Popcorn Tip--Week #9: Is it really over?

Well, nothing left to sell.

You are just waiting for the final delivery so you can pass out your popcorn and collect the money to turn in on time.

A few folks might want to reorder, or add to their order.

You have a couple of options:

1) Contact the council office to see if they have any left. Often, the council office will have a few extra cans to help you out.

2) Folks can order year round from Trails End via the Internet. You will need an identification number (order key), which you can get from your popcorn chairman.

Remember, during the coming year you will benefit from the money you helped to raise from popcorn. Maybe it will help you pay for summer camp, a new backpack, pieces for your uniform or a big trip. Maybe you just got a great new pocketknife for a prize.

Maybe you earned the Salesmanship merit badge!

Be proud of what you did, and think about all of the hard work you accomplished.

In only 8 more months, you can help start it all over again!

Generating Individual Scout Order Keys for OrderPopcorn.com

This is a great way to encourage incremental sales throughout the year, or to extend your popcorn sales beyond your local area.

Just follow the step below, and you will generate the "order key" your Scouts need to get credit for their work. This looks like a lot of steps, but it is pretty straightforward and quick.

1) Go to http://www.trails-end.com/ .

2) Select the red “Leaders” button at the top of the page.

3) From the list on the far left, select “Popcorn System”. This will bring up the Popcorn System Login Page.

4) Enter last year’s username and password. If your unit has not done this in the past, get the username and password from the council office. The system will prompt you for a new email and password.

5) Next you will get a screen advising you to check the email address you entered for a confirmation code.

6) In that email from Trails End (almost instantly available), click on the link provided. It will verify your login, and allow you to login to the Popcorn System.

7) Enter your username and password, and click on the “Login” button.

8) The next screen will bring up your personal information: name, address, phone numbers. Please complete, and enter the data.

9) After you have confirmed the information, you will receive another email with important details—please read it over.

10) This will launch your unit’s screen, which will say, “Pack XYZ-Unit Home Page” in the upper left.

11) Above the “Pack XYZ-Unit Home Page”, you will see “User”, “Sub-units”, etc.

12) Click on “Scouts”.

13) If someone has used this system for your unit before, there may be a list of Scouts. Please edit as appropriate, and click on the “Save Changes” button in the lower right-hand corner. [A Scout’s Order Key is forever, so please don’t delete active Scouts.]

14) After editing, scroll to the bottom of the screen. Under “Additional Actions in Pack XYZ”, you will see “Scout Transfer Area” and “Add Multiple Scouts”.

15) “Scout Transfer Area” is for transferring existing Scouts into this unit (again, “A Scout’s Order Key is forever”). Use as necessary. I can see where this might be an important function for the Popcorn Chair to use or follow-up on after the Webelos Scouts move on to their new troops.

16) “Add Multiple Scouts” makes your work easier if you have more than one or two Scouts to enter into the Popcorn System. Click on “Add Multiple Scouts”.

17) The next screen asks how many Scouts you need to enter. Put the number in the box. Click on “Generate Multi Form”. [If you guess the wrong number, don’t worry—you’ll be able to add more later, or just leave the rest blank if you guessed too high.]

18) Enter each Scouts information. Do not use last names, per the instructions. Example: “Timmy Webelos” would be entered as “Timmy” in the first box, and “W” in the second box.

19) Complete data for all Scouts, and hit the button.

20) The system will think for a few seconds and then generate a very impressive, alphabetical list. This list will have the Scout’s “First Name & Intial”, “Order Key”, “Goal”, “Login” and “Password”.

IMPORTANT: The Login and Password are for use on www.trails-end.com.

For the "Scout Sign In" link on www.orderpopcorn.com, Scouts should use their Order Key as both their Username and Password.

Once you provide a Scout with his lifetime “Order Key”, it is up to them.

This link will cover the instructions for long distance and after-the-season purchases, credited directly to your Scout:
http://www.trails-end.com/TEPublic/docs/InternetFlyer.pdf

Popcorn Tip--Week #7: Try a new neighborhood or business district

After a few weeks of knocking on the neighbors’ doors, selling in front of a “big box” store, calling Grandma and sending a sign-up sheet to Dad’s workplace, it might be time to be adventurous.

Try a new neighborhood. Bike over with a buddy, or see if someone can walk around one evening with you.

In my town there are neighborhoods without a lot of kids. Some of them are where mostly retired folks live.

Give it a try. The same rules apply. Look sharp in your uniform. Be neat and clean. Use your manners. Introduce yourself. Thank folks for their time, whether or not they buy from you.

Let people know that they are helping to “support Scouting”.

You might very well find a street or two or six, that haven’t had anyone stop by to ask yet.

This might be a good neighborhood to try for other projects in the future, like “Scouting for Food”, mowing yards, raking leaves or shoveling snow.

There are lots of people who would love to find a young Scout to help them out all year round. Keep your eyes open to the possibilities!

Tip: older Scouts can try businesses in the area—insurance offices, bookstores, gas stations, dry cleaners, florists, law and real estate offices, or any other small businesses you would find grouped together.

Past Popcorn Tips:

Tip #6: Sign-up sheets at work
Tip #5: Big Box Stores
Tip #4: Neighbors
Tip #3: Civic Organizations and Churches
Tip #2: Call last year's list
Tip #1: Grandparents and Family

Popcorn Tip--Week #5: Big Box Stores

Wal-Mart, Target, Books-a-Million, Lowes are all kinds of "big box" stores. They are often supporters of Scouting.

While they won't let you walk around inside selling, they will usually let you set up a table outside so you can sell popcorn.

Your popcorn chairman will probably make the arrangements. They will work out a time and date, bring the popcorn and the sign-up sheets, and look for Scouts to help work at the booth.

Volunteer! Let them know you want to help.

Thousands of people walk through those big doors everyday. People just like you, who like to see a young Scout out trying to help "support Scouting".

Show up for your turn at the table on time, and in uniform. Be neat and clean. Use the bathroom before you start your turn! Have a buddy at the table all the time.

Smile! Be excited! If you are excited, the people you talk to will get excited.

Stand up. Sitting down doesn't make you look very excited.

Say "Hi" to people as they walk to the doors. Even if they don't answer or look at you, "A Scout is friendly."

If they do look at you, ask them if they would like to help "support Scouting". Some will come over to your table, some won't.

Let them look at the popcorn, and then ask them to fill in the sign-up sheet. Collect the money, and give them the popcorn. Thank them for helping to "support Scouting".

Stay until the next Scout arrives to work at the table—and wish him luck!

Tip: Some folks want to leave a cash donation instead of buying popcorn. Our units add up those donations during the popcorn season, and buy "Military Donations" with them. Just seems like the right thing to do!

Popcorn Tip--Week #4: Neighbors

No matter where you live, you have neighbors. They might be in an apartment upstairs, the townhouse next door, across the street, or on the next farm—but you have neighbors.

First, put a sign in your yard letting everyone know you are selling popcorn to “support Scouting”.

Second, get a buddy. A buddy might be an older sister, a Boy Scout, or a parent—the buddy system always applies.

Next, put 10 one-dollar bills into an envelope for change, and put your sign-up sheet on a clipboard. You and your buddy are ready to go see the neighbors!

Go up to the first door and knock. If no one answers, try the doorbell. If no one answers after that, go to the next door.

If someone answers the door, tell them: “Hi, I’m Tim and I wanted to know if you’d like to help support Scouting?” Then be quiet and listen to what they say.

If “No”, thank them for their time, and go to the next door. There is nothing wrong with “No”.

If “Yes”, show them the options on your clipboard, and let them look. Ask them to fill in the information on the sign-up sheet. Then, ask if they would like to go ahead and pay now—this will make delivery a lot faster for you in November.

They can always pay later when you make your delivery. When they are finished, let them know that the delivery will be in mid-November. Thank them for their time and for “supporting Scouting”.

Finally, go to the next door.

If you do this for half-an-hour, a couple of times a week, you’ll be surprised how quickly you fill up a sheet!

Tip: Sometimes people want to know what your favorite kind is, or what you recommend. Know the answer, so you can tell them right away!

Popcorn Tip--Week 2: Call last year’s list

If you sold popcorn last year, you have a great list to help get your sales started off this year.

The people on that list said “yes” once, and are likely to say it again.

Look at last year’s sign-up sheet, and call the people on it. Remind them that they helped to “support Scouting” last year, and let them know you appreciated it. Ask them if they would like to support you again this year with another purchase like last years.

Be nice. Be polite.

If they say “yes”, thank them for their order and their time. Let them know when to expect delivery (mid-November). They can pay you at that time.

If they say “no, thanks”, still thank them for their time. Everyone likes to be appreciated, even if it didn’t turn out quite like you had hoped.

Either way, move on to the next person on the list and try again. Sales is about trying, again and again. Some folks say “yes”, some “no”.

Not asking at all is a definite “no”!

Tip: when you finish your sheet, ask your Popcorn Kernel if any others are available.

Popcorn Tip--Week 1: Grandparents and family

Week 1: Grandparents and family

Start the popcorn season off on the right foot. Make the easy calls first.

Family and friends want to help support their loved ones, and that means quick and easy sales to you. They know you are in Scouts and want to help you succeed.

Treat them like any other customer though. Be nice. Be polite. Speak clearly, on the phone or in person. This is a good time to practice what you will say to others.

If they aren't interested, let them know that is OK, and talk to them about something else. Grandma is a lot more important than a popcorn sale!

Are you selling popcorn? Or are you asking them to help "support Scouting"? Popcorn is cheaper at the grocery store, but they will want to help "support Scouting".

If they are close by, swing by and speak to them in person.

If you won't see your grandparents, aunts and uncles until the holidays, call them for an order, or send them a copy of the order form. Thanksgiving is right in the middle of the "take order" delivery season, which might be a great time to deliver your product.

Good luck!

Pop 'em Dead!

'Tis the season to sell popcorn, fa-la-la-la...

This is my second season as the Shenrapawa District Popcorn Chairman, using Trails End to help "support Scouting".

Last year, I wrapped up my first season with a list (which I can no longer find) of 30-40 things that I thought would help make things easier this year.

Let's say it was a learning experience.

One of the items that really stuck with me was the need to communicate ideas to the folks in the field.

Some of you have sold or managed the popcorn process for years, and some are brand new.

Sometimes a reminder of something we "should know" is helpful. I thought that a weekly series of short articles would help pass along ideas to help "support Scouting".

Feel free to cut-and-paste the weekly articles, or forward the blog, to your families and Scouts. They are written with the Scout as the audience.

These are the same materials I'm sharing with my pack and troop.

If you have any ideas or feedback, always feel free to bounce back and let me know.

Thanks,

Todd