy.

Yeah yeah yeah parents are SUPPOSe to check the candy first before a

child eats it but tell me just how many parents actually DO check the

candy i know growing up my parents never checked my candy. and my

sisters dont really check their kids candy either. So just be

careful.

>

> Sorry Diane, I should have elaborated. When I registered the biz

with

> the " city " I live in (population 3500), we discussed that I was a

> home-based biz & selling from my website. They said as long as I

> didn't have a sign out front, and wasn't " selling " like a retail

store

> from my house, I was fine.

>

> Thank you for being concerned & sharing your knowledge with the

group.

> There are probably quite a few members out there that never thought

> of the points you brought up.

>

>

> Colleen

> Country Meadow Creations

> http://www.countrymeadowcreations.com