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Popcorn

Why Sell Popcorn?

POPCORN = PROGRAM! Fund all your program-related expenses and activities you want your Scouts to enjoy this year, through popcorn. Things you can pay for with proceeds from popcorn:

Yearly Membership DuesScout’s Life MagazineUniforms, Patches, and AwardsMeeting Supplies & EquipmentBlue & Gold Banquet or Derby
Camping TripsHikesHoliday PartiesPinewood DerbyMuch More!

New in 2024 - San Jose Sharks Popcorn Club

Scouts who sell $3,500 of popcorn or more will qualify for the Sharks Popcorn Club, sponsored by the San Jose Sharks!

Special Club Membership includes:

          2 Tickets to a Sharks or Barracuda Game, Dates TBD

          Limited edition Sharks Popcorn Club T-Shirt.

          The honor of being inducted as a Sharks Popcorn Club Member and if applicable, participation in the pre-game promotions. 

Scouts will be automatically entered after they sell $3,500 of popcorn. 

Powered By Popcorn! Here is your Popcorn News!

Here is again a quick overview of the Commission Structure:
  • Online Commission = 30%
  • Base Commission for Wagon and Storefronts = 23% (conditional to submitting payment on time).
  • Attend Council or District or Fall Program Kickoff + 1% Commission
  • Host your units’ Kickoff (and send a picture to your DE) + 1% Commission
  • Submit your program and budget to your DE + 1% Commission
  • Get 75% of your scouts (as of June 30th) to sell + 4% Commission!
  • Average sales per scout of $683 or total unit’s sales of $20K = additional 3%
  • Average sales per scout of $1,750 or total unit’s sales of $40K = additional 3% Total Possible Commission = 36%
Want To Know How to Make Your Popcorn Fundraiser A Success?
  • New and returning Unit Kernels should attend both a Trail's End online training webinar to hear about the Trail's End technology updates and hear directly from other Unit Leaders and Scouts themselves.
  • The first Trail's End webinar is July 14th, so hurry and register now!
  • And don't forget to register your unit with Trail's End or visit our Popcorn Page.
Storefront reservations are starting this weekend! Storefront Claiming Schedule:
  • Saturday, July 15th - $20K & above Units, 3 Reservations within District
  • Sunday, July 16th - $20K & above Units, 3 Reservations within District
  • Monday, July 17th – $10K & above Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Tuesday, July 18th – $10K & above Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Wednesday, July 19th – All Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Thursday, July 20th – All Units, 2 Reservations within Council
  • Friday, July 21st – All Units, Unlimited Reservations within Council
*Picks available at 10 am MST
 
HOW it WORKS:
  • View storefronts and sign up through the TE Unit Leader Portal.
  • See which storefront locations, dates and times work best for your Unit.
  • Important: If you don’t see a store on the list, please go ahead and contact the store directly. Then, create a new Storefront in the Leader’s Portal.

Success of your popcorn fundraiser will be determined if you get your scouts and their parents’ buy-in. Here are some tips for your unit’s kick off:

  • Make it fun: Build excitement with food, games, and prizes.
  • Set Goals: Review your program calendar and Unit sales goals. Help Scouts set individual goals.
  • Get started with the Trail’s End App: Scouts who sold before will use the same account; New Scouts will set up an account. Please remember, each Scout needs their own account.
  • Talk about prizes: Trail’s End Rewards – scouts can earn Amazon gift cards, for each dollar sold (online or with Credit Card) scouts receive 1.25 points. 500 points will equal $10 Amazon gift card! What are your unit’s incentives for the top selling scouts?
  • Training: Role play to train kids how to sell. Have scouts practice their sales speech. Don’t forget Thank Yous!
  • Direct Scouts/families to the training resources in the App
  • Review key dates and your unit’s annual plan

Can you get 75% of your scouts, as of June 30th, to commit to selling popcorn and register on Trail’s End? Every scout that has a sale of at least $1 will count and earn your unit an additional 4% commission! For example, if you have 20 scouts in your unit today, at least 15 will need to participate in the fundraiser in the fall to ensure your unit higher commission. So, if you have attended Council or District Kick off, hosted your unit’s Kick off, please submit your unit’s annual program and budget to your District Executive by August 18th , and have at least 75% of your scouts selling, your unit’s commission is now 30%!

Are you a new or returning kernel?

We got you covered – signup for one of the popcorn sessions during the Fall Program Kickoff and secure an additional 1% commission for your unit. Register here for the upcoming sessions:

  • Monday, July 10 at 6:00 pm – New Kernels
  • Tuesday, July 11 at 7:00 pm – Returning Kernels
  • Wednesday, July 12 at 8:00 pm – New Kernels
  • Thursday, July 13 at 6:00 pm – Returning Kernels
What does your unit’s ideal year of scouting look like?

The first step in getting your scouts and their parents’ commitment to selling popcorn is having your unit’s program and budget planning conference. To develop the unit budget, complete the program planning worksheet with the unit leader and committee at the annual program planning conference, and then share it with the parents. Be sure to keep parents involved and informed. The unit’s program calendar and budget information need to be communicated regularly to families, especially at the start of the program year. By sharing the unit’s program plans and budgetary needs, you can help newly recruited youth and their parents gain a greater understanding of just what fun is waiting for them during the unit’s entire program year.
Don’t forget to share your unit’s program and budget with your District Executive – this will get your unit an additional 1% commission!

Plan your kickoff

Nothing gets your unit’s popcorn sale as energized as a great kickoff. An effective kickoff is best done at a full pack meeting or full Troop meeting - both with parents present. Be sure to include details about the schedule, how much each Scout must sell, and how many hours they are expected to participate at a minimum. Hosting your unit’s Kickoff will also give you an additional 1% commission. Please let your District Executive know the date of your unit’s kickoff! Check out these examples of a great kickoff.

Storefront reservations coming up next month!

To take advantage of Storefront Claiming, CLICK HERE to sign up your Unit! Trail's End (TE) has partnered with our Council to provide Units with storefront booking by contacting* storefronts in your area which you can now claim.  As a Kernel, all you will need to do is sign in, sign up, and encourage your Scouts to claim and sell!

Storefront Claiming Schedule** (Storefront process available July 15):
  • Saturday, July 15th - $20K & above Units, 3 Reservations within District
  • Sunday, July 16th - $20K & above Units, 3 Reservations within District
  • Monday, July 17th – $10K & above Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Tuesday, July 18th – $10K & above Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Wednesday, July 19th – All Units, 2 Reservations within District
  • Thursday, July 20th – All Units, 2 Reservations within Council
  • Friday, July 21st – All Units, Unlimited Reservations within Council
HOW IT WORKS:
  • View storefronts and sign up through the TE Unit Leader PortalSee which storefront locations***, dates and times work best for your Unit. View the date your Council allows you to claim within the 'Storefront Reservation' section.
  • When you claim a storefront booth, the storefront day and shift schedule will be added to the TE Unit Leader Portal for you.  Your Scouts will be able to sign up for shifts in the Trail’s End App
  • View our TE Storefront Guide on claiming Storefront Reservations.

*Please do not contact any of the stores listed in the Leader Portal. Trail's End will be responsible for contacting these stores.
**Picks available at 9:00 am PST
***If you’ve booked a store that isn’t on this list, please enter that store into the Storefront Management tab in the Leader Portal.

Thank you everyone for participating in the Council kickoff last Saturday, June 10th! We had a great discussion. Please contact your District Kernel if you still need a Square reader or unit kernel patch.

  • If you missed it, you can still receive an additional 1% commission by attending your District Kickoff at a Roundtable or by signing up to one of the popcorn classes during Fall Program Kickoff Week in July.
A successful popcorn season is a team effort.

Build your unit’s popcorn team and secure buy-in from all the parents and Scouts. Why would your unit want to sell popcorn?

Fund Adventures Examples:
  • Campouts
  • Blue & Gold Celebration
  • Pinewood Derby
  • High Adventures
  • Equipment needs
  • Advancement
  • Annual dues
Scouts will Learn:
  • The value of hard work
  • How to earn their own way
  • Public speaking
  • Salesmanship and people skills
  • Setting and achieving goals
  • Money management
Attend Council kickoff on Saturday, June 10th and secure an additional 1% commission!
  • Register here!
  • You can choose between attending the kickoff in San Jose or in Monterey. Every unit will receive a patch for their unit’s Kernel and a square reader.
  • If you can’t make it on June 10th, you can still receive an additional 1% commission by attending your District Kickoff at a Roundtable or by signing up to one of the popcorn classes during Fall Program Kickoff Week in July.
Sign-up to sell popcorn in 2023 with Trail’s End: Unit registration.
  • Trail’s End is offering a series of Webinars in July and August - Online trainings to make your fundraiser a success. Attend the online Trail's End webinar trainings that helped units grow their fundraiser. See Upcoming webinars here.
Attend Council kickoff on June 10th and secure an additional 1% commission!
  • Register here!
  • You can choose between attending the kickoff in San Jose or in Monterey. Every unit will receive a patch for their unit’s Kernel and a square reader.
  • If you can’t make it on June 10th, you can still receive an additional 1% commission by attending your District Kickoff at a Roundtable or by signing up to one of the popcorn classes during Fall Program Kickoff Week in July.
Popcorn = Program!
  • What does YOUR ideal year of Scouting look like? Have you started planning your program? How much will it cost? Check out this budget planner!
New Products in 2023!

Scouts can participate in a variety of ways

Online Sales The single, safest way for a Scout to sell popcorn in 2023 is through the Online Direct Sale method. This method eliminates any face-to-face contact with the general public, as well as the risk of handling product or cash.

The Online Direct sale is also the safest and easiest method for units, in that there is no handling of product, since popcorn is shipped directly to consumers, and payment for popcorn is received by credit or debit card at the time of the order. 

Show & Sell your den, pack or troop gets permission to sell in front of a retail store or in the local mall.  You set up a display with products for people to purchase as they walk by.

Take Order the most traditional way to sell popcorn; going door-to-door with the take order form, which you receive from your leader or council.

Show & Deliver you carry Trail’s End popcorn with you to show to your customers as you visit them.  The customer is able to select the products he or she wishes to buy from your product selection.

Corporate This is for savvy Scouts!  Selling to businesses is a great market to have big sells.  Whether the owner buys popcorn as gifts for their employees, or they allow the popcorn to be sold at the lobby or break room.

If you need more details then just the three steps above, here is a PowerPoint that will help you see how easy it is to get $100 extra per Scout for just sending out 10 emails.  It can really add up if 100% of your Scouts participate!

  • Tutorial on creation of Online sales – HERE

2024 PRODUCT LINE

ONLINE / SHOW & SELL / TAKE ORDER

2024 IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

Council dates 2024

June 22 – Council Kickoff and Training for unit Kernels and scouts – San Jose

June 27 – Zoom Council Kick-off

July 19 – Early Bird Online Unit Orders Due

August 8 – EARLY BIRD DISTRIBUTION – 49 N 4th Street in San Jose

August 12 – Unit Orders Due Online

August 28 – First Distribution, ongoing weekly resupplies on Wednesdays

August 31st – Turn in your program/budget plans to your District Executives

October 2 – Resupply/product return (10%)

October 28 – Heroes & Helpers / Final Unit Orders due!

November 6 – Final Order Distribution

November 8 – Payments due! 

November 11 – Online sales scorekeeping ends for prize calculation. 

December TBD – Sharks Popcorn Club Event

What can your unit do?

  1. Take order form 2024: 2024 Product Order Form_SVMBC
  2. Register for the popcorn sale at:  2024 Unit Popcorn Commitment
  3. Download 2024 SVMBC-Popcorn-Guide v3 July 18
  4. Sign up for a Trail’s End Webinar and join the Trail’s End Facebook group.
  5. Attend the Council’s Popcorn Kickoff and build your popcorn team. Here is the 2024 Popcorn 103 – returning kernels.pptx
  6. Complete your unit’s program plan for the year. Get the Scouts’ input in order to have an ideal year of Scouting.
  7. Set your budget goal by calculating the costs of doing all the activities in your unit’s program plan. 2024 Unit Program Planner_Example
  8. Calculate the amount of popcorn you need to sell to meet your budget need.
  9. Break the goal down to an individual Scout (family) goal.
  10. Add Important Dates to your units calendar (example: Popcorn Order Due Dates)
  11. Schedule and plan out your 2024 Unit Kickoff, often the first gathering of the new program year.
  12. Determine the best incentives for your unit that are above and beyond the council’s prize program: top seller prize, pizza party for top selling den/patrol, gift cards for high sales amount, etc.
  13. Create a communication plan to reach all families.
  14. Direct Scout families to www.trails-end.com for additional information about online selling and additional selling tips.
  15. Text APP to 62771 to download the Trail’s End App.
  16. Encourage all Scouts to also go door-to-door with a parent.
  17. Coordinate assistance to pick up popcorn at designated warehouse.
  18. Distribute popcorn to Scouts, and ensure deliveries are made to customers.
  19. Pay council invoice(s).
  20. Have a post-sale victory celebration.
  21. 90% of all the council popcorn information you will need to know is in the Popcorn Unit Guidebook 

Resources

Our Council’s website should be your first stop to find the most up to date information on this council’s popcorn sale. The website will list all pertinent dates, contact information, and links to helpful information.

The Trails End Website, trails-end.com, is the next best place to find information on best practices, making the app work right, trails end rewards details, and much more.

Over 200 webinars will be offered this summer and fall for units and Scout parents to learn about the sale. Over 50 webinars are already sold out and we anticipate leaders from over 10,000 units will participate.

Highly successful unit leaders ($50,000+ and multiple years as leaders) and Scout parents will lead these interactive webinars where every question will be answered. Units participating in webinars in 2019 grew 11.2%!

A $20 Amazon.com gift card will be given to the first 5,000 top-selling units (who sold $7,500+ in 2019) who register and participate in a Webinar.

https://www.trails-end.com/webinars

Facebook support is being enhanced through the help of 15 successful unit leaders and parents serving as moderators and influencers. Last year, over 18,000 unit leaders and Scout parents utilized the Scout Popcorn Facebook support, and a significant increase in participation is expected this year.

Here are the PowerPoint that will help you to make your orders and online resources be a happy experience!

  • How to place your Show and Sell order - HERE
  • How to place your Take Order - HERE

Please contact your District Kernel if you have any questions with the online tools and system.

For More Information

Please contact your district kernel, district executive or email popcorn@svmbc.org.

District Kernels, Shannon Walters - (650) 885-0006, shannonccdistrict@gmail.com

 Steven Solberg - (408) 638-8357, steven.solberg@scouting.org

District Kernel: Dave Coutu-dcoutu@gmail.com

District Executive: Amanda Shaw (408)638-8372- Amanda.Shaw@scouting.org

District Kernel, Position Open!
District Executive, Alex Parks - (408) 638-8350, alex.parks@scouting.org

District Kernel, Kevin Barlow - (408) 749-0482, keedba@yahoo.com
Storefront Scheduling, Beth Leonard - (408) 530-0554, beth@slimy.com
District Executive, David James, (408) 638-8918, DavidV.James@scouting.org

District Director, Ken Schott - (408) 638-8328, Ken.Schott@scouting.org

District Kernel, Kristy Burchard - (831) 801-1203, kristykb@charter.net
District Executive, Linda Diamantopoulos - (831) 287-2025, linda.diamantopoulos@scouting.org

District Kernel, Darcy Fowler - (831) 915-8940, darcy.wilson@att.net
District Executive, Linda Diamantopoulos - (831) 287-2025, linda.diamantopoulos@scouting.org

Council General, Faroogh Quadri - (408) 622-8698, councilpopcorngeneral@gmail.com
District Director,  Evgenia Mirfild - (408) 638-8372, evgenia.mirfild@scouting.org

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