Lemonade Stand

Given the great recession we continue to be mired in, I was heartened this weekend to see signs that entrepreneurship and capitalism remain alive and well with kids. Two little guys, about seven or eight years old, were selling lemonade in my neighborhood. They weren’t foiled by the Dow’s performance, or the balance in their 401K’s. And they weren’t gaming or texting either. We can learn from them.

Don’t wait on the market to come to you.

Their location was ideal, an intersection across from a school athletic field. They had signage. Still, these kids didn’t wait on their location and out of home media to feed their business. The above flier was handed to me more than a block away.

Have an eye-catching hook that resonates with your target.

There are loads of faculty and students nearby, so the university crowd is clearly a primary target audience. In addition to a sign, table, cooler and pitcher of lemonade, the kids had a trashcan made from an empty case of Miller Lite. One walk by made you think: “Are those kids selling cold beer?”

Follow up after the sale.

So often, retailers stop short of the obvious. After buying a cup, I was given more than a mere thanks, I was told that they would be there again tomorrow, and given hours.

Smart little guys. And now they have a web presence.