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The Kansas City Star, Mo., kids and business column
By: Steve Rosen
Source: The Kansas City Star, Mo.
09/11/2005

Sep. 11--BARRELS OF FUND-RAISERS: On my way out the door recently to run errands, I bumped into a friend who was chaperoning his son through the neighborhood. They were on a trash-bag-selling expedition for a school fund-raiser.

A block or two later, I passed two more dads standing at the bottom of driveways as their kids knocked on doors with order sheets in hand. It's September, school is back in session, and kids are selling everything under the sun to raise money for field trips, classroom equipment, sports uniforms and more. They're selling candy bars, cookie dough, pizza and popcorn. They're selling entertainment coupons, magazines, books and gift wrap. They're even selling floor mats emblazoned with a school logo.

As if school fund raising isn't enough, Kids are also pounding the pavement seeking financial support for Scout programs, youth sports teams, walkathons and who knows what else.

It's enough to put moms and dads on fund-raising overload. But face it, with so many school districts and other organizations strapped for cash, recruiting kids (and parents) to collect cash is often the only way to cover all the necessities and extras.

Make no mistake, these programs are generally about one thing -- raising money. Still, I think there are good business and financial skills that kids can learn from these sales experiences, skills that are often overlooked when parents discuss whether to participate. Here are some skills that come to mind:

I T_00538_boldThe soft skills. Fund raising is one way for kids to learn the importance of teamwork, being on time, developing a firm handshake, starting a conversation, and looking someone in the eye when speaking, said Chad Foster, the author of "Teenagers Preparing for the Real World." According to Foster, kids are often unprepared for the simple things that will be required once they enter the work force. "These skills are absolutely essential to learn early in life," Foster said.

Before asking people to plunk down their money, kids should practice and hone a short sales pitch. It should cover the product, the cost, the delivery time, the benefit to the organization, the benefit to the consumer and the benefit to the salesman. "One of the major upsides of these types of jobs is you get an opportunity to start practicing the skills of persuasion," said Sam Renick, founder of It's A Habit Co., a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that promotes financial education.

The flip side is learning to handle rejection and deal with difficult people.

--Customer service. In addition to delivering the product on schedule, kids should write a thank you note to customers, Foster said. "You never know who will remember that customer service and may be in a position to help you when you're starting a lawn-mowing or baby-sitting business," he said.

--Goal setting. Fund raising presents organizing challenges - creating a sales plan, setting revenue targets, and being flexible and solving problems if sales are coming up short.

--Handling money. Consider the opportunities for kids to practice counting and taking and tracking orders. In other words, banking and accounting.

--Economics lessons. I'm pounding on the concept of incentives again. What are prizes but a way to motivate and enhance sales performance?

--Resume boosters. Is there a chance to take a leadership position on the project or in the club sponsoring the fund-raiser? If so, it could be a line to add to the college resume or a job application, or some experience to talk about during an interview.

--Giving back. Whether it's a bake sale for Hurricane Katrina victims or a juvenile diabetes or cancer walk team, fund-raisers let kids support and be part of their community.

Football players at Olathe East High School participate in First Downs for Down Syndrome along with other area teams. Last year, the Olathe East players sought pledges of a nickel or more for every first down the team made during the Hawks' football season. Head coach Jeff Meyers said the team raised nearly $5,000.

"We need to be thinking about more than ourselves," Meyers said. I know many parents view fund-raising programs as a nuisance rather than an opportunity for skill development. There's also reason to be concerned about exploitation, since the company with the product is essentially tapping into a free sales force of kids.

What should you do? Renick suggests asking yourself the following questions before encouraging or discouraging your child from participating: Who stands to benefit, and how much will they benefit? Are the benefits and tradeoffs appropriate for the products, services, time and effort being required? Is this a good use of my time and my child's time and resources? What parental involvement will be expected? What are the safety considerations?

These are judgment calls, and every parent needs to consider what's best for their children. Some prefer to make a direct contribution with a check and avoid the door-to-door approach. For others, requiring their child to sell coupon books may be the only way to afford a new basketball uniform. My personal take: If the fund-raiser has merit and there are no safety or time issues, then I see no problem. Keep in mind the skills that kids can learn may benefit them for life. That

The Star's Mark Davis contributed to this column.

To reach Steve Rosen, send e-mail to T_00554_bold_italicsrosen@kcstar.com, call T_00555_bold_italic(816) 234-4879 or write to him c/o The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108.

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