® 2020–2021 GIRL SCOUT COOKIE PROGRAM VOLUNTEER GUIDE Everything you need for a successful cookie season TABLE OF CONTENTS Important Dates 3 What’s New This Year 4 What You Need to Know To Be a Super Seller 6 Selling Strategies 7 Five Essential Skills 7 Getting Started 8 Troop Expenses And Activities 10 Service Unit Bonus 11 Troop Bonus 11 Cookie Family Entrepreneur 12 S’mores Club 12 4 For More Program 12 Bling Your Booth Contest 13 ACH Procedure 14 Money Matters 16 Council Gift of Caring and Hometown Heroes 17 Cookie Booths and Booth Scheduler 19 Cookie Cupboard Guidelines 20 Cookie Booth Preparation and Etiquette 21 Check out the back cover for helpful resources! There’s a reason the Girl Scout Cookie Program® is a celebrated tradition. It’s an amazing opportunity for girls to Know We Are In This Together and build lifelong skills! The largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world also offers an incredible opportunity for you as a volunteer. You get to see firsthand how girls grow, learn, and come into their own. We give you the resources you need to guide girls in discovering hidden talents, uncovering new strengths and developing the entrepreneurial mindset that will serve them far beyond cookie season. Thanks for all you do for girls! 2 Calendar DECEMBER 2020 December: Online training on gsLearn begins JANUARY 2021 Jan. 2: Cookie program begins Jan. 11: Troop Starting Inventory Order (SIO) and initial reward order due Jan. 13: Service Unit confirmation of SIO and initial rewards due by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 29–Feb. 1: SIO and reward pickup Jan. 29: Girls begin Cookies on the Spot, Lemon-Ups stands, and mobile booths FEBRUARY 2021 Feb. 4: Cupboards open (hours of operation vary by location) Feb. 12: Cookie booths begin! Feb. 12: Bling Your Booth contest begins Feb. 17: First ACH sweep Feb. 19–21: National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend MARCH 2021 March 1: Bling Your Booth contest ends March 3: Second ACH Sweeps March 5: Last day customers can choose girl delivery March 5: Last day to request adding girls to eBudde March 5: Cupboards close March 12: Outstanding caregiver/parent information due March 12: Last day for troop to enter final rewards, enter troop-to-troop transactions March 14: Cookie program ends (paper and online sales) March 15: Service Unit lock-out at 11:59 p.m., submit final reward order March 24: Final ACH sweep APRIL 2021 April: Rewards sent to service unit for distribution to troops Every Girl Scout has it in her to do great things. With your support, she’ll rise to success! 3 Welcome! What an exciting year we have ahead. Our Girl Scouts today have so many opportunities to share Girl Scout Cookies® both in-person through door-to-door and booth sales and, of course, online through the ever-growing Digital Cookie platform. 2020–2021 For decades, girls have used this program to develop The 5 Skills (see pg. 7) that power their NEW Cookie Dough Option Girl Scout experience. That will always be an • You are now able to transfer your Cookie integral part of the Girl Scout Cookie Program®. Dough to a GSUSA online Gift Certificate No matter which path you take—virtual, NEW Credit Card Option in-person, or both—we’ve got tips and • Clover resources to support you the whole way. • Cheddar Up Customers look forward to our cookies every year! Girl Scout Cookies® are $5 per package for core varieties. Specialty cookies are $6 per package. Core Varieties Specialty Cookies • Do-si-dos® • Girl Scout S’mores® • Lemon-Ups™ • Toffee-tastic® • Samoas® • Tagalongs® • Thin Mints® • Trefoils® 4 Troop Cookie Manager Checklist Pre-Sale Checklist During Sales Checklist Dž Check troop roster, making sure all girls Dž Assist girls/parents with logging into Digital are registered Cookie system as needed Dž Remind adult volunteers and parents helping Dž Continually communicate with girls and that they must be registered and their caregivers background screened Dž Remind caregivers to check girl delivery orders Dž All rosters must be updated by December 14. Dž Ensure accuracy of all girl paper card orders If you have any questions regarding any troop’s entered roster, contact Customer Care Team (CCT) at 800-881-4475 or 813-281-4475 or email Dž Pick a delivery location and time to pick up [email protected] troop cookies Dž Make sure you complete your online training Dž Print out copy of troop cookie delivery ticket at gsLearn from eBudde Dž Fill out online Troop Cookie Manager Dž Pre-stage girl orders and prepare agreement form itemized receipts Dž Download and print your training Dž Review booth etiquette guidelines with girls and completion certificate parents. Rules and regulations are designed to ensure girl safety, excellent customer service, Dž Reach out to your Service Unit Fall Product and promote a successful, fair, fun, and safe Manager to set a time and day to pick up your cookie season troop materials Dž Check that all girl delivered orders have been Dž Decide if troop will utilize Clover and Cheddar Up given to girl/caregiver for delivery and have been credit card options. Take any required trainings assigned to the girl in eBudde associated with these programs Dž Verify all girl transactions are completed—all Dž Conduct caregiver’s meeting. Discuss caregiver’s cookies given to girls or sold at cookie booths responsibilities for having a successful sale have been assigned to the girl in eBudde Dž Work with girls to set both troop and Dž Verify with caregivers all girl delivery orders were individual goals delivered to customers Dž For Junior, Cadette, Senior, Ambassador troops: Dž Verify with all girls their reward choice have been Troop discussion on opting out of rewards. If entered and submit final reward order they choose to opt out, complete opt-out form and update info in eBudde Dž Direct all caregivers where to fill out the online Post–Sale Checklist Caregiver Permission & Responsibility form Dž Deposit all cookie funds to the troop bank Dž Review Safety Guidelines with you troop (pg. 9) account before the final ACH sweep Dž Review Volunteer Essentials guidelines in the Dž Juliettes must deposit all cookie funds to council Product Programs section at gswcf.org account with council deposit slip Dž Sign on to eBudde once you receive your Dž Enter in all booth sales email link Dž Submit all girl rewards in eBudde Dž Review “Girl” tab to view your roster Dž Submit outstanding caregiver information Dž Enter/verify your troop’s bank account Dž Print your troop’s reward report before you get Dž Make sure to review all information on eBudde closed out of eBudde and to make any corrections before the Pick up rewards from Service Unit Cookie season begins Manager (in April 2021) Dž Contact girls’ caregivers to distribute rewards out in a timely manner Dž Remember all council dough, extreme rewards, camp bucks and events comes directly from council to the girl 5 What you need to know to be a super seller! Customers The top reason why buy Girl Scout customers don’t buy Cookies® for Girl Scout Cookies® two key reasons—they is because no one love the taste AND they asked them. Don’t be want to support the afraid to ask! girls. Always share your goals and plans. Some customers may opt out or Online buy fewer cookies customers because of diet order an concerns, so be sure to average of promote the council’s Gift six boxes of Caring program or your per order. Hometown Hero if your troop selected one. Customers buy more boxes when the cookies Most customers prefer are bundled. Some to buy directly from a successful sellers Girl Scout—whether you will bundle with decorative approach them in person or bows and different gift cards send them an invite to your (like birthday, anniversary, or personal online page. “just because”). Girl Scout Cookie customers are loyal Customers want and they tend to buy When to get the best every year. Keep a list customers value for their of customers each year so are asked money so offer the you can return to them. to buy recipe cards available at multiple times, LittleBrownieBakers.com. they often buy multiple boxes. 6 Selling Strategies Girl Scouts have a number of options to reach customers during the Girl Scout Cookie Program®: Cookies on the Spot (In-Person Orders) After girls receive their cookie inventory, they can visit family members, friends, and neighbors and sell cookies right then and there. Want to get a jump on it? You can use your paper order card to take preorders. Once the cookies arrive in February, you deliver the preorders and collect payment. Girl Scout Cookie Booths Troops obtain cookies from a cupboard (locations across the council supplied with cookie inventory) and sell them directly to customers, often at booths in high-traffic areas such as grocery stores, malls, or sporting events. Booth sale times and locations are either organized by our council or approved by the Service Unit Cookie Manager. Digital Cookie® — Direct Ship Girls create a customized webpage and send emails with a personalized message to family and friends asking them to buy Girl Scout Cookies®. Customers purchase cookies through the webpage and they are shipped directly to their home (shipping and handling charges apply). Orders appear automatically in eBudde and girls can track their progress and send follow up messages. Digital Cookie® — Girl Delivery Girls who have customers that are local and wish to offer them the ease of shopping online without the adding costs of shipping, can recommend the “Girl Delivery” option.