Cookie Season is right around the corner and we are pumped! Don’t wait until the last minute to start planning your cookie sale with your troop – girls can start getting excited now about all of the awesome rewards that are waiting for them at the end of the Cookie Sale Program. Talk with your girls about what the upcoming sale means for them, why it isn’t just about selling cookies, and how to get the whole family involved!
The Girl Scout Cookie Sale Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world! It raises funds for our girl’s adventures throughout the year AND teaches them essential skills that they will carry with them through school and beyond. We hear from Girl Scout alumni that the skills and knowledge they built through their own cookie sales has helped them navigate life beyond school and into adulthood.
Learn from the experts!
Below are two interviews with tried and true Girl Scout Cookie Sale experts who have completed more than one stellar Cookie Program. Take their tops and Tricks and get excited for your upcoming sale!
Melissa Patrick, Troop Leader and Girl Scout Mom
Melissa Patrick, a proud Girl Scout mom and volunteer has some tricks of the trade to share with you. Her family has been involved with Girl Scouts since her daughter Molly, was in first grade (she is now is eighth) and it was then that Melissa became a Troop Leader and she has been one ever since!
Q: How many years have you and your girl been involved in Girl Scouts?
A: Since 2012 (that’s 8 years!)
Q: What advice do you have for parents of girls participating in the upcoming Cookie Program?
A: Encourage your girls to set goals. Encourage the parents to recognize that in order for girls to realize their goals, they will need the help and support of their family. The girls will need parents to commit to taking them to booths and walking with them around their neighborhood. The sales program is so much more than fun prizes at the end. The girls learn so many valuable lessons. They even learn to come out of their shell a bit. Learn salesmanship, math skills, social skills, speaking techniques, etc.
Q: What is your favorite aspect about the Cookie Program and do you have any memorable moments from past cookie sales with your daughter?
A: It really is our favorite time of year for both of us. Even though my daughter has high goals and it is a lot of work for her to reach her goal, it is such an awesome bonding time that we both enjoy. Probably our most memorable moment is the sale of that last box of cookie!
Q: What is your favorite Girl Scout Cookie?
A: Shortbread or Samoas.
Amanda K., Ambassador Girl Scout and Top Cookie Seller
Amanda K. has been a Top Cookie Seller and member our CEO Extreme Team for many years. She is currently on the Media G.I.R.L.z Team, the CEO Junior Advisory Board, and the planning team (a.k.a. the G-TEAM) for the world’s largest international girl-run convention… G.I.R.L. 2020, which is in Orlando this upcoming year (she is one of 25 girls selected from around the world to be on this prestigious team, and she hopes to see you there)! Her passion for the Cookie Sale Program is next level and is truly inspiring for our younger Girl Scouts.
Aside from her Girl Scout accomplishments, Amanda is in 11th grade at NSU University School where she competes on their nationally ranked robotics team. She also has a passion for medicine and aspires to become a pediatric doctor. On top of that, Amanda has been playing the violin since the fourth grade and has been in the Florida Youth Orchestra for almost three years. Her absolute favorite thing about Girl Scouts is helping other girls achieve their goals and help prepare them for cookie season or for their high awards. As far as Girl Scouts goes, she is honored to be on so many boards and to have had so many opportunities. Fun fact, Amanda has earned her Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards!
Q: How many years have you been a Girl Scout?
A: This is my 12th year in Girl Scouts! I started off as a Daisy in Kindergarten.
Q: How many Cookies did you sell during the 2019 Cookie Sale?
A: I sold 4,507 boxes of cookies in the 2019 cookie sale, but over the last six years that I’ve been the top seller, I’ve sold nearly 30,000!!
Q: How many years have you been on the CEO Extreme Team?
A: I have been on the CEO Extreme Team since 2015.
Q: Who has been the biggest support for you during your Cookie Sale(s)?
A: 100% my mom! She is absolutely amazing and always supports me in everything I do. I also couldn’t do any of this without my customers!
Q: What advice do you have for girls who are shy or haven’t participated in a Girl Scout product sale before?
A: Put yourself out there! It’s okay to be shy and nervous at first! Practice your sales pitch to your parents, your friends, and your Girl Scout sisters. Once you start getting the hang of it, cookies sales are fun, rewarding, and delicious!
Q: How do you stay motivated during the cookie sale program?
A: I stay motivated because my mom never tells me how many cookies I have sold until the cookie sale is over. This is a great strategy for me because I have no idea how many cookies I have sold so far, and it pushes me to keep going and going!
Q: What is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?
A: This is such an easy question… Thin Mints, of course! They are super delicious on top of ice cream, in the freezer, or straight from my backpack at school!
Looking for more?
Join our Council Sponsored S.M.A.R.T. Cookie Event
Girl Scouts and Volunteers will be able to explore all aspects of the upcoming Cookie Sale Program. Join in on special Q&A sessions featuring cookie experts (including the two interviewed in this article), build a personal business plan and learn how to excel with our sponsors! Read more on our S.M.A.R.T. Cookie Flyer and Register Today!
S.M.A.R.T. Cookie is presented by Truly Nolen Pest Control.
