As a parent of a 7-year-old Brownie named Emma, I’ve experienced the joys and challenges of the Girl Scout cookie sales season. Emma’s troop engages in delightful activities, such as volunteering at local animal shelters and assembling care packages for veterans. I’m thankful for the dedicated parents who coordinate these events since it’s not my forte. Until it came time for cookie sales, I had managed to be a relatively hands-off parent.
Normally, I let my kids tackle such tasks independently, but for reasons unknown to me, I decided to dive in headfirst this time. It seemed like a valuable learning experience. After all, a recent article on CNN highlighted several lessons from selling Girl Scout cookies:
- Marketing Skills: Emma would need to persuade potential customers to purchase cookies.
- Handling Rejection: She would face the possibility of being turned down and learn to cope with it.
- Building Courage: Approaching strangers is daunting for a 7-year-old, especially given the common warnings about talking to unfamiliar adults.
We navigated these challenges successfully, and Emma emerged with newfound skills.
So, where did I falter? It began with the misguided notion of selling cookies to former colleagues. At the time, I was underemployed and faced yet another school holiday, so we trekked to Manhattan, stopping by three offices where I still had connections. Emma, armed with her order forms and an adorable smile, sold cookies while I managed the cash. Her sales were impressive, and I patted myself on the back for my brilliant plan.
However, my triumph was short-lived. My mother-in-law called to ask how I intended to transport all those cookie boxes home on the train. It struck me: navigating the subway with a mountain of cookie boxes is a completely different scenario than simply carrying forms and cash. By the time the cookies arrived, I was back at work, likely needing to take time off just to deliver these boxes.
To make matters worse, I had to collect the cookies from one of the Brownie moms’ homes. In my haste to ensure I had a list of orders—totally unnecessary since the official Cookie Mom was far more organized than I could ever hope to be—I knocked over a full cup of coffee onto my computer keyboard.
Things only escalated from there. As I attempted to reverse out of the Cookie Mom’s driveway, I misjudged the space and crashed into her iron gate. It took me what felt like an eternity to extricate myself from her driveway. Upon returning home, I reckoned with the damage to my brother’s car and, in a moment of despair, devoured an entire box of Samoas as if that would remedy the situation.
Now, with a damaged vehicle, a stomach full of cookies, and ten cartons of treats to distribute—possibly alone or with Emma, whom I may have inadvertently turned into a delinquent by yanking her out of school for cookie delivery—here are my top recommendations on how to not sell Girl Scout cookies:
- Avoid locations that are difficult to access, require multiple subway transfers, or are only open during work hours. Particularly steer clear of offices near the perpetually congested Times Square.
- Don’t aim to sell a large quantity; be content with modest sales.
- Resist the temptation to order extras “just in case,” as you will likely consume them.
- Never order Samoas for personal consumption; they are incredibly tempting. One box leads to another, and before you know it, you’ve eaten them all.
- If you struggle with the allure of Samoas like I do, consider reading this article for some helpful insights.
In summary, selling Girl Scout cookies can be an enlightening but chaotic experience. Plan your sales strategies wisely, and remember: the journey should be about fostering skills in your child rather than overwhelming yourself with logistics.
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Keyphrase: Selling Girl Scout Cookies
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