Objections and Responses

Important Research Information:

Less than 20% of people surveyed have ever been asked to purchase popcorn from a Scout.
4 out of 5 consumers will buy when asked by a Scout in uniform.
Only 10% of Units have an annual plan and budget.
Parents want to be educated in the return on their family’s investment of time.

The key to solving most of these objections is in promoting the Popcorn Sale as the one fundraiser that funds their “Scouting Adventure” for the entire year.

1. The Unit Leader is the gatekeeper of the information and they are making the decisions without informing the Den Leaders and the parents.

Provide the Den Leaders and the parents with the Sale information through Program flyers, emails… Use existing events: Summer Camps, Day Camps, Camporees, Fall Program Kickoffs, “School Night to Join Scouting”, and media outlets to share the information.
Encourage the units to do the planning of the “Fund Your Adventure” with the parents and the Scouts. Included in the planning should be monthly activities, programs and the funding option for their program year.

2. Unit Leader has no time for the popcorn sale.

The Unit Leader should not be the Popcorn Chair. Get help from the parents or other volunteers to form a team to run the sale.
Ask the question of how many fundraisers are they doing in the year? Show that the popcorn sale is a one -time event that can “Fund Their Adventure” if planned properly.
Let the Unit Leader know that the Council sponsors the sale and provides complete Sale Training to simplify the Sale. The Unit Leaders also have access to the CAMP MASTERS web site to access forms and additional sale resources.

3. The Sale is too complicated for the Unit and the Scout.

Tools: Family guides are provided/mailed to each Scout Family to simplify the message.
Attend the Council sponsored sales training and kickoff to answer your questions. It is a fact that Units that attend the training spend less time on the sale and sell more popcorn than those who don’t attend training.
Have a simple sales plan laid out for the Unit Leader and Popcorn Chair to understand. Organize the packets so they are simple, easy to understand and not intimidating. Have other volunteers’ share their successes and testimonials of how easy the sale can be, if organized properly.

4. Parents do not have the time.

Parents are doing 5-7 fundraisers a year. Parents want to know what is in it for their family and the time they invest.
Share with families the benefits of participating in the popcorn sale as the only fundraiser needed to fund their Scout’s “Scouting Adventure”.
Highlight the benefits that CAMP MASTERS Popcorn offers versus other fundraisers. Does any other fundraisers have a 70% + return?

5. Parents and Leaders are not educated on the benefits of the sale.

Have DE’s and District Kernels get Units to the kickoff and training meeting to learn the benefits of doing one fundraiser to “Fund their Adventure”.

6. Unit Leaders think that too much money goes to the Council.

Explain the benefits of a popcorn sale to “Fund their Adventure”
Communicate how the money earned by the Council benefits Units and Scouts through activities and services provided by the Council, such as Camps, Scout Shops, Membership Recruitment…

7. We get 50% commission on candy bars, etc., and only 30% on popcorn.

Inform them about the economics of the sale. 50% of a $2.00 sale is $1.00, 30% of a $10.00 sale is $3.00 and over $7.00 is going to Scouting. Research has shown that 4 out of 5 consumers buy when ask by a Scout in uniform. The average transaction is between $16.00 and $22.00.
Scouts are only going to contact “X” number of family, friends, and neighbors. They will still knock on the same amount of doors no matter what they are selling.

8. Unit has a traditional fundraiser (Spaghetti Dinner, Pancake Breakfast, etc.)

Does it fund the Unit’s complete Program year?
Allow Scouts and families to sell popcorn to “Fund their Adventure”.
Do not give up the annual traditional fundraiser, just make it a program event rather than a fundraiser.
For those Units who do a Christmas wreath sale and are already “Funding their Adventure”, ask them to offer a show-and-sell at the lot to make extra money with added sales to support their Scouting Program. Customers will buy popcorn along with their Christmas trees. The Council will give the Unit credit and take back any unsold popcorn.

9. Unit does not need the money.

Although the Unit may not believe they need money, are they providing the “Ultimate Scouting Year” for their families and Scouts? Do the parents spend any money for their Scout’s “Scouting Adventure”?
Spend more on the program and equipment. Also, Scouts learn how to pay their own way along with other life skills and lessons.
Communicate how the money benefits Units and Scouts through activities and services provided by the Council.

10. Parents write a check.

Why are parents writing checks? Because the parents believe writing a check is their best investment of time. Families are doing between 5-7 fundraisers. For example, the parents would rather write a $30.00 check than do a fundraiser AND write a $20.00 check.
Character Development – Scouts that pay their own way through participating in the Sale learn more than if Mom and Dad simply write a check.

11. Explorers and Ventures not selling.

Have Units budget and plan their “Scouting Adventure” to include Super Activities and other Council activities. Popcorn is a source to fund that plan.
Try a corporate sale with their chartered organization.

12. Older Scouts will not sell. Not cool.

Use the “Fund Your Adventure” message to sell the program as motivation to these Scouts. On average, Boy Scouts need to sell more than Cubs because their need for funding is greater due to more activities in their Program.
Focus on: “This is what our Troop gets to do if each Scout sells “X” amount of popcorn”.

13. Product is too expensive to the customer.

When asked, 4 out of 5 people will buy from a Scout. The average sale is between $16.00 and $22.00. The customer makes the decision to buy based on the youth, the organization and the Return to Scouting.