Traverse City:
If you are in the Traverse City area on Saturday, please pop by the Cherry Capital Winter WOW! Fest. An area troop will be decked out in cookie costumes, passing out Girl Scout cookie information. The WOW! Fest has everything from an ice cream eating contest to a frozen cherry pit spit contest! It is going to be one fun weekend with activities for kids as well as adults. Come on out and support Girl Scouts while having a family-fun weekend!
http://www.winterwowfest.com/
Grand Rapids:
This Monday, Feb. 20th, make a stop out to Woodland Mall. Girl Scouts and Michigan Blood are partnering together on a Cookie Blood Drive. The Blood Drive will be next to Express down the Sears wing, 3:30-7:30 PM. 2 troops will be on hand, in cookie costumes with cookie info for the public. After giving blood, donors will receive a Girl Scout cookie. We will also be doing some fun giveaways. Make a stop to the mall to support Girl Scouts and give blood too!
http://shopwoodlandmall.com/calendar/event/13501
Thursday, February 16, 2012
What selling Girl Scout cookies teaches you about business
(MoneyWatch)
The Girl Scouts are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Though the cookies didn't come until later, this annual fundraiser is what the Girl Scouts are probably best known for, and at this point, millions of girls have gotten an early lesson in business by hawking them. Among my take-aways from a scouting stint years ago:
1. The most likely sale is to an existing customer. I had one lady who bought about 20 boxes from me one year. I made sure to call her up the next year to get that order logged fast. These days, likewise, I know that people I've worked with before are better bets than hunting for new prospects. If I want more work, I call them first.
2. There's no accounting for taste. I don't particularly like Think Mints, but they were always my biggest seller, so I made sure to mention them when people asked what kinds of cookies we were selling. Likewise, I'm not particularly fond of lists like "22 Things To Do During That Boring Conference Call," but those are always my most read posts. So I write them.
3. Cold calling isn't as awful as it sounds. My best friend and I went door to door through our neighborhood, alternating who would get each sale. There were, indeed, some questionable people who answered the doors (one reason I suspect many parents don't encourage door-to-door selling now) but in a team, and always smiling, we racked up some serious sales that way. Whenever I'm nervous about picking up the phone, I remember that it usually turns out fine.
4. Internal motivation is great, but sales targets are motivational too. One year, as I neared sales of 200 boxes (then costing $2/each), I became incredibly fixated on crossing that mark. Seeing that neat number on my total, and counting up $400 in cash and checks, was so much nicer than counting up $396. These days, I know that setting a specific, numerical goal (a certain number of blog readers, book sales, newsletter subscribers, etc.) tends to have a focusing effect. Even if I like the work for its own sake, too.
5. Connections matter, but they're not everything. Some girls sold cookies largely by having their parents take the sign-up form to their offices. That can work, but those girls weren't necessarily our troop's top sellers. Smart scouts learn that customers prefer to buy directly from the girl the sale is benefiting. If you want to be well-connected, you can make your own connections.
What did you learn by selling Girl Scout cookies?
Monday, February 13, 2012
Fun Cookie PR Opportunity for the Traverse City area
Earn cookie proceeds! Participate in an ice cream eating contest! Do a frozen cherry pit spit!
We have an excellent opportunity for troops to participate in the Winter WOWfest in Traverse City this Saturday.
A troop or 2 can pass out cookie postcards directing the public to purchase cookies at the TC Service Center. Troops will then get those proceeds.
In addition to earning cookie proceeds, troops can participate in The Brain Freeze Ice Cream Eating Contest! How cool is that?
We have a morning or afternoon slot and will have cookie costumes available. If interested- please contact Deb Lang within the next 24 hours. dlang@gsmists.org or 231-947-7354 x 222.
http://www.winterwowfest.com/
We have an excellent opportunity for troops to participate in the Winter WOWfest in Traverse City this Saturday.
A troop or 2 can pass out cookie postcards directing the public to purchase cookies at the TC Service Center. Troops will then get those proceeds.
In addition to earning cookie proceeds, troops can participate in The Brain Freeze Ice Cream Eating Contest! How cool is that?
We have a morning or afternoon slot and will have cookie costumes available. If interested- please contact Deb Lang within the next 24 hours. dlang@gsmists.org or 231-947-7354 x 222.
http://www.winterwowfest.com/
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Cookie Booth Etiquette 101
Just a reminder that when you secure your own booth sale location (March 23-April 15), you must have Girl Scouts! We had a few instances last year where only the adults showed up to man the booth. Girls must be present and selling the cookies.
Also- you may begin reserving your own personal booths anytime. Just remember to post them to eBudde for council approval. This way, we can help advertise your cookie booth as well as avoid any duplicate scheduling errors.
Community Cookie Booth weekend is March 17-18. You can reserve your booth space beginning February 20th on eBudde.
Thank you and happy selling!
Also- you may begin reserving your own personal booths anytime. Just remember to post them to eBudde for council approval. This way, we can help advertise your cookie booth as well as avoid any duplicate scheduling errors.
Community Cookie Booth weekend is March 17-18. You can reserve your booth space beginning February 20th on eBudde.
Thank you and happy selling!
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