Taking Girl Scout Cookies To The Next Level

June 12, 2014

My daughters once again outdid themselves selling cookies this year.  The total number of cookies sold by the two of them (including gluten free cookies, which didn’t count towards their official totals) was 7195.  One of them sold 6115, and her official total was 4750.  The other one sold “only” 1080 boxes.  They both reached lifetime of 10,000 boxes sold this year.  In addition to my own daughters, I had a number of other girls in the troop who also sold over 1000 boxes, and another number of girls from other troops who sold with us, who also reached 1000 boxes.  Not everyone that sells with us reaches 1000 boxes- but if a girl and her parents are willing to spend the time, I’m willing to work with them on doing it.

So, what exactly do I do that is different, that yields such large numbers consistently? Also, note that it’s not just my own daughters, but other girls in the troop, and girls from other troops as well.  Not all girls in my troops sell, because that isn’t their thing.  I tell them that if it’s not their thing, then that is OK too!

 

Here’s What I do that Takes Girl Scout Cookies To The Next Level:

 

  • Figure out what the girls are trying to achieve.  Is it a trip to Europe?  Or Savannah?  Are they trying to sell a lot?  Or not?
  • Cookies are available for the entire season.  That means, if a girl wants to pick up cookies the last week of the sale, we still have cookies.  I can’t tell you how many people get out of the sale after the first weekend or two, because they don’t want to be bothered.
  • I give a wide range of good options for cookie booths.  That means we find businesses that will let us set up camp in front of their store for the entire cookie season, and offer booths 7 days per week.
  • I make booths available via signup genius first to my troops, then to other girls, who would like to sell with us.  This is a win-win because everyone gets to sell more cookies.  There is nothing worse than having to give up a wal-mart booth half way through the sale because you couldn’t get enough girls!
  • Random girls who sell with us, just get the cookies transferred back to their troop, and their cookie manager gets a bag of money for the proper number of cookies, donations, Operation cookie drop, etc.
  • We encourage girls to set their own goals.  Sell if you like, don’t if you don’t want to.
  • We explain how the troop bonuses work, and how much the troop average has to be to get X, Y, or Z bonus.
  • We show girls and parents how much they make per box.
  • We explain ALL of the prizes available, including what we have here called Superstar Destinations.  It’s an alternate prize structure that kicks in at 500 boxes for either one girl, or combined for sisters.  At 500 boxes, they get 2 points, and get 1 point for every 100 boxes over that.  Those points can be redeemed for cookie dough (camp, trips, anything council related), or other items, such as gift cards, a night at Great Wolf Lodge, etc.
  • We get help from parents to locate and secure new booth locations.
  • Parents help us count cookies, money, and tally sheets every Sunday night.
  • I have a spreadsheet updated once a week with cookie totals, so girls know exactly how many they’ve sold at any given point in time.

It’s not about 1 person selling a lot of cookies, but how to help more girls sell more cookies, and learn the skills.  They learn about inventory management, cash management, marketing, and general sales techniques.  The girls learn about setting goals, and tracking how they’re doing.  They also get really fast at loading and unloading a car for a cookie booth.

 

In short, it’s more about girls learning business skills, and life skills than the actual cookies.  But if you want to sell lots, I’ll be happy to mentor you.

 

Taking Girl Scout Cookies To The Next Level 6

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