The Girl Scout Cookie Program Begins 1/11/19 You May Not Take Orders Or Sell Cookies Before This Date

2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program Family Guide Cookie Gram 2019 COOKIE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

IMPORTANT DATES By January 10 Girl Scout Complete, sign and turn in Parent National Cookie Permission Slip. Weekend January 11 February 22–24, 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program begins (please do not start earlier than this date). Girls may continue to take orders through March 17. January 28 Turn in Order Card to Troop Cookie Manager (REMEMBER, your Girl Scout can continue to take orders throughout the program). February 14–20 Pick up initial order. Ask your Troop Cookie Manager for the date, time, place to pick up order (remember to count and sign receipt for the cookies). February 22 Cookie selling directly to the public February 23 – March 18 Turn in your money to the Troop Cookie Manager as frequently and as often as possible during this time. February 22–24 National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend - have your Girl Scout wear her uniform and have the Order Card ready to take more orders OR use her mobile device to take customers’ orders. March 17 ! Cookie sale ends. Final payment is due In ing to your Troop Cookie Manager. tr c Please note: Troops may set earlier odu deadlines for girls to turn in orders or payments. Please check with your Troop Caramel Cookie Manager about turn-in dates for Chocolate Chip your troop. Cookie Gram • 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program Family Guide

Dear Girl Scout Families,

This year’s Girl Scout cookie program theme is Inspire, Imagine, Innovate

Like you, we believe our Girl Scouts deserve to be celebrated! This year’s theme reminds us what makes each girl so unique—from her creative personality to her astounding individuality. Your Girl Scout’s participation in the Cookie Program provides her with leadership skills and lessons that will last forever! The Girl Scout Cookie Program was designed to (and continues to!) build self-esteem and self- reliance in girls. They learn decision-making skills, how to set goals, how to achieve goals, and then how to lead the way when deciding how to use their troop’s proceeds. They may choose to fund a community service project, attend summer camp, travel to destinations, and much more! The Girl Scout Cookie Program focuses on five key outcomes—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. The program prepares your girl to make, manage, spend, save, and invest money—while she also learns about teamwork, marketing, planning, and leadership. Your support and guidance will be the bedrock to your girl’s program experience. It’s vital to her success! Do your best to make the program fun, exciting, and motivating! In this guide, you will find excellent tools and resources to help her set goals, learn business skills, and becoming an entrepreneurial business leader. Thank you for all you do to support the Girl Scout Cookie Program. You are part of a team committed to building a legacy of female leadership throughout South Carolina and the world!

Cookie Chat Do you have cookie questions? We’ve got cookie answers! All parents and volunteers are invited to join Cookie Chat—regularly scheduled cookie Q&A sessions on Facebook. Cookie Chat happens on the Girl Scouts of South Carolina Mountains to Midlands Learning Channel on Facebook. To attend Cookie Chat, like and follow the page and look for a date that works for you under our events. GSSC- MM staff will be available from 8:00-9:00 pm on scheduled dates to answer questions in real time!

2 Cookie Gram • 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program Family Guide

THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM IS FAMILY SUPPORT! Girls have great success in Girl Scout cookie program activities when family adults are informed and involved. These tips will help you turn ‘cookie time’ into ‘family time’ and provide important ways you can guide and support your Girl Scout to cookie success!

• Make sure your Girl Scout is a registered • Discuss how you can member of Girl Scouts of the USA for the help your Girl Scout current Girl Scout membership year. reach her goals, such as giving rides when • Attend her troop cookie training. Be sure to she needs them or ask your Girl Scout’s Troop Cookie Manager safeguarding her cookie how you can help with meetings or with other money. Remember, tasks. closing the sale is her • Review and discuss safety guidelines. responsibility. • Understand the 5 Skills for Girls (goal setting, • Allow your Girl Scout decision making, money management, people to participate in booth skills and business ethics) and how they sales and volunteer impact your Girl Scout. to help as a driver or supervising adult for a • Work with your Girl Scout to set goals and booth sale. track her progress. Encourage her to set-up an account on www.abcsmartcookies.com, your • Check on your Girl Girl Scout’s online Cookie Command for goal Scout’s progress during setting, planning and marketing. the season. • Encourage your Girl Scout to make a telephone • Help her live by the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and call or email her friends and family. She can discuss how it applies to business ethics throughout create and send eCards. the activity. • Coach your Girl Scout in selling techniques, • Never do things for your Girl Scout that she can do for including how to share her goals, and suggest herself! additional reasons to purchase cookies. You will also discover ways you can support your Girl Scout’s • Accompany your Girl Scout to support her as efforts with fun family activities and helpful resources at she sells. abcsmartcookies.com.

SAFETY FIRST Remind your Girl Scout to use these guidelines to participate safely in the cookie program:

• Sell only during daylight hours and in neighborhoods with which you are familiar • Younger Girl Scouts should be accompanied by an adult at all times; Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors should use the buddy system or be with an adult • Never enter the home of a stranger • Do not give customers your last name or address • Practice pedestrian safety • Do not carry large amounts of money

3 Cookie Gram • 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program Family Guide

A THREE-STEP RECIPE TO SMART COOKIES SUCCESS

You can use our new Smart Cookies site to set your cookie goal, manage your cookie sale, track your progress, view recognitions For Added Flavor: and send Smart Cookies Direct Ship e-cards to customers. You can also manage your sale on-the-go with Smart Cookies Mobile.

Step 1: OR Create an Account!

Your parent/guardian will receive a registration email from Smart Cookies, providing a link so you can create your profile. Girls can send e-cards to customers to order Girl Scouts Cookies shipped Step 2: directly and also can offer hand delivery to nearby customers Download Our App!

Download the Smart Cookies Mobile app available from the App Store or Google Play and take Smart Cookies on-the-go!

We have added 3 new Step 3: distribution centers that offer 2-day shipping to most of the U.S. Explore the Platform!

Once you create a profile on Smart Cookies, you can do any of the following: NO • Set cookie sales goals MINIMUM • Take cookie orders • Place and track customer orders for hand delivery ORDERS • Track progress toward your goals • View your recognitions and achievements • Send Smart Cookies Direct Ship e-cards to your customers, with 2 options: Customers can now order any 1. Ship cookies directly to your customers, without having to variety of Girl Scout Cookies in worry about money collection or hand delivery whatever quantity they want! 2. Offer hand delivery to your customers • Explore Smart Cookies mobile and take your cookie business on-the-go with you

4 Cookie Gram • 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Program Family Guide COOKIE DOUGH Girls who participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and sell 150 cookie packages or more will earn Cookie Dough. A THREE-STEP RECIPE TO Cookie Dough can be used throughout the year in a variety of ways to help pay for some of their Girl Scout experiences. When girls sell 150 packages, they will earn $15.00 SMART COOKIES SUCCESS in Cookie Dough. For every additional 100-package increment, girls earn an additional EARNING COOKIE DOUGH $10.00 in Cookie Dough: LEADS TO MORE 151-200 packages = $15.00 Cookie Dough ADVENTURES! You can use our new Smart Cookies site to set your cookie goal, 201-300 packages = For Added Flavor: Cookie Dough is another great financial benefit girls gain from manage your cookie sale, track your progress, view recognitions $25.00 Cookie Dough and send Smart Cookies Direct Ship e-cards to customers. You participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Unlike troop can also manage your sale on-the-go with Smart Cookies Mobile. 301-400 packages = proceeds, Cookie Dough is based on individual effort. Some $35.00 Cookie Dough troops coordinate the use of the girls individually-earned Cookie Dough to pay for the girls’ participation in the OR Cookie Dough may be used for: council-sponsored program events and workshops listed in Step 1: • Council-sponsored Girl Scout Day and FOCALPoint. Resident Camp fees. Parents/guardians are also welcome to encourage Create an Account! • Council-sponsored program events their Girl Scout to participate individually or with designated in FOCALPoint such as Healthy a friend in council-sponsored EVENT PATHWAY Living, STEM, or Adventure-based outdoor activities they attend on their own, separate from Your parent/guardian will receive a registration email from programs. the troop. Smart Cookies, providing a link so you can create your profile. • GSUSA-sponsored destinations. For more information, see council–sponsored program Girls can send e-cards to customers • Council-sponsored trips with regional, events and workshops in FOCALPoint or at http://www. to order Girl Scouts Cookies shipped national, or international itineraries. gssc-mm.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gssc-mm/documents/ Step 2: directly and also can offer hand • Girl Scout Silver Award or Girl Scout Gold FocalPoint17-18.pdf. delivery to nearby customers Award project expenses or Another popular and fun way to use Cookie Dough is to pay for Download Our App! • Girl Scout Lifetime Membership. camp fees at one of our incredible facilities: Camp Mary Elizabeth in Spartanburg or Camp WaBak in the upstate. Our Summer Camp Sister-to-sister transfers will be accepted Book – containing all our great summer camp opportunities for 2019 is on (registered Girl Scout sisters living in the our website AND will be sent to each Girl Scout household. Download the Smart Cookies Mobile app available from the App same household). Store or Google Play and take Smart Cookies on-the-go! Cookie Dough reminders: • Unused value may not be redeemed for cash A girl may designate any unused Cookie Dough to help sustain and build GIrl Scouting • Cookie Dough may not be used in Girlz Gear shops or camp Trading Posts; and in our council through... • Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands will not re-issue Cookie Dough • Donation to outreach if lost, stolen or damaged. • Donation to financial assistance & 2019 Cookie Dough expires September 30, 2020. camperships REMEMBER: 2018 Cookie Dough expires September 30, 2019. • Donation to councilsponsored teen programs. NOTE: From time to time there are potential council-sponsored program opportunities We have added 3 new that become available after FOCALPoint has been published. Watch the GSSC-MM website Step 3: distribution centers that offer (www.gssc-mm.org) for more information. 2-day shipping to most of the U.S. Explore the Platform!

BoxesCookie Dough BoxesCookie Dough Once you create a profile on Smart Cookies, you can do any of 150-200 $15 1101-1200 $115 the following: NO • Set cookie sales goals MINIMUM 201-300$25 1201-1300 $125 301-400 $351301-1400 $135 • Take cookie orders ORDERS • Place and track customer orders for hand delivery 401-500 $45 1401-1500 $145 • Track progress toward your goals • View your recognitions and achievements 501-600 $55 1501-1600 $155 • Send Smart Cookies Direct Ship e-cards to your customers, 601-700 $65 1601-1700 $165 with 2 options: Customers can now order any 701-800$75 1701-1800 $175 1. Ship cookies directly to your customers, without having to variety of Girl Scout Cookies in 801-900 $851801-1900 $185 worry about money collection or hand delivery whatever quantity they want! 2. Offer hand delivery to your customers 901-1000 $95 1901-2000 $195 • Explore Smart Cookies mobile and take your cookie business 1001-1100 $105 2000+ $200 on-the-go with you

5 Frequently Asked Questions

Who can sell Girl Scout cookies? Can we promote my Girl Scouts Cookie Program on social Registered Girl Scouts who have turned in a signed Parent media? Permission Slip may sell Girl Scout cookies. Participation in the Yes! Involve girls in every step of social media marketing. Girl Scout cookie program is optional. Encourage girls to create videos and other customized asks for Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies? you to share. Posts must be made on your personal social media Currently, two commercial bakers are licensed by the national page only and should not be shared to public community pages. Girl Scout organization, Girl Scouts of the USA, to produce Girl What is National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend? Scout Cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. ABC is Girl National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend is when Girl Scouts across Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands’ baker. the country raise awareness about the benefits of the largest How much are Girl Scout cookies? girl-led business in the country and take more orders. The more Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands sell people understand how the program teaches girls five essential cookies for $4.00 per package. life skills of business ethics, decision making, goal setting, money management and people skills, the more likely they will be to Are any varieties gluten-free? support Girl Scouts by buying cookies. Not everyone can eat gluten and peanut products, so new caramel chocaolate chip cookies are made in a gluten-and- Can a customer write a check for cookies? peanut-free bakery. These cookies are offered during direct/ Girls should only take checks from people they know and checks booth sales only for $5.00. should be made out to GSSCMM or Girl Scouts. Girls should only accept checks with the customer’s name, address, and phone When should customers pay for cookies? number imprinted on the check. Write the customer’s driver’s Customers should pay when cookies are delivered, not when the license number and expiration date on the check. Do not accept order is placed, except if ordering via Direct Ship. checks over $50.00. Does my Girl Scout stop taking cookie orders when she turns Can customers return cookies? in her ‘initial’ order card? If a customer believes that a package of cookies is in any way Girls may continue taking orders throughout the entire cookie unsatisfactory, the package can be returned to the troop for a sale, even during booth sales. It is a great way to continue replacement or a refund. Ask your Troop Cookie Manager what keeping up with her customers to see if they would like to to do with customer returns. purchase more cookies. Can girls return cookies? Do girls earn Girl Scout awards from participating in the Girl Once a parent/guardian signs for cookies, they cannot be Scout Cookie Program? returned for a refund and the parent is responsible for paying for As part of their experience in any Girl Scout product activity, girls them. can earn official Girl Scout awards at every level of Girl Scouting, including cookie and financial literacy badges and the annual Are cookie purchases tax deductible? Cookie Activity pin. Separately, girls can also earn rewards, Yes and no. Cookies purchased for personal or group Cookie Dough and patches based on their sales activity. consumption are not tax deductible. However, cookies purchased for our Cookie for Soldiers program, where the customer does not receive the cookies or benefit directly by paying for the cookies, may be tax deductible.

Top 10 Tips to share with your Girl Scout!

1. Be honest and fair. Wait until January 11 to start 7. Overcome objections by offering options. selling. For example, if someone doesn’t eat sweets 2. Use your order card or smartphone app. you can suggest that they purchase Cookies for 3. Be proud! Wear your Girl Scout uniform or Girl Scout Soldiers. If a customer is gluten or peanut free – apparel. inform them about the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie. 4. Be cheerful and courteous. Thank people whether 8. Find your list of last year’s customers to get repeat they buy or not. customers. 5. Impress and inspire customers with information, not 9. Promote S’mores, Lemonades and Thanks-a-Lot just about cookies, but about what the cookie program cookies. Tell your customers how Girl Scouts has makes possible. Tell customers your goals. reduced the amount of packing on these cookies 6. Practice selling to your family first. Getting those first and, as a result, are preventing 450 tons worth of cookie sales will build your confidence and help you paperboard from being thrown away each year. feel more comfortable when selling to other people. 10. Ask local business owners to buy cookies to treat their employees.

6 24 Recognitions

Girl Scouts of South Carolina Mountains to Midlands

Set Your Goals gssc-mm.org 864.770.1400

MY GOAL: The Girl Scout Cookie Program Begins 1/11/19 You may not take orders or sell cookies before this date

Theme Patch Draw String Bag Small Narwhal Glitter Journals AND Glitter Narwhal Plush Pillow OR 12+ packages 100+ packages 200+ packages Stickers AND Super Seller Patch Admission to GSSC-MM 350+ packages Cookie Day to South Carolina Aquarium 500+ packages

COOKIE CEO 2019 50 OR 300

Logo Cap OR Soap Hoodie Cookie CEO Pin AND Cookie Narwhal Slippers AND Chromebook OR $300 Making Kit 1000+ packages CEO Event at GSSC-MM Robe AND $50 certificate Camp Certificate 700+ packages Cookie Day to South Carolina to Massage Envy 3000+ packages Aquarium 2019+ packages 1500+ packages

Apple Watch Series 2 OR Cookie Booth Patch Cookie Share Patch Genesis Compound Bow 1+ packages sold at a 12+ Packages sold through 5000+ packages booth sale Cookie Share

INITIAL ORDER INCENTIVE Achievement Bars Girl Scout Cookie Star T-Shirt 100-5000+ Packages 250+ Initial Order Per Girl Average (earned in increments of Selling, every girl selling in the 100 and not cumulative) troop will receive a 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Star T-Shirt

The GIRL SCOUTS® name and mark, and all other associated trademarks and logotypes, including but not limited to the Trefoil Design, are owned by Girl Scouts of the USA. ABC Bakers is an official GSUSA licensee. 7 COOKIES are $4.00CO O aK PIAECSK aArGe E $4.00 a PACKAGE

GOAL SETTING. DECISION MAKING. MONEY MANAGEMENT.GOAL SETTING .PEOPLE DECISION SKILLS. MAKIN BUSINESSG. MONEY ETHICS. NowMAN availableAGEMEN inT one. PE smartOPLE Scookie.KILLS. BUSINESS ETHICS. Now available in one smart cookie.

$5.00 per package $5.00 per package

Lemonades™ Caramel deLites ® Girl Scout Peanut Butter S’mores™ Patties ®

Caramel ChocolateTrios Chip AvailableGlu tonlyen Fduringree direct/boothAvailable only sales during (whiledire csuppliest/booth last)sales (while supplies last) Peanut Butter Thin Mints ® Shortbread Thanks-A-Lot ® Sandwich