By: Ga Ming West, Marketing Coordinator
Did you know that 85% of girls who participated in the Girl Scout Cookie Program developed money management skills? The Cookie Program is a special opportunity for girls to learn important life and financial literacy skills that help them become successful adults and leaders! Girls get to have real-world experience learning five valuable life skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics – all in an environment suited to ensure the skills learned are integrated into their everyday lives! As part of the program, we have Cookie Business badges for every grade level to acknowledge each new skill girls learn as they earn cookie proceeds while having tons of fun with their friends!
Daisy Badges
Count It Up
Earn this leaf by learning how your cookie money adds up. What does your troop make with each box of cookies sold and how does this money add up to help your troop achieve their sales goal?
Talk It Up
This leaf is earned by talking and deciding with your troop just how your troops’ cookie proceeds will be used.
Brownie Badges
Meet My Customers
Girls learn all about how to find, interact, and retain cookie customers. From role-playing, good customer relations, to handling money and making change, this is a great way for girls to enhance selling skills and build confidence.
Give Back
Girls learn how money and businesses can help others including practicing giving back to the local community and explaining to customers how their purchases help fund troop service projects and Operation Cookie Drop.
Junior Badges
Customer Insights
Girls conduct market and customer research by finding out who buys cookies and gaining greater understanding of their cookie customers.
Cookie CEO
Girls earn this badge by exploring and mastering the details of running their very own Girl Scout Cookie business. As an entrepreneur and CEO, girls will learn how to set a group goal, explore how businesses work, practice listening skills, and track sales.
Cadette Badges
Business Plan
Take your Cookie Business to the next level by learning to create a business plan. Earning this badge gives girls the opportunity to write a mission statement, develop a business plan, complete a risk management assessment and learn how to leverage this knowledge to increase their cookie customer base.
Marketing
Every business needs a solid brand identity and marketing plan. Girls earning this badge will learn more about branding, complete a competitor research and analysis assessment, develop a marketing message, and create a marketing campaign to help reach more customers and achieve cookie goals.
Think Big
Girls are encouraged to dream big for their cookie business while earning this badge. Girls will learn how to take their business to the next level by implementing innovative selling strategies and marketing messages to help increase their box-per-girl average and find new customers in unexpected places.
Senior Badges
My Portfolio
Participating in the largest girl-led business in the world means girls have lots of experience and skills to aid their professional future and goals. Girls earning this badge will build their cookie resume and portfolio, develop a personal brand, and master interview skills.
Customer Loyalty
Businesses are always thinking of new ways to keep and engage their current and past customers. A girl’s cookie business is no different! Earning this badge will help girls communicate with customers about how proceeds fund exciting new opportunities and provide need-to-know skills about customer service and building relationships.
Ambassador Badges
Research and Development
Use data to grow cookie sales! Girls earning this badge will analyze sale trends, research how companies innovate, and leverage research and development to keep their business moving forward.
Profit and Loss/Promise and Law
Having good business ethics is what helps businesses become and stay successful. Girls earning this badge will develop their business mission statement and promise, work with younger Girl Scouts to share selling tips and tricks, and determine what legacy they will leave as part of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.
The 2017 Girl Scout Cookie Program promises to be full of fun learning experiences, and we want you to be a part of the adventure! If you haven’t already, make sure you renew your membership and get excited for the most delicious time of the year!