Posted on February 24, 2013

Written by Randi Zuckerberg

Here at Zuckerberg Media, we are obsessed with Girl Scout Cookies. We pretty much bought out my next door neighbor’s supply of Samoas, Tagalongs, and Thin Mints, and single-handedly helped her reach her annual sales quota. Every year, I feel like I’ve purchased more boxes of cookies than anyone could ever possibly consume. And then a week later, all the cookies are gone and we’re left wondering how we’re going to survive for 51 more weeks until Girl Scout Cookie season returns.

But it’s not just about the cookies. I love that this process teaches young girls how to run a business, how to talk to potential “clients,” how to market to drum up more business, and how to manage demand and inventory. Part of the joy in purchasing cookies for me, is watching and playing a small part in helping a young girl develop skills that will carry her through the rest of her career.

One thing that struck me this year is how modern and tech-savvy the Girl Scouts have become, to combat some of the most common barriers to selling cookies:

1) “I don’t know any Girl Scouts selling cookies.”
Well, there’s now a Cookie Finder App – Even if you’re not lucky enough to have a neighbor selling cookies, there’s no need to fear. There is now a cookie finder app for both iPhone and Android, that helps you find the nearest available place to purchase cookies.

2) “I’d love to buy cookies, but I don’t have any cash on hand.”
More and more, I’m seeing enterprising Girl Scouts using the Square Device to collect mobile credit card payments. It’s a super easy, small device that attaches to a mobile phone and allows the seller to accept credit card payments on the spot, for customers who don’t have cash, but still love delicious things. I’ve also seen Square used increasingly at places like farmers markets and crafts fairs.

3) “I love cookies, but I’m just too lazy/unmotivated to leave my house.”
The Girl Scouts even have a solution for this one! Across the country, business-savvy Girl Scouts are partnering with local food trucks (a growing trend across the country,) such as SweeteryNYC which brings cookies directly to potential customers and uses Twitter to let people know where the truck will be.

The one trend these cookies have not yet cracked is the growing health-conscious consumer trend. Now, if only they could have a delicious, yet calorie-free Girl Scout Cookie…I’d be first in line. Sigh. A girl can dream, right?

And now, for an etiquette question:
(because, with me, EVERYTHING ties back to online etiquette….)

There is growing controversy over parents helping girls sell cookies. Some parents think its ok, and some think it’s cheating. I’ve seen parents in my own community come under fire for posting about their daughters selling cookies, to help them reach more customers.

Should parents be allowed to post on behalf of their daughters on Facebook and Twitter, to help them sell cookies? Does that defeat the purpose of the girls learning sales and marketing skills on their own? Or is that just savvy-marketing on the part of the girls to leverage the networks of the more connected people around them? Let us know your thoughts below.

Like what you’re reading? Request an invite for more: http://dotcomplicated.co/

Comments

comments