The CW4K Canned Water Stand
The CW4K brand is notable because it is “Drinking Water-With a Purpose.” The profit margins are favorable toward you, each sale helps you earn money, and each sale helps CW4K fund and deliver sustainable clean water projects saving children’s lives worldwide.
Core values matter to us
Here is a random list to get you started. A great project is for the class to brainstorm ways you could make a difference.
We believe that shared values are essential. We also believe that those core values are necessary for all involved for consistency in promoting the CW4K brand. Values drive behavior, and behavior drives action for making good choices. We have listed a few of them here. People may have their own personal values, and that’s great. Core values are crucial to success of any business team.
- Integrity: We strive to be trustworthy and to do what we say we’re going to do. We are accountable for our actions. We’re all in this together.
- Continuous Improvement: We are always problem solving, learning, growing, and making changes/improvements as we strive to be the best we can be.
- Shared Learning: We believe in two-way sharing of information. Transparency and being authentic is important. We encourage thoughtful, creative and inspirational ideas.
- Creativity & Innovation: Without thinking of new ideas or new ways to do things your business will not grow, become more efficient or differentiate itself. You always want to WOW your customer in creative/innovative ways.
- Passion: Be passionate about what you do. But, remember to Get on the “FUN BUS” have fun doing it.
What core values are meaningful to you? How do they compare with your friends?
Are you a winner?
The Mindset of a Winner featuring Seth Godin, Author and Speaker
Essential Skills
Marketing and selling CW4K water is a great way to improve on essential skills needed for any business. Those include communication, teamwork, decision-making, problem solving, and leadership. Get ready to learn about proper business etiquette, collaborating with others, and integrating responsibility and integrity into all you do.
Project Management
Learning the basics of project management can be a valuable strategic planning tool. It helps with goal setting, focus, identifying and managing of resources needed, project deliverables and troubleshooting. Think of it as a flight plan or road map to make sure you successfully get where you are going. Here is a sample project detail form. A blank form is also included for you to practice.
Contingency Plans are Essential
Why it is important to have a contingency plan? What happens if something doesn’t go as planned? It could be weather-related; it could be people not showing up. There are a zillion things that could happen and throw a wrench into your perfect plan. A contingency plan, sometimes called “Plan B” accounts for those moments. And, as any successful businessperson will tell you, those contingency plans will be needed at some point. A contingency plan is easy to discover by following “If this happens…then we do this” Discuss as a class. This is a great way to promote critical thinking skills and teamwork.
We're all in Marketing & Sales
We hear people tell us all the time, “But I’m not in sales.” Have you ever told a friend about a great new CD you just got? Or, what about providing an opinion on a movie you just saw? And don’t forget when we tell someone about the best thing we ever ate. Or, what about when asking for help? Those moments are all sales & marketing through effective communications. Selling CW4K water is no different. To sell, you need to communicate with your customer effectively. Although everyone drinks water, many think water is water. That’s where CW4K is different. Your task is to educate and inform people why this is “Drinking Water with a Purpose.” You’ll discover that when people hear your story about how every sale helps fund water projects saving children and helps you learn, earn, and pay it forward, they can see a clear choice for purchasing CW4K Canned Water.
Here are a couple of good sales videos to watch and discuss.
Dean Grazioli: If you want to sell anything to anyone watch this! Stop Living An Average Life… All You Need Is A Mindset Shift… Change Your Mindset Change Your Life.
Dan Pink: Why we’re all in sales now. In this episode of Behind the Brand, author and speaker Dan Pink explains why we are all in sales now. Dan breaks down his ideas and lays out the steps of how to be better in sales in this video.
Is There a Buy Button Inside the Brain: Patrick Renvoise at TEDxBend. Patrick discovered the buy button inside the brain and spent two years researching and formalizing a science-based map to access that button.
Know your Customer
Learn to think beyond the transaction. Learn everything you can about your customers. Where do they live? What things do they like? Define your perfect customer? Are they young? Old? How can you help make their lives better?
Know your product inside and out + know your competition
When you are trying to sell any product, you need to learn everything you can about it. The same holds true when selling a service. When promoting CW4K water, you’ll need to know from where it is sourced, canned, delivered, and why this water is a better choice than all the other waters out there. It is very important to know this, because people will ask. It is also important you learn about our nonprofit, CannedWater4kids.
Be an active listener
If you’re not listening, you’re not learning or understanding what is important to those with whom you are communicating.
Learn your WHY
When selling CW4K canned water it is important to know the reason people should buy water from you. This sets our water apart from all others! The key will be learning how to be crystal clear and communicate this message quickly (In under a minute).
You’ll learn to craft your own message/story covering the following key points:
- every purchase helps keep people hydrated.
- CW4K fund and deliver clean water projects that are saving children worldwide
- every purchase helps me (as a seller) to learn valuable entrepreneurial, business, and life skills
- every purchase helps me (as an entrepreneur) to earn money for a new [computer, bike, etc.] and
- every purchase enables me the ability to pay it forward and help someone else be able to learn, earn and pay it forward.
Start with Why: Simon Sinek In this video, Simon discusses the principal behind every successful person and business. A simple but powerful model for how leaders inspire action, starting with a golden circle and the question “Why?”
Where are good places to sell CW4K canned water?
Who is your ideal customer?
Learn the buying habits of your customers, finding out about gaps in the marketplace. Understand the competition. What are the important issues in your local community that might influence the purchasing of CW4K water? How do the product attributes align with needs? Discuss in small groups.
Parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends.
A great place to start is often selling to parents, grandparents, relatives, and friends. These make great first customers as they know you and will want to support your efforts.
Inside or in front of a local business.
Talk to a local business (like a bank or grocery store) and see if they will let you sell water for a couple of hours. Many stores allow the Girl Scouts to sell cookies for a few hours every day during cookie season, why not water?
In front of your house.
Did you ever have a lemonade stand?
Neighbors
Let your neighbors know that you are selling CW4K Canned Water and be sure to tell them your story. Neighbors are usually supportive of neighborhood kids.
As a fundraiser for your school, group, or church.
CW4K canned water is a refreshing alternative to the usual candy bars, scented candles, and wrapping paper. Ask us about fundraising.
Events
Think Fairs, festivals, church gatherings, sporting events. Have a car wash – Bundle a FREE CW4K water in with the cost of the wash or sell it by the can.
Use your Social Networks
Let your social media connections know you are selling CW4K Canned Water and how to contact you and purchase. Ask them to “tell a friend” about what you are doing.
You can sell CW4K water by the can, case, pallet or truckload.
CW4K Water in aluminum bottles and cans can be sold as singles, 6-packs, 12-packs or 24-packs. If you land a big order, we can supply pallet and truckload quantities too. Ask us about it.
Exactly how much money can I make?
We think that selling CW4K water can be very profitable. Look at these handy profit calculators and see for yourself.
Profit Calculator for Selling water by the can
This would be the most common transaction at an event. Below is an example of how to calculate your profitability selling individual cans. Using the left example, fill in the blanks on the right with your numbers to determine your profitability or see how much money you could make.
Profit Calculator for Selling Cases (24-pack cans)
Selling cases of water is ideal for fundraising and when selling to family, friends, and businesses. Below is an example of how to calculate the profit you can make when selling water by the case. Note that it is essential to subtract your expenses and the cost of goods sold (COGS) to see your actual profit. Using the left’s example, fill in the blanks on the right with your numbers to determine your profitability or see how much money you could make.
Beyond Water
Leveraging skills for work, school, community and Life. Learning how to sell CW4K is just the beginning. Now it’s time to prepare for your next business venture, college opportunity, or other life ambitions you have in mind. Ask yourself five questions:
- What’s my passion?
- What is my core strength?
- What do I aspire to stand for–my own core values? What is my higher purpose on this planet?
- How will I define success? Remember success is more than just money.