BBQ Chicken Sales
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The biggest problem with fund raising for a troop is now what to sell but how to sell. I am a salesman, and  I hate it when some kid walks up and asks: "Wanna buy a __________(fill in the blank)". 

I taught my Cubs, Webelos   and Boy Scouts to say stuff like: "We are selling candy bars to raise money for our new boy Scout Troop, to buy new  camping and cooking equipment, and to teach the values of scouting to boys in this area, like character,  citizenship and fitness. All proceeds from this sale go into our new troop's treasury. How many would you like  today?" 

It is so easy to say "no" to somebody who asks if you wanna buy a candy bar, but it is hard  to say no when you weren't asked a yes or no question! 

By Tray Murphy

WOW! How about hitting the nail on the head!!!! This is the greatest selling advice I have heard in a long time.... Now, about ideas to raise money... 

My troop has held BBQ Chicken sales for years to raise money...we buy 200 or so 3-4 pound chickens at wholesale prices (used to be 39 cents a pound, has gone up to 89 cents a pound, but our supplier - Charley's House of Chickens - splits them for free), cut them in half and sell them for $5/half...we cook them on charcoal cookers, wrap them in REYNOLDS WRAP (nothing beats living in Reynolds Metal territory), and make about $1000 per Saturday. We do it about twice a year. 

For a checklist of how to do this, go to http://www.bsatroop891.org/troop-resource-handbook/index.html and scroll down on the left-hand table of contents until you see "Troop 891 Chicken BBQ Fundraiser Procedure". 

We also participate in the annual popcorn sales. 

Personally, I love BBQ chicken sales and the like (car washes, etc.)....No, you're not guaranteed income, but they are what I call "one day wonders". There is some lead time, and some work that must be done ahead of time, but there is nothing better than a fundraiser that takes ONE DAY. 

To maximize profits, pre-sell tickets if you can. We have pre-sold car wash tickets for $1 less than the showing up on-site price and discovered the average turn in of these tickets is about 50-70% - free money. Pre-selling works extremely well when a large number of troop members belong to the chartered organization, especially churches and other orgs that the members can easily sell to because they are there anyway. 

When we do BBQ chicken sales, we get a cell phone number from a willing parent and make up about 50-100 advertising flyers which we distribute to car dealerships and other businesses along the stretch of road we set up on (the local "motor mile" - 7 or 8 miles of solid shopping areas) and take orders with free delivery for orders over $50 - 10 halves...we sell $500 worth this way. 

Popcorn is great for the gung-ho individual, but the returns aren't that great unless EVERYONE in the troops pitches in and sells like mad - door-to-door (which personally I detest for the simple reason that I get 30 d-t-d sellers a season from bands, cheerleaders, football, etc. etc. etc. - not to mention the safety issues). And of course, you must have Kernel Pop, who is saddled with - for at least 2 months: 

1. picking up order forms and selling materials 
2. distributing this stuff to troop/pack members 
3. attempting to train members on how to sell (see the very first lines of this message) 
4. staying on troop/pack members to sell 
5. collecting order forms 
6. collating orders (accurately) 
7. turning in orders (accurately) 
8. picking up popcorn (accurately) 
9. distributing this popcorn (accurately) 
10. badgering members to get the money turned in (on time) 
11. turning in the money to council (on time, who gets a BIG cut for our efforts) 
12. waiting for commission, and prizes 
13. distributing prizes. 

Lots of work for a 50% return...max... Just my thoughts... 

Tray Murphy is Scoutmaster of Troop 891, Heart of Virginia Council