You say "begin" to market; this is good, because in the beginning your tactics will be different than when your products begin to take off. To begin with, home-made products, particularly personal care products, such as yours, require relationship selling. This means the purchaser should have some type of relationship with you. This can be either direct (door-to-door sales) or indirect (placement in a shop they frequent). Consider placing your products, even on a limited consignment basis, in several local shops that offer similar products. Although you may have to share a percentage of your profits with the stores but in return you'll share with their "walk-in" traffic, an implied endorsement from the store, and access to their existing customer base.

Now: about the door-to-door sales: I'll give you the same advice I gave Shirley in "Building Brand Loyalty with Personal Care Products." http://www.powerhomebiz.com/guide/cases/shirley.htm  Product loyalty among personal care products is fierce; it's difficult to get people to try new things. To make it easier for them, pick your best product, provide it in a free trial size, and follow up with discounted coupons for the first order. Soon you'll begin to create loyal customers. And take a cue from Avon: include free samples of other products with every order you fulfill.

In addition, Dawn, consider home craft fairs and shows. This gives you the opportunity to showcase your products to many people at once; it turns the concept of door-to-door sales around and brings the customers to your door (or in this case, booth).

Best wishes, Dawn. Let us know how it goes.

Yvonne

Good Luck.

Yvonne Buchanan has been a public relations writer, editor and freelancer for more than 20 years. She is an instructor at The PR Academy www.learnpr.com , a professional development institution that provides public relations instruction and information. She enjoys teaching people how to use low-cost public relations methods to increase the market visibility for their businesses.