Girl Scout Cookie Time!
The Girl Scouts recently celebrated their 100 year anniversary. While they were established as a way for girls to experience the out doors and participate in community service, there is one thing they are known for above all else: the girl scout cookie.
Anna is in her second year of Girl Scouts (she is technically a Daisy Scout). This is also her second year selling cookies and she is really getting the hang of it. She can either sell and earn money or prizes. As a typical 6-year old, she was motivated by the prizes. Her goal this year was a stuffed golden retriever puppy,which required selling 115 boxes of cookies.
Girl Scout cookies sales have come a long way. They now have an online system for girls to manage their accounts. Anna set up her own user name and password. She sent emails out to customers that purchased last year (some of you probably received these). She also could set her goal in the system to see how she was progressing. For the rest of the sales, she went door-to-door in the neighborhood (Mom was insistent that she sell the cookies herself). Dad had her practice her sales pitch. While she has improved from last year (she would ring the doorbell and hand whoever answered the order form), she still has a way to go (this year she rang the doorbell and said "do you want some girl scout cookies?"). She learned several targeting techniques a long the way. For example, the houses that bought the most had teenage boys. She also found retirees to be a very receptive crowd. Parents with small children do not buy much (apparently they are still trying to limit sugar intake). She not only met, but exceeded her goal - selling 123 boxes.
In a moment of temporary insanity, Theresa volunteered to be the troop cookie mom. After all, how many boxes of cookies could a group of 6-year old girls sell? Apparently 1,625 boxes! This meant the garage became a cookie warehouse as Theresa coordinated the sorting of orders, pick-up, and delivery. Joe fled the scene as soon as the cookies showed up while some of the moms assisted in organizing. It seems that there was a mix-up and the troop received an extra 60 boxes of samoas to sell. Fortunately through some marketing efforts, sales of the extras are going well.
Anna and Theresa spent Saturday delivering cookies to the neighbors. Anna worked on her math skills by adding everyone's bill up before delivery. On Monday, Theresa took about 20 boxes to work for distribution to customers. After getting off the train and preparing to hop on the escalator, the bag broke and cookies went flying everywhere! Fortunately a couple of good Samaritans helped collect the cookies (in other parts of DC, people would have grabbed the cookies and took off) and another woman gave her a bag to use (Theresa gave her a box of thin mints for the bag). The life of a cookie mom!
There are a few more deliveries to make and lots of troop money to collect. Anna is anxious to get her prize while Theresa is anxious for cookie season to be over. Theresa already has a list of process improvements for next year. First on the list - never use a paper shopping bag to transport cookies.
Thanks to everyone for supporting your local Girl Scout!
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| Anna with her cookie order |
Girl Scout cookies sales have come a long way. They now have an online system for girls to manage their accounts. Anna set up her own user name and password. She sent emails out to customers that purchased last year (some of you probably received these). She also could set her goal in the system to see how she was progressing. For the rest of the sales, she went door-to-door in the neighborhood (Mom was insistent that she sell the cookies herself). Dad had her practice her sales pitch. While she has improved from last year (she would ring the doorbell and hand whoever answered the order form), she still has a way to go (this year she rang the doorbell and said "do you want some girl scout cookies?"). She learned several targeting techniques a long the way. For example, the houses that bought the most had teenage boys. She also found retirees to be a very receptive crowd. Parents with small children do not buy much (apparently they are still trying to limit sugar intake). She not only met, but exceeded her goal - selling 123 boxes.
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| The Fagella Cookie Distribution Center |
Anna and Theresa spent Saturday delivering cookies to the neighbors. Anna worked on her math skills by adding everyone's bill up before delivery. On Monday, Theresa took about 20 boxes to work for distribution to customers. After getting off the train and preparing to hop on the escalator, the bag broke and cookies went flying everywhere! Fortunately a couple of good Samaritans helped collect the cookies (in other parts of DC, people would have grabbed the cookies and took off) and another woman gave her a bag to use (Theresa gave her a box of thin mints for the bag). The life of a cookie mom!
There are a few more deliveries to make and lots of troop money to collect. Anna is anxious to get her prize while Theresa is anxious for cookie season to be over. Theresa already has a list of process improvements for next year. First on the list - never use a paper shopping bag to transport cookies.
Thanks to everyone for supporting your local Girl Scout!
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