1 Bay Area Council Popcorn Kernel Guide Fall 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS THE BASICS (Important Dates, Contacts).....Page 3 EARNING COMMISSION & UNIT COMMITMENT FORM...Page 4 PRODUCTS..Page 5 UNIT KERNAL CHECKLIST...Page 6 GET TRAINED..Page 7 CREATE A BUDGET & SET GOALS..Page 8 CREATE SCOUT ACCOUNTS..Page 9 HOST A UNIT KICKOFF...Page 10 CREATE PRIZE INCENTIVES...Page 11 SELLING METHODS...Page 12 MARKET YOUR SALE Page 13 ENTER POPCORN ORDERS...Page 14 PICKUP & DISTRIBUTION Page 15 TURN IN YOUR MONEY Page 16 PRIZES & INCENTIVES.Page 17-19 2
This guide has been designed to supply you and your unit's key leaders with all the essential information necessary to conduct a very successful popcorn sale. It includes important dates, forms, instructions for ordering, incentives and prizes, and most importantly, information on who to contact if you have any questions. Please take a moment to read this information. If you have any questions please contact your District Popcorn kernel, your District Executive, or the Bay Area Council, 3020 53rd Street, Galveston, TX 77551, at 409-744-5206 for assistance. WHY POPCORN? Selling popcorn gives a Unit the opportunity to raise the money needed to fund their entire Scouting program for a year. WHY SELL? Increase your Unit and Council income 70% stays local Fund a year of Scouting Scouts learn valuable life lessons Top sellers earn college scholarships IMPORTANT DATES Council Popcorn Kickoff August 5 & August 6, 2017 Show & Sell Orders due September 1, 2017 Show & Sell Orders distribution September 16, 2017 Take Orders due October 20, 2017 Take Orders distribution November 4, 2017 Monies due to Council December 1, 2017 WHO TO CONTACT? COUNCIL POPCORN COUNCIL COORDINATOR Steve Bell at steve.bell@scouting.org COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR Tina Brendle at tina.brendle@scouting.org COASTAL Kernel, Christina Brummer at Christina.brummer@yahoo.com District Executive, Dio Gonzalez, dionicio.gonzalez@scouting.org District Executive, Lester Tarver, lester.tarver@scouting.org CRADLE OF TEXAS Kernel, Nancy Gray, rainbow4jc@comcast.net District Executive, Aaron Christopher, aaron.christopher@scouting.org NORTHERN STAR Kernel, DruEllen Duncan, druellenduncan@yahoo.com District Executive, Steve Bell, steve.bell@scouting.org THUNDERBIRD Kernel, TBD District Executive, Warren Reed, warren.reed@scouting.org 3
EARNING COMMISSION The Scout Unit Commission Plan has some incentives built in. The basic popcorn commission is 33% if you do not use the Council prize program. If your Unit chooses to take advantage of the prize program, your Unit receives 30%. All Unit s gain 1% if your Popcorn Kernel or Co-Kernel attends one of the Council Popcorn Kickoffs. POPCORN UNIT COMMITMENT Please fill out your Unit Popcorn Commitment online at www.bacbsa.org/popcorn Please have the following information ready: District Unit Unit Popcorn Kernel Sale s goal Commission plan 4
PRODUCTS *Due to the high heat and humidity in Texas, Chocolate items will not be available for the Show & Sell portion of our sale. 5
UNIT KERNEL DUTIES Top Ten Check List 1. GET TRAINED. 2. CREATE A BUDGET & SET GOALS. 3. CREATE SCOUT ACCOUNTS. 4. HOST A UNIT KICKOFF. 5. CREATE PRIZE INCENTIVES. 6. USE BOTH SELLING METHODS. 7. MARKET YOUR SALE. 8. ENTER POPCORN ORDERS. 9. PICKUP & DISTRIBUTION. 10. TURN IN YOUR MONEY. 6
1. GET TRAINED RETURNING KERNELS - Go online and submit a Popcorn commitment form (www.bacbsa.org/popcorn) to Council no later than AUGUST 15, 2017. This allows us to confirm your contact information, supply you with your password from last year, and to keep the mass email list updated. - Change your user name and password if you are a returning kernel. The Trails-End website requires it the first time you try to log in each year. Key your current log-in information into the log-in screen and follow the prompts. - Log in to the Trails-End system and confirm your personal information such as your address, phone number and email. Additionally, please edit all users associated with your unit as someone may have crossed over or left scouting, or you may want to give an assistant access. NEW KERNELS - Go online and submit a Popcorn commitment form (www.bacbsa.org/popcorn) to Council no later than AUGUST 15, 2017. This allows the council to set up a user name and password for you in the Trails- End system so that you can enter your popcorn order. - Log in to the Trails-End system and review the information found under the Help link to learn more about reports, usage, etc. - If you are unsure ASK! We would much rather deal with a hundred crazy questions, then have you confused and frustrated or double your order and get stuck with popcorn. TRAINING VIDEOS & HOW TO S - Check out the Bay Area Council website at www.bacbsa.org/popcorn for training videos, how-to s, resources and forms. 7
2. CREATE A BUDGET & SET GOALS Creating a budget does several things. First, it tells you how much popcorn your unit needs to sell. Second, it tells you what goals to set for your Scouts. Third, it lets the parents know exactly what the financial needs of your unit are. SETTING A UNIT GOAL You will need to set a popcorn goal for your unit as well as your Scouts. Follow these easy steps to calculate your goals. Total dollars your Unit plans to spend this year? Unit Budget Divide the Income needed from the popcorn sale by the popcorn commission. (33% Commission) Unit Sales Goal Divide the Unit Sales Goal by the number of Scouts in your Unit: Per Scout Goal Our Unit Sales Goal: $ Total Scouts Selling: IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER - Communicate the Per Scout Goal at the Unit Kickoff - Reward Scouts for achieving the Per Scout Goal levels - Develop Unit incentives to encourage Scouts and families to sell - Remind Scouts and parents of the Unit and Per Scout Goal throughout the sale WHAT OTHER UNITS BOUGHT WITH THEIR MONEY We bought a Trailer for our Troop. - Troop 207 We were able to give Camperships to all of our Scouts. - Troop 554 We sent our Scouts to Native American Weekend. - Pack 345 8
3. CREATE SCOUT ACCOUNTS SET UP SCOUT ACCOUNTS 1. On your Unit Home Page, click on the Scouts menu 2. Click on New Scout 3. Enter the First Name & Last 4. When you are done, click on Save Changes 5. Scouts that have registered online selling accounts, and that are associated with your unit will already be displayed in your Scout list For questions about the Trails-End Popcorn system, please contact Tina Brendle at tina.brendle@scouting.org or visit www.sell.trails-end.com 9
4. HOST A UNIT KICKOFF Now that you know how much your Scouts will need to sell, you need to communicate the plan to the Scouts and parents. This can be done at a fun-filled and informative Unit Popcorn Kickoff that gets Scouts motivated to sell. Studies show that Unit s that hold kickoffs increase their sales by 40%. On average Scouts sell $626 each. Be sure to involve other parents to help you and be sure to promote it in advance. At the kickoff, be sure to handout packets of useful information so you can skip a lot of topics that would otherwise need to be covered. Make sure to include the Take Order forms. Now you can concentrate on sales techniques, prizes and fun stuff. Supplies you will need for a successful kickoff: 1. Take Order forms/useful Packets 2. Props & fun skit ideas 3. Sample Unit prizes & incentives The key to a successful kickoff is to Keep It Simple - Make It Fun! Agenda - Opening comments - Review last year s sale and how the money raised benefited the Scouts program. - Recognize last year s top salesman. - Preview the Scouting programs that are planned for this year, especially camp! - Communicate the Unit and youth goals for this year s sale and how important it is that each of them try to achieve their goal. Promise them you will do something silly such as take a pie in the face or something else that is fun and original. Maybe include a Unit goal sheet in their packets. Sales Techniques & Prizes Spend a few minutes on each of the following subjects: - Know your product - using the brochure, show them the products. - Motivate them with the prizes available for Scouts - the Trails-End scholarship prizes, the Council's prize sheet, and anything your Unit may offer. - How to sell - role play what a Scout should say when they knock on a door. Make sure the Scouts know to wear their uniform and make sure they ALL KNOW the presentation. Scout Selling Presentation / 5 Principles to Success: 1. Tell them who you are first name only. 2. Tell them where you are from. 3. Tell them what you are doing. 4. Tell them what they can do you for you. 5. Close the sale. Sample sales presentation: "My name is. My Scout Unit is selling popcorn to help pay for the activities we do. We re selling delicious Trail s End Popcorn. Can you please help me reach my goal and buy some from me today? Thank you very much. Finally - Make sure they know the important dates and when things are due. Tell them about resources available to them such as door leaflets, business cards and goal posters on the Council website. Be sure to have the Trail's End, www.sell.trails-end.com, and Council website, www.bacbsa.org/popcorn, listed on your handouts. 10
5. CREATE PRIZE INCENTIVES In addition to the Council s prize program, develop your own Unit Prize Package that recognizes the weekly sales efforts of your Scouts. Scouts respond well to a little friendly competition. Typically, Scouts sell hard during the first two weeks. The best way to ensure they sell during the entire time is to recognize them for their efforts with a prize! UNIT INCENTIVES (EXAMPLES) - Give a gift certificate to the 1st week s top seller - Scouts who reach their sales goal get to throw pies in the leaders faces - Host a pizza party for the top selling Den - Have a prize drawing for all the boys who fill up a take order form - Limo ride to CiCi s pizza (Actual Troop example!) - NASA camp-in (Actual Troop example!) - Give away an X-Box/Playstation to the top seller WHAT OTHER UNITS DID (EXAMPLE): - One Troop created a weekly goal poster which kept the competition lively. It motivated the Scouts throughout the entire sale and kept them selling! We have created one for you. To download it, go to www.bacbsa.org/popcorn and scroll down to Resources. 11
6. SELLING METHODS The Bay Area Council has three ways to sell: Show and Sell, which allows units to set up outside of a retail store, Take Order, where Scouts go door-to-door (or parents take an order form to work) with delivery taking place at a later date, and Online Sales, where Scouts can send emails to friends and family asking them to purchase products online and the Scout doesn't have to collect money or deliver products. SHOW & SELL This method gives you high visibility, provides the opportunity to get new customers, and is low-risk, as any unsold product can be used to fill Take-Orders. All you need to do is find a good location with a high volume of traffic. The Unit s Show & Sell Order is due by SEPTEMBER 1, 2017. TAKE ORDER The Take-Order sale is just what it implies, you can go door-to-door or have your parents help by selling at work. We highly suggest Scouts collect the money up front at the time of a sale to prevent cancelled orders. Popcorn is an easy sell as studies show that eight out of 10 people will buy popcorn when asked. Don t forget: Any product left from your Show & Sell sale can be deducted from your Take Order sale. Just reduce the amount you order for the Take Order from what you have on hand from the Show & Sell. Show & Sale cannot be returned to the Council! Take Orders are due by OCTOBER 20, 2017. ONLINE SALES Do a mass email to family and friends who may want to support you in your efforts! Or use your Facebook page to promote your sale. Tell people about delicious new flavors and gifts they can purchase directly from you and be sure to let them know that Online Sales are shipped directly to the purchaser. Note: Online products/prices are slightly different than the other types of sales due to shipping costs and to insure product quality. WHERE TO SELL Coffee Houses, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Banks, Hardware Stores, Post Offices, Train Stations, Parent s Work, Video Stores, Assisted Care Living Centers, Libraries, Churches, Roller Rinks and Bowling Alleys, even community yard sales. Whatever you do, think outside the box and book locations EARLY (They will fill up fast). 12
7. MARKET YOUR SALE PUBLICIZE YOUR SALE Now that you know where you are going to sell, market it! Let people in your neighborhoods, and especially your church and local businesses know that you'll be selling, and why you're selling popcorn. Try to think of new and innovative ways to publicize your sale in your community. For example, why not publicize your efforts in the church bulletin or use your Facebook account. GET CRAFTY Make yard signs that say Popcorn for sale or Support your local Scout. It s a cheap and easy way to promote your sale. Just get a poster board and piece of wood and mark away! Make pen toppers for your parents at work that say Stop me for Scout Popcorn. Or buttons for them to wear around the office! New this year: Trails-End has made a fun I supported a Scout Unit Selfie for use at your Show & Sell sale. Download it at www.bacbsa.org/popcorn under Resources. FREEBIES Don t forget to download marketing materials such as door leaflets and business cards to leave on your neighbors doors from www.bacbsa.org/popcorn. 13
8. ENTER POPCORN ORDERS HOW TO PLACE YOUR SHOW AND SELL ORDER 1. Sign in to your www.scouting.trails-end.com account (login information provided by your council) 2. From your Unit home page, click on Order Popcorn 3. Use Choose delivery drop down to select Show n Sell 4. Enter the quantity of cases* needed next to each product (*Quantity interval column shows ratio of containers per case) 5. Click Save (You can save and come back to it before submitting) 6. When your order is complete, click Submit HOW TO ADD SCOUTS 7. From the Unit homepage, select Scouts 8. If Scout already has account, they will already be in the system 9. To add new, click New Scout 10. Enter Scout first and last name, enter all Scouts 11. Under Scout Tracking (Tab), Enter Order for each Sale (Show n Sell & Take Order) (Online and app sales will automatically show dollar amount so Scout gets credit for Scholarships and prizes) 12. NOTE: Show n Sell has to be input prior to prize ordering, Take Order has to be entered before to Unit s Take Order is submitted to Council 13. From Scout Tracking (tab), under Take Order column, click Enter Order for each Scout 14. Use Choose delivery drop down to select Take Order 15. Enter the quantity of containers from Order Form for Take Orders for each Scout 16. Click Save (You can save and come back to it before submitting) 17. When your order is complete, click Submit 18. Once all Scouts forms have been entered, then follow HOW TO PLACE YOUR TAKE ORDER HOW TO PLACE YOUR TAKE ORDER 1. After you have added all sales by Scout 2. From Unit homepage, click Order Popcorn 3. Use Choose delivery drop down to select Take Order 4. Click New Unit Order, and select order from the dropdown menus 5. The Total Need column sums the orders you entered on the Scouts / Scout Tracking pages 6. If you have leftover Show and Sell product, use it to fill your Take Order by entering negative numbers in the Order Adjustment column 7. Your final order will be listed to the right under the Final Unit Order column 8. Double check all of your numbers before submitting to your Council 9. Click on Save to save any changes 10. When your order is complete, click on Submit to submit your order to your Council for approval SHOW & SELL SALE - Order in FULL CASE orders ONLY! - Orders must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on SEPTEMBER 1, 2017. TAKE ORDER SALE - Order in full cases and individual units Let the system work for you! - Order must be received by 11:59 PM on OCTOBER 20, 2017. - Remember to deduct any popcorn left over from Show and Sell from your Take Order! ALL ORDERS - No late orders will be accepted. Once your order is submitted, it can t be adjusted. Popcorn is not returnable so order accordingly. Don t forget to hit the submit button to submit the order to council. 14
9. PICKUP & DISTRIBUTION After you have picked up your popcorn, take it to your meeting location and allow no orders to be picked up by individual Scouts or leaders until you have recounted your order and broken it down into individual orders. Once you have completed this, it is time to allow Scouts and their families to come into the room and pick up/sign for their orders. Don't forget to include each Scout's individual order forms with their orders. Product pickup and distribution can be a crazy ordeal, or it can be fun. The key is to be organized and patient. COUNCIL DISTRIBUTION SITES SHOW & SELL (ALL DISTRICTS) 8-10 a.m., September 16, 2017 Gulf Greyhound Park, 1000 FM 2004 (Please use employee entrance just South of Main entrance), La Marque, TX 77568 TAKE ORDER (ALL DISTRICTS) 8-10 a.m., November 4, 2017 Gulf Greyhound Park, 1000 FM 2004 (Please use employee entrance just South of Main entrance), La Marque, TX 77568 POPCORN PICKUP Please make sure you have enough vehicles to handle your order. Deduct 5-6 cases, from the numbers shown, for each passenger (kid, dog, etc.) that comes with a driver. Approximate number of cases per vehicle: - Car -20-30 - Mini-Van (rear seats out) - 40-50 - Panel Van 100 - Moving Truck (12 foot) 200 15
10. TURN IN YOUR MONEY You need to make sure all of your Scouts turn in their money and that your unit's account is settled by the deadline. We suggest you set two dates for money turn-in. This way, should you encounter any problems, you still have time to correct it before the deadline. Make sure your Scouts and families understand that your unit's commission will be in jeopardy if all of their money is not turned in on time. PAYMENT DUE DATE Payment is DUE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2017. *Units who are not paid in full as of DECEMBER 1, 2017 may have to forfeit part or all of their commission, could be subjected to a finance charges or may be forced to forfeit council incentives. *Units that have not paid by the start of the next year s sales will not be able to sell popcorn until their account is brought up to date. INVOICES Your Unit will be given an invoice for Show and Sell and Take Order Popcorn at the Take Order pickup. It can also be accessed on the Trails End website at www.sell.trails-end.com. PAY BY CHECK Please pay by ONE check, drawn from your Unit s bank account. Units paying by creative financing may have their Bonus Commission withheld until all checks have cleared the bank. Any bank fees incurred by the Council due to a Units creative financing will be passed on to that Unit. MAIL PAYMENTS Payment needs to be mailed or made in person to: Bay Area Council Popcorn, 3020 53rd Street, Galveston, TX 77551. QUESTIONS Any questions regarding payment can be directed to: Steve Bell at steve.bell@scouting.org or Tina Brendle at tina.brendle@scouting.org 16
PRIZES & INCENTIVITES COUNCIL INCENTIVES Download our free prize sheet at www.bacbsa.org/popcorn to hand out to your Scouts. TRAIL S END INCENTIVES Talk to your pack or troop leader about qualifying for the Trail's End Scholarship Program. It's open to any Scout who sells $2,500 worth of popcorn during the sale and submits copies of their order forms and Trails-End Scholarship form to the Council by December 1, 2017. A Scout can earn 6% of his popcorn sale total each year after qualifying and let it earn interest until he is ready to use it for his post-high school education. This is in addition to all other prizes the Scout qualifies for from the Council and the unit. For more information, visit www.sell.trails-end.com. 17
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