The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a great way for girls to earn their way towards exciting opportunities in Girl Scouting.  This program not only helps girls build 5 key skills but it also helps them earn money as a team to do cool things like trips, attend summer camp, create service projects to change their community and more.  Here are some tips to share with your girls as you support them to prepare for the upcoming sale.

1. Set goals early!  Girls that set goals are proven to sell more than those that don’t.  Plus it will help girls build key goal setting skills.
2. Join Cookie Club with your parents!  The average cookie purchase through Cookie Club is six packages where the average door-to-door purchase is only three packages.  You can get your login and password from your troop cookie manager.
3. Use social media (as long as it is age appropriate) to let everyone know it’s Girl Scout cookie time, you’re selling and what your goal is.
4. Go mobile!  Take your cookie business on the road during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend, February 7-8, 2014.  Use your goal getter cookie order card and take additional orders.
5. Sell beyond friends and family.  Participate in booth sales, visit other neighborhoods (with an adult). Contact big businesses in your area to purchase cookies for employees or customers!
6. Sell to repeat customers.  Customers who are asked to purchase multiple times, purchase multiple packages.  During booth sales, ask everyone that purchased cookies during initial order taking to restock for freezing!  Call customers from past years to see if they would like to buy.  Remember to save a copy of your order card for next year too!
7. Participate in Gift of Caring.  A lot of people will donate to the cause and it’s great for people who can’t purchase cookies for dietary reasons.  Many customers buy just to support the Girl Scouting but they don’t eat the cookies (crazy idea huh?).
8. Create cookie bundles.  Customers love to buy special bundles.  Tie with a ribbon and add a thank you card.
9. Offer a deal.  If they buy a case, give a free freezer bag or two so they can freeze them.  Or offer a free cookie recipe with the purchase of four packages or more!
10. Ask for help.  Friends and family will be willing to help you brainstorm more great ways increase the success of your sale.

Good luck girls!