1. Family Training for this year’s Cookie Program
Welcome to the 2016 Cookie Program, thanks for joining us today. We want to provide you with some information about this year’s Cookie Program so that you can support your Girl Scout and our troop in our goals! We’ll stop to answer questions throughout the training, so please just jot them down and wait until a questions break to ask them.
Family Training for this year’s Cookie Program

2. What We’ll Cover Today:
Theme | Cookies | Vendor
Program Dates
5 Essential Skills
Managing Money
Safety Guidelines
What Troops & Girls Earn
Resources for Success
Important Guidelines
How Girls Sell Cookies
Our Troop Goals
Tech Tools
We’ll cover the following topics:
Theme | Cookies | Vendor
5 Essential Skills Girls learn during the program
Safety Guidelines
Resources for Success
How Girls Sell Cookies
Tech Tools you can use with your girls.
Program Dates- when girls can sell.
Managing Money
What Troops & Girls Earn from selling
Important Guidelines
Our Troop Goals and how your Girl Scout can help.

3. Theme and Mascot Hallie the Hedgehog! 1 of 10
Each year we have a theme and mascot for our program chosen by girls all over the country! This year’s theme is Dream Design Do! And Hallie the Hedgehog is our mascot. You’ll see Hallie and this design throughout the program including one of the incentives girls can earn for selling!
Hallie the Hedgehog!
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4. $4.00 per package (12 packages per case)
The Cookies
$4.00 per package (12 packages per case)
Thanks-A-Lot ®
Cranberry Citrus
Crisps
Lemonades ™
Shortbread
Thin Mints ®
Peanut Butter
Patties ®
Caramel
deLites ®
Sandwich
Trios
We’ll have 8 varieties of cookies this year that sell for $4 per package. If you look to the right the Trios cookie is gluten free and is sold for $5 per package.
Tonight I have the lemonades for you to try, it is their 10th birthday this year!
The vendor we use to provide cookies for our girls to sell is ABC Bakers. They are the oldest and most experienced baker, and while based out of Virginia, they have a bakery in Sioux City that provides many of the cookies our girls sell in our council.
$5 per pkg
ABC Bakers is the oldest and most experienced licensed Girl Scout Cookie baker. We became “Official Girl Scout Cookie Bakers” in ABC is part of Interbake Foods, LLC, a Richmond, Virginia-based manufacturer that has been baking cookies and crackers for 100 years.

5. 5 Essential Skills
When we talk about selling cookies, we always reference it as the Cookie Program instead of Cookie Sale because it is absolutely more than just a fundraiser or money-earning project.
The Cookie Program has 8,000 girls participating each year just in our council. Each year the program is formatted to try and teach 5 skills that will help them in their career and daily life.
These are… (Go through the skills on the slide)
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6. 5 Essential Skills (Cont.)
(after reading skills)
It’s true that girls and troops earn credits and money by participating, but teaching these skills is really what we want to focus on with our girls.

7. Safety Guidelines Show you’re a girl scout Do not enter
Use the buddy system
Sell in the daytime
Be streetwise & safe on the road
Protect privacy
Be net wise
Adults, be present
Plan ahead
(IF YOU HAVE INTERNET< PRESS THE PLAY BUTTON FOR A VIDEO VERSION)
SHOW YOU’RE A GIRL SCOUT
Wear a Girl Scout membership pin, uniform or Girl Scout clothing (e.g. a Girl Scout T-Shirt) to clearly identify yourself as a Girl Scout.
USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM
Always use the buddy system. It’s not just safe, it’s fun.
BE STREETWISE & SAFE ON THE ROAD
Become familiar with the areas and neighborhoods where you will be selling Girl Scout products. Contact your local police department if you’re unsure about an area or neighborhood.
Always follow safe pedestrian practices, especially when crossing at intersections or walking along roadways. Be aware of traffic when unloading product and passengers from vehicles.
ADULTS BE PRESENT
Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies and Juniors when they are taking orders, selling or delivering product. Girls in grades 6-12 must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door and must never sell alone. Adults must be present at all time during cookie booth sales.
PLAN AHEAD
Be prepared for emergencies, and always have a plan for safeguarding money.
DO NOT ENTER
Never enter the home or vehicle of a person when you are selling or making deliveries. Avoid selling to people in vehicles, except at designated drive-thru cookie booths, or going into alleys.
SELL IN THE DAYTIME
Sell only during daylight hours, unless accompanied by an adult.
PROTECT PRIVACY
Girls’ names, home addresses or addresses should never be given out to customers. Protect customer privacy by not sharing their information except as necessary for the product sale.
BE NET WISE
Girls must have their parent’s/guardian’s permission to participate in all online activities, and must read and agree to the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge before conducting any online activities Additionally, in order to participate in Digital Cookie girls must read and abide by the Girl Scout Digital Cookie Pledge and parents/guardians must read and abide by the Digital Cookie Terms and Conditions for Parents/Guardians

8. (Not shown: Money Envelopes)
Family Resources
Just like troop volunteers need resources to execute the program, so do families they have these items plus more online to help them understand and manage the program with their Girl Scout
The recognition panel on the left is an insert from the order card you will receive with the varieties of cookies listed on it. The recognition panel shows you what girls earn at specific package levels as well as how much Cookie Dough they earn.
The gluten free flier is a resource for customers because the gluten Free cookie Trios isn’t listed on the actual order card.
NOTE: the Date error on PG. 4 of the Family Guide, By order taking, it should say February 1-March 13 NOT March 15
The date error on the recognition insert on the back side with no items, it also should say March 13 for Order Taking ending NOT March 15
(Not shown: Money Envelopes)

9. How Girls Sell Cookies Order-Taking Direct Sale
Take order then delivery & collect money later.
Direct Sale
Exchange product & money in one visit.
Today girls have two ways of selling cookies.
Order-taking is when you take your order card and have customers right down their order, you then have to come back later to deliver the product and collect the money.
Direct Sale is just like it sounds. It is when you have the cookies in hand before you approach the customer and exchange product and money in one trip.
As a family you can choose either or both methods. Customers will typically purchase more if you have the cookies on hand, however if you are more comfortable you can also take orders and go back later once you have picked up cookies from me.
A couple other details about the direct sale format:
You don’t pay for cookies up front. Cookies are taken out to sell and then you return the money back to the troop in it’s original form.
- You can get more cookies. I have access to Cookie Cupboards where I can get more cookies for our troop during the program. You can order in packages, it doesn’t have to be full cases. Just let me know what you need by Sunday morning each week.

10. How Girls Sell Cookies: Order-Taking
Girls collect customer orders, then return to deliver product & collect money.
New dedicated order-taking period this year! February 1-11
Girls can continue to take orders through March 13
The primary way girls participate in the Cookie Program in through door-to door sales, order taking or with cookies on hand.
On this slide I want to direct your attention to the pink image in the lower corner. This symbol is used to indicate that the council is listening to us!
They send out surveys each year to collect feedback on the program, what works and what doesn’t. Families gave them feedback that they wanted to go back to order taking and so this year they have included an order taking only time period before we have cookies in hand and before booth sales.
If they choose this option, the last day to take orders is March 13 so that cookies can be ordered to fill customer requests. After this date, we can’t guarantee the quantities or varieties that you need.

11. How Girls Sell Cookies : Booth Sales
Troops only
CookieFinder app uses zip code search to promote booth sales!
Booth sales you have probably seen around your neighborhood. It’s when a troop works with a business that agrees to let them set up a table to sell to customers who are passing by. This is for troops only to help build team working ability with girls. Families shouldn’t be doing booth sales alone even if they have more than one girl. If you have ideas for good locations to host booth sales, let me know!
There is also the CookieFinder app and website for customers to find your booth! They can download it on their smart phones and it is also on the gsusa website and our council site.

12. Cookie Share
Customers give back to their community & support Girl Scouts.
Donate locally or to the council partner: Iowa Military & Veterans
Information in the Family Guide & online
While girls are taking orders or out at a booth sales, they may come across customers that want to support them but don’t want to actually take cookies with them. Cookie Share is a way for customers to donate money and have cookies sent to a local charity. Each year the council partners with an organization as well to donate cookies on a statewide level.
This year we will continue our partnership with the iowa military. Last year cookies went to troops local and oversees, as well as veterans hospitals to support both active and retired heroes.
If a girl collects $24 dollars in Cookie Share donations (that’s 6 packages of cookies) she earns a Cookie Share patch!
> Cookies > For Cookie Sellers > Resources

13. Tech Tools
Cookie Command (COCO): Tools & resources to reach customers virtually & manage their cookie business online!
Ecard Marketing: Send ecards to collect orders & deliver product later. Perfect for those that live close by.
COCOdirect: Optional COCOdirect ecard that includes a secure link for customers to order, pay and have cookies shipped to their door!
Girls can use COCOdirect from February 1- March 20
Girls also have access to some really great online tools to help them set goals, manage their customer list and market their program.
Cookie Command is the online business center that you can sign up for with your Girl Scouts. She sets a goal, you can import your lists, and then she can customers ecards that invite them to order from her for delivery, or if they are out of town or further away, she can send them a COCODirect ecard.
COCOdirect is her online cookie store where customers can purchase cookies online using a credit card, pay for shipping and have cookies delivered right to their door from the bakery. The troop and girl still get credit and recognitions for the sale, but you don’t have to worry about collecting money or delivering the product later.
You will have access to set up her Cookie Command account and start sending s on February 1-March 20.
This is an optional way to participate.

14. Tech Tools (Cont.)
COCOmobile: This app allows girls with a COCO username and password to set, track and take orders from any iPhone ®, or Android device ™. You can access COCOdirect through COCOmobile.
We know at times getting connected is easier using your mobile device, a smartphone or ipad. Girls can still access all of the great online tools that way too!
The cocomobile app gives you access to her cookie command account as well as COCOdirect and a digital order card. This app is available for both android and apple devices.
Girls can set goals and track their sales. They can also take orders from customers to deliver later if they don’t have their paper order card.
Customers can also order through cocodirect as well, this comes in handy when a customer wants to purchase cookies from you but have them shipped to another person.
Videos on Cookie Command, COCOdirect and COCOmobile are on the council website under For Cookie Seller Resources.

15. Program Dates Girl Order-Taking | February 1 - March 13
Direct Sales | February 12 - March 20
COCOdirect | February 1- March 20
So the dates for the Cookie Program are on the screen.
Order taking will be from February 1-March 13
Direct Sales will start February 12th and go through March 20, this is the period when troops can host booths and girls will have cookies on hand to sell to customers.
COCOdirect (online sales) will run from February 1- March20
I place an order in January for our troop so that we will have cookie on hand by February 12, after you start taking orders on February 1 you can start giving me an idea of the cookies you would like out of our initial stock.

16. Managing Money: Collecting from Customers
Acceptable Forms of Payment
Cash
Check | Make them out to GS Troop##, GSGI, or Girl Scouts
Now lets talk about how girls collect money for the product girls are selling. Here are the acceptable forms of payment from your customers.
Cash that is collected should be given to me in it’s original form, please do not deposit it and write a check to the troop.
Checks should be made out to our troop number or GSGI (for Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa), Girl Scouts is ok too.
(TPM- you have the option of purchasing a credit card reader for the troop to use at booth sales. This is a troop expense and MUST be connected to the troop account)

17. Managing Money: Credits for Online Sales
Customer Orders through COCOdirect
Council collects order information & puts it in Snap.
Packages & payments are automatically credited to the girl & Troop
Credits figure into proceeds
Managing Money: Credits for Online Sales
You might be wondering how girls and our troop get credit from the cookies sold through COCODirect, since you never see the product or the money. The council moves those orders over to us.
Customer orders come in and are tracked by the cocodirect system. The girl scout staff go in and move that information over into Snap, which is where I track all of our sales. When they do that it automatically gets credited to the girl who sent the ecard, and the troop gets proceeds from those sales as well.
If you set up a Cookie Command account, check with me to ensure her name matches in both systems.
For this to work: Girls’ names HAVE to match between their Cookie Command account & Snap

18. What They Earn: Troop Proceeds
$0.45/pkg
Start at
Troop reaches 185 PGA = $0.50/pkg
Troop reaches 250 PGA= $0.52/pkg
The Basic Plan
Start at $0.55/pkg
Troop reaches 185 PGA = $0.60/pkg
Troop reaches 250 PGA= $0.62/pkg
Now that we’ve talked about how girls sell cookies, and how the money works. Let’s talk about what our group gets out of selling cookies.
For every package your troop sells, we will earn 45 cents. But we have the potential to earn more based on our average sales per girl.
If we have an average of 185 per girl, we’ll earn .05 more per package! That’s .50 total. (we refer to the average sold per girl as PGA/ per girl average, you’ll see this a lot of places)
So then if your troop keeps selling and hits a 250 PGA we earn even more! A total of .52 per package.
Cadette Senior or Ambassadors, 6th grade and up. We can earn more troop proceeds by having all your girls opt out of all recognition items. Here you can see they earn .10 more at each level if they do that.
Older Troop (C,S,A) the Opt-Out Plan
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19. What They Earn: Troop Proceeds (Next Year)
$0.45/pkg
Troop reaches 185 PGA = $0.50/pkg
Troop reaches 250 PGA= $0.52/pkg
Troop sells 1% more than last year = $0.53/pkg
Troop sells 2% more than last year = $0.54/pkg
Troop sells 3% more than last year= $0.55/pkg
Or, if you’re taking over an existing troop…
For troops that are returning to the cookie program, we have the opportunity to earn even more if we sell more than last year.
So if we sell 1% more, we earn .01 more, but because that is built in on top of the other incentives it could me anywhere from cents per package based on your PGA and grade level.
The number of packages we have to sell is in my Cookie Planning Guide and I can share that later when we talk about our goals.

20. What They Earn: Cookie Dough
Earned by individual girls.
Used towards her Girl Scout Experience.
Base Cookie Dough + optional additions.
Credits are ed directly to each family.
EXPIRE September 15, 2016
While the troop is earning proceeds, each girl who sells 50 packages or more will start earning Cookie Dough. Cookie Dough are credits that she can use towards her Girl Scout experience. She could use them in our council shops for uniforms, books or fun fashion items. Or she could use them for a Girl Scout event or Camp she wants to attend.
Each girl will earn Base cookie dough just for the level she reaches, but she also has the option to add on more. We’ll cover that in 2 slides.
Credits will be sent directly from the council to each family via at the end of the program so be sure I have your accurate address.
Every year Cookie Dough expires on September 15th, so be sure to use it as there are no exceptions made after this expiration date.
To see the full Cookie Dough Grid, look at the insert from your Order Card.

21. Recognitions: Items & Patches
Patch layout & descriptions in Family Guide
Achievement Bars
New Troop Incentives!
New Lifetime membership! (Graduating Girl Scouts only)
The patch layout, and a description of how girls earn or purchase each patch is now in the family guide.
Achievement bars are earned based on the highest hundred level she reaches. For example if she sells 230 pkgs of cookies she’ll get the 200+ bar.
There are two new TROOP incentives on the order card, one is a Bakery Tour and the other is a troop camp out if the troop sells a total of 5000 pkgs, Not per girl. As a group.
At the 950+ pkg level Graduating girl scouts can earn their lifetime membership instead of the ipad if they choose.

22. Recognitions: Items & Patches
In the order cards that you will get from me there is an insert that looks like this. This is your recognition panel that shows all the items girls can earn from selling cookies. These items are cumulative so she will get all of the levels she reaches. Example, if she sells 155 she gets the hedgehog stuffed animal, and the journal and the lipbalm, etc.
The exception is when she reaches 950+, the iPad, Laptop and Lifetime membership are items she can earn if she opts out of all the other items & cookie Dough.
Girls who opt out of incentives for more troop proceeds (if they are a troop of Cad, Sen, or Amb girls) or for these tech items- will still get patches they earned.
You’ll notice at each level where there is an item shown, girls can choose cookie dough instead of they don’t like that item or if they are trying to earn credits to go to camp for instance. The cookie dough listed at that level is added to her “base” cookie dough amount and ed as one total amount.

23. Important Guidelines Register for the 2015-2016 Girl Scout year
Fill out and turn in a Permission Form to their TPM
Receive your program materials
Wait until February 1 to start contacting customers
Today we covered the cookies we sell, the dates of the program how girls sell, how to collect money and what they earn from the program.
Now lets end with a few guidelines for each of you to take care of before we start selling in February.
Each girl has to be registered member for the year. If you haven’t registered yet, please see me after the meeting. If you aren’t sure, check with me.
I have permission forms that I must have signed for each girl before she can participate or receive her materials.
I have program materials for you including your order card, family guide and some other items that will be useful during the program that we spoke about earlier.
On each of our honors, we must wait until February 1 to begin contacting customers and taking orders. This means on social media, in person, in our offices. The program starts on February 1st and to be fair to each other lets honor that date.

24. Online Resources Girlscoutsiowa.org > Cookies >
What’s New for 2016!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Cookie Dough Policy
Cookie Command Center Guides & Videos
Cookie Share Guide
Safety Resources
Getting Started with MyGS
Online Resources
Girlscoutsiowa.org > Cookies >
For Cookie Sellers > Resources
Many of us use the internet and our phones to find information, so that I have printed for you just has the highlights. Details and more information are provided for parents/guardians on the council website.
You can find them by going to girlscoutsiowa.org that is the council website.
Then click cookies from the green links at the top, on the left there will be a “For Cookies Sellers” section and under that are resources.
If you are on a mobile phone, on each page there is a menu button that looks like three lines on the top right, you may need to click on that to see the “For cookie sellers section”
On this page you will find,
Links to ABC Bakers site with fun activities and information all about the cookies
Links to GSUSA cookie sites with fun materials and printable items you can use to market your cookies sale.
But the council has also posted documents to help you understand our cookie program, they are:
What’s New for this goes over the changes or additions to the program for those families returning
Frequently Asked Questions for different topics of the program.
Cookie Dough Policy, understanding what you can and can’t use Cookie Dough for
Cookie Command Center Guides & resources so you know how to set up an account and use COCOdirect
Safety Resources including online and social media safety guidelines
And finally a cheat sheet to Getting Started with MyGS- MyGS is a way for you to update your information directly with the council and also connect with our troop calendar/meeting schedule.

25. Cookie Kick Offs New! Cookie Kick Off x 3 (New event locations!)
January 16th at 4 PM (4:30 PM in Mason City)
Registration is open now!
On January 16th we will be hosting not 1, but 3 cookie kick off events! The des moines event has gone so well the last couple years that we have expanded our partnerships to include the Omaha Lancers and the North Iowa Bulls. Registration is now open and we ask that you encourage your troops to support these events so that we can keep these partnerships going in the coming years.
Omaha Des Moines Mason City

26. Cookie Rally A B C
Insert information on this slide if you are planning to attend a local Service Unit Cookie Rally,
Enter the time date and anything the families will owe or need to bring. Check with your SUPC to see if there is one in your area.

27. Blank slides are for you to add any of your Troop Specific information, choose whatever layout you like and just duplicate it!

31. Thank you! Contact me at PHONE | EMAIL
(thank them for coming, answer any questions, and pass out materials/cookies and end your training)
Contact me at PHONE |