What Does a Teenage Water Salesman do?

A teenage water salesman is just what it sounds like: a teenager who is selling water to people. Although you could try doing this in your front yard like a traditional lemonade stand, the best way to make money selling water is to go to events around your neighborhood where there will be a lot of people.

You’ll be responsible for buying a LOT of water bottles, keeping them cool during the event, accepting money and giving change, and cleaning up when you’re done. Although you could do this by yourself, this is a great job to try with friends or siblings, especially if you find yourself at a big event with lots of people.

How Much Does a Teenage Water Salesman Get Paid?

How much you get paid as a teenage water salesman will depend on a lot of things like how much you pay for the water bottles, how much you sell them for, how hot it is outside, how much competition you have, how many people are at the event, and whether or not you’re working with other people.

If you are able to find a good deal on water bottles and are selling them at a reasonable price so people are actually buying them, then at a large event, you can expect to make $100 – $500 over the course of a few hours. At a smaller event, however, you might only make $10 – $50 during the event.

How Can I Get Started as a Water Salesman?

1. Get permission from your parents. This is important because you may need their help with startup costs, and you will be working away from home where there are a lot of strangers.
2. Find events to go to. There are tons of events happening around your community every weekend that you might be able to go to as a water salesman. These could be things like races (where there are a LOT of thirsty people), fireworks, holiday celebrations, or even craft fairs.  If you have a local newspaper, check there for local events that the city is hosting. You can also look on websites like Craigslist in the community section to find events near you. To keep organized, it may be a good idea to get a notebook and write down all of the events that you find with the dates.
3. Make sure you can sell there. If it is a big celebration in a public park that is open to the public, then you may be able to go without needing permission beforehand. A great example of this would be a firework show. However, if you are interested in a private event like a craft fair, you will probably need permission from the person in charge before you can sell, and they may even want you to pay for a space.
4. Gather supplies. To sell water, you will need to buy plenty of bottled water, but you will also need several coolers, lots of ice, and some signs. To sell from a stationary spot, it’s also a good idea to have a small table and a couple chairs. If you’re going to be mobile, you’ll need a wagon or cart to take the water with you.
5. Prepare for the sale. Once you have everything you need, you’ll need to get everything ready. If you’re going to a really big event, you may consider freezing as many of the bottles of water as possible to keep them cold before you’re able to put them in the coolers. If your parents don’t have enough coolers, you may need to borrow some from other family members or friends.  On the day of the event, you’ll want to get as many bottles of water into the coolers as possible at least an hour before you leave so they’ll have time to get cold before you get there. If you’re working with other people, make sure you’re all on the same page and have a plan of how to work together during the sale.  You’ll also want to make sure you have some signs that let people know what you’re selling and how much it is. If you’re at a table, you can hang a poster-board-sized sign right from the front of the table with big, bold letters on it. If you’re pulling a cooler in a wagon, then you can put signs on both sides of the wagon for people to see.  These markers from Amazon make it super easy to make big, bold signs.  Also consider getting construction paper and a table to make a stand for yourself.
6. Start selling! Your selling methods will be a little different depending on the event. At a quieter event like a classical music festival, you’ll want to be respectful and offer water quietly to the people attending. However, if you are at a noisy parade with a lot of people, you should be as loud as you can.  One of the best ways to sell to people like this is to offer it to everyone you see. Make it as appealing as possible by describing the water as “ice cold” or “refreshing.” You can have fun with people by asking if they’re sure when they say no, but don’t be too pushy or rude. You’ll probably get a lot more no’s than yes’s, so hang in there and keep at it!  When you do make a sale, don’t forget to thank them sincerely for buying from you!
7. Clean up. Unfortunately, the event will come to an end and you’ll have to clean everything up. If you notice a lot of water bottles on the grass, take a little time and pick them up to help the environment. When you get home, you’ll also need to remove unsold bottles from the coolers and clean the coolers out. Fortunately, you can easily save the bottles you didn’t sell and use them at another event!

<< Back to Summer Jobs For Teens Database

Helpful Resources

• Craigslist.com:  This is a website you can go to and find community events in your area that you can work at.
• Amazon.com:  This is where you can buy markers and construction paper to make signs.  You may also want to get a nice table if you don’t have one.