Booth Sale Troop Training

Why have a booth sale? 10/5/10

Why have a booth sale? A Leadership Experience A booth sale can do so much more than boost your sales!

Why have a booth sale? Girls get valuable experience conducting sales transactions, answering questions, counting money, setting up product displays, and managing inventory.

Why have a booth sale? Older girls can try their hand at market research based on customer behavior and input. Younger girls can learn how a simple business operates. Younger troops can earn money towards troop activities, events. Booth sales are a good time for new troops to earn money.

Put the girls in the lead With a cookie booth, girls are learning the power of marketing.

Put the girls in the lead Coach them how to talk to customers and encourage them to make their booth a standout.

Put the girls in the lead Make sure everyone knows that girls make the sale and answer questions – not the adults.

Put the girls in the lead Girls should know the cookies and make change as much as they are able. Keep in mind that there should be more girls than adults at the booth.

Marketing Develop a Marketing Plan to Support Girls’ Goals. Advertise your goal. People will donate or buy cookies to support the girls. Use Cookie Share to reach your troop goal.

Great GS Cookie Booth

Marketing Consider accepting credit cards to boost sales. Here are some examples of companies with credit card readers: Some banks also offer credit card readers.

Credit Cards to Boost Sales Use Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Debit Cards for cookie sales! Beware: American Express and Diners Club have additional fees associated with acceptance. Do research before signing up for account. The troop is responsible for any and all transaction fees, service fees and/or mobile charges incurred. Fee is usually 2.7% or 11cents per box. Your troop number is business name. You will need GSCM tax ID. The account stays active until you discontinue service.

Marketing-Know your cookies

How Many Cookies to order for a Booth? Cases per 3-4 hour booth, Busy booth (>45 boxes per Hr.): Thin Mints: 8 Caramel Delights: 7 Peanut Butter Patties: 4 Peanut Butter Sandwich: 2 Lemonades: 1-2 Shortbreads: 3 Other varieties: 1 each

How Many Cookies to order for a Booth? Cases per 3-4 hour booth, Slow booth (<30 boxes per Hr.): Thin Mints: 4 Caramel Delights: 3 Peanut Butter Patties: 2 Peanut Butter Sandwich: 1 Lemonades: 1 Shortbreads: 2 Other varieties: 0-1 each

How Many Cookies to order for a Booth? IMPORTANT: Don't run out of Thin Mints and Caramel Delights! You can't have a booth without them. When in doubt bring more of these two varieties. It's always better to have too many than not enough. People will walk by a booth if there are no Mints or Caramel Delights. People will stop if they see Mints or Caramel Delights.

How to Order Cookies for a Booth? With initial order, add in extra boxes of cookies for booth sale. For booth sales on first weekend you will probably need additional boxes depending on site. For additional weekends of booth sales, you can quickly re-stock by placing a “planned order” through SNAP by 12 midnight Sunday, for pick up that week at the cookie cupboards. Your BSC can guide you on amounts to order.

Finding Booths in SNAP

Scheduling booths in SNAP

TROOP VIEW SCHEDULED BOOTH SALES

Cookie Booth Supplies Need permission slips from parents for booth sales. Booth Sale Tally form. (see example in packet)

Cookie Booth Supplies At least 2 card tables (put the word out with your troop; more than likely, you will be able to borrow and not have to buy any). One tablecloth per table. A chair for the cookie adult and/or the girl on break.

Cookie Booth Supplies Handmade signs promoting the cookie booth. A container to collect Cookie Share donations. A decorated box to collect cookies. Start up change. Approximately $50(20-$1, 2-$5, 2-$10)

Cookie Booth Supplies A Plexiglas sign holder stating the price of the cookies and your troop goals. Cookie recipes. Bags for customers with cards stating how to contact you for extra cookies. Several pens, a calculator, a receipt pad.

Cookie Booth Supplies Tape for signs that you're hanging. A couple extra pairs of gloves and hats for girls who have forgotten. Blank paper.

Cookie Booth Supplies Pocketed tie-on aprons for adults and older girls who take money and give change. Don’t let too much cash build up in these aprons. A heavy-duty, zippered money bag for the larger bills during the sale and for all the money after the sale.

Cookie Booth Supplies After the sale is over, the adult on site of booth sale makes sure all the money is in the money bag and packs everything away. Complete Booth Sale Tally form. Count the money the night of the booth sale and replenish the starting change in the money bag.

Cookie Booth Supplies Thank you card/certificate

Cookie Booth Supplies Examples of clip art found on ABC Bakers’ site

Remind girls to arrive promptly for their assigned time. Let the manager know the troop has arrived. Check all sponsor rules regarding where and how the girls can sell. Cookie Booth Etiquette

A minimum of 2 girls and a maximum of 4 girls should be at the booth at all times. Review Leadership Essentials for girl-adult ratio. At least one adult should be at the booth at all times and more if it is busy. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Know your girls attention span for sales. Younger girls (Daisys, Brownies) may be scheduled for an hour. Be mindful of the adult/girl ratio. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Wear your uniform, your vest or sash with pin, or at least your pin to the sale. Dress appropriately for the weather, since the booth sale is OUTSIDE. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Do not eat and drink at the booth table. Adults who smoke must follow any store rules and may not smoke at the booth or in front of the girls. No pets or extra (non-scout) persons at the booth. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Remember that you are guests at a place of business. You are representing Girl Scouts and you must exhibit appropriate good manners and behavior. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Keep the booth neat and clean; leave it better than you found it. Take your empty case boxes with you. Recycle your case boxes. Do not block pathway in and out of business. Cookie Booth Etiquette

Thank the manager when the sale is over.

Tips for Success at Booth Sales

Create Your Presence! Bling your booth Bling your car Bling your girls Create a song or dance Have cookie samples for customers to taste

Cookie Share Use Cookie Share: Sponsor a group: ask for donations of cookies for a group. Often this will ramp up your cookie sale number. It is a good way to use your unsold cookies at end of sale.

Cookie Share Ways to donate: Virtual donation is council based program “Cookies from the Heart”. Troop will not receive cookies. Customer donates money for cookie packages. TCM enters number packages in SNAP, GSCM will collect money donated, troop will get profit. GSCM to deliver cookies to local hometown heroes. (this donation can be done at initial order and also during the sale by selecting “re-order ” line under cookies)

Cookie Share Ways to donate: “Cookies from the Heart”. Customers can also donate online at (donation cards to hand out available to download GSCM.org) Customers visit the link, enter their donation amount, enter the girl and troop they would like credited with the donation. GSCM will transfer boxes to SNAP under troop and girl. Troops will see $4 per box deposit in SNAP.

Cookie Share Girls who have 5 or more boxes donated virtually through “Cookies from the Heart” will receive a cookie share patch.

Cookie Share Ways to donate: Troop sponsored donation. Troops pick their group to sponsor and deliver cookies to that group. (some examples are police, fire, military service members, teachers, soup kitchens) These cookies do not count for cookie Share patch

Important Dates October 23 rd Booth sales open Open booth locations are available for troops sign up in SNAP. October 30 th Cookie Cupboards open. See listing for one in your area. Place your “planned order” by Sunday 12 midnight for pick up at cupboards that week.

Important Dates November 13th First ACH withdrawal Troops scheduling their first booth after November 13 th should order booth sale cookies after November 13 th. Troops scheduling their first booth sale prior to November 13 th may order booth sale cookies with their initial order. Cookie Cupboards open Oct. 30 th.

“I SPY” CONTEST GSCM staff will be visiting booth sales found through the cookie locator. Pictures will be posted on GSCM website

“I SPY” CONTEST Your troop must be listed on cookie locator. If a staff member stops by your booth, you receive a certificate.

Questions??

Thank you for all you do for the girls!