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Sales Tip for Christmas from Heart & Soul Candies & Troop Members: NEW! Great tips from one of the largest AHG troops KY3130, plus others! Raised over $10,000 for their troop. Great ideas for Show-n-Sells! 1) Contact local businesses, churches, schools, non-profits, etc. who give appreciation gifts for customers, staff or volunteers. WARM and FRIENDLY calls are great ice breakers. A WARM call would be to business owners and people that you know first. Since these people have a relationship with you already, they will be warmer to you asking for them to buy the candy. Once one business commits, ask them for a referral! Try accessing Local Christian Business Directories.
2) If a business or individual does not want to buy chocolate for themselves, try this: Offer them the opportunity to buy boxes that will be donated to a local mission. The troop will take the boxes to the mission at Christmas time and let them know who donated them. What an outreach! See the Donation Column on the Individual Order Form. 3) Set up a table the second/third week in December. Christmas Bazaars/Fairs for MOPS, churches, schools or Junior Leagues are great sales opportunities. Many events give a discounted set-up rate for non-profit groups. School or Church league sporting events are also great opportunities. Check out local newspapers/websites for a community events calendar. Many locally owned businesses will also allow table set-ups. Sales Tips From Troop Members who sold more than 30 boxes. Way to go!
Top Sellers Story 2009, 2010:
My name is A, I am a third year explorer from troop AK2008.
One of the things that helped me while I was selling was to have sample boxes without the chocolate in them during pre-ordering so people could see the ingredients and see what the boxes look like. It helped to never say BUY when ever I was selling, as soon as they heard BUY, they already had an answer, most of the time it wasn't one that included buying my chocolate. When ever I went to a door, I asked if they would like to help support my AHG troop, this seemed to keep them interested longer. The longer you kept them interested, the more they wanted the product. I also asked about military donations. Our troop asked for military donations of any amount. When we had enough for a box, we would pull one out when we were finished selling to take to the single airmen on the Air Force Base where my dad is stationed. Alot of times when people looked out the window or through the window beside the door I got "Are you a Girl Scout" or "There's a Girl Scout at the door", so I told tell them what AHG was about. In fact, I had one person who was interested in the program! I think it really helped get the word out about it! It was really tricky selling here in Alaska in the winter because I was always bundled up and it gets dark by 3pm . I often warmed my hands up on my moms hot tea or hot chocolate in the car in between houses. I used my prize money to buy an iPhone and an iHome. I was very excited and surprised to win, I had wanted an iPhone for a while and I was finally able to get one!
JB from KY- The only way she could continue in AHG was to participate in the Heart and Soul Christmas fundraiser. As a family they came up with how much she would have to make to cover her dues, uniforms and summer camp. She would have to sell 100 boxes. She sold them to everyone she met and told them the message on the box was more important than the chocolate. She sold 108 boxes which gave her $405.00 net profit and the $250.00 first place prize for a grand total of $655.00.
Others:
LL from TX - “100 boxes sold to her dad's company for their small customer thank you gifts. -Direct Ship” Sisters from TX (BY & BY) - “We plan to sell the product at our town’s Christmas on the Main street vendor event, Dec 5th.” AE & JB from KY - “pure old door-to-door sales, whereas J… tried to sell to some businesses, along with the door-to-door”
JM from TX - “The night of the fundraiser kick-off, her brother had a football game. She asked the fans in the stands, the cheerleaders, and the coaches saying "will you support my troop by buying a box of chocolate for Christmas?" I would explain what AHG was and how it benefits her and our community and how we first glorify God. Then she would recite a verse or our creed. Of course she would thank them, often giving a hug.” EL from MN (a third grade tenderfoot) - “She has a strong seller for a brother. He has sold for Boy Scouts for many years. She learned from him and has only approached people she knows and is comfortable speaking (or emailing) with. She had many sales to family and she especially sold well to people that she knew would appreciate the Christian messages on the boxes. It was an incredible easy product for her to sell, her first ever sales experience. Of course the samples were a great incentive. When asked if the chocolates were good, she'd smile her huge smile and happily report "they are delicious!" Thanks for making it a great learning and growing experience for her!” MP from TN – “Is just blessed enough to have a mother that works at an Elementary School and has access to many Teacher’s and staff members!” Sister Teams from CO (MC & SC and CC, GC, LC)- “They took the sales sheet to their fathers work, asked friends and family members to buy. We encouraged the girls to sell as family groups rather than individuals as most of our girls have sisters in the troop. We thought this would encourage teamwork rather than competition within the family. Our second place winner was another sister team. They say they took their sales sheet everywhere they went and just asked everyone they saw.” AY from AK - "We preordered our boxes for our girls. So she hand carried the boxes door to door and held up both box types - we only had red and blue. One lady I asked, “Would you like more peace or hope in your week this week?” She replied she needed both so she said she would take both boxes." HT from CT- "She used a mixture of ways to promote this product. Her first sale(s) technique was to send an email message to friends, family and businesses we frequent. She also participated in a sale at a local grocery store and our parish church this past weekend, where the majority of her sales took place. We found that her end-of-Mass announcements were a huge help for boosting sales at these events." **Names omitted for privacy reasons
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