Subject: This Weekend’s Popcorn Sales

Hi All,

Below is the updated schedule of popcorn sales for this weekend. If you and your son aren’t going to Catamount this weekend, we really need help from both scouts and leaders/parents to staff the remaining sale locations and spots.

Date	Time	Location
Saturday, Sept. 26 – T. Thonger – J. Kobylarcz – L. Scimeme	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop Northport (Right Side Entrance) (John Scimeme running this sale)
Saturday, Sept. 26 – Alex Johnson – D. Friese (11-1)	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop Northport (Left Side Entrance)
Saturday, Sept. 26	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop East Northport (Main Entrance)
Sunday, Sept. 27 – Ben Mosher – Matt Mosher	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop Northport (Right Side Entrance) (Doug Mosher running this sale)
Sunday, Sept. 27 – Richie Clinton – Tom Clinton – T. Thonger – Taylor Fox	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop Northport (Left Side Entrance) (Stephanie Clinton running this sale)
Sunday, Sept. 27 – Daniel Realmuto – Arthur Smith (11 – 1)	11-3 pm	Stop N Shop East Northport (Main Entrance)

We got the jump on other troops this year by locking up these prime selling locations in July. Since other troops haven’t started selling at supermarkets yet, we won’t have many shoppers telling us “Oh, I bought some already”. So they should be primed to buy! If we don’t fill a sale location with scouts this weekend, it is unlikely we can schedule future sales at supermarkets because other troops will have the other dates locked up. So please sign up now!

I need a leader or parent to supervise the Left Side Entrance at Northport Stop N Shop on Saturday 9/26 and one for the East Northport Stop N Shop that same day and also one there for Sunday. Please look at the holes in the schedule where few or no scouts have volunteered and have your son take one of those slots. (Fewer volunteers mean more sales for your son!) I also need volunteers with large vehicles to transport the selling tables from the church to the sale sites and back after the sales.

TIPS FOR SELLING AT STORES:

1. Don’t ask shoppers “Do you want to buy some popcorn?” Ask instead: “Would you like to make a donation to help support scouting?” And then lead them to the table and show them what’s available for different levels of “donations” (e.g. show the different products at the different “donation levels”):

a. $10 donation = bag of caramel corn

b. $20 donation = choice of 18 pack Butter Light, 18 pack Unbelievable Butter, or bag of Caramel Corn with Nuts

Remember: people are resistant to being “Sold To”, but making donations makes them feel good

2. For the Sale Supervisors: Have a large clear jar or jug labeled “donations” at the table. Many people who don’t like popcorn will drop a few bucks in the jar with a smile! Very important! (Empty 5 lb pretzel containers from Costco or BJ’s make excellent donation jars)

3. Scouts are given sale credits based on attendance time and the total amount sold at the sale, so supervisors need to have all scouts sign in and out of the sale. Scouts are working together to maximize the total sold at the sale, not selling individually, so have them work as a team.

Thanks in advance for all your help with this. If we make a strong push here, it will lessen how much we need to sell to family and friends in phase 2 in October/November!

John Johnson

Troop 410 Popcorn Kernal