Smart marketing without
the song and dance

Billie Goat Soap - kids soap a relief

Distressed by a young son suffering from eczema, Leanne Faulkner, created a specialized soap and a cottage industry producing 2,500 hand-made soap bars each week for 700 stores Australia-wide including markets in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Leanne Faulkner refused to give up when she first tried and tested her soap recipe – based on goat’s milk to help her son Liam.

Eczema is widespread amongst young children in Australia and parents are desperate to try something new to ease their child’s pain. As word of mouth spread, concerned parents started to buy her unique goat’s milk soap.

Leanne Faulkner refused to give up when she first tried and tested her soap recipe – based on goat’s milk to help her son Liam. Eczema is widespread amongst young children in Australia and parents are desperate to try something new to ease their child’s pain. As word of mouth spread, concerned parents started to buy her unique goat’s milk soap.

Open your mind and swallow your pride

Commercial trading began in 2004. As soap sales have grown so have the smiles on mums’ and dads’ faces – encouraging Faulkner to become Australia’s number one goat’s milk skin care company aptly named Billie Goat.

 

The skin care industry is a tough market dominated by some well known brands.
It hasn’t fazed Faulkner. She maintains a healthy outlook caring for staff and customers as she does her family and the environment. She offers customers a choice - either a soap from their standard range or one made from a sustainable palm oil as she’s aware of the destruction of rain forests and animal habitats as a consequence of palm oil harvesting.

“We’re proud to be able to offer our customers a more sustainable soap alternative.”

Achieving this has meant letting go of old practices, opening her mind up to new ideas and sometimes swallowing her pride!

“Understanding what was best for the customer as opposed to what I preferred was a great personal challenge.”

Small things can make a big difference

Faulkner also likes to acknowledge the work of her team. Employees are treated to a lunch each month with a special lunch every quarter.

“When my budget allows it, I offer impromptu rewards like shopping vouchers and so on.” She pays above award wages and offers conditions above industry standards. “While we offer flexible working hours, we’re only a small business. When one person is not at work we all feel it, so it’s a challenge to find the balance between employee and business needs but I think we have achieved it.”

Exceptional service on an individual basis

Faulkner believes business owners need to return to basic service values. When she receives a new order, each employee of that company receives a bar of soap. With a small budget, it’s clever marketing that’s also helping to educate the public about the benefits of goat’s milk soap. “We believe the salesperson receiving the bar of soap is our greatest advocate.”

Staff also respond regularly to customer’ queries: “we have automated replies but they are complemented by our personal touch to ensure customers enjoy the Billie Goat experience.”

At a marketing level, Vanessa Tsui from the NSW Business Chamber’s marketing services arm, Australian Business Marketing Services (ABMS), recommended that Faulkner explore gaps in the skin care marketplace.

“We assessed the needs of the business, analyzing its operations and competitors before suggesting she target the baby and men’s marketplace.”

For Faulkner maintaining a health balance with work and life often means reflecting on her journey. “If there are times when being in business is tough, take some time out to reflect on the success you have achieved. It can be too easy to focus on the next challenge rather than taking time to enjoy the moment.”