Popcorn

Fund Your Ideal Year of Scouting with America's Best Popcorn Sale

The following page contains information on the Blue Ridge Council Trail's End Popcorn Sale. More information will be added as it becomes available. All posted information is current.

Notice:

Your Percent Commission on the Trail’s End Popcorn Sale for 2010 will be 33% — Prize Program (using the Prize Program available through Trail's End and Blue Ridge Council) From 36% — No Prizes (providing your own prizes to the Scouts)

The 2010 Popcorn Sale

Provide BETTER SCOUTING For Youth

Sell The Program First

		People buy popcorn to support the Scouting program (they do realize that they can get the popcorn cheaper at Wal-Mart, but also realize that they can not buy the Scouting experience for a young person through popcorn at Wal-Mart)
		Don’t ask people IF they will buy, ask which level they would like to support your Scout, with the various popcorn products and prices representing the various levels.
		Visit more people—Most people who do not buy popcorn, do not buy because they did not get asked…over 80% of people will buy popcorn when asked!
		Over 90% of people who buy popcorn from a Scout have made up their mind to support Scouting before they have even seen what the Scout is Selling!
		Shoot for the Stars…Sell the higher priced products first to generate more program revenue.

Fill-up the take order form.

		Scouts who participate in the Fill-it-up plan will qualify for a Free Invitation to spend a Day with the coaches and players at Clemson or the University of South Carolina for the 5th Annual Sports Clinic.
		Scouts who receive this invitation may bring with them their Parents and Siblings for a family day you will never forget.
		Over 1,800 participated in our fourth annual Sports Clinic!
		Units should set per boy sales goals based on # of Take Order Forms to be filled. Try to reach $350 per boy.
		Filling up an order form has the “$9.99 value” (it is less than $10.00). i.e. Scouts view this as an easier task than having a dollar amount goal—large dollar amounts can seem unrealistic to and intimidate Scouts.
		For each youth who “fills up” a take order form (with sales to separate individuals on all 30 lines), Trail’s End will provide a special patch to that seller.

Trail’s End “bonus” prize sales level is $1,500 and receive a $50 gift card and Trail’s End Scholarship Program minimum sales level for 1st-time qualifiers is $2,500.

You can sign-up online (on this page), where you will find all popcorn resources available online. ALSO - the Trail’s End website offers more resources at www.trails-end.com and provides an online Ideal Year of Scouting calculator to help in unit planning and budgeting.

Show-n-Sell vs. Show-n-Deliver – What’s the difference?

Show-n-Deliver

Is designed to be done just like the normal “take order” sale, with one difference – it SAVES TIME!

		Each Seller is given a pre-allotted amount of popcorn.
		The Seller goes door-to-door, etc. to sell the popcorn.
		AFTER the sale is made the seller says something like “I happen to have that product out in my car right now, would you like to pay for the product and take delivery immediately?”
		If the customer says yes, the youth takes the payment and makes sure to mark the customer as “delivered” on the Take-Order form.
		It is important to NOT TAKE THE PRODUCT TO THE DOOR, because the seller will eventually run out of one or all of the items, and the customer should not make their decision based on what the seller is “holding in their hands.”
		For every item that is delivered that is one customer/house that the Seller & Parent’s DON’T have to make another trip to deliver the popcorn in a few weeks…save time, gas, and effort!

Show-n-Sell

Is designed to be done as a “see the product before you buy” sale. It can be done in front of retail locations, at church dinners/functions, sporting events, anywhere there would be a “crowd” of consumers. Some Show-n-Sell tips:

		Chose the location to do the Show-n-Sell carefully. Keep in mind that when consumers go to the store they are typically looking for a bargain/good deal. Other types of functions might target people who are more “donation/charity-minded.”
		Be mindful of the products that are made available for the Show-n-Sell. Are you trying to sell more items at a lower price point, or less items at a higher price point?
		Be sure to make clear to the consumer that approx. 70% of the purchase price of the product goes to support LOCAL SCOUTING. They are not just making a product purchase, they are also making a DONATION to support the development of our youth.

The Show-n-Deliver/Show-n-Sell Guidelines & sign-up forms are included in the 2010 Popcorn Guide.

2010 Fall Sale Timeline

Why We Sell Popcorn

The ONLY reason we do this sale is for Blue Ridge Council Units to raise additional funds to have a better program for our youth.

Popcorn Sales Support The Scout:

		Scouts learn salesmanship
		Scouts learn fiscal responsibility
		Scouts learn about starting and following-through a project until completion
		Scouts learn there can be rewards for hard work & effort

Popcorn Sales Support The Unit:

		Popcorn Sales Increases Unit Financial Stability.
		Popcorn Revenue Helps Units Provide Higher Quality Programs and Activities For Youth.
		Popcorn Funds Reduce or Eliminate Financial Burden From Unit Leaders And Parents.
		Popcorn Dollars Reduce Financial Obstacles, Allowing Units To “Do More” And Youth To “Experience More Scouting”.

Popcorn Sales Support The Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America:

		Popcorn Sales helps fund Local Service To Youth through District Executive And Professional Staff Support.
		Popcorn Revenue helps provide a better camp facility while keeping the lowest cost around.
		Popcorn Funds Keep ALL Program Costs Down For Youth (Scouting in the Blue Ridge Council is the most affordable after-school activity for youth when compared to baseball, football, soccer, etc.).
		Popcorn Dollars Provide Outreach Opportunities For Disadvantage And Underprivileged Youth Through The Scoutreach Program (popcorn sale helps generate revenue to fund youth with camp scholarships, uniforms, books, program and activity fees, registration, etc—100% of all financial assistance requests were granted in 2008).

Why Do We Order Full Cases?

		Full Case Orders = Lower Per-Container Cost = Higher Unit Profit Margin
		Full Case Orders = Higher Unit Sales
		Higher Unit Sales = Better Program Opportunities For Youth = Quality Scouting Experiences = Higher Youth Retention

Who Benefits From Ordering In Full Cases?

		Youth are the ultimate beneficiary of the Full Cases ordering process. Youth will sell more popcorn which in turn will result in better program opportunities.
		Youth benefit because ordering in full cases reduces popcorn waste and therefore reduces wasting donated dollars, increasing donor trust. Increased donor trust results in a more financially stable Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America.
		Unit leaders benefit from the simplified ordering process.

Keys to Success

		Sell the Scouting program First — People are buying the program, with Popcorn as the program receipt.
		Make it FUN! If the sale is a fun part of the youth’s program experience, sales will increase.
		Communicating to EVERYONE in the Scouting Family (Leaders, Parents, Scouts…) is imperative. Let everyone know the importance of the sale and what the benefits are.
		Push “Take Order Form” fill-it-up plan — This will result in increased Container Sales and ultimately higher total sales.