Girl Scouts of America

Happy Girl Scouts Day to the Girl Scouts of America

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I joined the Girl Scouts when I was in the 5th grade. It was such a wonderful experience being in an organization that helped me to see the benefits of helping other people at all times and to obey the Girl Scout Law. Although I don’t have that little green dress, with that big yellow bow and green beret, I managed to find my green sash with my gold Girl Scout pin and badges that my mother kept for me. It was the one the little girl second to the far left is wearing on the photo above.

Today, the Girl Scouts celebrate their 103rd birthday. March 12 commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization’s first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia.

Today is the 103rd birthday of the Girls Scouts of the USA. On March 12, 1912, Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the Girl Scouts first 18 girl members in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop mentally, physically and spiritually. Bringing girls out of isolated home environments and into community service and open air was the goal of the organization. Girl Scouts did a myriad of outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, playing basketball, telling time by the stars and even studied first aid.

According to girlscouts.org,
The National Program Portfolio has two main parts – the National Leadership Journeys and the all new The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting. Complemented by the Girl Scout Cookie program, Girl Scout travel and Girl Scout awards, the National Program Portfolio is designed to help girls develop as leaders and build confidence by learning new skills. It also ensures that Girl Scouts at every level are sharing a powerful, national experience—girls together changing the world!

Today, over 3.2 million girls and adults are members of the Girl Scouts of the USA. More than 59 million women in the United States are Girl Scout alumnae.

Happy Birthday Girl Scouts!

Girl Scouts – Thinking Outside Of The Cookie Box Using 7 Simple Marketing Strategies

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The Girl Scout Cookie Campaign is the biggest annual fundraiser for the world’s largest organization dedicated to all girls. Can Girl Scouts use simple marketing strategies when selling their cookies? My granddaughter’s Girl Scout troop conducted a Women in Business Seminar. I had the opportunity, along with two other professional women to share with the troop and their mothers, what we do in our business.

To help the young ladies understand the logistics of implementing simple marketing strategies in their Girl Scout Cookie Campaign, I presented the following four questions for them to write down, think about and better understand what the process of marketing is all about:

1. What strategies do you use when selling your Girl Scout cookies?

2. What do you do to get new customers to buy your cookies?

3. Why is customer loyalty important to you?

4. Is it a good idea to send a thank you note to the people buying your Girl Scout cookies?

Some of their current selling strategies include going door to door, giving their order forms to their parents to solicit orders from their friends and co-workers, as well as setting up tables outside of local businesses to sell on site. Although the troop didn’t quite meet their goal for cookie sales prior to this seminar, we went over some basic selling strategies on how to prepare for increased sales next year. Here are seven useful tips:

  • Pre-selling and generating excitement, at least a month before you are to begin taking orders.
  •  Be sure to keep a record of your total amount of boxes sold and sales generated from the year before.
  • Know what your cookie goals are, compared to last years.
  • Do not wear out the same customers every year to buy over and over again. You need to find new customers.
  • Send a thank you note or create a simple one to give to each person buying cookies from you when you deliver them.
  • Keep a record of what your best selling to your least selling variety is.
  • Think about selling your leftover boxes at flea markets. You can partner with other troop members to invest in a table if the entire troop does not participate. If everyone doesn’t participate, then don’t let that stop you. Be savvy!

Brand awareness or “branding” (a name, term, symbol or other feature that distinguishes products and services from competitive offerings), is evident through the Girl Scout Logo, the Girl Scout Name, pictures of scout members represented on the outside of the cookie box, the Girl Scout website and mission statement.

The Girl Scout Cookie Campaign helps to promote essentials of marketing, such as setting goals, customer service and money management that leads to courage, confidence and character. Thinking outside of the cookie box, will help them to develop better planning, execution and follow-up of their sales techniques now, which will be a great helpmate in whatever their career endeavors may be in the future. These strategic marketing tips can also be applied to Boy Scout fundraising campaigns.

http://www.girlscouts.org/