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!

Popcorn Tip--Week #8: Wrap it up!

The popcorn season is almost over.

You still have a few jobs left to do though.

Check with the couple of neighbors that haven’t seemed to be home yet.

Make sure family orders are all written down.

Write out a few “thank you” notes to drop off when you deliver your popcorn. “Military Donations” or large purchases should especially be noted and thanked.

Make sure your paperwork is all filled out properly. Double-check that the math is right.

Select your prizes and write it down for your popcorn chairman.

Make photocopies of your sign-up sheets to help with next year’s sales.

Turn in your paperwork, prize sheet, and funds collected to your popcorn chairman. Get a receipt for the money you turn in!

Pat yourself on the back for a job well done, and a great popcorn season! You have really helped to “support Scouting” for yourself, your unit and your council!

Good job, Scout!

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.