Cookie Kickoff Toolkit - Girl Scouts of Maine
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Cookie Kickoff Toolkit
1
2
❧ Index
Introduction....................................................................................4
Planning Your event...................................................................... 6
Sample Event Schedule..............................................................12
Check-In.........................................................................................13
Station Rotations.........................................................................13
Materials List.................................................................................16
Cookie Kickoff Activities............................................................. 21
Start-Up Activity...........................................................................21
Opening......................................................................................... 22
Product Knowledge..................................................................... 23
Goal Setting/Budgeting..............................................................29
Marketing...................................................................................... 32
Sales............................................................................................... 38
“Snazz Up” Your Sales................................................................41
Closing........................................................................................... 43
3
Introduction ❧
In this packet, you will find most everything needed to make planning a successful Cookie Kickoff as
simple as can be. The goal is not only to help you plan a cookie themed event highlighting the 5 skills
girls learn in the cookie program, but also to help you plan a fun rally that will get the girls excited
about the opportunity to develop their financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills as they sell Girl Scout
cookies.
In this kit, you will find:
☙ Sample checklists, timelines, and tips and tricks to help you plan your kickoff event
☙ Suggested activities broken down by level (younger girls and older girls) and materials lists to take
the guess work out of what you need
☙ Marketing flyer you can print or email to promote your event
☙ Sample evaluations to help the girls and the leaders share their thoughts and suggestions to make
next year’s event even better!
A Cookie Kickoff combines learning and cookie fun so
girls are inspired and prepared to have a great cookie
season. The goal of the Cookie Kickoff is to help the girls
develop the five skills of the Girl Scout Cookie Program:
goal setting, decision making, money management,
people skills, and business ethics, and to help them get
excited to make their goals a reality. These five skills will
continue with them throughout the Cookie Program and
are essential to building a lifetime of leadership, success,
and confidence. We recommend having different
stations for younger girls and older girls so that both
groups are engaged with developmentally appropriate
and age-specific workshops that focus on the five skills.
If you plan to have the older girls help the younger girls,
ensure you have a specific time for the older girls to
have their own Cookie Kickoff either before or after the
younger girl event.
4
Want to add to the fun? The Cookie Kickoff can be added to other activities to make it a whole day of fun!
Other ideas include:
☙ Dance- After the Cookie Kickoff, host a dance and encourage the girls to create their own cookie
inspired dance.
☙ Fashion Show- At either the opening or the closing, host a fashion show where girls/troops show
off their own cookie-inspired creations created prior to the event, or give them time to make their
own creations at the event.
☙ Cookie Recipe Cook Off- Invite the troops to create desserts with the cookies. Have them bring
samples for everyone to try. (Larger events can hand out “cookie bucks” for girls to “purchase” a
select number of samples; think food festival style.) You can even have them vote on their favorite
dessert.
If possible, it is often helpful to communicate with parents/guardians and other important adults in
the girls’ lives about the girls’ Cookie Sale Program success. One option to share this information is to
hold a parent/guardian cookie meeting while the girls are at the Cookie Kickoff. You may decide to invite
parents/guardians to stay after the start of the event or come early for the meeting. It can be as simple
as a 20 minute meeting where you can share information about the cookie sale, the expectations of the
adults, and answer any questions they may have.
Things to Think About
Where should we have the Cookie Kickoff?
You will need a space that is large enough for the number of girls and adults you anticipate will attend.
You might also want to consider the ease of the location, parking, how loud the space will get (do you
need break out rooms to make it less noisy?), whether or not your space allows food and drinks, is there
a fee for the space and whether or not the space has tables and chairs for you to use.
Who will help run the kickoff?
If your event is designed for all ages, you will need to make sure you have adults to run the stations so
that the older girls can participate. If not, think about who you may ask to help at the stations. If you have
the younger girls and older girls separate, you could arrange for some of the older girls to lead stations
for the younger girl Cookie Kickoff. Remind them to log their hours for their Service To Girl Scouting
award. In addition to older girls and Girl Scout volunteers, don’t hesitate to recruit volunteers from the
community. Is there a local bank or credit union that would be interested in volunteering to run the
money management station(s)? Are there professionals connected to any of the troops that would be
interested in volunteering? A mom that works for a marketing firm? An uncle who is a financial planner?
Bringing in people from the community is a great way for the girls to learn these five skills, and it shows
them some of the career opportunities available.
5
Planning Your Event ❧
Before or During the Month of October
Names
� Form your event
committee. Remember,
at least half of the
committee members
must have completed
the CEO workshop.
� Decide roles and
responsibilities for
each person in the
group.
� Decide on the date,
time, and location of
the event. Keep in mind
that Cookie Rallies/
Cookie Kickoffs need
to take place the first
weekend of January.
Make sure your site
follows guidelines in
the Safety Activity
Checkpoints.
� Reserve your facility
based on the facility
use agreement/
requirements for your
specific location.
� Submit your Intent To
Hold An Event form
to your Service Team
Program Coordinator
and your Volunteer
Support Specialist at
GSME.
6
8-10 Weeks Prior to the Event
Names
� Plan the specific
activities for your event
from the Event Toolkit.
� With any costs for the
facility and any
materials in mind,
develop your budget for
the event. Determine
how much you want to
charge for the girls to
attend your event.
� Submit your budget
to your Service Team
for approval.
� Develop your
registration procedures.
� Develop your marketing
strategy for the event.
How will you promote
the event? Facebook?
Social media? Email?
Start to spread the
word about your event.
� Develop a list of
volunteers needed
and start contacting
potential volunteers.
� Arrange for your event
first aider following the
guidelines in Safety
Activity Checkpoints.
6-7 Weeks Prior to the Event
Names
� Publicize the event for
registration.
� Develop a written
emergency plan, “Plan
B,” and cancellation
plan.
� Continue to fill
volunteer positions as
needed.
7
4- 5 Weeks Prior to the Event
Names
� Review the event
schedule and activities.
Make a list of materials
that will need to be
purchased or borrowed
and decide who will get
the needed materials.
� Submit your request
to GSME’s Product Sales
Director for any cookies
and other branded
supplies you need for
the event.
� Check in with
presenters and send
them the information
for their station/job for
the event.
� Develop event’s
check-in and check-out
procedures.
� Request non-member
insurance through
the council office, if
needed.
� Decide on how the
facility will be set
up - chairs, table(s),
stations, decorations,
check-in tables, first
aid station, parking.
Brainstorm possible
problems and
implement potential
changes or backup
solutions if need be.
� Make a list of tasks
that can be completed
by volunteers. Recruit
Program Aides, leaders,
parents, and whoever
else you may need to
volunteer during the
event.
� Review event budget.
� Review your
registrations and
continue to promote
the event as needed.
8
2-3 Weeks Prior to the Event
Names
� Confirm that all
committee members
are finalizing their
responsibilities.
� Confirm final number
of registrants and send
out confirmations.
� Notify all committee
members and event
volunteers of final
numbers.
� Make final plans for
the event. Purchase any
materials needed.
� Review as a committee
who will be responsible
for what before and
during the event.
� Review the schedule
and program for
potential problems.
� Create event signs,
such as parking,
directions, etc.
� Communicate with any
presenters to ensure
they are still attending.
9
1 Week Prior to the Event
Names
� Prepare check-in
materials: welcome
letter, agenda, map,
attendance sheet,
evaluations, and pens/
pencils.
� Schedule your wrap
up meeting following
your event.
� Catch up everything
you haven’t completed.
� Have a final committee
meeting to go over what
the group has done and
what lies ahead.
Day of the Event
Names
� Arrive early. Meet
with committee to
review responsibilities,
to do a pep talk, and to
set up.
� Post direction signs first.
� Set up the check-in site
and first-aid station next.
� Greet presenters. Help
with set up/clean
up of their space.
Provide them with a
basic packet. Go over
schedule of the day.
� Communicate
expectations of the day
to girls and adults.
� Put on a great event!!
� Have participants and
presenters complete an
event evaluation.
� Leave site clean and
picked up—better than
you found it!
101-2 Weeks After the Event
Names
� Hold a committee
meeting to evaluate and
celebrate the event.
� What went well?
What will you
change?
� Review participant
evaluations.
� Complete and turn
in the Event Final
Report Form to the
Service Team Program
Coordinator and report
final attendance to
your Volunteer Support
Specialist.
� Complete and turn
in the Event Budget
Worksheet to the
Service Team Program
Coordinator or Treasurer.
� Pay any outstanding
bills.
� Send thank you notes
as appropriate.
� Report out to the whole
Service Unit at the next
Leaders’ Meeting.
� Submit your request
for Cookie Rally patches
to the Product Sales
Director and distribute
patches as soon as they
are received, if not done
previously.
11Sample
Event Schedule
The length of your event will depend on the number of participants attending and the number of stations
you have available. It is highly recommended to have separate stations for younger girls and older girls
so that they can have a richer experience focused on level appropriateness. If you anticipate having a
large number of girls in any age bracket, Daisies/Brownies or Juniors and up, you might consider having
multiple rotations.
Here is a sample schedule:
Time Activity Description
11 -12:45 Set up venue Organize check-in area, arrange tables, chairs, stations, orient your
volunteers and ensure any last minute details are completed.
12:45 – 1:15 Check- In and Start-Up Using your pre-determined check-in procedures, check-in the
troops as they arrive. Give any special instructions as needed.
Hand out the start-up activity and provide instructions as needed.
1:20 – 1:30 Opening Introduce yourself and volunteers, briefly go over what will happen
at the event, make sure everyone knows where the bathrooms are
and go over any special instructions for the day.
1:35 – 1:55 Activity 1 Girls will rotate through the stations as assigned.
2:00 – 2:20 Activity 2 Girls will rotate through the stations as assigned.
2:25 – 2:45 Activity 3 Girls will rotate through the stations as assigned.
2:45 – 3:00 Break Girls will have 15 minutes in between this rotation to have a snack,
go to the bathroom, or take care of other personal needs. Remind
the girls they need to be at their next station by 3:00 so it can start
on time
3:00 – 3:20 Activity 4 Girls will rotate through the stations as assigned.
3:25 – 3:45 Activity 5 Girls will rotate through the stations as assigned.
3:45 – 3:50 Kapers Each troop should be assigned an area to help clean up.
Remember to include common areas in addition to station
locations.
3:50 – 4:00 Closing Thank participants for coming, have a Friendship Circle (optional),
and have troops complete the evaluations.
4:00 – 4:45 Clean Up Remember, a Girl Scout always leaves a place better than she
found it. Make sure you remove your items, put tables and chairs
back (if applicable), check the bathrooms, and collect any lost and
found items.
12Check-In
As a committee, you will want to decide what your check-in process will be. If you have run events in the
past and have a check-in process that works for your Service Unit, continue to use what is familiar. If this
is your first event, here is a sample check-in procedure:
1 Set up two tables for check-in. (You may decide one is enough if this will be a small event). One
table will be for the leaders to get their troop rosters for the event. The other will be for them to
submit their completed roster, checking off the girls and adults present at the event that day, and
picking up any packets they will need. (This is a great place for them to get their name tags.)
2 As troops arrive, ask one of the leaders to check-in at the first check-in table. They will then take
their roster, check off everyone that is there that day (after everyone has arrived), and bring it to
the second check-in table.
3 At the second check in table they will turn in their roster. You can review the roster and file it for
review when it comes time to order patches, and then give the leader their troop packet, name
tags, and schedule for the event.
Name Tags
The easiest name tags to create would be sheets of blank labels and have participants make their own
name tag. You could pre-print the name tags or add a design to them. However, this is not necessary.
Recognition Display
If possible, set up a table that includes the recognitions the girls can earn during the Cookie Sale
Program. This can help the girls get excited for the cookie sale and help them set goals for how many
boxes of cookies they want to sell in order to earn these recognitions.
Station Rotations
The event will focus on the 5 Skills the girls learn through the Cookie Program. Some of the 5 Skills are
combined in select activities as the girls practice what they are learning.
The 5 Skills are:
☙ Goal setting- Girl Scouts set cookie goals individually and, with their team, create a plan to reach
them. This matters because girls need to know how to set and reach goals to succeed in school, on
the job, and in life.
☙ Decision Making- Girls decide where and when to sell cookies, how to market their sale, and what
to do with their earnings. This matters because girls must make many decisions, big and small, in
their lives. Learning this skill helps them make good ones.
☙ Money Management- Girls develop a budget, take cookie orders, and handle customer’ money.
This matters because girls need to know how to handle money - from their lunch money to their
allowances to (someday) their paychecks.
☙ People Skills- Girls learn how to talk (and listen) to their customers’, as well as learning how to
work as a team with other girls. This matters because it helps them do better in school (on group
projects, on sports, teams, and on the playground) and, later, at work, and helps them develop
healthy relationships.
☙ Business Ethics- Girls act honestly and responsibly during every step of the cookie sale. This
matters because employers want to hire ethical employees and the world needs ethical leaders in
every field. This helps reinforce the positive values they are developing in Girl Scouts.
13The Workshop Stations Include:
☙ Product Knowledge ☙ Goal Setting/Budgeting
☙ Marketing ☙ Sales ☙ “Snazz Up” Your Sale
Sample station rotation schedule if running the younger girl and older girl Cookie Kickoff at the
same time.
Activity Activity Activity Activity Activity
Topic Time 1 Time2 Time 3 Time 4 Time 5
D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J
Group Group Group Group Group
Product 1 5 4 3 2
Knowledge C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A
Group Group Group Group Group
1 5 4 3 2
D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J
Group Group Group Group Group
Goal Setting 2 1 5 4 3
Budgeting C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A
Group Group Group Group Group
2 1 5 4 3
D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J
Group Group Group Group Group
3 2 1 5 4
Marketing
C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A
Group Group Group Group Group
3 2 1 5 4
D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J
Group Group Group Group Group
4 3 2 1 5
Sales
C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A
Group Group Group Group Group
4 3 2 1 5
D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J D/B/J
Group Group Group Group Group
“Snazz Up” 5 4 3 2 1
Your Sale C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A C/S/A
Group Group Group Group Group
5 4 3 2 1
1415
Check out the latest materials and
resources from ABC Bakers at:
Materials List www.abcsmartcookies.com
Based on the activities your committee chooses, use the following materials list when shopping or
acquiring your materials
General Materials
☙ Name tags ☙ Tape
☙ Pencils/pens ☙ Scissors
☙ Markers ☙ Girl Scout cookies
☙ Tables ☙ Napkins
☙ Chairs ☙ Water
☙ First aid kit ☙ Compass publications
☙ Recognitions including the Camp
information Compass
☙ Calculators ☙ Paper
Start-Up Materials (select one activity per level)
All Levels
Star Sellers Favorite Cookie
☙ Pre-made stars (for younger girls) ☙ Large bar graph with each type of cookie listed
☙ Squares of paper approximately 8 – 81/2 in. along the bottom on large sheets of paper (at
least 5 feet long and 2 feet wide) for each type
☙ Origami directions (if not using pre made stars)
of cookie.
☙ Sticky notes (one per girl)
Younger Girls
Be A Safe Seller Which Cookie Are You
☙ Be a Safe Seller handout- one per girl ☙ Which Cookie Are You? Fortune teller printout
(one per girl)
16Product Knowledge Materials (Select one activity per level)
All Levels
Know Your Cookie Taste Test
☙ Bandanas or blindfolds
☙ Cookie nutritional labels
☙ Girl Scout Cookie Menu from ABC Smart Cookie www.abcsmartcookies.com/
america%E2%80%99s-best-cookies
☙ Signs of the different cookies (or an empty box of each cookie)
Cookie Intelligence Relay Race
☙ Cookie Intelligence posters
☙ Cookie Ingredient cards (at least one set per relay group-more is recommended)
☙ 8 bowls per group
☙ Cookie pictures to tape to the bottom of the bowls
☙ Removable tape to mark a line on the floor
Cookie Tick-Tack-Toe
☙ Tic-Tac-Toe boards made out of paper (see directions)
☙ Cookie trait cards or list
☙ Two different colored bean bags - at least 5 or 6 of each color
Younger Girls
Know Your Cookie Relay
☙ Cookie sheets (two per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Spatulas (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Hot pads (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Cookie Jars (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Know Your Cookie information – see below
☙ Cookies made out of cardboard or foam board with picture of the kind of cookie glued on top; 3 of
each type of cookie = 1 set, 1 set for each group of 3-5 girls
☙ At least one volunteer per group of 3-5 girls
17Goal Setting/Budgeting Materials (Select one activity per level)
Younger Girls
Find Out the Cost of Fun
☙ Event flyers
☙ Information from local parks, museums, and activities the girls may be interested in
☙ Budget worksheet (one per small group for Daisies and Brownies, one per girl for Juniors)
☙ Cookie Sales Goal Tracker
Older Girls
Goal Setting: Using Technology for Success Goal Setting and Budgeting
☙ Tablets or computers or ensure the girls have ☙ Troop Budget Worksheet
smart phones they can use ☙ Sample Budget
☙ Internet access ☙ Compass publications, Getaways list from
☙ Markers/whiteboard markers/chalk GSUSA (with prices), and other information on
☙ Butcher paper/large paper/whiteboard/chalk activities for older girls
board
Marketing Materials (Select one activity per level)
Younger Girls
Flower Power Paint the Town
☙ Butcher paper ☙ Paper for the girls to draw their own map
☙ Flower Power template printed on cardstock ☙ Pens/markers
(one per girl)
Older Girls
Cookie commercial
☙ Printed ads or commercials for well-known products
☙ Computers or tablets (if watching video commercials)
☙ Video cameras or phones to take video - Props (optional)
Setting Marketing Goals
☙ My Marketing goal handout (one per girl)
☙ Think Outside the Box handout (one per girl)
☙ F.R.A.N. handout (one per girl)
☙ My Marketing Map handout (one per girl)
Selling Strategies
☙ Top Ten Selling Strategies Facts and Strategies sheets and strips (one for each group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Promotion Ideas handout (one per girl)
☙ You will need at least one volunteer per group of 3-5 girls
18Sales Materials (Select one activity per level)
Younger Girls
Mock Booth Sale
☙ One table set up like a booth sale (with signs, table cloth, etc…)
☙ Cash box or toy cash register (set on the table)
☙ Cookie boxes - 2-5 boxes of each cookie (empty or full, set on the table)
☙ Cookie money for cash box - 30 x $1 bills, 15 x $5 bills, 15 x $10 bills. (You may want to have extra
cookie money set aside in case some bills get lost throughout the activity.)
☙ Cookie Money for grab bag (or box) make at least 50 of each denomination ($20, $10, $5 and $1)
☙ Bag or box to use as a grab bag where the girls reach in and pull out a small handful of money to
use as a customer
☙ Cookie money to use for making change as an optional activity after the booth sale
☙ Optional - cookie price chart showing the price for each quantity of cookie boxes (This would be
helpful for the Daisies and Brownies.)
☙ Cookie dice printed on cardstock
Older Girls
Cookie Improv Elevator Speech
☙ Cookie Improv Cards (cut out on card stock, ☙ Beach ball
laminate if desired) ☙ Permanent marker
☙ Nutritional Fact sheet (one per girl) Elevator Speech Planning Tool
“Snazz Up” Your Sale (Select one activity per level)
All Levels
Goal Signs
☙ Poster board (2 per girl) or empty cookie cases (one per girl)
☙ Colorful duct tape (optional)
☙ Optional: stickers, cookie clip art, gems, or other embellishments to decorate the signs
☙ Glue
☙ Sign stakes or paint sticks
☙ Design Planner
Festive Flag Banners
☙ Flag Banner Templates printed on white cardstock
☙ Cookie clip art or other “bling” (optional)
☙ Ribbon, string, or yarn
☙ Poster board or white board with dry erase marker
19How Acquired
(purchase/
Item Quantity Person Responsible
borrow, order,
print)
e.g. Cookie Rally 100 Request from GSME Committee Chair
Patches Product Sales
Director
20❧ Cookie Kickoff Activities
As troops/girls arrive, encourage them
Start-Up Activity to work on one of the provided Start-Up
Select at least one based on the activities while they wait for the program to
level of the event) start at the opening. The Start-Up activity is
designed to help them begin to think about
their cookie sales.
Star Sellers! (all levels- see accommodations for younger girls)
Girls will create and decorate (if time allows) an inspiration star. Younger girls may use pre-made stars
while older girls will create their own origami stars.
Materials
☙ Pre-made stars (for younger girls) or paper and origami instructions
☙ Squares of paper approximately 8 – 81/2 inches
☙ Markers ☙ Tape
Directions
☙ Older girls can make their own origami stars following the directions in the appendix. Younger girls
may use a pre-made star. * See appendix for origami instructions.
☙ Girls should think of something inspirational to write or draw on their star. This can be her goal for
how many boxes she wants to sell, why she is selling cookies, what she is earning money for,
words of encouragement, what she enjoys about selling cookies, etc..
☙ After they write or draw their inspirational note, girls may decorate their stars if time allows.
☙ Girls may either take their star home with them or tape them to a wall for all to see and be
inspired by.
Favorite Cookie (all levels- can be done in addition to one of the other activities)
Girls will vote on their favorite cookie to see which cookie is the most popular.
Materials
☙ Large bar graph with each type of cookie listed along the bottom on large sheets of paper (at
least 5 feet long and 2 feet wide) for each type of cookie.
☙ Sticky notes (one per girl)
Directions
☙ As girls wait for the event to start, girls may vote for their favorite cookie.
☙ Each girl will take a sticky note and place it along the bar graph to vote for their favorite cookie.
Each girl may vote once.
Be A Safe Seller (Daisy/Brownie/Junior- Daisies may need help reading the scenarios)
Materials
☙ Be a Safe Seller handout- one per girl ☙ Pens/pencils
Directions
Girls may work individually or in pairs. The goal is to have them fill in the entire page by asking other girls
whether or not one of the listed behaviors is safe or not when selling Girl Scout cookies. The girl asked
will say yes or no and then sign her name in the square.
21Which Girl Scout Cookie Are you? (Daisy/Brownie/Junior)
Girls will create their own cookie fortune teller and then take turns telling each other’s cookie fortunes.
After they find out what cookie each person got, encourage them to talk about the cookies and discuss
the features or characteristics about that cookie.
Materials
☙ Which Cookie Are You? Fortune teller printout (one per girl)
☙ Scissors
Directions
☙ Cut along the outside edge of the fortune teller.
☙ Start with the printed side down. Fold in half to make a triangle, then unfold. Fold in half the
opposite way so that the creases make an “x”.
☙ Fold each of the four corners towards the center, using the intersection of the folks as the
reference point for there the four corners should meet. This will give you a smaller square.
☙ Flip it over and repeat, folding the four corners into the middle.
☙ Fold in half, slide thumbs and pointer fingers in the sleeves, and begin playing.
Opening
The opening will be the official start of the Cookie Kickoff. This is a time to welcome everyone, get the
girls excited about the sale, and discuss any housekeeping items.
Directions
☙ Gather everyone in the designated space for the opening. This could be an auditorium, large room,
the middle of a gym, or other large space.
☙ Welcome everyone to the event.
☙ Prior to the event, ask one of the girls to lead the group in reciting the Girl Scout Promise. Ask
everyone to join this individual at this time.
☙ Review any safety or housekeeping items:
� Fire exits
� First aid station
� Bathrooms
� Walking and other safety items for the space
☙ Explain the rotations and stations.
☙ Have any committee members present raise their hands, stand up, or in another way show
themselves. Explain that if anyone has any questions, they can ask any of the committee
members.
Station Options
Each station topic will have options for you to choose from based on the level of the girls anticipated at
your event. In some cases there will be multiple options to choose from. Select the activities that you
feel your girls will enjoy the most while developing the 5 Skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money
Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.
22Product Knowledge
(Decision Making, People Skills,
Business Ethics)
Know Your Cookie Taste Test (all levels)
It is time to test the knowledge of the true Cookie Sale Professionals- the girls! Girls will put their taste
buds to the test during a blind taste test of the different Girl Scout cookies.
Badge links
☙ Daisy - Count It Up
☙ Brownie – Meet My Customers
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
Materials
☙ Girl Scout cookies (cut in half or fourths)
☙ Bandanas or blindfolds
☙ Cookie nutritional labels
☙ Girl Scout Cookie Menu from ABC Smart Cookie http://www.abcsmartcookies.com
america%E2%80%99s-best-cookies
☙ Signs of the different cookies (or an empty box of each cookie)
☙ Water
☙ Table
☙ Chairs
Directions
☙ Divide the girls into small groups. Give each group a sample of cookies (enough for all girls to try a
few varieties), but make sure they are covered.
☙ Explain that the girls will take turns being blindfolded, selecting a cookie, and trying to guess what
kind it is without looking at it.
☙ Have the girls take turns being blindfolded and trying to guess what cookie they taste.
☙ Once everyone has had a chance to try a couple cookies, hand out the nutritional labels. Divide the
girls into pairs and give each pair a label (either from the back of the cookie boxes or printed from
the ABC Smart Cookie website: www.abcsmartcookies.com/america%E2%80%99s-best-cookies).
Talk about common allergens, healthier options, and common ingredients (chocolate, peanut
butter, etc...) Explain to the girls that they will go on a scavenger hunt of their nutritional label to
find the ingredient or item called out. If their cookie has that ingredient, have their group stand up,
holding the cookie sign or box for their cookie.
☙ Lead a short discussion about why it is important for them to know what is in the different cookies
and some of the nutritional information (so they can talk to their different customers during a
potential sale).
☙ If there is time, ask the girls what kind of cookies they would recommend for:
� Someone who likes peanut butter
� Someone who is allergic to chocolate
� Someone who is on a diet
� Someone who is allergic to milk
23Cookie Intelligence Relay Race (all levels- see modifications)
Every wise business lady knows her product well so she can sell with confidence. In this activity, girls will
get to know the various kinds of Girl Scout cookies- from ingredients to counts, from colors to contents.
End the activity with a taste test of the cookies.
Badge links
☙ Daisy - Count It Up
☙ Brownie – Meet My Customers
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
Materials
☙ Cookie Intelligence posters
☙ Table
☙ Tape
☙ Cookie Ingredient cards (at least one set per relay
group-more is recommended)
☙ 8 bowls per group
☙ Cookie pictures to tape to the bottom of the bowls
☙ Removable tape to mark a line on the floor
☙ Girl Scout cookies cut into halves or fourths
☙ Napkins
Directions
☙ Talk to the girls about the importance of knowing the product they are selling; they should be
prepared to answer all the questions a customer may ask.
☙ Allow the girls to sample the cookies, encouraging them to think about how they would describe
them.
☙ Hold up a box of each kind of cookie. Ask the girls how they would describe the cookies. (If you
don’t have a box for each, you may use the Cookie Intelligence Posters.)
☙ Explain the rules of the cookie relay.
� The girls will be divided into small relay race teams. Each team will be given a mixing bowl with
a cookie picture on the bottom.
� The teams will line up at the starting line with their mixing bowl.
� On the card table, they will find a variety of ingredient cards that match the information on the
cookie posters. The girls will try to find all the cards that describe the cookie in their mixing
bowl. (See progression tips below for the number of cards for the different levels.)
� Girls will come up one at a time in their group, select a card, and bring it back to their group to
place in the mixing bowl. Girls may check their responses on the cookie posters. Each girl
will take turns to pick one card, return to the group, and then the next person in line will have
a turn. The group may help one another if needed. However, each girl should have her own
chance to select a card. Once a girl has had a turn, she should sit down with her group.
� Younger girls can do this activity one mixing bowl at a time. Older girls can try to fill all their
bowls at the same time.
� Once the bowls have been filled, review the answers.
☙ Cookie Ingredient cards by level
� Daisies/Brownies – Use the cards for ingredients, description, and picture of the box.
� Juniors - Use the cards for ingredients, description, picture of the box, and approximate count.
� Cadettes and Up – Use the cards for ingredients, description, approximate count, but remove
the Cookie Intelligence posters.
24Cookie Tic-Tac-Toe (all levels- see modifications)
Every wise business lady knows her product well so she can sell with confidence. In this activity, girls will
get to know the various kinds of Girl Scout cookies- from ingredients to descriptions to colors. End the
activity with a taste test of the cookies.
Badge links
☙ Daisy - Count It Up
☙ Brownie – Meet My Customers
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
Materials
☙ Tic-Tac-Toe boards made out of paper (see directions below)
☙ Cookie trait cards or list
☙ Two different colored bean bags - at least 5 or 6 of each color
☙ Girl Scout cookies cut into halves or fourths
☙ Napkins
Directions
☙ Prior to the event, create your Tic-Tac-Toe cards that will make the Tic-Tac-Toe board(s).
� Daisies and Brownies - Print off 3 images of each of the following cookies with the cookie
name (one cookie per page) and laminate the entire sheet of paper: Thin Mints, Caramel
Delights, Peanut Butter Patties.
� Juniors - Print off 4 of each of the following cookies with the name of the cookie and the
image (one cookie per page) and laminate the entire sheet of paper: Thin Mints, Caramel
Delights, Peanut Butter Patties, and S’mores. (If S’mores are not for sale that year, select a
different cookie.)
� Cadettes and up - Print off one of each of the 9 cookies; name only (one cookie per page).
Laminate the entire page.
☙ Set up the board on the ground and tape the pages to the floor. Daisies and Brownies will have a
3x3 grid of 3 cookies; Juniors will have a 4x4 grid of 4 cookies, and Cadettes and up will have a 3x3
grid of 9 cookies. Make sure the pages are securely taped to the ground.
☙ Measure about 4 feet from the grid to the throw line. You may have a line closer or farther away
based on the level.
☙ Explain the game- Girls will be given a clue to one of the cookies. They will need to determine
the cookie and then try to toss the bean bag onto the correct square. They will try to get 3 in a row
(Daisies and Brownies as well as Cadettes and up) or 4 in a row (Juniors) with their color bean
bag. They do not need to get 3 or 4 in a row of the same cookie, just their bean bag color.
☙ Help the girls divide into two teams. Larger events may decide to have 4 teams.
☙ Have the girls line up in their teams and give the first girl her clue. If she can guess the right cookie,
she can try to toss the bean bag. Younger girls can help each other.
☙ Repeat until all the girls have had a turn.
25Clues
Thin Mints
☙ Crispy chocolate wafer with pure peppermint flavor
☙ Dipped in chocolate coating
☙ Number one selling cookie
☙ Comes in a green box
Caramel Delights
☙ Vanilla cookies topped with caramel
☙ Sprinkled with toasted coconut
☙ Laced with chocolaty stripe
☙ Comes in a purple box
Peanut Butter Patties
☙ Crispy vanilla cookies layered with peanut butter
☙ Covered with a chocolaty coating
☙ Comes in a red box
☙ Not suitable for someone with a peanut allergy
S’mores
☙ Crispy graham cookie double dipped with a yummy crème icing and a
scrumptious chocolate coating
☙ The newest of the Girl Scout cookies
☙ Comes in a brown package
☙ One of five vegan cookies [which are the other 3???]
Shortbread
☙ Shaped like the Girl Scout Trefoil
☙ Traditional favorite with a butter flavor
☙ Comes in a blue box
Thanks-A-Lot
☙ Shortbread cookies dipped in rich fudge
☙ Topped with a thank you message in one of 5 languages
☙ Comes in a light teal package
Lemonades
☙ Savory slices of shortbread with a refreshingly tangy lemon flavored icing
☙ Comes in a yellow package
☙ One of 5 vegan cookies
Peanut Butter Sandwich
☙ Crisp and crunchy oatmeal cookie with creamy peanut butter filling
☙ Comes in an orange box
Trios
☙ Chocolate chips nestled in a gluten free peanut butter oatmeal cookie
☙ Comes in a white bag with a blue Trefoil
26Know Your Cookie Relay (Daisies – Juniors)
This game will help the girls learn more about the cookies and see which cookie they know the best.
Badge links
☙ Daisy - Count It Up
☙ Brownie – Meet My Customers
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
Materials
☙ Table(s)
☙ Cookie sheets (two per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Spatulas (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Hot pads (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Cookie Jars (one per group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Know Your Cookie information – see below
☙ Cookies made out of cardboard or foam board with picture of the kind of cookie glued on top; 3 of
each type of cookie = 1 set, 1 set for each group of 3-5 girls
☙ At least one volunteer per group of 3-5 girls
Directions
☙ Prior to the event make your relay set up. You will need 2 tables per group of 3-5 girls. (If tables are
tight, one table per group would work with the cookie jar on the floor.) Set up the space so that you
have 2 tables facing one another in rows of how many groups you will need. On one end, you will
have the cookie jars. On the other end, you will have the cookie sheets with the cookies.
☙ With the girls on the floor, explain the game.
☙ Split the girls into teams of 3-5 girls
☙ Each team will have a baking sheet, spatula, and hot pad.
☙ Use the side of the table as the starting line. Have each team of girls form a line on their side of
the table.
☙ The first girl steps up to the front of the table, picks up the hot pad, cookie sheet, and spatula.
☙ The volunteer reads one fact from the “Know Your Cookie” information. If the girl knows which
cookie the fact is referring to, she uses her spatula to pick up 3 of those cookies from the cookie
sheet on the opposite table. Otherwise, she waits for the next fact about the same cookie. 1st clue
= 3 cookies, 2nd clue = 2 cookies, 3rd clue = 1 cookie.
☙ Once the cookies are on the baking sheet, she walks quickly over to the cookie jar and shows her
choice to the volunteer helping her group.
� If the cookie choice is right, the volunteer will tell her to place the cookies in the jar using
the spatula. (This activity can be modified for Daisies by eliminating the spatula if they have
difficulty.)
� If the cookie choice is wrong, the girl must quickly walk back to the table, put the cookies
back on the cookie sheet, and then go get another clue from the volunteer.
☙ After putting the cookies in the cookie jar, the girl walks quickly back to the table and hands the hot
pad, spatula, and cookie sheet to the next girl (making sure the transaction takes place behind the table).
☙ You may have multiple groups going at the same time.
☙ Once the teams have finished all the types of cookies, everyone will count how many cookies they
have in their jars.
27Know Your Cookie
Shortbread Cookies
☙ This cookie has been around the longest.
☙ This cookie comes in a blue box.
☙ This cookie has a buttery taste and represents Girl Scouts with a Trefoil baked right on
the cookie.
Thin Mints
☙ This cookie is the top-selling Girl Scout cookie in America.
☙ This cookie comes in a green box.
☙ This cookie has a burst of peppermint and a chocolaty coating.
Thanks-A-lots
☙ This cookie speaks in 5 different languages.
☙ This cookie comes in turquoise packaging.
☙ This cookie is a shortbread cookie dipped in rich fudge.
Caramel Delites
☙ This cookie is the second best-selling Girl Scout cookie.
☙ This cookie comes in a purple box.
☙ This cookie is the only striped Girl Scout Cookie and is topped with caramel and
toasted coconut.
Lemonades
☙ This cookie is a shortbread cookie with a refreshing citrus flavored icing.
☙ This cookie comes in yellow packaging.
☙ This cookie is imprinted with the citrus that is contained in its flavor.
Peanut Butter Patties
☙ This cookie is the third best-selling Girl Scout Cookie.
☙ This cookie comes in a red box.
☙ This cookie is a crispy vanilla cookie layered in peanut butter and dipped in chocolate.
Peanut Butter Sandwiches
☙ This cookie has two oatmeal cookies.
☙ This cookie comes in a golden colored box.
☙ This cookie has peanut butter between the two oatmeal cookies.
S’mores
☙ This is the newest Girl Scout cookie.
☙ This cookie comes in a brown package.
☙ This cookie has a graham cracker dipped in crème icing and topped with chocolate.
Trios
☙ This cookie is the only Gluten Free cookie.
☙ This cookie comes in a white bag with a blue Trefoil.
☙ This cookie combines 3 ingredients: chocolate chips, oatmeal, and peanut butter.
28Goal Setting/Budgeting
(Goal Setting, Decision Making,
Business Ethics)
Find Out the Cost of Fun (Daisies – Juniors)
Sometimes the things we might enjoy doing with our family or in Girl Scouts cost money. Discover how
much some of these fun things cost and how to plan for these expenses.
Badge links
☙ Daisy - Money Counts, Count It Up, Talk It Up
☙ Brownie - Money Manager
☙ Junior - Cookie CEO
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Compass publications including the Camp Compass
☙ Event flyers
☙ Information from local parks, museums, and activities the girls may be interested in
☙ Calculators
☙ Budget worksheet (one per small group for Daisies and Brownies, one per girl for Juniors)
☙ Pencils
☙ Markers
☙ Cookie Sales Goal Tracker
Directions
☙ Have the girls work in small groups of three. Help split them up if needed.
☙ Explain to the girls that they are going to find out how much some of the things they might like to
do with their Troop would cost and decide how many boxes of cookies they need to sell in order to
do these activities.
☙ Have each group pick one of the following activities: a Service Unit Event, a Compass Event, a local
fair or a local museum, or a community service project. How much does it cost for each person to
attend? Record this answer on the Budget worksheet.
☙ With the help of an adult, determine the other expenses that might be associated with this event:
food, transportation, other. Record the costs on the budget worksheet.
☙ Tally up the total cost of the trip for one person.
☙ With the help of an adult, have the girls determine how many boxes of cookies they would need to
sell in order to reach that amount: Troops earn $.75 for each box of cookies sold. For example, if the
activity would cost $15 per girl, each girl would need to sell 20 boxes of cookies in order to attend
that activity.
☙ Juniors (optional for Brownies) - Figure out the cost for the entire troop and how many boxes of
cookies the entire troop would need to sell.
☙ Juniors - Break your troop goal into smaller goals. How many boxes do you want to sell per week?
How many do you want each girl to try to sell? If you are planning on having multiple booth sales,
how many cookies do you want to sell at each booth sale? You can also think about goals besides
sales- perhaps each girl sets a goal for how many customers she sells to or how many new
customers she finds.
☙ With any additional time, girls may make complete the Cookie Sales Goal Tracker for either their
personal goal or their troop goal.
29Goal Setting: Using Technology for Success
(Cadettes – Ambassadors)
Through the use of technology, this activity focuses on the valuable goal setting life skill and a key to Girl
Scout Cookie success.
Badge Links
☙ Cadette - Financing My Dream, Budgeting, Think Big
☙ Senior - Customer Loyalty
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Tablets or computers or ensure the girls have smart phones they can use
☙ Internet access
☙ Markers/whiteboard markers/chalk
☙ Butcher paper/large paper/whiteboard/chalk board
Directions
☙ Cookie goals intro- Ask the girls what some of their cookie goals are or have the questions written
on butcher paper and taped up around the room. Divide the girls into 4 groups and have them
discuss and write down their responses to the question(s). Give them a couple minutes per
question and then have them rotate to the next question. Once the groups have had a chance to
answer all the questions, have them go back to their first question and review all the responses
before reporting out to the rest of the group.
☙ What are your cookie selling goals?
☙ Why do they want to sell cookies?
☙ What are they saving the money for? A special Take Action Project? Silver or Gold Award
projects? Travel? A troop trip? A special activity?
☙ What do you want to learn? Is there a skill you want to practice from the 5 skills? Why?
(List the 5 skills if needed.)
☙ Move with COCOmobile- Show the girls how to download the COCOmobile app on their
phones or tablets. Set goals, track goals, practice entering and editing orders, and show
them that they can earn and do on the COCOmobile site.
☙ COCO for goal setting- Using computers, tablets or phones, show the girls how to go onto
the ABC website to set up their account and set their own cookie goals.
30Goal Setting and Budgeting (Cadettes - Ambassadors)
Every year, your troop can determine how to spend its portion of cookie sale proceeds. Why not decide
what activities you want to do in advance and then work to sell enough cookies to reach your goal?
Do you want to fund a service project? A day at the museum? A troop trip? Once you know, you can
determine what it will cost and how to break down everyone's individual goals.
Badge Links
☙ Cadette - Financing My Dreams, Budgeting, Think Big
☙ Seniors - Buying Power
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Troop Budget Worksheet
☙ Sample Budget
☙ Pens/pencils
☙ Compass publications, Getaways list from GSUSA (with prices), and other information on activities
for older girls
☙ Calculators
Directions
☙ Ask the girls if their troop is currently saving money for a troop goal. What is it? How long have
they been saving for? Where are they getting the funds for their activity/trip? Record their answers
(optional).
☙ Split the girls up into groups of 2 or 3. If the girls are not currently saving for an activity, give them
some time to look through the provided materials and think of something they might want to save
for; this can simply be a practice activity, not what they are actually committing to for the rest of
the year.
☙ Give the groups time to determine the cost of their activity/trip and how many boxes of cookies
each girl should sell and the total number of cookies the troop should sell to meet their goal. Use
the Troop budget worksheet.
☙ Ask the girls if they ONLY do ONE activity a year- probably not, right. They might save up for one big
activity but also do smaller activities and trips throughout the year. They will need to make sure
they have enough funds to do ALL the fun things they would like. Introduce the concept of spend-
save-give and hand out the sample budget handout. Allow the girls to think about how they would
want to spend their money using the spend-save-give concept. How does this impact their saving
for their big trip/activity? If the activity will take place in a future year, how many boxes of cookies
will they need to sell each year in order to reach their goal and keep to their spend-save-give
budget?
31Marketing
(Goal Setting, Decision Making,
People Skills, Business Ethics)
Flower Power (Daisies – Juniors)
Girls will learn how to develop a sales strategy to help them reach their goals faster by considering
the different customer categories and planning how to reach them. Girls reach their goals faster when
they seek out customers from a variety of places. Encourage girls to brainstorm different ways to reach
customers, encourage them to select 5 they would like to try this year, and make their marketing goals
public with the Flower Power template.
Badge Links
☙ Daisy - Talk It Up
☙ Brownie - Meet My Customers
☙ Junior - Customer Insights
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Butcher paper
☙ Pens and markers
☙ Flower Power template printed on cardstock (one per girl)
Directions
☙ Discuss with the girls how successful people look for potential customers in many different places.
☙ Ask them where they have sold cookies in the past. Record their responses and organize into
categories as needed (for example: grocery store, friends, family, teachers). Review some of the
possibilities. If you have first year Daisies, you can ask them to think about where they might sell
cookies even though they haven’t yet or where they have seen other girls sell cookies. One way to
organize their ideas is to use a target shape with the bulls eye being easy accessible ideas (family,
friends, neighbors) , the second ring is for slightly more difficult places (local store, parent’s work,
etc..), the final ring is for places that they might not be able to reach or could be a stretch for them.
☙ Ask the girls if there are options that others have tried that they have not tried yet. Are there places
they can think of that no one has said?
☙ Hand out the Flower Power template. Tell the girls the center circle is for them to write their personal
or troop sales goal. (They might not have determined this yet, so they will leave it blank for now.) The
petals are for them to write down 5 places or types of people they want to pursue as customers.
☙ They can then color and decorate their flower, so they can hang it at home to remind them of their
marketing strategy.
32Paint the Town (Brownies and Juniors)
Knowing the options for where they can sell cookies will help the girls increase their sales.
Badge Link
☙ Brownie - Meet My Customers
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl–Led
Materials
☙ Paper for the girls to draw their own map
☙ Pens/markers
Directions
☙ Lead a discussion about where the girls have sold cookies in the past. Where have they gone door
to door? Where have they had booth sales? What other places exist in their town?
☙ Have the girls work in pairs to create a map of their town listing some of the places they plan to
sell cookies or could sell cookies. To get the girls started, ask them where they live and who lives
near them. Do they have friends or family that live close by? Do they want to have a booth sale at
the post office? Encourage them to think about the options available to them and the places they
have been to or seen in their community.
☙ Give the girls time to create their maps.
☙ Once the girls have completed their maps, ask the girls to share some of the places they thought
of. Remind them of some of the safety tips they should remember when out in the community.
Encourage them to take their maps home to help them remember some of the places they thought
of when selling cookies.
33Cookie Commercial (Cadettes – Ambassadors)
Girls will investigate brand identity for known products and then create tier own marketing message
through a commercial for their cookie business.
Badge Links
☙ Cadette - Marketing, Think Big
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Printed ads or commercials for well-known products
☙ Computers or tablets (if watching video commercials)
☙ Video cameras or phones to take video
☙ Props (optional)
Directions
☙ Read the definition of advertise – to announce or praise a product or service in some public form
of communication in order to influence people to buy or use it.
☙ Divide the girls into small groups of 2-3.
☙ Give them magazines or have them watch videos online for popular products. Have them select
one ad and answer the following questions:
� Who are they marketing to?
� What in the ad makes the target audience want to buy the product?
� Why do you think the ad is effective?
� Would you change anything about it? What and why?
☙ Have the groups report out about their ad.
☙ With their group, give the girls time to create a short commercial for their cookie business that can
be sent via email to friends and family. (The videos will be emailed to the troop leader after the
event) Encourage the girls to think about the following when writing their script:
� Who is their target audience?
� Why should customers buy Girl Scout cookies?
� What are their goals/what will they do with the funds?
� What are some key aspects of the sale/product?
� Remember to make it catchy.
� If the girls do not have time to film their commercials, they can take their script home and
finish at a troop meeting.
34Setting Marketing Goals (Cadette – Ambassador)
Girls will explore marketing as a way to reach self established goals for their cookie business.
Badge Links
☙ Cadette - Marketing, Think Big, Business Plan
☙ Senior - Customer Loyalty
☙ Ambassador - P & L
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Pens/pencils
☙ My Marketing Goal handout (one per girl)
☙ Think Outside the Box handout (one per girl)
☙ F.R.A.N. handout (on per girl)
☙ My Marketing Map handout (one per girl)
Directions
☙ Lead a discussion about the importance of setting personal/troop marketing goals. Explain to the
girls that a marketing goal helps them think about how they want to promote their cookie business.
A marketing goal might say something like, “I want to reach 10 new people” or “I want to promote
my cookie business to 2 new locations.” Ask the girls to set a goal for themselves or for their troop
and have them write it on their My Marketing Goal handout. They can write more goals at home or
during a troop meeting.
☙ Talk about ways they might be able to expand their cookie sales by “thinking outside the box.” This
can be done by thinking about their previous cookie sales. Start a discussion about what they have
done before to sell their cookies.
� Where did they sell?
� Who did they sell to?
� How will they expand their market?
� How can they use social media in their marketing plan?
☙ Have the girls work in small groups to brainstorm some new places or ways they can reach a wider
market. Hand out the Thinking Outside the Box handout. Give them a few minutes to think this over.
Then, have a few girls share one of the ideas from their group.
☙ Lead a short discussion (no more than 3-5 minutes) about where the girls have sold in the past,
how they have marketed their cookies, what has worked in the past, and what has not worked.
Hand out the F.R.A.N. and My Marketing Map handouts. Explain that it is important to have a plan
for who they want to reach with the remaining time, girls can work on creating their marketing
plans. Explain that they will take these sheets home to continue to develop a list of potential
customers from their community and plan how they want to market their cookie business to each
of the groups they came up with.
☙ End by asking a few girls to share some of the new locations or methods they came up with.
35Selling Strategies (Cadettes – Ambassadors)
Girls will explore some of the facts of cookie sales and some of selling strategies that will help increase
their sales. Girls will then create some promotional strategies for their own sales.
Badge Links
☙ Cadette - Marketing, Think Big, Business Plan
☙ Senior - Customer Loyalty
GSLE
☙ Learning by Doing
☙ Cooperative Learning
☙ Girl-Led
Materials
☙ Top Ten Selling Strategies Facts and Strategies sheets and strips (one for each group of 3-5 girls)
☙ Tape
☙ Pens
☙ Promotion Ideas handout (one per girl)
☙ You will need at least one volunteer per group of 3-5 girls
Directions
☙ Prior to the event, post the Top 10 Selling Strategies Facts on the wall in an area where the girls can
have a relay race- one set per group.
☙ Explain to the girls that good marketing is based on research. In this workshop, you will look at
the top 10 selling strategies for Girl Scout cookies and how the girls can apply these strategies
when creating their own promotional plan.
☙ Divide the girls into groups of 3-5, and hand out the Top 10 Selling Strategies handout for them to
review. Explain that we will have a relay race to try to match the selling strategies with the facts
that best correspond to the selling idea. Allow the girls time to review the strategies before
beginning.
☙ Relay Race - Have the girls line up for their relay race. At the start of the relay race, each team will
turn over one of the strategy cards, send one of their team members up to the facts posted on
the wall and decide which fact that strategy connects with. She then returns to the group, and the
next girl turns over a strategy and tries to place it in the correct area. Once all strategies have been
placed, the team may ask for a volunteer to check their answers. If one of them is incorrect, the
volunteer would simply say how many are correct but not tell them which one is correct. The team
can then discuss the responses and change the placement of the strategies.
☙ Once all the teams have the correct answers, lead a discussion about how these strategies might
help their own cookie sales.
☙ Ask the girls what different ways they have promoted their cookie business in the past. Have they
used any of the strategies from the relay race?
☙ Give the girls the promotion idea handout and go over the ideas and encourage the girls to discuss
these ideas by asking about their thoughts and opinions on how they might be able to incorporate
some of these ideas into their sales.
☙ Next, have the girls brainstorm in more detail how they can put these ideas into action with a buddy.
☙ If time allows, have the girls share some of their ideas.
36Top 10 Selling Strategies: Facilitator Answers
If you know… Then you might…
Fact 1: The number one reason You must think beyond, way beyond, family and friends to reach all those eager
people don’t buy Girl Scout cookies is cookie customers. You already know that cookies sell well at grocery stores,
that they have never been asked. malls, and other high-traffic areas. Get creative and think about more ways that
you can stick out with great marketing.
Fact 2: Customers buy cookie When customers approach your cookie booth, offer a cookie sample before you
because they love the taste. ask them to buy. Arrange an attractive sampler plate so customers can try your
varieties. No one can resist!
Fact 3: Customers are eager for their Make signs or suggest that customers buy by the case. Encourage customers
favorites because they can only buy to stock up for the whole year by buying enough to freeze for later. Offer a large
Girl Scout cookies once a year. zip-top freezer bag with large purchases. Remind customers that the cookies
make great gifts and party food.
Fact 4: Customers buy cookies Always tell your customers about your goals. Hang up signs or wear a t-shirt
because they want to support Girl that shows what you’re working towards. Customers want to help you succeed.
Scouting.
Fact 5: Customers like to order Grab some friends and host a Cookie Walkabout for door-to-door sales. Teams
cookies from home. sell door-to-door in an assigned area. At a pre-determined time, gather for a
celebration. Just for fun, award prizes in categories such as most energy, most
cookies sold, best decorated cookie car, etc.
Fact 6: Girl Scout cookie customers Contact your customers from last year. Save your order card for next year so
usually buy every year. you can return to your customers and ask them again.
Fact 7: When customers are asked Ask, ask, and ask again. When you deliver cookies, ask customers if they would
multiple times, they buy multiple like to buy more than they ordered. If you have cookies left over at the end of
boxes. the season, call back the customers who bought those varieties and ask if they
would like more.
Fact 8: Customers sometimes buy Highlight the Cookie Share program. Offer customers the opportunity to
fewer cookies because of diet issues. purchase cookies that will be donated to a local charity. At booth sales, create a
sign that informs customers about this choice.
Fact 9: Customers buy more cookies With pretty ribbon, tie up 3 packages to create bundles such as “Chocolate
when you suggest they buy more. Lovers Pack” or “Classic Bundle”. It’s fun to give away free handmade gift tags to
go along with the bundle.
Fact 10: Customers want to know Print out recipes and offer one free with the purchase of multiple packages.
they are getting a good deal. Attach an appropriate recipe to each bundle of cookies. It’s a lot of fun to create
attractive recipe booklets to give away with larger purchases.
37You can also read
