“My friend’s brother is in the newspaper—he’s even on the front page!”

My 15-year-old son handed me the paper. Sure enough, splashed right beneath the Sunday paper’s masthead, in full color, was a photo of the kid, with the headline, “12-year-old a Business Success.”

I turned to the “Money” section, where the story of Daniel Franklin, a sixth grader who carves and sells wood and acrylic pens, took up nearly the entire page.

As I read the story, I realized that young Daniel possesses business acumen we grownups can learn from:

  1. He recognized his gift/aptitude for working with wood.
  2. He practices his craft daily and has become an expert (he works every day after school).
  3. He built his initial customer base by giving away his product (he gave the hand-crafted pens to his teachers as Christmas gifts).
  4. He used grassroots marketing to get the word out about his product (his teachers told everyone they knew about the pens, and people started placing orders. Daniel also exhibits his pens at craft fairs).
  5. He isn’t afraid to charge what his product is worth (Daniel sells his pens for $25-$40).
  6. He markets his product (Daniel has business cards and a snazzy-looking Website – www.pensbydaniel.com – that includes a professional slideshow display of all his pens).
  7. He makes it easy for customers to purchase his product (Daniel’s clean, easy-to-navigate site politely informs visitors exactly how to order).
  8. He’s expanding his product line—but not too quickly. In addition to selling pens, Daniel offers a line of corkscrews and bottle stops, ornaments, and confetti lights. He’s considering branching out into bowls, vases, walking sticks, pepper mills, and pen kits
  9. He’s investing his profits wisely (Daniel used his earnings to buy a lathe, and he plans to purchase more tools and maybe a computer).
  10. He landed some great free publicity. A full-page article (accompanied by two gigantic color photos) in a metropolitan daily paper is most entrepreneurs’ dream. How’d he land such great publicity? Because (a) Daniel is unique, and (b) he’s the perfect subject for a feel-good feature. How many 12-year-olds do you know who handcraft high-quality wood pens? How often do you read a “good news” story that inspires people of all ages? This story offers both elements.
    1. What do I really enjoy doing?
    2. What special talents or aptitudes do I possess?
    3. What am I passionate about – what do I never tire of talking about it?

    11. In the next few posts, we’re going to explore each of these 10 marketing lessons in more depth. We’ll provide you with strategies you can use to make the most of your unique talents and aptitudes.

    Right now, ask yourself:

    Quick, before you chicken out – tell us about it in the Comments area! It’s not bragging; it’s simply a matter of reaching deep into yourself and allowing your true desire to surface. Sharing your passion with another person is the first step of achieving your goal.

    Source:
    “Turning Out Something Special,” by Debra Smith, The Herald of Everett, WA, Sunday, April 20, 2008, p. E-1.

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