Giving ð 2006 Popcorn Sale

How To Maximize Your Popcorn Sale

As the 2006 Popcorn Sale is about to begin, every unit should be asking itself “how can we maximize our sales to generate the funds we need for our boys and unit program?”  Here are a few ideas that can help your unit cash in on this opportunity.

Make Your Popcorn Launch Exciting – Set aside 15 minutes at a Pack, Troop or Unit event with the parents present.  Do something to grab the boys and parents attention and make it fun.  Clearly communicate your unit’s total sales goal and how much each boy should sell.  Explain how important this sale is to your Unit and the program that has been designed for the boys.  Talk about what your unit will do with the profits you earn.  Talk about the cool and exciting things the boys will do if the sale is a success.

Motivate Boys and Parents – People want to know what’s in it for them.  Prizes are a strong motivator for both boys and parents and every unit should have a prize program (either the council’s or the unit’s own).   Have the boys open the prize sheets at the launch and pick a prize that is higher than the per boy sales goal.  Explain the prize program to the boys and parents.  Talk about the Wal-Mart cards for every take order form that is completely filled-up with orders. Explain the Trail’s End Scholarship Program.  If your Unit sets up scout or summer camp accounts explain the program and how it works.

Try a Blitz – Beat the sports team, PTO’s, etc. by having a sales contest to get the most take order sales before school starts.  Offer a prize like a Swiss Army knife, mess kit, lantern, tent, sleeping bag, backpack, and you may be surprised at the results this can bring.

Add Additional Show & Sell Locations - Banks and Credit Unions on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, Video Rental Stores, local fairs & festivals, convenience stores, Restaurants and Pizza stores, ice cream stands, large retailers.  Try multiple locations simultaneously.  Also do Show & Sell over two or three weekends.  Give the boys the most opportunities to sell.

Teach the Boys How to Answer Objections – If a person says “No I am on a diet, have them recommend the Butter Light or Popping Tin (popping tin on take order only).   Also you can tell the person that the pre-popped corn in the designer tins make an excellent gift.  Put a list of potential objections to buying popcorn and teach the boys the appropriate responses.  The response may get the perspective customer to rethink their position and possibly say yes to buying popcorn.

Try Show & Deliver – Have a Troop, Pack or Den event where boys break–up into teams of two or three and go out with a leader or parent in a vehicle with popcorn loaded in back.  Try to hit neighborhoods that are not normally solicited during your sale to capture more sales.  Have the boys take their order forms and if you have the product in the vehicle offer delivery on the spot and collect the money on the spot.  If you don’t have the product, get the order and deliver it later (Take Order Sale).

Have Parent Sell at Work – Ideas include “Take a Case to Work” where a parent takes product to work and sell it to co-workers.   In mid – October they may want to follow-up with people whom bought product to see if they want to order more on the take order form.  Have parents take an order sheet to work to post it in the break room. Check if a small order form can be placed in everyone’s paycheck.

Sell to Businesses – Many companies give holiday gifts to their best customers or to all their employees.  Adults can contact local businesses to see if they would like to purchase popcorn for these purposes.  Also other ideas include local car dealers where they can promote, we support the Boy Scouts, come in and test drive a car and get a free tin of popcorn.

Use Contests – Boys thrive on competition and like to have bragging rights.  Create contests for sales based on total sales by patrol or den or average sale/boy in each patrol or den.  Offer small prizes like a pizza party or ice cream party, bowling, mini-golf, snow tubing, movie pass, Blockbuster card.

Communications and Being Enthusiastic – Keep leaders, boys and Parents informed on status of the sale, sales contests, etc.  Attend your unit’s leader meeting and make a report each month. You should project enthusiasm and optimism during the sale.  Your biggest job is to keep people motivated and be a cheerleader; enthusiasm and a can do attitude is contagious and keep others motivated to do their best and sell.

There is still plenty of time to improve your unit’s popcorn sale. A little planning can greatly improve your fundraising ability and eliminate the need for additional fundraisers.