Uptown Soap Co – Expert Soap Making, Expert MarCom Pros

Silvia D. of Uptown Soaps in Manhattan agreed to sit down with me and talk shop, or should I say talk soap. But before I reveal all her marcom secrets, I want to give her a big THANK YOU. Not only are her soaps awesome, but her small business marketing wisdom is pretty impressive too.

Sara: A quick background on how you got started with Uptown Soap Co. More specifically, why soap and not purple paperclips (or any other product for that matter)?

Silvia D: Now that I think about it, I should have done purple paperclips – they sound much easier to make! Actually, in all seriousness, I’ve always loved soaps. Most people walk into Whole Foods to do their grocery shopping, but I’ve always ran to their bath and body section first to see what new soaps  they’ve brought in. I think most girls would love to have a soap company. I was just lucky enough to say “why not me!”

Sara: I understand you manage all your own marketing and publicity. What does your marketing plan include (e.g., trade shows, social media, blog, cold calling, etc.), and how do you find the time with all that soap making?!?!?

Silvia D: I don’t have a marketing plan, never have. That’s the best part of owning your own business, you can decide what you need to do each day. Thankfully, I am no longer in charge of making the products myself, so my focus is promoting the brand, finding new stores, and coming up with new products.

Sara: How important is your blog to your marketing efforts?

Silvia D: The Uptown Soap blog wasn’t created to find new clients. I  started it because soaps are a true fascination of mine, and I wanted a place where I can archive all of my fabulous findings. I was surprised when others started  commenting on my posts because it made me realize that other people were actually reading it. The feedback has been very positive and I plan to continue writing it.

Sara: Where do you get your ideas for blog posts, Twitter posts, etc.?

Silvia D: I never plan what to write on our blog ahead of time. Since most of my day is spent in meetings around the 5 Boroughs I always find inspirations out of the blue.  I could be eating a donut and I’ll  think “Aha! Donut soaps.”

Sara: What is your most rewarding Twitter experience? (e.g. getting a client? Meeting someone new?)

Silvia D: The most rewarding has been meeting and keeping in touch with so many amazing people (fellow entrepreneurs, customers, and even our very own retailers).  It has also become our go-to-place to get feedback from our followers on what they think of a new product that we have created. And let me tell ya – these people don’t hold back on their comments.

Sara: You’ve gotten a few mentions in big name magazines such as Teen Vogue and O, The Oprah Magazine. How did you do it without the help of a publicist?

Silvia: I really don’t think it’s necessary to have a publicist to get press coverage. Of course, it would be a lot easier, but with a little effort, time, and maybe some samples, anyone can succeed. The most important part is to learn your magazines and know who the editors are. You can find that information when you flip through any issue. Send them an email with your product info, and then follow up with them every couple of months or so. If they’re interested, they’ll contact you. The trick to get into those magazines is to make sure that your products are different enough to stand out from the crowd.

Sara: What advice would you give to small business owners when they set out to do their own PR and marketing?

Silvia D: Just keep doing it. If one magazine turns you down, it’s time to look for another. If you have a positive attitude about it, things will kind of happen on their own as long as you keep trying.

Sara: Which one of your products is your favorite?

Silvia D: We recently launched a line of body creams, and they are divine. I have never used lotion in my entire life but our fragrances are so scrumptious that I can’t get enough of them. The creams leave your skin silky smooth and the fragrance lasts after you’ve applied them on your body, so I would have to chose the body creams at the moment.

Sara: Do the pigeons on your home page and packages have a meaning?

Silvia D: Yes! What an excellent question! The pigeons were actually photographed in Harlem, and since we are headquartered there it’s become an homage to our neighborhood. Although pigeons get a bad rap, we think they’re charming and NYC wouldn’t be the same without them.

Sara: If someone wanted to buy your soaps (both retailers and individuals) where do they go?

Silvia D: Our products can be found in more than 100 retailers nationwide, which are listed on our website. If we don’t have a store in your area, you can visit the website of an amazing store called Vickerey and purchase most of our products through them as well.

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If you have additional questions for Silvia D. about marketing communications, leave them in the comments here. Together, we’ll make sure you get an answer.

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