This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and Plan Canada’s Because I am a Girl #YMCPinkLemonAid sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.
We spend a lot of time trying to work on a plan to figure out how we can do more and get more. We overthink, and over plan, only to end up spending more time on the preparation, than on the actual moment.
Sometimes our best comes when it is instinctive. When opportunity meets hard work, and luck happens.
Such is our life. We moved into our new house 3.5 months ago, and within days the girls had figured out the house’s secret.
Well, the secret for kids.
On one weekend, our kids brought in $50 from a lemonade stand. It wasn’t a busy weekend, and we live rural, but nevertheless, the girls, with memories of their cul-de-sac bake sales, FINALLY had the opportunity to sit out front of their home and SELL.
And sell they did. All weekend. They instinctively knew how to move lemonade, and flowers, and the farm stand eggs, and once they had the secret, everything was a breeze. If they need a little spending money, the table is set up out front the next weekend. School shopping plans? Start selling. More rainbow loom elastics… time to crack out the lemonade!
So, since they were so successful at making money for themselves and engaging people, I challenged my girls to come up with a plan to support Plan Canada’s Pink LemonAid Stand program in our community, in support of “Because I am a Girl.”
Because I am a Girl is one of Plan Canada’s signature fundraising initiatives and Pink LemonAid Stands across the country provide donations to support girls’ access to education, food, healthcare, clean water and protection from violence and exploitation in the developing world.
I asked them to share their secrets to selling.
1. Location, Location, Location
As adults, we know location matters. You want high traffic for retail and to buy the worst house on the best block for real estate, but for my girls, they don’t necessarily know WHY, but they do know that the very best place to set up their lemonade stand was “somewhere people are thirsty”
Yes girls. . that is EXACTLY right!
And luckily, part of their sales success is because we live on the top of a VERY long, and steep hill, on an island bike route. During the weekends we have hot, sweaty tourists just begging for a reason to stop and rest at the top. Low and behold, there are some sweet island girls, with ice cold lemonade. . .
2. Have a Variety of Price Points
They started with lemonade, then they moved to fresh cut flowers, then to handmade buttons. . . they realized that once you have a customer, you should try to keep them. For lemonade, they began to have different varieties, with varying price points (fresh raspberries anyone?) to naturally upsell their customers.
I’m starting to think I should get them doing sales for me now!
Spread the News
They were getting drive-by traffic (or bike-by) but realized that manning the station got them more clients, and sitting at a table, vs. hiding inside the farm stand worked better. When I asked them about how they would get the word out, they felt that posters weren’t very useful, but they were 100% behind the idea of offering free samples in a tiny cup to get people excited.
Yes girls. . . tastes tests can work wonders!
Have fun
Nothing draws people in more than laughter and smiles. Make sure when you are working your stand you smile and make eye contact and pull people in with questions. And music. Both girls felt that we should have some tunes pumping out at our stand to draw in the crowds. This also makes the whole experience rewarding, even if you don’t sell a lot.
Being able to teach them to enjoy their work was a powerful message, small actions drive big change, and (as we know) we would all want to be a customer of someone who loves their work.
Whatever your methods in selling lemonade, just remember, in the end the people will purchase because of the reason you are selling. Encourage your kids to check out the Pink LemonAid page on the Because I am a Girl website to download the supplies they will need and start planning for their fundraiser to support the Because I am a Girl initiative.
Whether you raise 5$ or $500, the best thing you will raise is awareness of the program, and by spreading the word, the opportunities grow with every person reached.
Check out how to get your Pink LemonAid Stand Fundraiser started today!
In developing countries, girls are denied basic human rights—simply because they are girls.
Because I am a Girl is a global initiative to end gender inequality, promote girls’ rights, and lift millions of girls—and everyone around them out of poverty.
Plan Canada’s Pink LemonAid program is an easy and fun way to get involved and raise awareness and donations for Because I am a Girl. Your small actions can drive BIG Change.
Want more ways to make your Pink LemonAid stand a success? On YummyMummyClub.ca, learn more ways to market your LemonAid stand, how to create a Lemonade stand that stands out, and get a recipe for a legendary strawberry pink lemonade milkshake!