How to Increase Your Girl Scout Cookie Sales

Want to increase your daughter's Girl Scout cookie sales? Read on.

But first, don't you wish you owned a business as successful as the annual cookie sale campaign by the Girls Scouts of America?

Think about it. You'd have a tasty product with enormous brand identification made even more desirable because it is available only a certain time of the year.

Well, dream on. But being a Cookie Mom or Cookie Dad is almost as satisfying. At least you get to hold the money for a while...feel all that cash in your hands before you have to turn it in and write a check for however many boxes you daughter didn't sell.

My daughter's a Cadet this year, having been in GSA since joining as a Daisy. And, all fatherly pride aside, she has sold hundreds if not thousands of boxes of cookies over the years.

Yesterday, while being the required parent-in-attendance, I watched her at work. In between her sales, I asked her to tell me her techniques for success. Here, with additional input from her Cookie Mom, are some cookie-selling secrets:

1. Location, location, location. OK, she didn't say it three times like they do in real estate, but it's true. The better the location a troop sets up a sales table, the better the sales. A good location puts your daughter in contact with a lot of people. Yesterday, for example, we were set up outside the Perry-Castaneda Library at the University of Texas. Even on a Sunday night, hundreds of college kids with youthful metabolisms walked by. And scores of them bought cookies.

2. You can never have enough change. The cookies cost $3.50, so bring more quarters and dollar bills than you think you'll need. Or else be set up some place near a friendly retailer who will make change for you.

3. Have even amounts of cookies, but at least in our part of the country, the perennial best sellers are Thin Mints and Caramel Delights. Short Bread cookies would come in third.

4. Young and cute sells. My daughter, approaching 14, already looks back on the good old days when she (to her mind) was younger and cuter. I've told her to get over it.

5. Meal times are best. Catch folks right after they've eaten and may want, as my late Granddad used to say, "something to put a sweet taste in my mouth."

6. Don't be afraid to approach people. Make eye contact. Say hello. Ask if they want to buy a delicious box of Girl Scout cookies. Only $3.50. Supports the Girl Scouts of American. Etc.

7. That said, my daughter says it's best not to ask real thin girls or obviously overweight people if they want to buy cookies.

8. Have a catchy poster or sign so people can spot you from farther off.

9. Be careful in giving away samples. A lot of people will cop a free cookie and not feel obliged to buy a box. The best use of samples is to acquaint the public with a new type of cookie.

10. Finally, tasty as Girl Scout cookies are, some people will say no. Don't let it discourage you.