Solution: Announce we're having a Garage Sale!
It's been a fruitful week of decluttering and the many ensuing conversations about handling money, entreprenuership and stewardship principles.
The kids woke up bright and bushy-tailed and wolfed down their breakfasts. Alan drove around the neighborhood to put up signs, but came home with a sheepish grin saying that he had locked himself out of the car six blocks away. He grabbed his spare set of keys and rode Jonathan's scooter back to his car.
Meanwhile, the kids alternated between helping me cart boxes out to our driveway and excitedly scoping out the street for the first car to pull up. Alan returned home safely and carried out the heavy stuff.
While I manned the used clothes, books and toys area, the kids were fired up about their Lemonade and Fruitios stand. "Here comes a car!" Money couldn't have bought their ear-to-ear grins when they sold their first cup!
Open for Business!
How interesting it was to overhear the different sales styles of each child!
The Passive Close--also known as "If We Build It, They Will Come."
Jonathan: "Let's not say anything. They'll see our sign."
The Direct Close--also known as "How Can They Resist This Offer?"
Elizabeth: "Hi! Would you like to buy some lemonade?"
The Assumptive Close-- also known as "Of Course You Want This!"
Daniel: (putting the Fruitios in the man's hand) "Here, this is twenty five cents!"
By the time the sun began to blaze overhead, it was time to close shop.
Marketing 101 was a success. They learned that sometimes you have to wait patiently before a customer shows up. They learned that different sales styles work with different customers. They also learned that earning a dollar takes work and effort. And they learned that working toward a goal can be fun.
Elizabeth: "Mom, can we go to a restaurant for lunch?"
Jonathan: "Elizabeth, if we do that we'll spend all our profits!"
"In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23
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