Lessons from a Country Fair

My friend's daughter is a 15-year old with a passion for baking. She attends a magnet school in NJ with a program in culinary arts and often bakes her all-natural breads and cakes for local fund-raising events.

On a recent vacation in Vermont, Mariel asked her mom if she might bake some breads and sell them for charity at the fair held every Saturday nearby. Recipes in her head and magic in her hands, preparing the baked goods was easy as, well, pie. But selling them proved a bit more of a challenge. She was a stranger in those parts and her reputation did not extend from NJ to New England.

She stood quietly behind her table of delicious treats until a neighboring vendor encouraged her to put some on a plate and offer samples. Realizing it was her only chance of getting some attention, she followed the woman's advice and ventured beyond her comfort zone behind the table.

Within a few short hours all 75 of her loaves were sold and the sale was a success. All because she took a few courageous steps and tried something new.

Selling our own products or services is often a daunting task. Fear of rejection or failure oft times limits our ability to push forward and connect with people – in life or in business. Mariel offered her prospective customers something of herself – a product sample and her winning smile. If we all offer our prospective customers a bit of knowledge of what is to come if they buy our product or use our service and complement it with a positive attitude, the sales process becomes nearly effortless.