The Science of Selling and Marketing

Ninety percent of the general public would gladly purchase Girl Scout Cookies, but did you know that nearly 35% are never asked? Sometimes we expect girls to know how to sell cookies. The fact is that most girls need at least some guidance in the selling process. Below, you’ll find some tips and techiniques to help your girls achieve their goals.

Door-to-Door Sales

• Girls canvas their communities, leaving no doorbell unrung!
• No one home? Don’t fret ---- use GSCM’s own custom door hanger to make that sale!

Telephone Sales
One of the fastest, easiest ways to sell Girl Scout Cookies is by phone.

• Girls should keep order cards from previous years and use them to sell to customers again.

Workplace Sales

• Girls can contact business owners or managers to request permission to sell cookies at a workplace.
• Girls should either make a quick “sales pitch” at a staff meeting or sell door-to-door (or cubicle-to-cubicle), depending on the wishes of the business.
• Once employee sales are completed, the business may allow girls to leave an order card in a visible spot, perhaps with a note from your troop outlining your selling goals and plans for the cookie proceeds. Remember not to list the girl’s last name or phone number on the order card or note.
• Girls should establish a date and time to pick up the order card and to deliver the cookies.
• Girls can prepare a flyer reminding customers when the cookies will be delivered and perhaps listing what each customer ordered and the amount owed.

Online Marketing

• Check out eEntrepreneur for eCards, a Stellar Marketing Plan, an easy Goal Tracking form, and more!
• GSUSA speaks about the Online Marketing Plan found at GirlScoutCookies.org. Read about the FAQs and learn how Online Marketing is different than Internet Sales.

Internet Sales

• Sales on a Web Site on the Internet* of any products sold in "council-sponsored product sales," such as Girl Scout cookies, candy, nuts, calendars, or magazine subscriptions, may not be conducted by anyone at any time.“Safety-Wise” Product Sales and Product Sales Activities can be found on pages 128 and 131.
• For safety and security reasons, sales on the Internet* for any Girl Scout "Troop money earning activities" may not be conducted by individual girls, parents, or other adults.
• Safety: We must protect the identity of all of our girl members. Given the scope of the Internet, there is no way to control who sees the solicitation for Cookie Sales and therefore who can contact the girls involved. Since girls do not have secure means of contacting strangers and exchanging funds over the Internet, GSUSA considers these kinds of activities to be a significant safety risk to girls.

*Sales on the Internet include on-line auctions, broadcast email messages, and/or posting on individual Girl Scout, Troop or Girl Scout council web sites.