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A Wild Cookie Career
Written By Cadettes: Emma and Haeleigh
I live in rural Western Maryland. You may think it would be hard to be a top cookie seller living in the country in a small town but remember if you’re a Girl Scout anything is possible with hard work and determination.
I am a Cadette with Troop 15055 in western Maryland. Over the years, I've learned that being a Girl Scout can be lots of fun! At times it may be hard to be a Girl Scout but with perseverance and determination; anything is possible.
My name is Emma
Some of my best-selling tips for Girl Scout Cookies are
First, always have an order form with you. Tell everyone you see you’re selling cookies—to people at school, church, and your dentist’s office—every day. There’s always someone you could ask to buy cookies. Don’t get discouraged in the pre-sales you can always sell better with cookies in hand.
Second, find a great Girl Scout to partner up with. I have formed a dynamic duo with my friend and cookies cohort, Haeleigh Shoop. We have been selling since we were Daisies.
Third, when cookie booths begin, treat it like a full-time job. We are out Friday night, with 2-3 booths on Saturday and 1-2 on Sundays. Try to set up at busy places like a Sam’s Club or Walmart. We travel a lotI’m lucky my mom takes us everywhere and helps us succeed.
Fourth is to know your customers and don’t stereotype your customers. I have learned over the years that well-dressed and well-off-looking people walking by are not always your best customers. The 20-something in Pajama pants and holy shirt will buy ten boxes, they’re happy to see you, and come back again.
Fifth, you definitely need to make it easy to pay. With COVID-19, contactless payments became a must, and using Square and being able to accept credit cards and Apple Pay will almost double your sales.
Selling Cookies in the Crazy Weather 
We will always remember the crazy weather. From selling in the rain and snow, to when our tent almost blew away and was saved by a brave man buying cookies.
Hometown Heroes
We love looking for our Hometown Heroes to present them with cookies on the spot!
Cool Cookie Customer
We will always remember the crazy weather. From selling in the rain and snow, to when our tent almost blew away and was saved by a brave man buying cookies.
Selfies with our Former CEO
Going on the news!
My favorite memory with Haeleigh was last year when we were chosen for Sudden Service to appear on the DC 50 morning news to talk about cookies. It was great to get to see a news studio and spend the day in our Nation’s Capital with my best friend.
Achieving my goals
I have achieved many goals through cookies, not just personal goals like getting the cool prize I wanted but also doing my part for our troop goals. We have been able to go to Medieval Times, Plays and Camp outs all because we reached our goals.
We all were able to travel to Savannah this fall for an amazing five day adventure of history, great food, dolphins, beach biology, trains, and sisterhood.
If cookie sales have taught me anything, it’s keep going! Keep going if it’s a slow day, keep going if it’s a cold day, and enjoy your time with friends and the conversations with your customers. Sometimes, people just want to talk and share their Girl Scout stories or memories of cookies with you. It’s those connections that keep customers coming back. In closing, you never know the impact you have on people. We were collecting Troops for Troops boxes and struck up a conversation with a Vietnam Era Veteran, with tears in his eyes, told us that Girl Scout Cookies will always mean “home” to him. He said as soon as he would step off the plane back in the U.S. the USO was there with Girl Scout cookies for the soldiers coming home. He said that on every tour Girl Scout Cookies were there, time after time, welcoming them home. I can tell you that we donated boxes of cookies to him that day and it seemed like very little compared to what he had done for us and our country. It’s the conversations and connections that we are able to make speaking to people and engaging with our community that have taught me the most.
My name is Haeleigh
Here are some of my favorite cookie season tips:
First, know you have someone on your side.
Family (usually my mom), friends, Scout sisters, teachers – anyone who will help you get through the cookie season's ups and downs. Cookie season can be tons of fun, but you need to know you can get more supplies or have a chat when things turn the other way, even if just a bit.
Second, always be prepared.
As Girl Scouts, we are taught to be on the ready and resourceful. During cookie season, those tools are key. From supplies prepared for a cookie booth to a sales pitch memorized in case you can make a cookie sale, being set for the unexpected is the best way to be.
Third, a bright, cheerful attitude.
At cookie booths, be prepared to smile, greet customers with good manners, and provide a positive transaction.
Lessons I’ve Learned from Girl Scout Cookie Sales
While I love a good cookie season, I've learned that sometimes you must make sacrifices during the cookie season because of something wanted or able to be earned if sales are good. I love to be out with my Girl Scout sisters selling cookies and seeing smiles on the faces of happy customers and supporters, but I've also had to miss out on things for those booths to happen. I think that has helped me learn that to get what you want or to go where you want, you will have to think about what takes priority now so that the next better thing can be enjoyed later. As I get older, I will have to make choices that may conflict with each other or prioritize what's most important to me. I am learning that it's okay to be interested in multiple things. I just need to make sure I can balance it all.
Always be prepared for any type of weather. We have done booths in snow, rain, wind, and beautiful weather conditions too, sometimes all in one day, but being set with jackets, gloves, ponchos, umbrellas and all the added weather needs, we could continue with the booths. I think that now makes me a better planner for other events. When I pack for camp, I think of all the conditions that I could be faced with, and when I look to make plans, I double and triple check the weather apps before leaving.
A good attitude will get you any sale, which means a good attitude can get you anywhere in life. I love making customers happy, and I have learned being pleasant, honest, and friendly will get you not just a sale, but potentially many sales. If you connect with others with a smile and kind words, a customer many times has changed their order from one to two boxes to five or six. A few times I've even ended up with making a case to two move instead. In day-to-day life, being a positive person with a friendly disposition and welcoming smile will often make for a better day in dealing with school and teachers, parents and siblings, any one you may have to interact with.
Selling Cookies with my Sister Scouts
Every booth with a Scout Sister is a favorite memory, though some, of course more memorable than others. Emma and I consider ourselves the Dynamic Duo – we are very close, so much like "real" sisters and we try during the cookie season to keep both our sales up while still meeting our own individual and troop goals. We love earning our hot chocolate trips on cold booth days and lunches out together because we put in the hours to earn it. Emma and I could tell so many stories from the last several cookie seasons.
Cookies with Cousins!
I have been lucky enough to be part of a troop my cousins were a part of. Skye and I started as Daisy's together and tried each year to do at least one booth together. Now, my youngest cousin, Khali, has joined, and I am having fun helping her. Last year, we got to do two booths together, and it was fun giving her pointers on how to make sales and seeing her hit all her goals, too.
Hometown Heroes
I really enjoy the opportunities to talk to our local veterans and meet Girl Scouts from years past. My Pop-Pop served, and I always like being able to treat a Vet to a box of cookies in memory of him. I am proud to always support our Hometown Heroes wherever and whenever I can. Enjoying a story from an elder Girl Scout is great fun too, making light of patches they earned and favorite cookie flavors all while making another sale.
Reaching my goals
I have been in the Top 15 and Top 100 multiple times. I have set "real" and "dream" goals each year. I was shocked last year when my final sales total was nearly 3,800 boxes!!!
Thanks to amazing sale goals and sacrificing for cookie booth weekends - I have helped our troop reach our goals. We have been able to use funds for many adventures including a trip to Savannah, Georgia, in October of 2023. Our troop was able to take tours of Juliette Gordon Lowe's home, and Girl Scouts Headquarters, go on a dolphin tour and enjoy lessons on marine biology, tour Historic Savannah and so many other amazing sites over five days.
Each year, thanks in part to a great cookie season, I have been able to attend at least one Girl Scout camp. I love going to Camp White Rock for the Brownie Junior Camporee and our annual encampment. This past year, I attended a theatre camp held at Camp May Flather. This was my first weeklong away camp.
I met scout sisters from all over our council and had the chance to be taught by older scouts in high school and some Lifetime members attending college.
This was an awesome experience, and ever since leaving, I've only looked forward to the camp lottery for 2024!!! I am also excited that I can also train to be a CIT this year.
