2017 Unit Kernel Manual

Transcription

1 2017 Unit Kernel Manual CROSSROADS OF AMERICA COUNCIL, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

2 Table of Contents Council Timeline... 2 Sales Methods... 3 Online and Storefront Sales... 4 Prepare Your Unit... 5 Create Excitement... 5 Getting Unit Popcorn... 6 Obtaining More Popcorn... 6 Returning Unsold Popcorn Product Mix... 7 Wrapping Up the Sale... 8 Resources... 8 Commission Structure... 9 Individual Sales Plan Comission Structure Preview district kernels and council LEADERSHIP District District Kernel Name Phone Number After School Ali Abularasheed (317) ali_ibn@yahoo.com Bear Creek Jane Blevis (765) traderjane1@comcast.net Del-Mi Shane Langemeir (317) shanelangemeier@bestequipmentco.com Golden Eagle Katie Bohnert (765) bohnertk@gmail.com Hou Koda Alex Alcalde (317) aalcalde@indy.rr.com Northeast Jess Jarrett (317) jessjarrettscouts@yahoo.com North Star Tom Petersen (317) thomas.w.petersen@outlook.com Pathfinder Abby Barnes (317) abbigailn@att.net Pioneer Chelsa Richardson (317) pioneerpopcorn@hotmail.com Sakima Keri Roby (317) keroby@crossroadsbsa.org Sugar Creek Jessica Hofman (317) jehofman@crossroadsbsa.org Wabash Valley Mary Carlton (720) sellpopcornpack200@gmail.com Council Position Name Phone Number Popcorn Staff Advisor Marilyn Lopez (317) marillop@crossroadsbsa.org Popcorn Assistant Crys Gilliatt (317) popcorn@crossroadsbsa.org Popcorn Marketing and Logistics Eric Sarlitto (765) esarlitt@crossroadsbsa.org Popcorn Promotions Ryan Kelleher (317) rkellehe@crossroadsbsa.org For support, contact your district popcorn kernel first! 1 Not sure what district you re in? Refer to

3 COUNCIL POPCORN SALE TIMELINE July 14 Unit Popcorn Commitment Deadline August or by September 7 Unit Popcorn Kick Off Party August 1 Online Sale Begins August 11 Individual Sales Plan Due August 27 Initial Orders Due September Product Distribution September 16 Sale Begins September Kickoff Blitz September 19 Pickup/Return Day at Camp Belzer September 26 Pickup/Return Day at Camp Belzer September 27 Kickoff Blitz Prize Form Due October Roundtable Kickoff Blitz Prize Distribution to Units October 3 Pickup/Return Day at Camp Belzer October 7-15 Blitz for Online Sales October 17 Pickup/Return Day at Camp Belzer October 22 Sale Ends October 24 Final Return Day (Multiple Locations) October 29 Final Orders Due October 29 Prize Orders Due October 29 Final Day to Submit Unit Transfers November Roundtable Blitz Prize Distribution to Units for Online Sales November Sort & Distribution November 21 Cash & Carry at Camp Belzer November 28 Cash & Carry at Camp Belzer December 1 Final Payment Due December 5 Cash & Carry at Camp Belzer December 12 Cash & Carry at Camp Belzer District and unit dates may vary. Dates listed here are council-level dates. To ensure that your unit and district make the council s deadlines, check with your district leadership to confirm your appropriate timeline. Districts may opt to backdate one or more days before these deadlines. Units may opt to backdate one or more days before the district deadlines. July August September October November December

4 SALES MET H O D S take order Average sales per hour: The sky is the limit! Description: Customer orders popcorn on an order form and waits for it to be delivered in November. Who buys this way? Family members, friends, neighbors, parents coworkers, teachers, coaches, hairdressers, and customers purchasing only military magnets. Best Practice: Before Scouts hit the streets and knock on doors, they should approach closest family and friends, especially during the kickoff blitz (September 16-24). Help Scouts make a list of family and friends they know will make a purchase. After initial contacts, they should be close to their goal and feeling confident of their sale victories! If a customer chooses to pay with a check, then it should be made payable to the unit. DOOR-TO-DOOR Average sales per hour: $200 Description: Scout, with a friend or family member, sells popcorn on-hand (in a wagon or vehicle) to customers at home; delivering the popcorn and collecting payment on-the-spot. Who buys this way? Suburban neighborhoods, rural homes, city townhouses, and customers only purchasing military magnets. Best Practice: Allow the customer to receive popcorn on-the-spot only after they place an order on the form. Say, Would you like your product now instead of waiting? Customers tend to choose the least expensive item that you have on hand, so don t let them see your stash right away. If a customer chooses to pay with a check, then it should be made payable to the unit. 3 FuN FaCt: Scouts who sell $2,500 of popcorn in one year, earn a college scholarship. Each subsequent year, 6% of sale proceeds are added!

5 ONLINE Average sale per customer: $90 Description: Scouts solicit customers via or social media. Customers buy popcorn with a Scout s online link or searching for them on Then, customers pay shipping and obtain popcorn within 3-9 business days. Customers that buy three or more products will get free shipping. Who buys this way? Out-of-town family and friends, parents and coworkers. Best Practice: Scouts self-register for online selling and create an account at the beginning of the sale (online sales begin Aug.1). They are encouraged to and share personal order links on social media. Within two weeks, they should follow-up with those who have not ordered and send thank you messages to those who have. This year there will be an online sales blitz between October Scouts who sell $180 online during this time will get a bonus prize. See prize flyer for prize information. STOREFRONT Average sales per hour: $100 Description: Scouts sell popcorn (exchange popcorn and money on-the-spot) to local community in front of high-traffic stores or events. Who buys this way? Grocery store shoppers, college students, sports attendees, and festival attendees. Best Practice: Schedule booth time with store managers as soon as possible. Schedule Scouts to fill two hour timeslots. All participating Scouts get equal credit for the day s total sales. This is a great way to increase visibility in the community and recruit new Scouts! Units are strongly encouraged to have credit card readers for storefront sales to avoid no cash objections. FuN FaCt: TrailsEnd.com is 100% COPPA (Children s Online Privacy Protection Act) compliant - putting cyber safety first! 4

6 PREPARE YOUR UNIT FOR THE SALE Administrative tasks Review last year s unit popcorn sale and complete your individual unit sales plan. Ask your unit committee: Did our unit meet its goal? What went well? What could we improve this year? FuN FaCt: In 2016, 63% of units that sold online met their sales goal. Of those units who sold online, there was a 31% higher sales rate per Scout. Place your unit s initial popcorn order by August 27, no later than 11:59 pm. Remember, orders are by the case, not containers. Schedule storefront sale dates and times with nearby high-traffic businesses. Prepare popcorn kickoff information for Scouts and their parents. Distribute popcorn sale information at the unit s fun kickoff party. Include unit budget, calendar, popcorn sale expectations, and the importance of a positive attitude. Prepare a communication plan with Scout parents and leaders (meeting announcements, mass s, social media blasts, etc.). CREATING SALE EXCITEMENT Motivating your sales force Enlist the help of your committee to plan a popcorn kickoff party. Don t do this alone! Your most dynamic and silly leaders should be involved. Tip: Add music and extra decorations to your popcorn kick-off to make it more exciting! Secure decorations, snacks, music and popcorn materials (order forms, posters, etc.). Consider using the council s popcorn theme. Decide on unit-level incentives (highest selling Scout throws a pie in a unit leader s face, weekly prizes for top three sellers, pizza party for all boys that sell five or more items). Hold your unit popcorn kickoff party (sample agenda provided by the council). Review the prize program in depth with the Scouts! Most youth are motivated to hit sales goals because of prizes, not because they want to help pay their own way (even though it s a valuable lesson). Keep Scouts motivated throughout the sale with fun competitions and prize reminders. 5

7 GETTING YOUR UNIT POPCORN Your district has a local warehouse where your initial order (September) and final order (November) may be picked up. For exact dates, times and locations, contact your district popcorn team. September 13-16, Initial order pick-up (takes minutes) November 15-18, Final order pick-up (takes minutes) Orders may be pre-sorted or on-site product sorting may be required. Be prepared to physically load the product into vehicle(s) as volunteers on-site are limited. Those picking up the popcorn will sign a packing slip, taking responsibility for the merchandise on the unit s behalf. Remember, no children under the age of 18 are allowed in the warehouses due to safety reasons. Vehicle Capacity Estimates Mid-size car: 20 cases Small SUV: 40 cases Crossover: 40 cases Mini-van: 60 cases Large SUV: 70 cases Full-size van: 70 cases *Moving vans and box trucks work well! OBTAINING MORE POPCORN A limited supply of extra popcorn will be available on these Tuesdays throughout the sale: September 19 September 26 October 3 October 17 If extra product is needed after Tuesday, October 17, please contact your district popcorn kernel or district executive (see page 1). To pick-up extra popcorn from Camp Belzer (1 pm - 6 pm only): Place an online reservation at (Click on Resources, Popcorn, Order Popcorn) *Reservations open at 1 pm, on Wednesday prior to Tuesday pick-ups, and close at 8 am, on Tuesday of pick-up. Bring a printed copy of your reservation to Camp Belzer. *Reserved product not picked up by 6pm, will be released back into general inventory. Mid-sale additional popcorn is meant for storefront sales and neighborhood sales, not to fill order form sales. Camp Belzer: 6102 Boy Scout Road Indianapolis, Ind., For the following Scout offices, product is limited and available during normal business hours. Please call first to confirm availability of desired product types and staff to assist. Muncie Scout Center (765) Terre Haute Scout Center (812)

8 RETURNING UNSOLD POPCORN Seven popcorn products may be returned in full case or individual container quantities if in the original case box. Returned products will be credited to unit accounts if they are in excellent condition, returned in their original cardboard case/box and do not contain writing of any kind. Unblemished products, even the outside of cardboard boxes, are required in order to sell leftover popcorn to other councils at the end of our sale. Reference this product mix guide to determine what products may be returned. Four products cannot be returned after they are ordered by the unit. Remember, final popcorn return day is Tuesday, Oct. 24, and will be accepted from 1-6pm, at Camp Belzer, Muncie Scout Office and Terre Haute Scout Office. Unsold, unreturned popcorn remains the property and financial responsibility of the unit beyond Oct., POPCORN MIX Product Containers/Cases Retail Price Returnable? Classic Caramel Corn 12 $10 Yes Popping Corn 12 $10 Yes White Cheddar Cheese 12 $15 Yes Kettle Corn Microwave 6 $20 Yes Premium Caramel Corn 12 $20 Yes (Almonds, Cashews, Pecans) Unbelievable Butter Microwave 6 $20 Yes Chocolatey Caramel Crunch Tin 6 $25 No Salted Caramel Corn 12 $25 Yes White Chocolately Pretzels Tin 6 $25 No Cheese Lover s Collection Box 1 $30 No $30 Military Magnet 1 $30 Yes $50 Military Magnet 1 $50 Yes Chocolate Lover s Collection Tin 1 $60 No 7 Once the extra, non-returnable products are depleted at Camp Belzer (and outer offices) from the initial order in September, another Trail s End order will not be placed for them until the final order in November.

9 WRAPPING UP THE POPCORN SALE The sale ends Sunday, October 22, leaving seven days to collect all popcorn and prize orders before they are due to the prize company through the Trail s End system on Sunday, October 29, by 11:59 pm. Manually add up all Scout popcorn orders. Use leftover popcorn to fill additional Scout orders. Place a final order (in case or container quantities) by Sunday, October 29, at 11:59 pm, to fill any remaining orders. Return any unsold popcorn by Tuesday, October 24, from 1 pm - 6 pm. Using the prize ordering system, complete your unit s prize order by Sunday, October 29. Pick up the final popcorn order at your local warehouse November 16-19, (check with district popcorn team for specific details). Distribute popcorn to Scouts for final popcorn delivery to customers before Thanksgiving. Pay your unit s popcorn invoice no later than Friday, December 1. Amount due is: retail price minus unit s commission. No commission checks are issued to units. Checks should be made out to CAC-BSA. Checks made out to a unit will not be accepted as a form of payment to the council. Units that do not pay their bill on-time will experience a delay in receiving prizes. Plan to hold your unit s popcorn celebration party. Distribute prizes and thank your Scouts, parents and leaders for a job well done. Obtain feedback to improve next year s sale. Congratulations! You completed the sale! Pat yourself on the back! Thank the other adults that helped make your sale a success. RESOURCES Visit for these resources and more! Your District Kernel name and contact information Electronic copies of popcorn materials: Sale timeline and deadlines Popcorn order form Product picture page Prize flyer PDF fillable popcorn business cards for Scouts Unit Kernel Guide Popcorn Kickoff Party Guide Writable PDF popcorn kickoff invitation Inventory management spreadsheets Sample customer receipt Archived e-newsletters Visit for these resources and more! Place the initial and final unit popcorn orders here Review last year s orders Review current invoice amount due Review Scouts online orders For additional resources, visit FuN FaCt: Scouts earn 50% commission from online sales! Different products are sold online too such as coffee, chocolate, K-Cups and more! 8

10 COMMISSION STRUCTURE 32% Base Commission +2% Individual sales plan signed, attend a district kernel training, and hold a unit kickoff. +2% Have an increase in sales over % Sell $20,000 or more INDIVIDUAL UNIT SALES PLAN 2016 Show and Sell total order: 2016 Take order sale: 2016 Total sale: Unit type and number: Current number of Scouts: 2017 unit goal: Individual unit sales goal: Each unit will hold a kickoff party no later than Friday, September 9. If every Scout sells at least one item they will receive the main Mega Corn patch. Scouts should do their best to achieve the Mega Corn collection 6-piece patch set. Units are strongly encouraged to have credit card readers for store front sales to overcome no cash objections For families selling door-to-door we strongly encourage them to have their own credit card reader to overcome no cash objections Units encourage Scouts to participates in online/mobile sale Unit participates in show-n-sell (storefront or show and deliver sale) Encourage all Scouts to participate in the military donation program Attend the district training session Send PARENT COMMUNICATION LETTERS or S ABOUT THE SALE throughout the entire campaign District executive or district kernel signature 9 Unit kernel signature

11 2018 commission structure Preview This is the comission structure that will be used for the 2018 popcorn sale. The biggest difference is that units will need to attend an Ideal Year of Scouting training as part of receiving an additional 2% commission. Please use this information for planing your 2018 popcorn sale. 32% Base Commission +2% Attend an Ideal Year of Scouting training, individual sales plan signed, attend a district kernel training, and hold a unit kickoff. +2% Have an increase in sales over % Sell $20,000 or more 10