By:
Avery B.
Cookie
season is upon us! And throngs of cookie loving fans everywhere are eager to
get their hands on boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs. While girls
brave the winter temperatures to go door to door and create their own websites
for online promotion, one of the most common, and sometimes most successful,
cookie endeavors has to be holding a cookie booth.
If
you have just entered the world of Girl Scouting, cookie booths are a public
setup of a few girls, a table, and a bunch of cookies, generally outside a
local store. These booths are designed to reach people who may not have a
neighborhood Girl Scout or who may have already eaten their cookies and are
desperate for more. They can be a great way to sell lots of cookies in a
relatively short amount of time.
However, cookie booths can seem daunting and sometimes are just three
hours of “Sorry, I’ve already bought some.” Yet with a few easy
tricks and tips, your cookie booth could go from average to stellar.
Pre-Booth:
Sadly,
cookie booths cannot be set up anywhere at anytime you want. Certain stores may
not allow cookie booths, some you may have to sign up for through your Service
Unit, and some you can just walk in and book a date. If this is your first year
signing up, ask other leaders or cookie moms about the best locations. Grocery
stores, Walmart, and even colleges are excellent places for booths. Also take
into account when the busiest times and dates will be for prime cookie sales.
Successful locations and dates do fill up fast, so sign up early to secure the
best cookie booths.
Additionally,
make sure to fill out the proper paperwork for the store to make sure the time
slot you want is booked for you. If you forget to turn in your forms, someone
else might be able to take it.
First
Impression:
Appearances
can go a long way! Adding a little creative flair or professional touch to your
booth can be an immediate thing to grab potential customers’ attention. Having a tablecloth on your table can
add a pop of color and look neater than the bare table. It also hides anything
you decide to store underneath.
Signs
are also an awesome way to attract customers. Colorful signs and posters can
provide some extra persuasion. Several great sayings to go signs include:
- Cookies are only $4!
- 5 boxes for $20!
- Cookies only come once a year!
Don’t hesitate to
get creative! Troops have used everything from catchy slogans to internet memes
for some memorable signs. Add some glitter or pictures and you now have a great
way to get some customers interested.
Another
fun thing to do is make up cookie cheers. Especially for younger troops, this
can keep them energetic and engaged. This also lets customers know that you’re there, ready to sell some cookies! Bonus points
for creativity!
Talking
to Customers :
Many
times it can seem scary or awkward or just weird to approach people while
running a cookie booth. But if you don’t
talk to people, how will you ever get customers? If you’re set up outside of a
store entrance, it’s easiest to simply ask everyone walking out of the store.
This ensures you don’t miss anyone and don’t ask people twice.
It’s common for people to tell you they’ve already
bought some or that they can’t have sugar or something along those lines. In
those cases, the only thing you can do it say thank you. Be polite and
respectful, you are representing Girl Scouts.
One
thing that can encourage people to buy is having a donations box for the
military or local charity. This can allow customers an option that still
supports Girl Scouts and the local community without giving them more boxes of
cookies to eat. Occasionally customers will allow you to keep their change, and
you can also use that towards your donations. When putting donations in your
box, put less successful boxes of cookies instead of more popular ones so you
don’t end up running out of Thin Mints
but ending up with lots of Rah Rah Raisins.
Supplies:
There
are some items that are essential items for every cookie booth and some that
simply make your life easier. Here’s a
compilation of what you might need so you can be super prepared for some
hardcore cookie selling.
- Table and tablecloth
- Posters
- Donation box
- Cashbox and change
- Hand warmers (Cookie booths in February can be freezing!)
- Coats
- Water bottles
- Cookies!
Hopefully you now have a bit of inspiration for your
own cookie booth. Good luck Girl Scouts and happy selling!
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