Yes, fu-man-chus are sexy, but there is just something about a freshly shaven man. I know because I happen to have one! He has to shave everyday for his job, incase he has to put on a gas mask and take some fools down. (He works at a prison.) When I kiss my husband goodbye at 5:30 in the morning and tell him to be careful, I'm talking about more than his driving skills, ladies.
But he wakes up to danger. His razor of choice is not the Mach 3. Oh, no, nothing so ordinary for my extraordinary man. He uses straight razors! He does keep an old-school (and I mean way old school!) single-blade shaver for the days when he's in a hurry.
I surprised him with The Man Cave's Sedona shave soap and aftershave last month. (See my photo to the right.) Maybe next time I should go with Colt .45? Those are just two of the scents that are offered. Here is a complete list of scents:
And the scents are available in aftershave, body wash, crème, shave soap, and solid colognes. She's got this thing figured out. And, yes, I did say "she". We all know behind every successful man is a good woman, and it looks like behind this uber-successful men's bath and body shop is also a good woman. With over 1,200 sales in 15 months, I bet there are a few things we could learn from her.
First, I have to brag on the overall appearance of your shop. All of your products flow smoothly from one to the other, both in form and in fashion. The photography is divine! Just like the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, the way into a purchaser's cart is through the eyes. Awesome job on your presentation and photo sets. Is this something that you had to work on or did you hit the ground running with great sets?
I began my 1st shop on Etsy, Mountain Mama Chic, a few years ago with an organic, all-natural body products concept. I realized then what an impact your photographs have on site traffic as well as visits translating to sales. My customers can't smell my wonderfully scented products, but I can try to tantalize them with appealing pictures and graphic descriptions.
I need to insert here that her ladies' shop is just as successful, with over 1,800 sales in 3 years! Take note that she has two different store fronts for two different consumer bases. This can be very advantageous, because it allows you to target your audience. I've got an article coming together about this! Just have to find time to write it....
How do you come up with the names for your manly products?
I am inspired by the different facades of a man's personality; sometimes he is strong (Colt .45), a gentleman (Gentleman's Tweed), outdoorsy (Redwood or Mountain Man), etc. Sometimes I take in a new scent I blend and let it sit with me for weeks or more until I find just the right name. I actually named my unscented line of products Commando from an episode of the TV show Friends!
How many formulas did you have to go through before you found just the right one for your shave soaps?
Oh my goodness, I went through at least 5 or 6 until I was happy with the end product.
Do you print your own labels or order them?
I print my own and I am proud of that. I'm not an expert, but I'm always learning. Not only do I sell online, but I'm continually expanding my wholesale business. I think of my soaps and aftershaves sitting on shelves in small, handmade driven shops across the country. What packaging and labels would make a customer HAVE to have that soap and shaving set for their husband/boyfriend?
Even though your soaps are for mens' faces, how well do they work on ladies' legs? Growing up, I always used my dad's shaving soap. Haha, he would get so ticked when he couldn't find it.
They work wonders - giving ladies soft, moisturized skin sans nicks and cuts! Expanding this concept into Mountain Mama's offerings is definitely on my To-Do list for 2011!
Here are her links one more time. Do your Mother's Day and Father's Day shopping early!
I'm going to be so disappointed when I take my shower tonight, with my little sliver of store bought soap. However, I happen to know where some awesome shave soap is. He would probably love for me to shave my legs, even if I did use all of his soap, lol.
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Great Article. Looks like a great place to shop for the upcoming Mother's Day and Father's Day events.
ReplyDeleteI have to say I disagree with the writer on this article. I can’t say her picture are “divine.” I am always reading about how important pictures are for selling so go to her site check out the pictures. Most of the photos are out of focus! Even the pictures show above are out of focus. Even when you use selective focus where lets say the background is blurred you need something in the photo that is in focus - like the label on these items. Now the styling of the products look good as do most of the lighting. It’s just a shame that over all the items are out of focus. She really needs to process the photos and do some sharpening of the images. Most digital images need this. It would make the shop even more professional. Just imagine what her sales would be like then!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to read the article! I think Mel did a wonderful job! Just to let you know - my photos are meant to be somewhat out of focus in places i.e. a little in the forefront and also in the backgrounds. I thought it gave them a more artful quality and made them stand out in the swarms of Etsy’s bath and body photos.
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