A few years back, I remember preparing for my lemonade business one early morning. I put the cups together in well-lined rows in my head and imagined throngs of customers eager to hand me their cash. When I finally woke up, I immediately got out of bed to make my dream a reality. I looked at our old card table and it was perfect for my setup. I placed a red checkered tablecloth over it and again put the cups together in straight lines. There were also bowls of fresh yellow lemons to attract customers. I made sure I had a large outdoor sign saying “Lemonade 25 cents” to let my potential customers what the fuss was all about. I waited for several minutes, then the minutes turned into hours.
I watched multiple cars pass through the hours. Some of my neighbors passed and gave me a big smile. Later on, I managed to sell a few cups of cold lemonade. However, it was not the way I intended things to happen. I wanted dozens of customers by the minute. I wanted to showcase my product in the best way possible. I also started to think about the money I needed to pay my father back for starting my little business.
I decided to assess what it was that I could have not done right. Looking at Lucy’s custom banner, I realized that hers was more attractive and live. It featured various colors and she had a changeable sign so she can easily change the price depending on the demand. It was quite similar to the sign I saw outside my doctor’s office, indicating whether he was in or out. Lucy’s sign was very convenient and beautiful.
I realized that I needed to grab the attention of my target customers in the same manner so I immediately got to work. I used my mother’s sewing shears, even though these were only for fabrics. I transformed the plain tablecloth into an advertising art piece. The upper portion still let people know that I was selling lemonade at 25 cents per cup. The bottom portion was covered by the tablecloth, which gave my setup a more unique shape and look. I put a couple of metal rods and stakes to drive my outdoor signage into the ground. I further cut slits at the bottom of the plastic cups so I could link these to the top of my custom outdoor signs. These appeared very inviting, placed over the sign. The setup had a 3-dimensional effect which also included a large arrow that guided customers where my setup was located.
Because of the changes I came up with, the multitudes of customers I dreamed of became a reality. I managed to pay my loan immediately and even gifted my mom a new pair of sewing shears. My lemonade stand sold a lot more lemonade after I changed the sign and overall look. I realized how people can get drawn to well-made signs, regardless of the product.
Business strategies should change depending on the season but I discovered how outdoor signage always stay dependable throughout the year and regardless of the new technologies that emerge.