You Could Learn a Lot from a Girl Scout

I know a Girl Scout, we'll call her Susie*.

Susie is in the process of selling Girl Scout Cookies in her neighborhood. Here's how she went about it:

1. Set a goal (400 boxes, might be a little ambitious)
2. Identified places to reach her audience: book store, grocery store, door to door, made a list of family and friends
3. Overcame obstacles. For those who 'already purchased from someone else' and for far away relatives who want to support don't really want you to send the cookies, she identified a local charity (a retirement community) to which you could donate boxes. She increased her ticket average significantly just through donations.
4. Made a plan. Monday: call bookstore owner, set up order taking in store (owner will provide a coupon - buy 2 get one free - for paperback books to anyone who purchases), Tuesday: call family, Wednesday: door to door in neighborhood x, Saturday: door to door in neighborhood y.
5. Identified an accountability partner. She and another girl in her troop share experiences and brainstorm solutions.

Cookies are more about sales than marketing - everyone knows about Girl Scout Cookies - yet she samples at events anyway, gives a little something to whet the appetite.

Maybe, if we think more in terms of sales instead of marketing, we might be able to learn something from a 10 year old (if we're willing to listen, that is).




*Names have been changed to protect the innocent...and minors who didn't ask to be profiled.