| Yup, it's Girl Scout Cookie time in our part | | | | about competition; it's all about contacts |
| of the world. [And, yes, my English teacher | | | | and referrals. So who is selling to all those |
| DID tell me never to start a sentence with | | | | customers who "have Girl Scout Cookies at |
| the word "Yup."] For those of you who are | | | | home - more than they need?" Naturally, it's |
| unfamiliar with the sights, tastes, and | | | | their Girl Scout. What are the chances of |
| overall experience of helping your daughters | | | | Rebecca selling a box of cookies to someone |
| sell Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-Si-Do's, | | | | whose daughter is also selling the same |
| you're missing a fundamental and wide-ranging | | | | cookies for the same price? You got it: less |
| education about the dynamics of sales, | | | | than zero. Is Rebecca going to bang her head |
| selling, and salespeople.Here are some points | | | | against the wall bemoaning those lost sales? |
| I've garnered while helping my daughter, | | | | Of course not. She's going to tap into her |
| Rebecca, age 11, and Troop 3129, make their | | | | network of networks - neighbors, cousins, |
| sales numbers. These pointers are | | | | kids and parents at the Y where she plays |
| hard-earned, field-tested, and as applicable | | | | basketball, my former colleagues at my old |
| to you and your business as they are to | | | | job who have become good family friends (and |
| Rebecca and hers.1. It's who you know. It's | | | | Rebecca's customers in previous years). Do |
| true: the cookie business is a relationship | | | | you know how to fill your pipeline when |
| business. Our next-door neighbor bought 9 | | | | things seem dry? Do you know how to move your |
| boxes - Bam! Neighbors on the other side, 2 | | | | prospects along to becoming customers, |
| boxes, then 3, then more. Why? Because | | | | satisfied customers, and then |
| Rebecca had something to sell. What's your | | | | customers-for-life - not of the product or |
| personal brand doing these days? If you | | | | service you're selling today, but of YOU and |
| switched products, services, or companies, | | | | whatever value proposition you might be |
| would people buy from you JUST BECAUSE IT'S | | | | offering now and in the future?6. When times |
| YOU?2. It's not about the product. It's time | | | | are tough and things look quiet, that's the |
| to get the lawyers upset. Ready? Girl Scout | | | | time to push harder than ever. Cookie sales |
| Cookies, for the most part, taste terrible | | | | end at a certain time each year. Right now, |
| [Thin Mints are the one exception, in my | | | | we're about two weeks away from the ending |
| humble opinion]. And they have enough fat, | | | | date, and there are Girl Scout Cookies being |
| calories, and cholesterol in them to power a | | | | sold everywhere you look. We'll probably have |
| small Japanese alternative fuel vehicle. You | | | | 10-12 boxes left over by the time the |
| want good cookies? Buy Oreos, Mallomars, | | | | deadline comes. Are we depressed that we |
| Ginger Snaps, Nutter Butters, Grasshoppers, | | | | didn't meet our goal? Are we failures as |
| Deluxe Grahams, Fudge Sticks, etc. etc. Yet | | | | salespeople? Only if we quit when it's over. |
| Girl Scout Cookies sell like crazy, year | | | | Don't you see that as soon as everyone else |
| after year, donating millions to the bottom | | | | stops selling, stops marketing, and stops |
| line of Girl Scouts of the USA.3. It's not | | | | with the "Cookie Shop" setups -- these |
| about price. Girl Scout Cookies cost $3 a | | | | cookies move up from a commodity to a |
| box. The smallest box, by weight, is 7 oz. | | | | valuable asset? It's the same thing in your |
| and the largest is 10 oz. Most retail cookies | | | | business: when the market is down, your |
| come packaged in a "small" size of around 12 | | | | competition has pulled their ads, it's |
| oz. and cost about $2.49. Girl Scout Cookies | | | | "hunker-down" time, get back to basics, and |
| even give premium brands, such as Pepperidge | | | | cut, cut, cut! However, that's the worst time |
| Farm, a run for their money when it comes to | | | | to cut - you have everyone's attention! |
| high cost. Did I mention one of our neighbors | | | | There's actually much less noise out there |
| bought 9 boxes at a clip?4. It's not about | | | | for your message to compete against. Push |
| need. Face it, nobody NEEDS Girl Scout | | | | now, and you'll be heard!!!What does this all |
| Cookies. In fact, when the girls were out | | | | mean to you and your business? It's simple -- |
| doing a "Cookie Shop" at a local hardware | | | | now is the time to get back in the saddle and |
| store (local merchants, malls, and grocery | | | | ride your sales and marketing activities |
| stores allow Girl Scouts to set up a table | | | | harder than ever. You've got the floor. |
| for sales on their premises to support the | | | | You've got more relationships and more people |
| cause), the number one objection we heard was | | | | rooting for you than you realize, and if you |
| "I already have some Girl Scout Cookies at | | | | cut through the old excuses about your |
| home - more than I need!" So, why did they | | | | product, price, competition, the economy, and |
| buy? Because they had a relationship with | | | | all the rest of it, you'll see the sales |
| their salesperson that was more important | | | | breakthroughs that lie ahead. Why waste |
| than their need, desire, or use for the | | | | another minute?Marketing and innovation |
| actual product. Hey, did you know that Girl | | | | expert David Newman has written 8 books and |
| Scout Cookies make great gifts, freeze really | | | | has been quoted in dozens of national media |
| well, and are only sold for a short time each | | | | outlets. David is also a sought-after speaker |
| year? Can you learn from this and apply the | | | | and seminar leader. Visit for more free |
| lesson to YOUR sales message?5. It's not | | | | articles and resources. |