How to sell girl scout cookies

If there’s anything that can make cracking open a box of fresh Girl Scout Cookies even better, it’s knowing that you’ve contributed to helping Girl Scouts learn the skills they need to succeed in life and make the world a better place.

This year, it’s easier than ever to find cookie booths in your area, or even order cookies online!

Find a cookie booth near you.

Just enter your zip code in the “Find Cookies!” tool to get dates and locations for Girl Scout Cookie sales in your area!

Get going with our mobile app.

The official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app makes finding your favorite Girl Scout Cookies and supporting girls’ success a snap. (Remember that available varieties will vary by market.)

Just download and install the free app on your iOS or Android device and press “Find Cookies Now!” to support young up-and-coming entrepreneurs and change-makers in your community.

Use the app to find the cookie booth closest to you (including the sale’s time, date, and location), locate your local Girl Scout council, and access the complete listing of Girl Scout Cookies available across the United States and Puerto Rico.

The Digital Cookie® platform.

The Digital Cookie® platform, including the Digital Order Card and Smart Cookies™, gives girls more ways to succeed—meaning more ways to learn and earn as they go beyond the booth to offer cookie fans a convenient way to buy cookies and support girls at the same time.

How does it work? In true Girl Scout style, a girl always manages her own sale. So if you know a Girl Scout, tell her you’re interested in buying cookies from her online, and she’ll take it from there! Note that girls’ participation in the digital platform will depend on their market area, and not all girls will participate.

Ready to buy cookies online? To find out if online sales are available in your area, connect with your local Girl Scout council.

For Girls

When you know more, you can sell more

If you’re making your friend a birthday card and you know her favorite color is blue, what color marker would you use? Blue, of course! She’ll love it!

In the same way, when you know what Girl Scout Cookie customers like, you can sell more cookies. Check out these Top 10 Cookie Customer Facts. How can you use one, two or more?

If you know…

Then you might…

FACT 1: : The number one reason people don’t buy Girl Scout Cookies®? They were never asked!

FACT 2: Customers buy cookies because they love the taste.

FACT 3: Customers are eager for their favorites because they can only buy Girl Scout Cookies® once a year.

FACT 4: Customers buy cookies because they want to support Girl Scouting.

FACT 5: Customers like to order cookies from home.

Have a Cookie Walkabout

FACT 6: Girl Scout cookie customers usually buy every year.

Save your order card for next year so you can return to your customers and ask them again.

FACT 7: When customers are asked multiple times, they buy multiple boxes.

Ask, ask, and ask again. When you deliver cookies, ask customers if they would like to buy more than they ordered.

FACT 8: Customers sometimes buy fewer cookies because of diet issues.

Create a Gift of Caring program. Customers buy cookies that you deliver to a charity or community group. Make booth signs that tell customers about this choice. Create a drop box so customers can see the donated cookies stacking up!

FACT 9: Customers buy more when you suggest they buy more.

With pretty ribbon, tie up three packages to create bundles such as “Chocolate Lovers Pack” or “Classic Bundle.” It’s fun to give away free handmade gift cards too.

FACT 10: Customers want to know they are getting a good deal.

Print out recipes and offer one free when they buy more than one package.

Only if they are made from real Girl Scouts. (The author unfortunately does not have a digital copy of her in her Girl Scout uniform. Darn.)

It’s that time of year when gentle spring breezes waft the scent of delicious cookies towards our noses. Whether you call them tagalongs or peanut butter patties, we all need our fix of the famous Girl Scout Cookies. However, if you happen to be a Girl Scout (as I once was) or a Girl Scout parent, there are a few things you should keep in mind when you set out to sell cookies.

Door to Door

In my day, this was the #1 way to sell cookies, which was pretty awkward when both my sister and I were selling cookies at the same time (I have no idea how my parents dealt with it.) But basically, you went around your neighborhood, rang the doorbells, asked if they would like to order some cookies and boom, done. Then you went back around to deliver the cookies weeks later.

I believe the Girl Scouts discourage this practice now due to safety concerns. Anyway, if you are going to do it you must:

• Take no for an answer. Cookie sales are not the time for high pressure sales tactics.
• Say thank you to those who place orders and those that don’t.
• Don’t ring the bell more than once or twice.
• Always go with an adult (or a buddy if you are older, I guess. I quit Girl Scouts when I was 10.)
• Promptly deliver the cookies after you receive them.

Parent’s Work

I was always jealous of the girls who would win the big cookie selling prizes because their parents worked in huge offices and would just bring the sheet in for them to sign up. I am still jealous of people who work in huge offices where parents bring in Girl Scout cookie sign up sheets. This is another instance where high pressure sales tactics are not appropriate. Just leave the sign up sheet in the breakroom or wherever with a note and let people sign up on their own. If you are the boss, it is doubly especially important that you make it clear that cookie purchases are optional, as often people feel pressure to buy things from their boss because they are the boss.

Cookie Stands

When I was in college, a group of Girl Scouts would set up their cookie stand outside our student center at lunch time and make bank, I’m sure. Those girls are going to go far in life because they realized the importance of location and the appetites of college students. Again, no high pressure sales tactics necessary. Just set up somewhere busy with a bright display of cookies and watch the money roll in. A few cute munchkins standing about asking people if they want to buy cookies is fine. Otherwise, pleases and thank yous are all you need.

It’s Girl Scout cookie season, which means Trefoils, Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-si-dos are all the rage right now.

Most people don’t need much convincing to get their hands on a box of their favorite Girl Scout cookies, but that hasn’t stopped some ambitious troop members from coming up with clever ways to sell the treats.

Each year, Girl Scouts who sell more than a set number of boxes — typically somewhere in the thousands — are honored with the title of “Cookie CEO.” But it takes real discipline and, often, a creative approach to achieve that level of success in the cookie-selling game.

Below, take a look at some of the smartest ways in which Girl Scouts have racked up cookie sales.

One Girl Scout in Indiana says she sets up shop at a florist on Valentine’s Day.

An Indiana-based Girl Scout named Sabrina told Fatherly’s Lizzy Francis that she profits off of the many last-minute Valentine’s Day planners in her area by setting up a booth to sell cookies at a local florist shop.

“You get guys who are like ‘I forgot flowers!,'” Sabrina told Fatherly. “And then they’d see the cookie booth and say, ‘You know what, it’s not the same old chocolate . This is perfect.'”

According to Fatherly, Sabrina typically sells more than 1,000 boxes of cookies each season thanks to her crafty approach to the cookie-selling game.

In 2018, a 9-year-old Brownie and her father set up shop outside a marijuana store in Edmonton, Canada.

Elina Childs sold out of her cookie supply in under an hour, when she and her father Seann based their cookie stall outside a marijuana store. Elina sold 30 boxes of cookies at $5 apiece, making $120 in just 45 minutes.

“It amazed me how quickly they went,” Seann told CBC. “Even people in cars driving on the avenue there would stop and roll down their window and ask for cookies.”

While Elina is technically not a Girl Scout, but rather a Canadian Girl Guide, her father said he was inspired by Girl Scouts in California who had employed similar tactics to sell their cookies.

A Colorado-based Girl Scout recently put a shirtless photo of Jason Momoa on the boxes and called them “Momoas.”

With the help of her mother, who is a marketing professional, Girl Scout Charlotte Holmberg rebranded her supply of “Samoa” cookies as “Momoas” and plastered a shirtless photo of the “Aquaman” and “Game of Thrones” actor on the box.

The Girl Scouts of Colorado shared Holmberg’s marketing strategy on its Facebook and Instagram pages on February 13 and she went viral shortly after. The story gained so much traction, in fact, that Momoa himself fielded some questions about it on the red carpet prior to the 2019 Oscars.

“I love Girl Scout cookies,” Momoa told Entertainment Tonight. “I was waiting to get some free ones. I’d love some.”

Many Girl Scouts see college campuses as cookie-selling hot spots.

A 13-year-old Girl Scout named Skyler told the Daily Nexus that she has sold cookies outside of the University of California, Santa Barbara, campus for the past two years, she. She has her sights set on selling 3,000 boxes of cookies in 2019.

“There are a lot of really enthusiastic people and it’s always a treat to be here,” she said.

At the University of Georgia, Girl Scout cookies generated so much buzz that the student newspaper wrote an article to help students find a booth during the two sales days on campus.

And Beth Hagovsky, the director of Student Leadership and Activities at St. John’s University, used her position on campus to help her daughter sell cookies.

“Last year when we did this, I knew I was sitting on a gold mine as the person who reserves the tables outside the dining hall,” Hagovsky told The Hawk Newspaper. “Needless to say, my daughter sold the most cookies in the troop last year.”

One Girl Scout channeled her inner Cardi B with a rap about selling cookies.

Kiki Paschall, 10, from California, looked to market her Girl Scout cookies by filming a video in which she rapped about selling cookies to the tune of Cardi B’s “Money.”

The Girl Scouts of America shared Paschall’s video on its offical Twitter page, where it has received more than three million views. Even Cardi B acknowledged Paschall’s creative effort with a retweet.

It’s no surprise that Paschall went on to sell more than 1,000 boxes of cookies.

Chris Rock’s daughters brought their troop to sell cookies at the 2016 Academy Awards.

When Chris Rock hosted the 88th annual Academy Awards in 2016, he allowed his daughters’ Girl Scout troop to sell cookies during the show.

The young saleswomen appeared to sell Peanut Butter Patties to Kate Winslet, Thin Mints to Christian Bale, and other flavors to a variety of celebrities on hand.

“Reach into your millionaire pockets and buy some of my daughters’ Girl Scout cookies,” Rock told the audience.

Rock later revealed that the troop had raised a whopping $65,243 on the night.

Sales and Girl Scout Cookies! The Girls Know How to Sell!

In business, we are all in sales—everyone of us. Everyone sells something. A teacher sells an idea, i.e., in algebra, finding the side of a triangle. A tangible product, i.e., Girl Scouts cookies, professional advisory services, i.e., consulting services, insurance or financial services. The key to any sale is the relationship that one establishes between the buyer and seller. Girl Scouts are excellent relationship builders.

Girl Scout Cookie sales are the largest female owned business in the USA. Each Girl Scout is an independent business person. Girl Scout Cookie Sales teach these important business concepts:

• Goal Setting—Sales goals, how many boxes to order
• Decision Making—Where to set up, what location, what time
• Money Management—How to spend the profits that each girl makes
• People skills—Working with many people, rude, nice, mean, friendly
• Business Ethics—Honesty, responsibility, integrity

Here are 2 experiences we had recently with Girl Scouts—both of which were very positive!

Experience 1—One of our staff went to the store, was asked by the Girl Scouts if they wanted to buy any cookies. The answer was NO, we bought some yesterday when we were at the store. OK, thank you. 20 minutes later, the same girls were at the other side of the store, asking folks leaving if they wanted to buy Girl Scouts Cookies. When our staffer asked, “What did I tell you when I walked in?”, the Girl Scouts replied, “You said you would come and look when you left!” Well no, that is NOT what was said, however, the passion and motivation of the Girl Scouts made the staffer buy another box of cookies!

Experience 2—A colleague goes to the store. The Girl Scouts ask her to buy cookies. “How much are they?” was the question asked. The Girl Scouts response, “$20.” “Well, how are they $20?” asked our colleague? Well, you get 5 boxes was the response! This time, our colleague took one box and let the girls keep the remaining $16 for troop projects.

In both cases, each Girl Scouts had the drive, desire, passion, motivation and pride to sell Girl Scouts cookies! The girls were polite but always had an answer to a relevant objection. This answer caused the buyer to again buy another box of Girl Scouts cookie. Another sale was made!

In each instance above, the “overcoming the objection” answer was smooth and easy. In both cases, the answer was easy to understand and made each buyer spend more money. When a client raises a sales objection, think “outside the box” to address the objection. A sale will most likely result! They did each time in our examples above!

National Girl Scout Day 2020

Fox & Friends First team celebrates occasion with a variety of cookies!

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The coronavirus pandemic has drastically upended life across America, included a time-honored spring tradition — Girl Scout cookie season.

In late March, the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) suspended door-to-door sales and cookie booths for members to market the famous treats, soon after the global COVID-19 outbreak was declared a national emergency.

The coronavirus pandemic has drastically upended life across America, included a time-honored tradition often celebrated in spring — Girl Scout cookie season. (Girl Scouts of the USA))

After troop leaders worried that their groups would lose funds due to a potential surplus of unsold cookies — some varieties of which currently retail for up to $6 a box — GSUSA officials stepped up to offer extra support through the unprecedented situation, a report claims.

“The COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. hard in the midst of cookie season, so many girls and councils haven’t been able to sell their inventory due to social distancing and other safety precautions,” a spokesperson for GSUSA told Today in a Monday interview.

“Girl Scouts of the USA is working closely with our 111 local councils across the country who administer the iconic Girl Scout Cookie program to try and ensure that troops, girls, and volunteers aren’t left financially responsible for any excess inventory of Girl Scout Cookies,” a GSUSA rep told Fox News on Tuesday.

Amid the ongoing outbreak, the Girl Scouts are now promoting a new program called Cookie Care, which allows shoppers to buy cookies from their local troops online, or donate the treats to first responders, food pantries and town and county employees.

Looking ahead, GSUSA will also offer additional support, such as potential buy-backs and connecting donation centers with troops.

“Many councils have extended their sales deadlines, and will communicate their practices and guidelines to their troops at the end of their season,” the spokesperson said.

According to GSUSA, Girl Scout councils sell the beloved cookies for between six and eight weeks each year. Most sales happen between January and April, but some occur as early as September. The cookie sales benefit programming for 1.7 million girls, the organization said.

This year, 1.3 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies have been sold, the Cookie Care platform reports.

“For 108 years, Girl Scouts has been there in times of crisis and turmoil,” GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo said in a statement. “And today we are stepping forward with new initiatives to help girls, their families, and consumers connect, explore, find comfort and take action.”

Girl Scout Cookie Care also lets you donate boxes to workers on the front lines.

Right now, we’ll take all the comfort we can get — and a box of Girl Scout cookies is the quickest (and best) fix. In a normal year, the entire country rallies around the Girl Scouts — whether she’s your own daughter, or even a neighbor, loved one, or coworker’s kid— to fill their pantry with boxes upon boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, and more.

This year, however, most Americans are practicing social distancing, which means schools are closed, extracurriculars are suspended, and people are limiting their trips to grocery stores and other local businesses. As a result, Girl Scouts suspended door-to-door sales and cookie booths on March 27. Since Girl Scout cookies are typically sold from January through April, many troops were left with cases of cookies — and no way to sell them.

In an effort to “be a source of comfort for many,” the organization launched Girl Scout Cookie Care a.k.a a “virtual cookie booth,” to let you place cookie orders or make donations online.

As soon as you visit the Girl Scout Cookie Care landing page, you’re asked to enter your zip code (or the zip code of your Girl Scout!), so you can help Girl Scout troops in your area. But if for whatever reason it doesn’t pull up your local council, keep in mind that some councils may not be participating — yet. Then comes the fun part: Browse through the cookie offerings, including this year’s release Lemon-Ups, and pick how many you’d like to buy. There’s a four box minimum for all orders, so you’ll have to pick a handful of your favorites at the very least.

Shipping prices, which start at $9.25 for 4 to 6 boxes, vary depending on the number of boxes you order. One your order is placed, you can expect your cookies to arrive within 2 to 15 business days for domestic destinations, and 5 to 15 days for international destinations.

The good news doesn’t stop there: On the same order page, you can donate cookies for $5 a box to local heroes — first responders, healthcare workers, volunteers, and everyone else keeping our country afloat. All donations ship for free and don’t count as a part of the four box order minimum. As of April 14, over 60,000 boxes of cookies have been donated in New York City alone from the Girl Scouts of Greater New York council, according to CNN.

Thank you to ⁦@girlscouts⁩ troops 3095 & 3751 for their generous donation of cookies to our NICU staff working to keep babies safe & healthy. Fighting a pandemic makes you hungry! #OneGoodThing ⁦@NicoleB_MD⁩ ⁦@NYSAAPCH2⁩ ⁦@DrToddWo⁩ ⁦@AmerAcadPeds⁩

FYI, 100% of the net revenue earned from cookie orders go straight to Girl Scout councils and troops in your area. It’s up to the girls how they choose to spend the money. Some will use it for team-building experiences, others will invest it back into their communities through “Take Action” projects. Either way, orders help support 1.7 million girls nationwide, which makes the cookies taste even sweeter, just sayin’.

February 8, 2017

The other day during Superbowl Sunday, a mom and her daughter were walking the sidewalk near my friend’s house. We were unpacking my car, getting ready to go into the party to throw back a few beers and to hang out.

The mom and daughter approached us steadily with a pull-cart behind them. I quickly noticed that it was full of Girl Scout Cookie boxes. The girl was all dressed up in her uniform and she lead the charge as the mom-daughter team went door to door.

They went through four houses quickly before getting to us. I guess they got turned down on each house.

Photo by Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

They made it to us and sheepishly both of them asked if we would buy some cookies. One of us said, “I already bought from 3 other girls” and the rest of us said “no thank you.”

With their basket full of boxes, they moved on to the next house to face defeat once more.

That sparked the conversation amongst us if girl scouts are allowed to sell cookies online. Nobody knew definitively, and the conversation died there. I kept thinking that if my daughter was in the girl scouts, I’d help her sell online. A good online marketing strategy is sure to bring a boost of sales, right!?

But then I thought. if it were that easy, then everybody would be doing it. There has to be more to it and there has to be an easier way to get that sale.

In perfect timing, my buddy Jeremy from Shoemoney.com posted a sales technique that is sure to close more sales than ever.

This same method would work for so many other products and services and it reminds me of Zig Ziglar’s approach. Sell without selling, make conversation and ask for the sale in a way that is almost impossible to refuse.

Jeremy, being one of the top online marketers shared this:

Feel free to share if you know someone selling girl Scout Cookies.

Taught my daughter this last year while she was working a booth for 4 hours at a hardware store. Just off the top of my head. This technique drastically increased sales.

At first, her friends and her were going up to people and saying “Would you like to buy some girl scout cookies?” course the natural reaction is “no”. No. such an easy out for a consumer.

Then I took them to school. I told them you have to sell without selling and never give them the chance to say “NO”.

I told them to now approach people and ask them “What is your favorite girl scout cookie?” to which gave them no out but to name one. After all who the hell doesn’t have a favorite?

After all who the hell doesn’t have a favorite?

After they say their kind then, simply say “Oh how many boxes of those can I get for you?”
They now feel uncomfortable and the easy way out for them now went from “NO” to “I’ll take 2”.

You’re welcome Girl Scouts.

And so you see, that’s almost fail-proof method of making a sale. Ask an engaging question, LISTEN, then follow up with a closing pitch.

It would be hard to say no at this point and had the mom or daughter opened up their conversation to us with a question like that, I bet one of us probably would have bought one box.

Something to think about next time you need to make a sale.

This past weekend I went with my wife and daughter to sell Girl Scout Cookies door-to-door.

This past weekend I went with my wife and daughter to sell Girl Scout Cookies door-to-door. While they did most of the selling I sat in the background observing all the different aspects of one of the purest forms of selling. If you’ve never done door-to-door sales, you should give it a try. It’s a humbling experience and puts the pains of B2B selling in perspective.

We spent two hours walking around the neighborhood and here are my takeaways:

1. Set goals

We set a specific goal to sell 20 boxes in an hour which was an increase in our previous outing where we sold 15 boxes. This was our short-term goal which aligned with the larger goal of selling 750 boxes so my daughter could earn enough points for a beach towel. With this goal we knew what we had to do and ended up crushing our goal with 40 boxes.

If you’re not setting goals in sales and in life then you’re letting someone else dictate the path. By setting SMART goals you have something to strive for which helps you push and measure your progress. Set a life goal for 5 years out about the lifestyle you want to be living and then back into what you need to be doing on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis to hit that goal.

2. Practice makes perfect

On the way out the door we practiced her pitch to make sure she had a strong intro, value prop and call to action that she could deliver in a short period of time. As she practiced she got more and more comfortable with it and by the 3rd or 4th door she had the delivery nailed.

It’s important to practice in sales. We can practice all aspects of the sales process: voicemails, live calls, presentations, objection handling, closing. Whether we do this through a quick role play with our manager or teammate, or by calling a few of your Tier 3 accounts, we need to practice to get it right.

3. Be proactive about handling objections

Even though it’s hard for anyone to deny the power of a 7-year-old girl selling delicious Girl Scout Cookies, we knew we would get some objections so we planned for them. We knew the main objection we would get was “we already bought some from someone else.” By knowing this was the main objection we were able to come up with a great response which was “Did you know you can freeze them, so you can have them in the summer when you can’t get them anymore?” This got a few people to buy more than they would have.

The key to objection handling is being proactive about dealing with them. Too often, reps just react to objections as they come. Most of us know the objections we will face on a day to day basis. We should identify them, come up with specific approaches and responses to each of them and then test to see which ones work best.

4. Be opportunistic and keep your eyes open

The main approach to selling the cookies was going door to door but we also saw people walking buy and ask them if they wanted to buy some as well. Surprisingly we sold almost as many boxes to a kid walking buy, a guy on a bike, and our dry cleaner as we did to the 20+ houses we visited.

A big part of being successful in sales is being opportunistic. We need to have an open lens and not get tunnel vision in sales. Sometimes we miss out on much larger opportunities if we don’t pick our head up and see the bigger picture.

5. Try multiple channels

After going door-to-door we looked for other ways we could sell cookies to help my daughter achieve her goal of 750 boxes. My wife and her had already set up a booth at a local mall the week before and sold 150 boxes. The other obvious channel was online so we went to the Girl Scout’s website where we could create our own page and link to sell cookies. With the link we now had to find a way to promote it so my daughter put together a video. Just like going door-to-door, she practiced her pitch with the intro, value prop and call to action and then we recorded it. Check out the video here.

In Sales you need to try different approaches and use different forms of communication to engage with prospects and clients. It’s not email OR phone OR social, it’s all of them. If we stay single threaded, then we’ll miss out on a large part of the audience that might not like to communicate that way.

It was great to watch my daughter learn about sales through this experience while being reminded of some important lessons myself along the way. I’ve always said this is the greatest profession in the world when done right and it’s great to see it done right from the start.

So You Want To Sell Girl Scout Cookies

Many new leaders and cookie managers are overwhelmed by the Girl Scout Cookie Program. It seems like a lot of work for not a lot of reward. It seems crazy, and not worth doing on first glance. After all, what’s the point of selling a lot of cookies. There are other, better ways to raise money for the troop. You’re not sure you want to sell Girl Scout Cookies. I understand.

It is worth it. Whether it is worth it in terms of dollars and cents is open for discussion. That’s not the only reason to sell cookies. The real reason is that selling cookies is teaching girls business skills, and how to manage a budget, marketing, sales techniques, and about what it takes to run a business. The girls who sell the most cookies, get the biggest bang for their buck.

So, how does a girl sell 1000, 2000, or even 3000 boxes of cookies? If you look at the picture to the left, the girl in the middle is my younger daughter, Xena. She sold 3041 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies this past year. My older daughter who is in high school sold 1659 boxes this year. It is really not difficult to do, it just takes time, a little bit of planning, and a girl who really wants to sell a lot of cookies. Note that Girl Scouts is about the GIRLS, and not a question of how many cookies the adults can sell.

So, how do these girls do it?

I assure you, I am not the one selling the cookies, but I do help them with some good techniques.

1. Set a Realistic Goal. People who set goals are more likely to reach them. In the case of Girl Scout Cookies, girls typically sell about 30% more cookies when they set a goal. That does not mean setting a goal for 2000 boxes, when you’ve never sold before. Try for 100, 200, or even 300. You could go for crazy like Xena, and set a goal of 500 boxes as a first grader.
2. Create a Plan. Contact local businesses and ask to set up a cookie booth in front of their business. The best locations are those with plenty of foot traffic. More people = more in sales. Best yet- have the girls put in their vests, and go ASK to set up a cookie booth, and make sure if you do a booth, to write a thank you note afterwards, and give them a few boxes of cookies.
3. Make Your Table Cute. Make nice, clear signs with big letters that are viewed from a distance. Also, keep food, snacks, beverages, and other things AWAY from the table. Girls should also stand up whenever there are customers. In some instances where girls are working booths for 8-10 hours, we bring a stool, so that they can be at eye height, yet sit a little bit of the time.
4. Ask People to Buy Cookies. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people go walking on by, until a girl asks them to buy cookies. (Note it HAS to be the girls doing it to be effective) People will turn around and come buy cookies. Lots and Lots of times.
5. Wear Your Best Smile. Smile until your cheeks hurt, and wave at people, and say “Hi”, and “Please”, and “Thank you”. Be super friendly.
6. Dress For The Weather. We live in the south. Winter is not as cold here as it is in other parts of the country. My daughters have nice, warm ski pants, long underwear, and heavy duty winter boots, hats, gloves, scarves, and even hand warmers that they wear during cookie season. 40 Degrees isn’t too cold until you have to go stand in it for 3-4 hours at a time.

In general, I’ve found that it’s possible to get to 300 or so boxes with going door to door for a couple of hours, and 2-3 cookie booths. To get to 1000 boxes, then we spend more time at booths, typically most weekends. 2000 requires all 6 weekends of the cookie sale, and a few week nights as well. To get to 3000 boxes like my daughter did, pretty much required setting up camp outside of a store for the entire cookie sale. When she wasn’t at TaeKwonDo, or Basketball, she was selling cookies.

Selling Girl Scout Cookies isn’t so hard – it’s a question of just choosing the right spot, and putting in the time, following the tips above.

You should see the relentless marketing machine behind how to sell more Girl Scout Cookies.

I read a recent article that mentioned how well the Girl Scouts have mapped out their sales process. All those litte salespeople need training and support. And we all know they move a lot of cookies.

The Process Girl Scouts Have Mapped Out to Sell More Girl Scout Cookies

You can see what they’re doing here.

They have a great page for tools like posters and banners to let people know the cookies are available. This certainly results in a consistent message to the target market.

However, the glaring omission in the site on how to sell more Girl Scout cookies is this is actually marketing. Nowhere (that I could find, at least) do you find what you should say.

I wondered whether this was a guarded secret. Something that is never written down but instead passed along in person, tribally, as I have seen with the ever-changing management and floor staff of call centers.

Direct From the Trenches – A Mom’s Blog On How To Sell More Girl Scout Cookies

With a little digging, I did uncover a Seattle mom’s blog about how to sell more Girl Scout Cookies. She does provide a door-to-door script.

Curiously, the script doesn’t talk about the cookies, or the benefit of buying the cookies, or the taste of the cookies that the buyer will enjoy:

“Hi! I’m selling Girl Scout cookies! My goal is to sell x boxes of Girl Scout cookies to earn x. Will you help me reach my goal?”

Presumably the writer of this script has assumed the prospect already knows all about Girl Scout cookies. The script is all about tying the act of buying into helping the child achieve her bigger goal.

Now here’s where things get really interesting from a sales process standpoint. Our valiant mom has a secondary sales goal! If the prospect doesn’t want cookies, the Girl Scout’s next step is to ask if they would like to donate a box to Operation Cookie Drop for the troops.

If they can say no to buying cookies from a cute little girl AND donating to our troops, they clearly have a heart of stone.

Notice how it protects the self-esteem of the salesperson. If the prospect won’t buy cookies from you, or donate to the troops, there is clearly something wrong with them and you can go ahead and qualify them Out with a clear conscience.

In Part 2 the following year, the mom updates what’s working and what’s not with personalized marketing materials. Her numbers are not statistically significant but they are data from the field.

If you’re going to use a yard/bandit sign, make sure it’s plastic and not poster board.

If you market with a magnetic car sticker, check that the font is readable when the car is moving at speed. This is a pet peeve of mine. Especially on billboards. I squint at tiny fonts and those in lousy color choices, and wonder: what graphic designer came up with that one? You can’t read it. What a waste of money.

The Girl Scouts also have a mapped-out rewards system. Move X amount of cookie cases, win prize Y. And the prizes, of course, are relevant to the sales team’s demographic.

So my question for you today is: Are you as well organized for selling your product or service as the Girl Scouts are for selling cookies?

The alarming truth is that the Girl Scouts have it together far, far better than most businesses.

It’s not rocket science. But you won’t be able to sell more Girl Scout cookies unless you get your sales & marketing process together.

Dieters, brace yourselves: A battalion of schoolgirls has taken aim at your willpower.

Armed with Trefoils and Do-si-dos, these persistent peddlers have infiltrated sidewalks, malls, and your Facebook pages — laying waste to calorie counts and racking up millions of boxes of cookie sales.

About half of the world’s 1.9 million Girl Scouts participate in the annual fundraiser — now in its hundredth year — that bankrolls the organization’s projects, field trips, and community service initiatives. (All proceeds go to the local troop and council, a Girl Scouts spokeswoman says, but local councils may award prizes to top local sellers.) And while the average Scout sells 150 to 200 boxes of cookies each season, some Samoa slingers go well beyond that, selling thousands of boxes apiece.

Here, five top Girl Scout cookie sellers spill their trade secrets.

Julia Vieira Reis — Girl Scouts of Connecticut

• Level: Cadette (11 years old)
• Favorite cookie: Savannah Smiles
• Personal record: 2,200 boxes

In 2014, the Scouts launched a digital cookie platform that lets scouts make sales through personalized websites — particularly useful for those with relatives across the country. Last year, Julia created a parody video of Adele’s “Hello” (“Hello from the outside, I must have knocked a thousand times”) and uploaded it to Facebook. The video was a hit among her friends and family, and drove lots of traffic to her personal cookie page.

Julia is also a master of the personal brand: For Christmas, she asked her mom for business cards that list her website and her mom’s phone number. Now when she goes door to door, she leaves a card with customers: “That way, if they need any more, they can call you,” she says. “So you can continue to get sales.”

Najah Lorde — Girl Scouts of Greater New York

• Level: Ambassador (15 years old)
• Favorite cookie: “Not a sweets person”
• Personal record: 2,833 boxes

Like many Girl Scout troops, Najah’s sells cookies as pre-orders, so she doesn’t have the product on hand to tempt potential customers. Luckily, Najah is a master of phone sales. On the first day of her troop’s cookie season, Najah borrows her parents’ cell phones, locks herself in her bedroom, and calls everyone on their contact lists. Then, she nails the upsell.

“I try to get them to buy a little more than they originally wanted,” she says. “Say they wanted to buy two boxes,” which would cost $8. “I’ll say, ‘Well, I mean, if you buy five boxes, that’s just $20, so instead of giving me a bunch of bills, you can just give me one bill and then we’re good to go.’”

Najah also does face-to-face sales at church, school, and her parents’ offices. Killing the cookie game she says, is all about determination. “Everywhere I go is a possibility of a new sale.”

Dierdre Moore – Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma

• Level: Ambassador (17 years old)
• Favorite cookie: Tagalongs
• Personal record: 3,624

Talk about motivation: Dierdre’s troop uses the money raised in cookie sales for some pretty serious travel. In 2015, her troop went to Costa Rica; this year, they’re going to Greece. (Greece!) That gets the whole team fired up, says Dierdre, who estimates that she’s sold upward of 10,000 boxes of cookies over her dozen years in the Girl Scouts.

And numbers matter: Every season, her troop floods the zone outside local shopping centers and superstores, setting up multiple cookie booths. Working with other scouts is “definitely an advantage,” she says. “Especially if there are two doors at a Walmart. We can get both doors.”

Althea Collier — Girl Scouts of Greater New York

• Level: Cadette (12 years old)
• Personal Record: 1,500 boxes
• Favorite cookie: Samoas

Althea’s Manhattan neighborhood isn’t great for door-to-door sales — too many apartment buildings, she says — so she has to improvise. Every weekend, Althea and her dad set up a cookie booth in front of Columbia University, in an area that sees a lot of foot traffic from students and passersby.

Putting yourself out there isn’t easy, she admits. “I was really scared the first time we did it,” Althea says. “I didn’t get many sales that day, because I really just wanted to go home.” When she took a second stab at it, she knew she had to go all in. “The next time I decided to really put myself out there, she says. “I told myself to be brave.” Now, she says, “I always try to sell out.”

Cassidy Hunt — Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles

• Level: Ambassador (17 years old)
• Personal record: 3,500
• Favorite cookie: Thin Mints (but she offers a caveat: “It’s like having to pick out your favorite child”)

As a Girl Scout veteran, Cassidy has loads of cookie-selling experience. But the years she has over most scouts can be a detriment, she says. “People usually want to buy their cookies from a little girl with pigtails,” she says. “I have to put a little more work into it.”

To snag customers, Cassidy pushes the philanthropy angle, talking up the community service projects and educational opportunities that the cookies help fund — an annual food drive for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, for instance, or making holiday cards for kids in juvenile detention.

It’s not easy, but Cassidy — and the rest of the girls on this list, for that matter — does the bulk of the work herself, without much help from her parents. “I want to be the center of sales,” she says.

The new Lemon-Ups feature baked-in messages inspired by the Girl Scout core mission

The holidays have already passed, but the best time of the year is only just getting started: Girl Scout cookie season!

Starting Jan. 7, the troops will begin selling boxes of their tasty treats — and they have big news to kick things off. This year, the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) are releasing a new lemon-flavored cookie in addition to their lineup of classic flavors to celebrate young female leaders and entrepreneurs. The new Lemon-Ups are crispy and sweet glazed lemon cookies that feature baked-in messages inspired by the Girl Scout core mission.

Among the eight phrases featured on the cookies are “I am a go-getter” and “I am an innovator.” They will replace the Savannah Smiles flavor and will be available in select Girl Scout council markets while supplies last.

The Girl Scouts are also debuting revamped packaging for the cookies with updated images of current members participating in a diverse range of experiences made possible by the Cookie Program.

GSUSA CEO Sylvia Acevedo explained how the program is about so much more than just sweets. “Girls learn about entrepreneurship as they run their own cookie businesses,” she said in a press release.

Troops are able to use their cookie earnings to fund interesting experiences, including adventure-packed camping and canoeing, and science, technology and engineering opportunities. The Girl Scout Cookie Program also holds the top spot as the largest financial investment in girls annually in the United States, according to the release.

“The important business and financial literacy skills girls learn through the program are proven to build their leadership skills and position them for success in the future,” added Acevedo. “When you purchase cookies you are helping girls power their Girl Scout experience and you’re supporting female entrepreneurs.”

Some Girl Scouts really go the extra mile to sell their cookies.

With technology at our fingertips, Girl Scouts have to go a lot further to hock their delicious cookie treats these days. Nine-year-old Amory Vargo of Westerville, Ohio always kicks off cookie season by making music video parodies, and this year was no different.

Facebook

This year Amory was determined to find the perfect beat to set her cookie advertisement. Like just about everyone else on the planet, Amory had fallen in love with Lizzo’s popular song “Truth Hurts,” a tune that has played non-stop on the radio for the past few months. As Amory played around with the lyrics she realized how perfectly Lizzo’s song worked for her needs.

“She played around with a few popular songs before landing on this one, but when she thought of it the lyrics just started flowing,” Amory’s mother Samantha Vargo explained. “It was pretty easy for her to piece it together once the ball started rolling. ”

Facebook

Samantha helped her daughter video the son parody, uploading the finished video to YouTube where it really took off. Amory does a great job channeling the body-positive singer! She’s got attitude to spare, a must-have when you’re filling Lizzo’s stilettos.

“She really loves Lizzo,” Samantha said. “We talk a lot about the meanings behind songs, and we listen to Lizzo at home. I really love the message Lizzo shares about loving who you are, being independent. It resonates well with a young girl I feel, being comfortable with our bodies is so important, and so difficult, in the modern age.”

YouTube

Amory’s video has already racked up tons of views online, and her video shows no signs of slowing down. Samantha hopes the video gives her daughter an edge when it comes to selling cookies. She also hopes other children will see how successful Amory’s video is and use their own platforms to raise funds.

“There is a lot of cookie competition out there, and we certainly do not want to take sales away from any other girl out there hustling sales for her troop,” Samantha explained. “We hope that by this video going big other girls will see it and the wheels will start turning for them in other ways to market. Heck, even just getting consumers to think about cookies and reach out to Girl Scouts they know!”

YouTube

What a clever idea, and so well done. Amory is hoping to sell 2,020 boxes of cookies this year, which will earn her an opportunity to spend a week at Girl Scout camp next summer. Best of luck, girlfriend!

Watch Amory’s “Truth Hurts” video below, and don’t forget to share.

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It’s the sweetest time of the year, Girl Scout cookie time! When you sell Girl Scout Cookies you are contributing the largest girl-led business in the world. This program has inspired generations of girls to grow up to become business leaders in our country and around the world. Who knows where you will go with the 5 Skills you learn from selling cookies!

We want you all to be successful and have fun this cookie season. To ensure you do just that, today we are sharing a few simple tips to help you during the Cookie Presale. Whether you’re a ‘Cookie Rookie’ selling for the very first time or an Ambassador getting ready for high school graduation, these tips will help you over the next few of weeks.

Practice makes perfect
Before you go out into the world with your cookie order sheet in hand, practice your sales pitch. Sit down with your mom or dad and pretend to sell cookies. Your customers are going to ask you questions. This is the best time to rehearse your answers and you won’t be caught off guard. Familiarize yourself with the cookie line up so you can describe each different flavor.

Leave no stone unturned Everyone is a potential new customer and the only way to find out if they want to purchase cookies is to ask. Make a list of everyone you know. Give them a call or ask in-person next time you see them. Brainstorm places you can bring your order form. If you’re going to a business or school ask for permission to sell.

Build customer loyalty
Look back at your cookie sheet from last year. Be sure to ask everyone who placed orders before if they would like to repeat their purchases. Personalize your deliveries with handmade thank you notes. Your customers will appreciate the gesture and they will be more likely to purchase again in the future.

*Knock Knock* Nobody’s home?
While you’re out selling door to door throughout the neighborhood, chances are a few of your neighbors might not be home. Let them know you stopped by but they haven’t missed out on their chance to order cookies by leaving a note or flyer at their door. Keep track of which houses you missed and try again another time. If you don’t catch them during the presale to place an order, try them again when you have cookies in hand.

Making the world a better place one box of cookies at a time
Many Girl Scout troops use cookie money to fund Take Action projects and give back to their community. Tell your customers what you did with last year’s money and what your plans are for this year. Their cookie purchase can go on to help others.

Take your Girl Scout to work day
Ask your parents if you can come to work with them one or two days during the presale. Stop by before or after school in your Girl Scout uniform and go office to office selling cookies. It’s like going door to door but climate controlled. Why stop with just your parents’ offices? Ask your aunts, uncles, grandparents or family friends if you can sell at their place of business as well.

This could be your lucky day Increase your sales by encouraging your customers to purchase 5 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies for a chance to win 5 cases (60 boxes) of cookies. Most people love the thrill and possibility of winning something. A perfect example is the most recent Powerball lottery getting up to $1.5 billion. Luckily, the odds of winning the 5 for 5 raffle is much better than the lottery. Plus the more boxes they buy, the better chance they have to win!

You can still support Girl Scouts without ruining your diet
Many people set New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or may have dietary restrictions for health reasons. To avoid temptations, they might not be too keen to make a purchase when you ask. Explain the Gift of Caring program and how they can still support Girl Scouts and our military with their donation. Also, if someone has a gluten allergy or sensitivity, tell them about the Toffee-Tastic gluten-free cookie. While it’s not on the order form, it will be available at your cookie booth.

Order now to guarantee the cookies you love
Thin Mint is the most popular flavor and Samoas come in a close second. Sometimes certain cookies sell out quickly at cookie booths. Let your customers know, if they order from you they will be guaranteed their favorite cookies before the cookie booths even open.

Cookies Freeze Well
Remind your customers that cookies are only available for a limited time and they should stock up their freezers with a few extra boxes of cookies. Besides, some customers prefer to eat their cookies frozen. Giveaway zip-top freezer bags as an incentive for purchasing extra cookies. Also, mention the 5 for 5 promotion.

Set your goals and surpass them Do you have a specific sales goal you want to reach? Are you trying to break last year’s record? Share how many boxes you want to sell and why. We have lots of girls each year that earn Cookie Dough to go to Girl Scouts Summer Camp. We also have troops that save their earnings for big trips, activities and special programs. What kind of fun do you have planned?

We hope these tips help you during the cookie presale. We can’t wait to hear all about your adventures selling cookies this year. Good luck, we know you all are going to do a stellar job!

Girl Scouts is more than just cookies, find out all the exciting new adventures your daughter can experience with Girl Scouts!

my mom said that she was going to help me. she said buy it first and then sell it back. is that a good way?

also how do i sell them. how do i make the most? my goal is 500 cookies but i might sell 100 or 200. please help!

10 points! to first

listen guys im a girl scout. what did you think? im going to sell them if im not a girl scout? no im a cadet soon to be a senior!

29 Answers

are you kidding girl scout cookies are the bomb they practically sale them selfs, you just have to know where to go. Have your mom talk to a store manager at a grocery store or walmart for permission to set up a table and sale girl scout cookies thier usually supportive of this kind of thing because it helps thier sales too while giving them that good feeling that thier helping an organization. Make sure you choose somewhere like a grocery store, its a smart choice since people are going to buy food it wouldnt be so much out of thier way to buy those delicious cookies.

I don’t understand why she would say buy it first and then sell it back. The Girl Scouts give you the forms to have people sign up to buy the cookies. You don’t need to buy anything yourself.

Go to anyone you know — those Girl Scout cookies sell themselves! If your mom can, she should bring the form to her work and ask people there. Also ask your teachers if it’s allowed at your school. Only go to houses where you know the people.

You need to be a girl scout to sell cookies. if you get caught the GS council will come after you – Big time. And since I’m a GS leader I just might report this. You are trying to cheat the girls that work hard all year doing things for the community. Find something else to sell – don’t steal from little girls (as young as 5 years old)

Girl Scout cookies sell themselves. Just let people know you’re selling them and most will buy at least one box.

buying it first and selling it back to them is not earning your points and badge the correct and honest way to do it. set a goal that is achieveable to you. don’t go way out there and go beyond what you think and know you can sell that is setting yourself up for failure however set a goal that is achievable and then set a second goal that is achieveable if you reach the first one. going to the store and stuff is ok but others do that and most of them are there with whole troop not just as one. families,neighbors (that you know), parents job, and local governemnt businesses the court house police station fire department hit all those places.

no, that’s not a good way. everyone who loves girl scout cookies knows they have to order them. You will gain 100 pounds with 5 extra boxes, never mind owning 500! lol.

start takign orders from friends and family EARLY

Tell people the truth the cookies are smaller the box is smaller the price is the same but it for a good cause

ive never heard of anyone buying them then selling them.

try going door to door.

have your parents take the order forms to work

go to a local daycare and set up a table with samples or something. the kids would throw a tatnrum until their mom bought them the cookies.

call your family

sell to your teachers

Go door to door in nice neighborhoods, sell them at school.. sell them your family and ask your parents to sell some at work.

stand near a bank 😀 they all have money there. And give small samples to entice them to come over. It should work wonders. go in the afternoons because most people get out of work after 5pm. And you HAVE to be there on Fridays. Its a must.

Yes, we all love Girl Scout Cookies. no, we can’t buy every single box.

Ding dong, it’s a cute little girl in a green sash… looking to take your money and stuff you with fattening cookies. Those dreaded (and delicious) Girl Scout cookies are for sale where you live right now because — yes, it’s still Girl Scout cookie season in America, even though you probably already bought all the boxes you were willing to eat this year. (While final selling dates vary across the U.S., the East Coast Girl Scouts are getting aggressive with their cookie-selling deadline looming. Some locations in California have already finished selling, but some states in the south are still selling too, until the last week of April. Beware!)

It’s a tradition that started in 1917 by the Girl Scouts to raise money for their troops, various charities, and to teach young girls how to become business savvy. And that they are. Ever been hoodwinked into buying multiple boxes and handing over cold hard cash? Then you wake up in an alley with two black eyes and no wallet? They got you.

They’re everywhere in the spring, from grocery store parking lots to your front door. They even have underlings in the form of your office coworkers who sneak up to your desk, pen in hand, watching, waiting, while you check off boxes of cookies with names like Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and oh God, Samoas. According to the Girl Scouts own website, those chewy coconut-chocolate O’s are 150 calories for just two cookies. Cookies baked by fatty little elves in calorie hell!

How about just saying no? To the sugar and to spending the money? What if you already bought some from a friend and don’t want to buy any more? How can you crush the spirit of a little girl hawking her goods?

Etiquette expert Diane Gottsman, National Etiquette Expert and founder of The Protocol School of Texas, says Girl Scout cookie pushers are everywhere she turns these days.

“This just happened to me!” Diane tells The Feast. “They’re around every corner, little table set up with Girl Scouts and their moms selling those little sugary treats. While you might be compelled to buy a box or two as a courtesy to a friend with a child, there comes a time when you have to draw the line. Additionally, you may be short on cash, have medical dietary restrictions, or simply don’t want the cookies in the house out of fear of eating them.”

Business-Savvy Girl Scout Scores Huge Cookie Sales by Setting Up Shop at a Marijuana Dispensary

Whatever the reason… Diane offers a few tips for turning them down.

Say yes only when you want to.

If you buy several boxes from one Girl Scout but more Girl Scouts keep knocking at your door, it’s perfectly fine to say “no thank you.” You don’t even have to offer an excuse if you smile kindly shake your head with a little remorse and say and you are most courteous voice: “No thank you.”

Add an excuse to your “no thank you.”

“Gosh… I wish you would’ve caught me yesterday. I have been inundated with cookie requests for the past few days and I’ve run out of room in my cabinet. Thank you for stopping by.”

Keep walking.

Once again, nod your head graciously showing a slight bit of understanding and remorse in your eyes. But the key here is to keep walking. They set up at the doorway of different stores hoping to make a sale but Girl Scouts and their parents are also understanding of the fact that they are not the only ones peddling the cookies.

Buy one box and give it away.

If you can’t seem to say no, buy one box instead of seven and give it to a neighbor or take it into the office. This is a good way to let the parents of Girl Scouts know you have done your civic duty.

Develop a thick skin (and not from the cookies).

Be kind but firm. We all know that when we are selling a product, sometimes you win and sometimes you don’t. Parents should not pressure their friends and family members to buy large amount of cookies. It also teaches a child a valuable lesson: knowing that In life sometimes you are more successful than others.

“Finally… Put in your earbuds and don’t answer the door!” Gottsman tells The Feast. “Hopefully they won’t see you through the window as you scamper to hide behind the couch.”

And parents, encourage your Girl Scouts to say thank you to those who purchase. and also those who do not. It’s a courteous gesture — and it’s the golden rule, after all.

The sweetest time of the year is almost here – Girl Scout cookie time! The Girl Scout Cookie presale starts earlier this year on Friday, December 22! When you sell Girl Scout Cookies you are contributing the largest girl-led business in the world. This program has inspired generations of girls to grow up to become business leaders in our country and around the world. Who knows where you will go with the 5 Skills you learn from selling cookies!

We want you all to be successful and have fun this cookie season. To ensure you do just that, today we are sharing a few simple tips to help you during the Cookie Presale. Whether you’re a ‘Cookie Rookie’ selling for the very first time or an Ambassador getting ready for high school graduation, these tips will help you over the next few of weeks.

Practice makes perfect
Before you go out into the world with your cookie order sheet in hand, practice your sales pitch. Sit down with your mom or dad and pretend to sell cookies. Your customers are going to ask you questions. This is the best time to rehearse your answers and you won’t be caught off guard. Familiarize yourself with the cookie line up so you can describe each different flavor.

Leave no stone unturned Everyone is a potential new customer and the only way to find out if they want to purchase cookies is to ask. Make a list of everyone you know. Give them a call or ask in-person next time you see them. Brainstorm places you can bring your order form. If you’re going to a business or school ask for permission to sell.

Build customer loyalty
Look back at your cookie sheet from last year. Be sure to ask everyone who placed orders before if they would like to repeat their purchases. Personalize your deliveries with handmade thank you notes. Your customers will appreciate the gesture and they will be more likely to purchase again in the future.

*Knock Knock* Nobody’s home?
While you’re out selling door to door throughout the neighborhood, chances are a few of your neighbors might not be home. Let them know you stopped by but they haven’t missed out on their chance to order cookies by leaving a note or flyer at their door. Keep track of which houses you missed and try again another time. If you don’t catch them during the presale to place an order, try them again when you have cookies in hand.

Making the world a better place one box of cookies at a time
Many Girl Scout troops use cookie money to fund Take Action projects and give back to their community. Tell your customers what you did with last year’s money and what your plans are for this year. Their cookie purchase can go on to help others.

Take your Girl Scout to work day
Ask your parents if you can come to work with them one or two days during the presale. Stop by before or after school in your Girl Scout uniform and go office to office selling cookies. It’s like going door to door but climate controlled. Why stop with just your parents’ offices? Ask your aunts, uncles, grandparents or family friends if you can sell at their place of business as well.

This could be your lucky day Increase your sales by encouraging your customers to purchase 5 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies for a chance to win 5 cases (60 boxes) of cookies. Most people love the thrill and possibility of winning something. A perfect example is like when the Powerball jackpot is really high. Luckily, the odds of winning the 5 for 5 raffle is much better than the lottery. Plus the more boxes they buy, the better chance they have to win!

You can still support Girl Scouts without ruining your diet
Many people set New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or may have dietary restrictions for health reasons. To avoid temptations, they might not be too keen to make a purchase when you ask. Explain the Gift of Caring program and how they can still support Girl Scouts and our military with their donation. Also, if someone has a gluten allergy or sensitivity, tell them about the Toffee-Tastic gluten-free cookie. Also Thin Mints are vegan!

Order now to guarantee the cookies you love
Thin Mint is the most popular flavor and Samoas come in a close second. Sometimes certain cookies sell out quickly at cookie booths. Do you remember how the brand new S’mores cookie sold out last year? It’s back this year! Let your customers know, if they order from you they will be guaranteed their favorite cookies before the cookie booths even open.

Cookies Freeze Well
Remind your customers that cookies are only available for a limited time and they should stock up their freezers with a few extra boxes of cookies. Besides, some customers prefer to eat their cookies frozen. Giveaway zip-top freezer bags as an incentive for purchasing extra cookies. Also, mention the 5 for 5 promotion.

Set your goals and surpass them Do you have a specific sales goal you want to reach? Are you trying to break last year’s record? Share how many boxes you want to sell and why. We have lots of girls each year that earn Cookie Dough to go to Girl Scouts Summer Camp. We also have troops that save their earnings for big trips, activities and special programs. What kind of fun do you have planned?

Extra time to sell
The presale starts earlier than ever before this year! That means you have extra time to sell during winter break. During the holidays you’ll see many family and friends you don’t get to see on a regular basis. Use this time with them to ask them to buy Girl Scout Cookies!

We hope these tips help you during the cookie presale. We can’t wait to hear all about your adventures selling cookies this year. Good luck, we know you all are going to do a stellar job!

Important Cookie Dates to Remember: Dec. 22 – Jan. 18: Cookie presales
Jan. 13: Digital Cookie (DOC) debuts early this year!
Feb. 16 – Mar. 11: Cookie Booth Sales

Have a Great Girl Scout Cookie Story to Share? Have a parent or troop leader submit it today for a chance to see your story featured in our Powered by Cookies gallery, on the Girl Scout Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more—so cool!

Girl Scouts is more than just cookies, find out all the exciting new adventures your daughter can experience with Girl Scouts!

After growing up with Samoas and Thin Mints on the reg, I fully cop to having a soft spot for Girl Scout cookies and stocking up whenever I see a booth. That being said, it can be a struggle to get said Samoas and Thin Mints if they’re out of season. If you’re running low on your stash of cookies, you may be wondering: Are Girl Scout cookies in stores right now, and if so, can I pick them up with the rest of my groceries? Here’s what to know about getting your cravings handled until Girl Scout cookie season is in session next year.

Unfortunately, Girl Scout cookie season only comes once a year, so no, grabbing a box or two of your favorite snacks when you’re at the store is not an option for the rest of the year. On the flip side, there are quite a few dupes for the cookies you know and love from your childhood, so technically you can still savor your favorite flavors 365 days of the year if you want to. Keebler Coconut Dream cookies with fudge, caramel, and coconut are basically Samoas in disguise, while the Mini Dark Chocolate Mints at Trader Joe’s or Keebler’s Grasshoppers could easily pass for Thin Mints. Pretty much every cookie has a dupe, but in general I’d recommend checking out Keebler’s varieties as they use Little Brownie Bakers (which is one of the bakers that the Girl Scouts use). Chances are high that you’ll be digging into a cookie that’s at least pretty similar to the GS version.

Even during Girl Scout cookie season, stocking up on your treat of choice is a little more complicated than just going to the store. Back before the digital era, I remember struggling to locate Girl Scout booths and being overjoyed when my family stumbled upon one by accident. Nowadays, it’s a lot simpler. According to the Girl Scout website, you can plug in your zip code in the Find Cookies tool during Girl Scout Cookie season, and the page will populate with a variety of spots and dates that Girl Scout troops will be vending their cookies. You can choose the time you want to go, make your pick among all the mouthwatering options, and head back home with with all the Thin Mints you can carry.

A lot of the booth locations do happen to be in front of grocery stores, but unfortunately you can’t buy Trefoils in the cookie section of your local store. After all, the Girl Scouts are all about fostering entrepreneurial skills and business acumen among young women, and selling the cookies directly to consumers is an important part of that.

So, if you want to buy your favorite treats in person and don’t know a girl scout personally, the Find Cookies tool is your best bet. There’s also a Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, which you can download on both iOS or Android devices so that you can always locate your closest booth from your smartphone.

Speaking of going digital, my go-to method for getting cookies is ordering them online. Considering that we do almost everything on our phones nowadays, it’s not surprising that ordering cookies is now part of that — and the Girl Scouts’ Digital Cookie Platform makes it so easy to have your boxes of goodies delivered straight to your doorstep.

Depending on whether your local Girl Scouts are an LBB council or an ABC council, you’ll either be using a Digital Order Card or the Smart Cookies Mobile app. If you’re not sure which one your troop identifies as, it’s super easy to check on the GS website.

Unfortunately, in order to take advantage of online ordering, you’ll have to know a Girl Scout to get your favorite biscuits delivered straight to your door. Once you contact the Girl Scout you know in person, she can either enter your order herself on the app or you can choose to have you send an email to your inbox so that you can do the sale yourself. For safety reasons, the Girl Scout troop members will need to initiate the proceedings, however, so you’re probably out of luck if you don’t know someone personally.

Whether or not you know a troop member, there are a few different ways that you can look into to get all your Samoa cravings handled as efficiently as possible, so I’d look into the option that works best for you. In the meantime, there are plenty of grocery store equivalents to keep those withdrawals under control in the off-season. Happy snacking!

These days, young girls are more creative than ever in their attempts to market Girl Scout cookies. From vlogging painfully honest critiques to setting up shop outside a weed dispensary, Generation Z knows how to make a sale. But one trooper from Atlanta, Georgia rose above the rest with an adorable remix to Donald Glover’s “Redbone” — the psychedelic soul song that opens Academy Award-nominated thriller Get Out.

In “Girl Scout Cookies,” Seymore Harrison Jr. — adorned in a purple “Citizen of Wakanda” Black Panther shirt — and a his 6-year-old daughter Charity Joy tag-team what might be the cutest baked goods sales pitch of all time. The video, which was posted on February 18, had 4.2 million views after just 8 days.

“Thin Mints, you wanna order some before it’s too late. We also got Trefoils and they taste great. Tagalongs will make you feel fine,” the first grader sings to an instrumental track.

“Samoas are coconut cookies with caramel. You wanna get them now because they’re gonna sell. I promise it is worth your time,” the two join in together. “If you want ‘em, you can have ‘em. If you need ‘em, you can buy ‘em, oh! If you want ‘em, you can buy ‘em. Now stay woke, buy these cookies. Girl Scout sellin’ delicious cookies. Now stay woke, buy these cookies. Don’t you wait too late.”

According to Charity’s Girl Scout page, it’s this young woman’s first year selling cookies.

“She set her goal for 1,300 and placed it on her vision board because that gave her a trip to Disney,” Charity’s mom, Patrice Harrison, told The Daily Meal. “She had been to Disney this past summer but I became extreme ill while there and was hospitalized and my husband was out of town so she wanted to reach her goal to go as a family.”

UPDATED: Her campaign is over, and Charity blew through that goal a couple times over, selling more than 5,000 boxes of cookies at $4 to $6 each.

In other Girl Scout cookie news, if you’d rather drink your sweets, Dunkin’ Donuts is introducing three Girl Scout-inspired flavors nationwide on February 26. USA Today reports that the breakfast brand will offer Thin Mint, Coconut Caramel, and Peanut Butter Cookie hot and iced coffees, lattes, macchiatos, and frozen beverages.

Or you can go big with Tagalong, Samoa, Thin Mint, and Savannah Smile doughnuts at Purple Glaze bakery in downtown Asbury Park, New Jersey. Each variety costs $2.50, but according to NJ.com, they’re expected to sell out quickly.

For more on America’s fan-favorite fundraiser, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Girl Scout cookies.

This story was originally published on February 23 and was updated February 27 to reflect the number views that the video got and the number of cookies she sold.

“These cookies great ‘cuz they gotta be great.” Wait, those aren’t the words to “Truth Hurts”…

They’re actually the lyrics to a 9-year-old Girl Scout’s remix of the hit song by Lizzo. Amory Vargo from Westerville, Ohio dropped her parody of the song on Jan. 11 in order to sell more cookies for her troop, and since then it’s gone viral and garnered more than 100,000 views on YouTube.

In the music video, Vargo sings her own lyrics about cookies to the tune of the self-love anthem and lies on the ground surrounded by boxes of all the different Girl Scout cookie flavors.

In a statement to TODAY, Amory’s mother, Samantha, explained that her daughter actually makes a whole music video for Girl Scout cookies season every year. “She played around with a few popular songs before landing on this one, but when she thought of it the lyrics just started flowing,” she said. “It was pretty easy for her to piece it together once the ball started rolling.”

Amory is a big fan of the singer and body-positivity icon, according to her mom. “She really loves Lizzo,” Samantha explained. “We talk a lot about the meanings behind songs, and we listen to Lizzo at home. I really love the message Lizzo shares about loving who you are, being independent. It resonates well with a young girl I feel, being comfortable with our bodies is so important, and so difficult, in the modern age.”

WATCH: Jennifer Garner Helps Sell Girl Scout Cookies Outside a Grocery Store: ‘We Do Have Thin Mints’

The young performer isn’t the only Girl Scout to come up with creative ways to sell more cookies. In Feb. 2019, one Colorado-based Girl Scout replaced the packaging on her boxes of Samoas with shirtless pictures of Aquaman actor Jason Momoa.

The girl’s mother, who happens to be a marketing professional, helped with the box rebranding, printing out and plastering the photos of Momoa, 40, on the purple packaging, and changing the name on the front from Samoas to Momoas. And despite already being the top-selling Girl Scout cookie every season, Holmberg’s Momoa-ed Samoas sold like hotcakes and completely blew up on social media.

Another young Girl Scout Kiki Paschall also recreated a top song last year, rapping a cookie-themed version of Cardi B‘s hit song “Money.” The musician, 27, spotted the video on Twitter and showed her support with a tweet. “I want all the cookieshhh,” she wrote along with a link to the video.

The Internet is reshaping America’s greatest traditions, including the sale of Girl Scout cookies.

The Internet is reshaping America’s greatest traditions, including the sale of Girl Scout cookies.

This year, more Girl Scouts are turning to the Net for their annual ritual of selling cookies. Net sales still account for a fraction of the total; most of the estimated more than 2 million Girl Scouts still go door-to-door to close a deal.

But don’t discount the ingenuity of Girl Scouts.

“Hi! I’m Catherine Pooley. This is my third year in Girl Scout cookie sales,” reads one Web site that lets Netizens order cookies online. “Each year I’ve been the top seller in my troop, and this year I would really appreciate it if you would help me reach my goal of 1001 boxes. Thanks again!”

The site offers a space for users to email their orders to Pooley in boxes marked “Chalet Cremes,” “Thin Mints,” and “Snaps,” among others. A comment box includes hints for “finding your house” or “suggestions to improve this Web page.”

Another site, the Patriots’ Trail Girl Scouts, lets Netizens not only order via email but pay for their cookies online using a credit card. It offers pricing and a detailed description of each cookie ($3 for a box of “Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies” with 0 percent vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron but 3 grams of protein) as well as a box to use MasterCard or Visa. The AT&T Secure Buy Service is featured.

The site also includes this persuasive sales pitch: “Did you know that $2 of the $3 cost of a box of Girl Scout Cookies is used for Girl Scout programs, both on the troop and council level?”

All told, the Yahoo search engine provides nine key matches under the subject “Girl Scout Cookies.” Alta Vista listed hundreds–too many to fully investigate.

And what does the official Girl Scout Web site say about sales of cookies via the Net? Nothing. Instead it offers some old-fashioned advice: Under the heading, “How can I order Girl Scout Cookies?” it says: “Contact your local Girl Scout council by telephone by looking up Girl Scouts in the white pages of your local telephone directory.”

But the Girl Scouts is serious about the importance of technology. “We’re designing, testing, and providing councils with the software they need,” the official site states. “We’ll design the software with easy-to-use pushbutton menus and provide councils all the manuals and user guides needed to get the job done.”

Perhaps a Girl Scout proficiency badge in e-commerce is not far off.

My daughter was going to raise money for her troop, sure, but cookie-selling was also going to teach her some valuable life lessons.

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My oldest daughter was eight when the business world came knocking at her door — in the form of Girl Scout cookies. Her mission, as a somewhat shy, funny little second-grader, was to sell delicious baked goods, but her method? Well, that was still undetermined . She knew she wanted to sell and be successful. She just didn’t know how .

As a business exec who’s helped build several brands and companies throughout my career, I could have stepped in and given her a formal business plan or step-by-step instructions on how to get her fledgling cookie business off the ground. But not only would that have been way too advanced, it was unnecessary: she needed basic business skills. Very basic. And I was quite happy to stand back, let my wife take the lead on mentoring, and watch the situation all unfold.

I knew this selling experience was going to be a significant opportunity for my daughter to begin learning the important things I wanted her to know — lessons I want every young girl to know, really. That it’s OK to fail as long as you try your best and you get back up to try again. That basic business skills will help you succeed in life even if you don’t want to be a businessperson. That grit and a growth mindset are essential tools for success in life, no matter the path you choose.

We taught our daughter three skills during her first foray into the business world that I would love for every child to learn, whether she goes on to become an entrepreneur or not.

Life Lesson No. 1: Say “Good Morning”

Have a script if you need to make conversations easier, but make conversation. This was my wife’s advice to my daughter as she stood at the end of our driveway, unsure of what to do while fumbling around with her boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Peanut Butter Patties. She was a little wary of talking to strangers — it’s not necessarily a bad thing, but neither is it conducive to successful selling. Even when your product is cookies. Shyness is common among elementary-age girls, so encouraging them to initiate conversation and prepare what they want to say may be the first step in empowering them to get out of their shell and simply connect with others.

Life Lesson No. 2: Make Eye Contact

Translation: Be confident. This is a tough one, right? Making eye contact with an adult can feel intimidating to a child. Notice where many kids look when they’re talking to you — at their feet, at their parents, off to the side, maybe at a friend next to them. Making eye contact requires, among other things, self-confidence, which is something many elementary-age girls lack. But sometimes you have to fake it till you make it. By instructing our daughter to look people in the eye when she talked to them, my wife knew that, though it might feel unnatural for her at first, it would help her grow in her ability to communicate confidently and effectively.

Life Lesson No. 3: Know How to Appeal to Your Customers

In this case, that means telling people that the money goes to charity, and even if they don’t want anything, they can still make a donation. My daughter wasn’t just selling cookies; she was selling an opportunity to do good. Positioning your product and appealing to your audience is not a skill that’s necessarily innate for grade-school kids, but learning it is key for not only entrepreneurship but also convincing people to buy whatever you’re selling, be it a physical good or a something less tangible, like a point of view.

It also helps kids recognize when others are doing the same to them. It’s about articulating your position and convincing others to do what you want them to do. (It’s also an essential skill for savvy teenagers: “Dad, you wouldn’t be just buying me a new car. You’d be buying your independence. I’d be getting a car, but you’d be getting your freedom from having to cart me around. ” ) It’s a skill that could work against you, too, parents — just be aware. But if your child gets so good that they’re able to actually sell you, congrats! Your kid is poised for success.

This experience of watching my daughter fumble around with boxes of cookies, trying in earnest to sell her wares but not actually knowing how, was a big part of my inspiration behind The Startup Squad, an initiative dedicated to helping girls reach their potential, whatever their interests, through entrepreneurship. She may not grow up to start her own business, launch anything beyond a lemonade stand, or become a CEO. But the experience of entrepreneurship — learning those basic business skills, knowing it’s OK to fail, and learning the importance of pounding the pavement, with an eye towards growth — will help her succeed in life, no matter what her passions are.