Cookie Biz (Junior Badge)

Complete 4 requirements

1.  THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX: Did you know that there are lots of careers related to Girl Scout Cookies? Come up with a career for each letter of the word “cookie.” Think outside of the box! Don’t limit yourself to careers relating to just the product. Pick one of the careers you chose and find out one fact about it.

2. RECIPES FROM COOKIES:  Come up with recipes for desserts that feature your favorite Girl Scout Cookies. What works as a great ice cream topping? What tastes great frozen? Melted? In hot cocoa? Share these recipes with potential customers and others.

3.  GOAL SETTING: Budgets aren’t just ways to make your money last. They’re the way companies—and families— figure out how much money they have, how much money they’ll need, and how they can earn, or save that money so they can do all the things they want to do. Help your group create a budget and set goals. What does your group want to do with your cookie money? List everything.  How much does each activity or project cost?  What other money can go toward the cost?  How much money does your troop have to raise? What did you spend your money on?

4. MARKETING COOKIES: You know that you’re really successful at something once you’ve met— or exceeded—your goals! If your troop’s taking part in Girl Scout Cookie activities so everyone can afford to go on a trip, the troop has to meet a certain financial goal. The questions in the list that follows will help you to achieve your goal. Is the troop’s goal: • Finding new places to sell or advertise? • Increasing the number of sales per hour? • Identifying new types of customer? • Developing a database of clients, so you can thank them, and remember them next year? • What was a goal you set for cookie sales?

5.  SELLING NEW COOKIES: Sure, everyone knows about Thin Mints! But sometimes a new Girl Scout Cookie is introduced. Look over this year’s cookie varieties. Are any new? Which one(s) might buyers not have heard of? How would you describe them to your customers? How can you sell cookies that aren’t moving well? 

6. SELLING COOKIES AT MALLS AND STORES:  It’s more fun to sell when you can do so as a group! See if your group can hold a direct sale. This “event” can be as easy as 1, 2, 3! 1. Find out and follow your council’s guidelines for direct sales. Some great sites to consider are malls, grocery stores, sporting events—even college campuses. Pick one. Any paperwork required for this troop/group ‘event’? 2. Get permission from your council, if required.  3. Ask for helpful hints from other troops that have sold there. 4. Staff your cookie booth!  5. Create displays, indicating your troop goals. 6. Plan for a cash box with change needed. Don’t forget to thank the people who approved your group’s use of the site and the hosting site! A thank you note from the whole group would be great. 

7.  DONATE COOKIES:  Find a charitable organization that might appreciate receiving donated boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. Check with that group and make sure that they really could use them. As you sell cookies, ask folks if they’d like to purchase a box to donate to your troop’s service project. Make sure you can talk about how the donated cookies will be used by this group. That means you need to know something about them! Review what the service project involves so you can speak easily about it. 

8.  GIRL SCOUTING: By selling Girl Scout Cookies, you become the most visible spokesperson for Girl Scouting in your community.  Be able to answer questions from customers about Girl Scouting. Talk with your troop or group, and find out: 1) What do girls get out of belonging to Girl Scouts? 2) How do Girl Scout Cookie activities help girls in your community? 3) What could happen if no one bought cookies? 

9.  WHAT IF'S:   What if there are already girls selling Girl Scout Cookies on my block? • What if everyone I ask says no? • What if I don’t sell many cookies? With your group, write out “what ifs” on separate pieces of paper. Put them in a bag. At the three or four meetings before cookie activities begin, start pulling out three “what ifs” and read them aloud. Together, as a group, come up with the answers to the dreaded “what ifs.” Talk about the reasons it is important to think ahead to the things that might not work out as planned. How will the “what ifs” prepare you for these situations if they should arise?

10. JOURNALIST:  Write a short article highlighting either your troop’s Girl Scout Cookie activities. Include what made it such a success (the lessons you learned, how cookie money was used, the community people who gave you support, etc.). Let everyone know just how the entire community benefits from your success. Then fact-check your article to be sure you got the facts right. For example, are the girls identified correctly? Did you check that you used the first names only of the girls involved? Finally, send it to your council and your community or school newspaper.