Creative Corner
Promote and sell more Soda Bottle Bird Feeders by helping out a Scout Troop or school club! Soda Bottle Bird Feeders are an easy, fun project to assemble and your local Boy or Girl Scouts can earn a badge by making one!
Here is what you do:
1. Let local Scout Troops, Schools and Clubs know that you sell Soda Bottle Bird Feeder Kits.
Email a Press Release to your local news paper, radio and TV stations. To download a “fill in your name” Press Release ….click here.
2. Be prepared for emails, phone calls and inquiries! Decide how many groups you are able to do and how many people you can accommodate at one time. Then set aside a few time slots (about 1 hour) for each group.
3. As the inquiries come in, fill the time slots and be sure you have inventory. IF you need more…order online at McIncDIrect.com, (click here) or call 1-800-423-5487.
4. You may want to have the leader pre-pay for the Bird Feeder Kits so you can hold them aside and not have to deal with the transaction when the group arrives.
5. Watch this video on how to assemble the bird feeder.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcE6aSfJqaA)
Preparing for the Group:
1. Clear an area to accommodate the group. Set up a table, or tables for them to work at.
2. Be prepared with an adult to go around with an exacto-knife and cut the wholes for the hangers. Do not allow children to do this. Hold the bottle upside-down with the neck pointing down and the base pointing up. The holes should be cut 1” down from the base in a “v” shape. The “v” should be about ¼ “ high. The point of the “V” should be towards the neck of the bottle, the open end of the “V” should be towards the base of the bottle. The ends of the hanger will go into these holes.
3. Download the “What Birds like Which Seeds” sheet (Click Here) and print a copy for everyone.
4. Have one feeder out of the box to show them the pieces and how you are going to assemble it.
When the Group Arrives:
1. Welcome them, Show them the Feeder and explain how to assemble it.
2. Get everyone at a table and give them a feeder.
3. Adults go around and cut the hanger holes.
4. The group can then remove the hanger from the feeder base and insert, then attach the feeder base to the neck of the bottle. Some groups also like to decorate their bottles with indelible markers.
5. Give them each a “What Birds like Which Seeds” sheet and talk about the different birds that the various seeds will attract.
6. See if they want to purchase seed, but have them fill the feeders at home so the seed doesn’t spill out in transportation.
7. Congratulate them, take a photo to put on your bulletin board or to send to the local newspaper.
8. Send them off with a business card, promotional flyer or something that will remind them of your store.
THE FACTS:
1. Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour! Most of them are thrown away! OUCH!
2. Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!
3. Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.
4. Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year.