I volunteer at my children’s elementary school.
It is fun to deal with kids. And I learn a lot about leadership.
When you study business, you learn ‘3 NO’s’ of people.
NO listening, NO trusting and NO moving.
People don’t listen to you.
Even though they listen to you, they don’t trust what you say.
At last, although they trust you, they don’t really take an action to purchase your product.
To make a long story short, you need to move your audience to listen to you, trust you and pay for you.
Now, dealing with kids, I learned the trick.
Trick #1: How to Make Them Listen
- Use the Authority
When the teacher tells kids to listen, they do (for the most time). They know the teacher tells something relevant and they should listen.
When you do your business, find the key person who has the influence to the group of people. Connect to him/her and get the support.
- Use a Catchy Performance
Make a laud sound, wear bright color clothes, carry mysterious object… There are many ways to get children’s attention.
Big kids are the same. They pay attention on something different, interesting and/or funny. Especially to get the initial attention, you need to be something recognizable.
Trick #2: How to Make Them Trust You
- Listen, listen and listen
Ask questions. Kids love questions. When you ask, they think. They are more into the conversation and topic.
The more you listen to them, the more they open themselves up.
- Have a One-to-One Contact
All kids like attention. If someone hates to be spoken to (which was exactly how I was when I was little), he or she just needs more trust to you, that’s all.
Make a one-to-one contact. Have a talk. Watch what he is watching. Do what she is doing. Understand him or her more personally.
Trick #3: How to Make Them Move
- Find the Trigger
The best trick I found is countdown. Before you start counting, however, you need to explain well what they are supposed to do. Make it easy and clear. Break the process into small, simple steps. Then, countdown.
Those chatty kids get quiet and focus as soon as I start yelling “3, 2, 1” and do it with the “Start!” It is quite amazing.
Remember, make the trigger as clear as possible to them.
- Keep Encouraging
Kids like a quick and easy accomplishment. Praise when they achieve something, and then encourage for father challenges. Never push too far, but don’t stop encouraging.
Repetitive action becomes a habit. You help them establish a good habit, not just a one-time triumph.
You offer products and services to make the customers’ life better.
You sell food because you think the food is delicious, nutritious or something valuable. You sell the service to fix the car because many people can’t fix their car by themselves. You help others and in exchange you get money.
So, make them listen to you, trust you and move with you.
Direct them to discover the better life.
Kids are all derived for a good life.
Love and connect with them with your honest heart.