inspired to dream, driven to lead

Transcription

1 inspired to dream, driven to lead 2015 Cookie Book service unit troop # hergirlscouts.org Girl Scout membership required.

2 December 12, March 10, 2015 Online Sale starts December 22 Table of Contents Why Girls Scouts Sell Cookies 3 Planning Your Sale 4 How Do We Sell Girl Scout Cookies? 5 Initial Order/Order Taking 5 Door-to-Door and Booth Sales 7 Online Sales/COCO Direct (new!) 10 Ordering Cookies 12 Council Cupboard Information 13 Successful Selling Tips and Tactics 14 Sales Support Tools 16 Cookie Locator and SAGE Pay (new!) What Does a Troop Earn? 19 What Does a Girl Earn? 20 Financial Procedures 22 Contact Information 23 Glossary ABC: Our Girl Scout Cookie baker COBS: Council-Organized Booth Sales COCOdirect: ABC s name for tools that allow girls to market and sell cookies online Cookies for a Cause/CShare: GSEM program whereby customers pay for packages of cookies, but instead of taking them, leave them for the girl/troop to donate to an organization providing services to active troops and/or veterans, or hunger relief IRGs: Individually registered Girl Scouts Resource Library: Forms and documents available by clicking a link at the bottom of GSEM s website homepage, hergirlscouts.org SAGE: New mobile credit card payment system available for troops to buy; replaces RoamPay SNAP: The cookie sale database for tracking booth sales, cookie orders and more For more information or updates, please refer to GSEM s Cookies & More web page. Dates are subject to change. Important TO-DO Items for Cookie Season 12/01/14 SNAP opens for Planned Order entry 12/18/14 SNAP deadline for January COBS: 10 PM 12/19/14 Gluten-Free Cookie pre-order deadline 01/01/15 SNAP deadline for February COBS: 10 PM 01/19/15 SNAP Initial Order deadline: 10 PM Opt-out forms due to council office 02/01/15 SNAP deadline for March COBS: 10 PM 02/23/15 Home Cupboards close for season 03/08/15 Last Day for COCOdirect orders 03/10/15 Last Day of the sale Council Cupboards close at 4 PM 1. Final cookie payment due 2. Delinquent forms due 3. Deadline to assign packages to girls 4. Deadline to create recognitions for girls 05/15/15 Last day to report recognition issues Important Cookie Sale Events 12/06/14-12/07/14 Cookie Kick-Off event(s) 12/12/14 Start of Girl Scout Cookie Program Council Cupboards open 12/22/14 Council Cupboards open - only Monday of season Online Sales/COCOdirect begins 12/24/14-1/05/15 1/17/15 Cookie Rally Council Cupboards closed 02/01/15 Super Bowl Sunday 02/02/15-02/07/15 02/27/15-03/01/15 Initial Order Week deliveries National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend 03/10/15 Cookie Sale ends 03/21/15 Cookies for a Cause event 03/29/ Club event hergirlscouts.org 2

3 Girl Scouts sell cookies for a variety of reasons including learning life skills, financing their Girl Scout experience, helping their communities and following time-honored traditions. Selling Girl Scout Cookies is important to girls and can be a fun learning experience, while keeping girl safety in mind. There s more to Girl Scout Cookies than what s inside the package! The cookie program offers girls an opportunity to develop 5 key life skills they can build upon throughout their lives. Goal Setting Girls set cookie sale goals and create a plan to reach them. This is a transferable skill that helps girls set and reach goals to succeed in school, on the job and in their lives. Decision-Making Girls decide where and when to sell cookies, how to market their sale and what to do with their earnings. Learning this skill will help girls make big and small life decisions. Money-Management Girls develop a budget, take cookie orders and handle sales transactions. This is a helpful life skill that teaches girls how to handle money from lunch money to their allowance, and someday their paycheck! People Skills Girls learn how to talk and listen to their customers and to work as a team with their Girl Scout sisters. Through selling cookies, girls have the opportunity to connect with family, friends and their community. Did you know that girls sell more cookies when they build connections? Their experiences help them develop good social skills that allow them to do better in school, on sports teams, on the playground and in their future work. Business Ethics Girls act honestly and responsibly during every aspect of the cookie sale. The world needs ethical leaders in every field. In addition to learning the 5 skills, girls can earn the annual Cookie Activity Pin and badges that focus on learning how to make age-appropriate business decisions. The Cookie Activity Pin recognizes the 5 skills learned and practiced during the sale. Brownies through Ambassadors can earn Cookie Business and Financial Literacy badges, and Daisies can earn Cookie Business and Financial Literacy leaves. Visit the Girl Scout Shop or The Girls Guide to Girl Scouting for more information. hergirlscouts.org 3

4 As you plan your troop s journey through the 2015 cookie program, you will meet your town s Service Unit Cookie Manager, review sales materials and use the SNAP cookie database. Service Unit Cookie Managers experienced volunteers who manage the sale for the town/service unit are available in many towns to provide support and training, distribute cookie sales materials, help with cookie delivery, cookie swaps, payments and recognitions. If your service unit does not have a Cookie Manager, the troop will be supported by a Product Sales Specialist at the council office closest to your town/service unit. Troop Volunteers/Troop Cookie Advisors The best practice to manage a troop s cookie sale is to recruit an adult to be the Troop Cookie Advisor. The Troop Cookie Advisor can be the troop leader, co-leader, parent/guardian, friend of the troop, anyone who wants to help the troop succeed and can volunteer for the entire length of the sale. When recruiting an adult to be the Troop Cookie Advisor be open and honest about the length and depth of commitment to the sale and processes. Troop Cookie Advisor qualifications: Become a registered member of Girl Scouts. Complete a criminal background check in compliance with state law (CORI). Agree to the responsibilities and duties listed in the Online Volunteer Agreement and the Troop Cookie Advisor Agreement. Work cooperatively with girls and adults, including staff, volunteers and families. Basic computer knowledge and willingness to learn SNAP, the online database system. Internet access via one of the following browsers: Internet Explorer, version 9 or above; Mozilla Firefox; or Google Chrome. Ability to keep accurate financial records and meet deadlines. Attend the Cookie Sale Trainings for Cookie Advisors and Troop Volunteers either in your service unit OR at one of the council offices. Best practice: both the troop leader and/or Troop Cookie Advisor attend. At training you will: Sign the Troop Cookie Advisor (TCA) position description. Learn more about the new COCOdirect selling tool and other online planning tools available at abcsmartcookies.com. Review safety tips: Keeping girls safe is our number one priority. Refer to Volunteer Essentials at hergirlscouts.org. Provide links to instructions posted on the GSEM Cookies & More web page. Pick up the following troop supplies: Cookie Book Goal Tracking Poster Receipt Booklet Troop Worksheet (optional) For each girl: Order Card, Receipt Booklet, Money Envelope hergirlscouts.org 4

5 Before talking with the girls and their parents about selling cookies: Make sure that all adults who work with girls, handle troop money or drive girls are registered Girl Scouts and have completed the CORI process. Only registered troops receive database access and earn recognitions and incentives. Develop a Cookie Team Successful troops rely on a Troop Cookie Team to help accomplish their goals. Working as a team is fun and it makes the work easier for everyone! Host a Parent/Guardian Meeting and prepare by: Working with the girls to set individual and troop goals. Getting a calendar and planning out the cookie program. Ask the girls when they would like to host booth sales and make sure they know when Initial Orders are due and payments are expected. Working together as a troop and letting the girls lead! An experienced older troop might consider mentoring a younger troop and passing on knowledge to help the next generation be successful. One of the best aspects of selling Girl Scout Cookies is that there is no one way to do it. GSEM provides flexible selling options, allowing girls and/or troops to choose the best method(s) for them. The three basic methods are: Initial Order/Order Taking, Online Sales and Planned Orders. Each method has its advantages, options and timelines. Girls have the opportunity to choose one or combine all three. Initial Order/Order Taking Order Taking is the traditional method to sell Girl Scout Cookies. Girls receive the Order Card from their troop volunteer or Cookie Advisor and ask family, friends and neighbors to purchase cookies by writing their order on the Order Card. The Order Card collects customer contact information and cookie selections. Girls take orders for several weeks and then the cookies are delivered during Initial Order/ Town Delivery week. One of the benefits of using the Order Card is that customers order any quantity of cookies regardless of how much money they have on-hand, as payment is made at the time of delivery. Initial Order/Order Taking Appropriate Grade Levels Order taking is appropriate for all grade levels. Troops new to the sale find this method is a great way to start their cookie sale experience. Many troops start with Order Taking and then later will consider a booth sale to help meet their sales goals. Older girls have also found success with the Order Card by taking it to school and asking friends to place an order. Girl Safety Adults must accompany Daisies, Brownies and Juniors whenever they are taking orders, selling or delivering cookies. Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door and never sell alone. Girls should be familiar with the neighborhoods where they sell. Never allow a girl to enter a customer s home or go up to car on the street. Cookie Arrival/Pick Up Initial Order/Order Taking cookies arrive in massive trucks during Initial Order Delivery Week, February 2-7, You will be assigned one date during this week, referred to as Town Delivery. It can be a fun event at which entire service units and other towns receive their cookie orders. Town Delivery happens only once per cookie season so be sure to follow the timeline. hergirlscouts.org 5

6 Initial Order/Order Taking Tips for Success: 1. Set a deadline for girls to return their completed Order Cards. 2. Enter the troop s entire Initial Order into the SNAP database by 10 PM Monday, January 19, Troops will be given a Town Delivery date, time and location from the Service Unit Cookie Manager or Product Sales Specialist. 4. Recruit other troop adults to help pick up the troop s cookie order. See the chart below to ensure there is enough space. 5. Print the Troop Initial Order Summary Report from SNAP and bring it to Town Delivery. 6. Verify the quantity is correct by comparing the number of cases received at Town Delivery against the Troop Initial Order Summary Report. If the number received is correct, Troop Cookie Advisors must sign a Troop Initial Order Summary Report verifying the amount received. The troop is responsible for payment, so count carefully. 7. Every girl who sells 100+ packages will earn an Eco-Tote, distributed during Town Delivery. 8. Ensure the cookie quality! Store cookies in a cool, dry location. Do not leave them in a vehicle or place them near heating vents, radiators or where they might attract pests. 9. Divide cookies by each girl s Order Card and ask their Friends and Families Network to collect them. Use the Receipt Booklets to track the number of cookies girls received and money owed Instruct the girls to deliver cookies and receive payment accompanied by a parent/guardian. Determine the date the girls must have all cookie payments back. Use the Receipt Booklets to track money girls turn in. Make the payment for Initial Order by March 10, Estimated Vehicle Capacity Vehicle Approximate Case Capacity Compact car 30 Standard auto 45 Minivan/SUV 60 Standard pickup truck 100 Van (with seats) 150 Van (without seats) 200 These amounts are figured with the vehicle empty except for the driver s seat Issues/discrepancies about Initial Order need to be reported to Kate O Farrell at kofarrell@girlscoutseasternmass.org within 24 hours of your delivery day; this includes Eco-Tote issues. Issues reported after 24 hours cannot be rectified by the council. hergirlscouts.org 6

7 There s no one way to have a successful cookie sale; there are several options that a girl or troop can use to sell. The troop should decide as a group which method works best...or try them all. Door-to-Door Sales and "Walk-Abouts" Girls bring cookies directly to their customers, so customers receive them instantly. Troops can meet at a designated house in a neighborhood (the troop leader/one of the girls houses), split up to take both sides of a street and go to every house. Use a wagon to transport cookies or have a Cookie Mobile filled with cookies parked nearby if the girls run out. Door hangers (provided by the council, subject to availability) are a great tool to use when no one is home. Leave a door hanger with an adult s contact information, NOT a girl s. Girls can also make their own hangers using clip art from ABC Smart Cookies Flickr site at com/photos/abcbakersvolunteergallery/sets. Booth Sales Booth sales are a great way for girls to apply the 5 skills and for troops to meet or exceed their sales goals in just a few hours. All cookie booths are coordinated either through the council known as Council-Organized Booth Sales (COBS) or through the service unit by either the Service Unit Cookie Manager or a Booth Sale Coordinator. Only when there is no one organizing cookie booths for a service unit will troops organize their own booth sales. Having one designated person organizing sales simplifies the process for businesses and allows troops to have an equal chance of the best dates, times and locations. Girl Scouts from GSEM may only hold booth sales in the council footprint and only sell cookies in their service unit area, with the exception of COBS. COBS: GSEM offers COBS at certain locations: malls, T stations (available only to older girls) and larger venues that are open to ALL troops through an open lottery system. Participating in a COBS is an awesome opportunity for your troop to reach customers outside of your town. Town-Coordinated Booth: Arranged when a Service Unit Manager or a Booth Sale Coordinator is in contact with local businesses about booth sales in your town(s). It is in everyone s best interest if only one person contacts a business and works with troops to coordinate times and dates. Since the council does not organize these booth sales, please speak directly to your Town Booth Sale Coordinator for requirements and information. Each business may require its own paperwork and a copy of GSEM certificate of liability. Contact safety@girlscoutseasternmass.org for certificates of liability. Troop-Coordinated Booth: When there is no Service Unit Manager or Booth Sale Coordinator, a troop may contact businesses on their own. Like town-coordinated booths, each business may require its own paperwork and a copy of GSEM certificate of liability. Contact safety@girlscoutseasternmass.org for certificates of liability. hergirlscouts.org 7

8 COBS Information COBS are listed in SNAP and are offered to troops on a first-come, first-served basis from January through March. You can request up to 30 time slots per month, but the maximum award is three per month per troop. Once the lottery has been run, a message will be posted on the SNAP homepage; if you don t receive an from SNAP, your request was not selected. For safety reasons, T-stations and commuter rail stations are only available to Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. How to Request a COBS Log in to SNAP and scroll to Booth Scheduler (under Cookies icon). Click Schedule a Booth OR Lottery Request. A table with the COBS locations will appear. Double-click on the site where you would like to sell. A calendar will appear with date availability select the date you want, then click Request. When requesting COBS, all dates must be unique. You cannot request multiple booth sales for the same date, time, and location to increase your chances in the lottery. A list of all COBS locations and lottery date deadlines can be found online in the GSEM Resource Library. Important COBS Award Requirements If your troop is awarded a COBS and needs to cancel, 48-hour notice is required. Cancellations must be reported to cookieboothsale@girlscoutseasternmass.org. The council pays for every COBS location, and when a troop doesn t show up it is a lost opportunity for another troop to benefit from that time slot. Every effort should be made by the troop to find another troop to fill the COBS by contacting either the Service Unit Cookie Manager (if you have one) or a Town Booth Coordinator. If you find a replacement, you must report it to cookieboothsale@girlscoutseasternmass.org. TROOPS THAT DO NOT ADHERE TO COBS CANCELLATION REQUIREMENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN FUTURE COBS. When the COBS is over, the troop is required to provide the final sales total including total packages sold, troop number and the COBS location, date and time. This information is crucial for the council to analyze the cost/benefit of each COBS location and determine if we will commit to that location in the future. Please this information to cookieboothsale@girlscoutseasternmass.org. Troops are responsible for acquiring and transporting their own cookies for COBS, but council staff will provide tips for unloading and parking locations when notifying a troop of a COBS assignment. hergirlscouts.org 8

9 Booth Sale Etiquette and Sales Tips Before venturing out on your first booth sale, spend time teaching girls booth sale etiquette. This necessary step lets girls practice communicating with customers in a courteous way, while gaining confidence for their booth sale. Volunteers can assist the girls by teaching them to: Stay safe! Remind girls they are to be supervised by an adult at all times and should stay in the sale area and not wander off. Promote their sale and, if the location allows, #BlingYourBooth! Dress appropriately: Be in uniform or wear the Girl Scout membership pin Or borrow cookie costumes from Council Cupboards Arrive at the site on time. Allow the customer to come to the table. Girls should not shout or approach customers outside the booth area. Always say please and thank customers for supporting Girl Scouts and stopping by the booth. Know what their goal is and WHY! Customers are more likely to contribute when they know what they re supporting. Girls should practice explaining troop goals and how they ll use their earnings. Discuss Cookies for a Cause program. Refer to Successful Sales Tips & Tactics section. Allow girls to collect the money and give change to grow their business skills. Make sure the money and cookies are secured at all times. The troop is responsible for all money and cookies. Please note: Daisies do not handle money. Remove all trash when leaving. Visit the ABC Baker website for a Thank You card or the GSEM online Resource Library for a downloadable letter to thank the site/ business when the sale is over. Prime Cookie Selling Dates: December 22-January 4 School Vacation January Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Weekend January 31-February 1 Super Bowl Weekend February 27-March 1 National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend February 14 Valentine s Day and President s Day Weekend February School Vacation Week hergirlscouts.org 9

10 Think Beyond Cookie Booths! Ordering cookies for the cookie selling season doesn t have to be difficult. When managed properly, the troop can have just the right amount of cookies to sell at every opportunity. Please talk with the troop s cookie team so they have what they need and always take into consideration any leftover quantities prior to placing a new cupboard order. Two cases of shortbread may not be needed at a four-hour booth sale. If troops sell out, customers may be willing to try another variety! Follow this guideline when ordering cookies for a four-hour booth sale Cookies Packages Cases Thin Mints 84 7 Caramel delites 72 6 Peanut Butter Patties 24 2 Shortbread 12 1 Thanks-A-Lot 12 1 Lemonades 12 1 Peanut Butter Sandwich 12 1 Cranberry Citrus Crisps 12 1 New this year! Online Cookie Sales With proper adult supervision, girls can manage their own sale online! ABC Bakers provides opportunities for girls to sell cookies online using their website and a mobile app designed just for girls selling Girl Scout Cookies. At abcsmartcookies.com, girls will find a portal called COCO Cookie Command, and a link to download the COCOmobile app. COCO Command is a one-stop command center where girls can manage individual sales goals online. With the COCOmobile app girls sell cookies and have customers pay for them within the app. With COCO Command, girls can: Create a custom web page and add their picture. Communicate with other girls in their troop to cheer each other on and/or share best practices. Set individual sales goals for how many packages of cookies they want to sell. Make plans for how they will reach their goals. Check how they re doing along the way. Input addresses to send ecards to family and friends, allowing them to purchase cookies for direct shipment or to be delivered by the girl. Find and share the link to the COCOmobile free Smartphone app. The app is also available directly from itunes app store and on Google Play. Send ecards and collect 24 online cookie orders to earn an online patch! hergirlscouts.org 10

11 To use COCO Command s Online Marketing tab to market and sell cookies, girls follow these guidelines: 1. Obtain parent/guardian permission and help 2. Register for at abcsmartcookies.com to receive log-in information 3. Select the Online Marketing tab 4. Click Send an ecard 5. Choose the COCOdirect ecard 6. Add the contact name and address (or, if using from past years, Select the Contact ) 7. Add a personalized message 8. Preview the ecard 9. Hit Send 10. Family and friends will receive an with a COCOdirect link allowing them to place an order and pay with a credit card online Great COCOdirect Product Selections Cookies shipped through COCOdirect are available in a variety of options including: - Eight-pack sampler, including one of each variety (gluten-free not included) - Half-dozen of any one variety - Full dozen of any one variety - Limited time the NEW gluten-free cookies, Trios, will be available for online ordering Troop Cookie Advisors Use COCO Command COCO Command has a menu of options for Cookie Advisors, too. Volunteers can use the Cookie Calculator to help the troop reach its goals. Through the Troop Budget worksheet volunteers can plan out the number of packages the troop needs to sell to achieve its goals. Volunteers can even inform individual girls and the troop about their sales progress. Using COCOmobile App Girls sell and take orders via the COCOmobile app downloaded on their own or their parent/ guardian s mobile device. Customers select the cookies and pay online. ABC will ship cookies directly to the customer for a nominal shipping fee. To use COCOmobile app to sell cookies: 1. Register at abcsmartcookies.com to receive log-in information 2. Access COCOdirect by downloading ABC s COCOmobile app on their (or their parent/ guardian s) iphone, ipad, ipodtouch or Android device while connected to internet 3. Log in to COCOmobile using COCO log-in 4. Open the COCOdirect order screen by clicking on COCOdirect icon in COCOmobile menu 5. Place the customer s order quantity, shipping and billing information required (expedited shipping is available) 6. Review the order with the customer and state the amount due 7. Key in customer s credit or debit card information 8. Submit the order 9. Order confirmations are ed to customer 10. Weekly Sales Data Reports are ed to the girl (ensure address is entered when order is placed) hergirlscouts.org 11

12 Ordering Cookies for Your Door-to-Door Sales, Walk-Abouts and Booth Sales Planned Orders are a means of supplying product to troops to sell to customers through door-to-door sales, booth sales and Walk-Abouts. Cookie Advisors place orders, pick up cookies, set up selling methods and distribute cookies to girls to sell. Girls have the cookies in-hand and sell through cookie booths, Walk-Abouts in their neighborhoods, to friends and family almost any safe place. Planned Orders are sometimes referred to as direct sales, Cookie Cupboard or booth sales. The benefits of Planned Orders 1. No waiting! Customers get their cookies on the spot and girls don t have to return to deliver cookies. 2. Instant gratification! It s easy to sell when the cookies are visible and readily available. 3. Easy to reach goals! Girls who sell cookies at a booth sale find it easier to reach their sales goals. Planned Orders Appropriate Grade Levels Appropriate for all grade levels, Planned Orders are the best option if your troop is planning booth sales or Walk-Abouts with the cookies in hand. Planned Orders and Safety Always have a plan for safeguarding money. Avoid keeping large sums of money at booth sales and find ways to deposit money into the troop s bank account quickly. Daisies do not handle money, so careful adult supervision during money transactions at booth sales is required. Planned Orders Cookie Pick Up Volunteers can pick up cookies through Planned Orders at GSEM Cookie Cupboards, located in our four council offices. Planned Order pickups are also available at Home Cupboards, which are volunteer-run cupboards with hours based on the volunteers availability. Ask your Service Unit Cookie Manager and/or Product Sales Specialist for the location of the closest Cookie Cupboard. Regardless of your pickup location, volunteers must place their orders well in advance to make every effort to accommodate individual troop orders. To schedule a pickup, Cookie Advisors must place orders in SNAP by 10 PM Sunday the week prior to pick up. Please note that GSEM s Cookie Cupboards are open Tuesday through Saturday. Cookie Advisors select the pickup day based on when the cupboard is open. Follow these tips to ensure Planned Orders success: 1. Determine with the girls how and when the cookies are to be sold. 2. Estimate the number of cases needed. 3. Place cookie orders in SNAP by 10 PM Sunday the week prior to pick up. 4. Order in full cases. There are 12 packages per case. Partial cases cannot be ordered as the packaging protects them during transport. 5. Enter the name and phone number of the person picking up the order in the Reference Field in SNAP. 6. Show a valid ID. The person picking up cookies must match the person entered to SNAP and must have a valid ID on hand and know the troop number. hergirlscouts.org 12

13 7. Troops may place orders in SNAP for the entire season, but once they are entered, they cannot be edited. Only the Cookie Cupboard staff may edit orders. 8. Be courteous and pick up your cookies on time. 9. Make payment within 10 days of picking up cookies. 10. Ordering Cookies for Your Door-to-Door Sales, Walk-Abouts and Booth Sales 10Returns must be completed at the cupboard from which they originated. To help protect the integrity of the product, only intact, unopened, undamaged and resalable, full, same-variety cases are accepted. Please protect cookies from moisture, smoke and any other materials that may damage them (please cover them during sales held during snow or rain). Single package returns or exchanges are NOT allowed. 10-day return policy, no exceptions. The last day to submit a Planned Order is Sunday, March 8. All orders must be entered by 10 PM. The final order of the season must be picked up by March 10 and paid for at time of pickup. Council Office Cookie Cupboards close on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at 4 PM. All returns exchanges/transactions must be completed by that time. Please note: Cookie Cupboards have a limited supply of cookies on hand. Ordering ahead ensures there will be enough cookies to fulfill your order. For custom, large orders exceeding 240 packages (20 cases), please place the order in SNAP and then call or the Cupboard. We make every effort to accommodate all cookie orders. Council Office Cupboard Information Cupboards are staffed for business during open hours only; closed Sundays and Mondays. SNAP will only schedule pickup times when the Cookie Cupboards are open. Please note: Council Cupboards are closed December 24, January 5, 2015 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Middleboro 111 East Grove Street Middleboro, MA AM-4 PM Noon-7 PM 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-4 M 9 AM-12 PM Waltham 265 Beaver Street Waltham, MA AM-4 PM Noon-7 PM 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-4 PM Boston 95 Berkeley Street Boston, MA CLOSED 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-2 PM CLOSED North Andover 1740 Turnpike Street North Andover, MA AM-4 PM Noon-7 PM 10 AM-4 PM 10 AM-4 PM 9 AM-12 PM We are always looking for energetic and enthusiastic volunteers for our council cupboards. If interested, please contact the cupboard of your choice. middleborocookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org walthamcookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org bostoncookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org northandovercookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org Snow Emergencies/Closures If the council must close Cookie Cupboards due to weather or other safety concerns, cupboard staff will do everything they can to contact the person scheduled to pick up and inform them of the closure (which is why it is important to have the information in the order reference field). A message will also be placed in SNAP, on GSEM s website homepage and Facebook. If weather is questionable, please check the SNAP message board for any closures or delayed openings and relay that to people who might be picking up cookies that day. Cupboard Closings/End of Sale Home Cupboards will close by February 22, Individual closing dates will be announced in SNAP. If the Home Cupboard has closed, return cookies to the closest Council Cupboard. hergirlscouts.org 13

14 There are many ways to sell Girl Scout Cookies successfully. Below is a list of GSEM s favorites, including families selling at their workplaces, older girls hosting Cookie Coffee Breaks, Cookies for a Cause and the 5 for Five contest. Have a great tip and want to share? your sales tips to cookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org. Selling Cookies at Work It s acceptable for families to help girls reach their sales goals by offering co-workers an opportunity to buy cookies. Families can teach aspects of marketing and business by having girls: Write an introduction letter to the business Attach a school picture and note to the Order Card Make a poster showing goals Include Thank You notes for all purchases Deliver the cookies in person if possible Cookie (Coffee) Breaks Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can ask business owners/managers to buy cookies to serve to their employees or for permission for girls to sell cookies to the employees directly. Girls can make arrangements to serve or sell cookies during a break or at the end of the day. This is a great opportunity for older girls to utilize the 5 skills. Keep in Touch with Customers and Families in Your Troop Notify families if the troop has extra cookies. Suggest they take surplus cookies when delivering to their workplace for co-workers who did not get to order or who have decided they didn't order enough. Coach girls to keep in touch with customers, e.g., Hi, I m Sarah! I m the Girl Scout from whom you bought cookies a couple of weeks ago. I have extra Caramel delites and I know you like that variety. Would you like to purchase additional packages? Other tips to sell extra cookies: Older girls can sell to friends at school Take surplus cookies to soccer games, basketball games, etc. Call your Service Unit Cookie Manager to see if another troop needs more cookies. She/he can do a troop-to-troop transfer in SNAP. Girl Scout Cookies freeze well tell your customers they can have them year-round! Cookies for a Cause Cookies for a Cause is a way for girls and their customers to help others, while providing girls with a great method for increasing cookie sales. There are two ways to run the program in both options the customer pays for, but does not receive cookies. Instead, the council or girls donate the purchased cookies to an organization that supports military troops and/or veterans, or fights hunger in Massachusetts. hergirlscouts.org 14

15 Council Manages Cookie Donations Order Cards/CShare: On each Order Card there is a separate location specifically labeled Cookies for a Cause, so girls can highlight this option for customers. To donate cookies via Order Card/CShare: 1. Customers indicate the quantity and variety of cookies they would like to donate on the Order Card. 2. Girls collect the customer s payment of $4/package at the time of Order Taking. 3. Troop Volunteer/Cookie Advisor enters all CShare cookies in SNAP which count toward the girls recognitions and troop proceeds. 4. The cookies are distributed by GSEM on behalf of the girls to the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) and organizations that support military troops/ veterans. 5. The CShare function in SNAP can be utilized during the entire cookie season. Additional orders are entered into CShare in SNAP using the Reorder function. Girls Manage Cookie Donations Prior to the sale, troops may choose a local organization to receive cookie donations collected from Planned Orders and cookie booths. 1. Girls should display a sign that informs customers which organization is being supported. 2. Girls can create a drop box where customers can place donated cookies or have a tally poster to display the growing number of donated packages purchased. 3. Troops arrange for cookie donation delivery to the organization of their choice. Cookie donations can also be delivered to any GSEM Service Center from December 12, March 10, These cookies will be donated to the GBFB or distributed at a Cookies for a Cause event. Troops can also opt to deliver cookies themselves at the Cookies for a Cause event. More details to be provided throughout the cookie season. 5 for Five The 5 for Five contest is designed to reward customers for their continued support of Girl Scouts and to increase cookie sales! The contest runs from December 12, 2014, through March 10, Girls ask customers, who might have only planned to purchase two or three packages of cookies, to buy five packages. These customers will be entered into a drawing to win five cases of cookies...it s a WIN for everyone! If customers comment that they don t need five cases of cookies, be sure the girls tell them that they can donate the cookies through Cookies for a Cause. Customers are entitled to one entry form for every five packages purchased. Five winners will be drawn and notified by phone, or on GSEM social media on or before March 31, 2015, and will be asked to pick up their cookies at their local GSEM Service Center. Customer contact information will be used only to notify the winning customers or to announce future cookie sale details. Personal information will not be shared with or sold to any other organization. hergirlscouts.org 15

16 Cookie Booth Sale Locators Encourage the girls Friends and Family Networks to download the Girl Scouts of the USA Cookie Finder app for Android and iphone so they will always know where to find the closest booth sale. Customers can also find booth sales on GSEM s homepage by clicking on the Cookie Booth Locator. The council will use social media to direct customers to our homepage to find cookies it s free advertising and marketing for your booth sale! When troops upload their booth sale into SNAP, it will be reviewed. Once approved, it will be uploaded by the Product Sales Team into the Cookie Booth Locator to help customers find your sale. Instructions for entering booth sale dates using the Booth Scheduler in SNAP so locations can be found by users are under the Cookies icon in SNAP. Instructions are found in the Troop Manual for SNAP. NEW! SAGE Credit Card Swipe Device New to the council this year is the GSUSA-endorsed SAGE credit card payment system for troops to collect payment for cookies sold. SAGE s swipe device enables customers to use credit cards to purchase cookies perfect for any cookie booth sale! Other councils have reported that their troops have increased their sales and have an average of more packages per sale using the SAGE system. Benefits of the SAGE Card Swipe Device: 1. Troops purchase a SAGE device outright for only $20.00 with no rental or return requirements. 2. SAGE is active from the start of the cookie season, December 12, 2014, through May 31, The troop owns the device; it does not need to be returned. It can be used to support other troop activities. 4. All financial transactions, sales and applicable fees are posted to the troop s bank account. 5. SAGE accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. 6. Troops can use the device in areas with little to no cell service. The software will prompt the troop to transact offline. Once in a good service area, the software will prompt a troop to transact online again with no loss or interruption of sale transactions. 7. SAGE is easy to use. However, for younger girls, adult supervision and guidance is recommended. 8. Troops are trained to use the device and load required software onto their Smartphone(s). 9. Troops have a SAGE customer service support team throughout the cookie sale to answer general and device-specific technical questions. hergirlscouts.org 16

17 Obtaining and Activating a SAGE Device The troop downloads an application from the GSEM Cookies & More web page and completes the application, providing contact and banking information. The SAGE credit card swipe device will arrive within 3-5 business days following approval, and SAGE will deduct $20.00 from the troop s account. Once the troop activates the device and the account, they can add as many users as they want at no additional charge. The device can be used at booth sales, Walk-Abouts and/or any other cookie sale. In this introductory year, the council will pay all transaction fees. Frequently asked questions about SAGE: Q: How does SAGE Mobile work? A: Sage Mobile works the same way any credit card processing system would work. Your customer hands you a credit card, and you either swipe the card or you key in the card number. If the sale is authorized, the funds are transmitted from the cardholder s bank to your bank within 48 business hours. Q: Can we accept debit cards? A: Yes, as long as it has a Visa or MasterCard logo. Q: How much data does a credit card transaction use? A: Less than 1KB per transaction. That is less data than it takes to send one . Q: Can the user access the original receipt from a transaction already processed online? A: Yes. Complete history is available both in the SAGE Payments application on the smart device and from the online portal: mysagemobile.com. Q: How does the customer sign the receipt for the credit card transaction? A: On a Smartphone/tablet with a touch screen, customers simply sign their name on the screen with a stylus or finger. To learn more about the SAGE system, attend any of our cookie training sessions. Training session dates, times and locations can be found on our Cookies & More web page at hergirlscouts.org hergirlscouts.org 17

18 If all the cookies didn t sell during the troop s cookie booth sale or Walk-About, work with girls Friends and Family Networks to exhaust all options to sell those extra packages. Returning cookies to the Cookie Cupboard is the troop s last-resort option. For Planned Orders, cookies can only be returned to the Cookie Cupboard from which they originated within 10 days of receipt. To help protect the integrity of the cookies, only intact, unopened, undamaged and resalable, full, same-variety cases are accepted. Remember to protect cookies from moisture, smoke and any other materials that may damage them (cover them during sales held during snow or rain). Best practices for selling extra packages of cookies: Suggest parents/guardians take surplus cookies to their workplace for colleagues. Coach girls to keep in touch with customers and offer them the opportunity to buy more of their favorite cookie variety. Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors can sell to friends at school. Take surplus cookies to soccer games, basketball games, etc. Call the Service Unit Cookie Manager to see if another troop needs more cookies. S/he can do a troop-to-troop transfer in SNAP. Sell Down Sell Down happens when the Cookie Cupboards have cases of cookies left after the official cookie sale ends. With new technology and better inventory control methods in place, we expect sell-down to be non-existent this cookie season. No troop wants to miss out on the sale, so plan ahead! To ensure your troop has lots of varieties of cookies to sell, please place cookie orders during the sale dates. At the end of the sale, cookie varieties are limited and ABC cannot make more. Information about Sell Down, if necessary, will be posted in SNAP by March 4. Cookie Swap Day On February 21, 2015, the council will offer a Cookie Swap Day for troops that have extra cookie varieties they have not been able to sell. Cookie Swap Day events will be held at our three Service Centers in Waltham, North Andover and Middleboro. Girl Scouts can swap unsold/extra packages and cases with other troops outside their service unit and troops can purchase single packages or cases from other troops. Financial transactions will be handled troop-to-troop. Come and meet other volunteers, share some best practices and swap cookies! hergirlscouts.org 18

19 Troops earn financial proceeds for every package of cookies they sell. Proceeds are earned on a sliding scale, so the more the troop sells, the more the troop earns! Troops use the proceeds to fund their activities and experiences in Girl Scouts. A troop receives a minimum of $.60 for every package of cookies sold by its girls. A troop can earn more when it increases its Per Girl Average (PGA). The PGA is calculated by dividing the troop s total sales (Initial Order + Planned Orders) by the total number of registered girls in the troop. Remember, only registered girl members can sell cookies, help the troop earn proceeds and earn recognitions. Per Girl Average (PGA) Troop Proceeds Troop Proceeds with Opt Out packages $.60 per package $.65 per package packages $.65 per package $.70 per package 200+ packages $.70 per package $.75 per package Calculating Troop Proceeds The sliding scale is the earning level based on the PGA for the troop and the total number of packages of cookies sold by the troop. Troops must have a minimum of five girls to receive the benefit of the scale. Troops with fewer than five girls are not eligible, nor are Independently Registered Girls (IRGs) who are not affiliated with a troop. Important PGA dates and information: The sliding scale goes into effect after 10 PM on March 9, This calculation may affect the final payment due to the council on March 10, If you have troop-to-troop transfers, you must contact your Service Unit Cookie Manager prior to March 8 at 10 PM; after that date, Service Unit Cookie Managers will not have access to make adjustments. Be sure to check in SNAP for your final total balance by looking at the Troop Balance Summary Report BEFORE you make your troop payment due on March 10. Opt-Out for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador Troops Opt-Out is an option only for Cadette, Senior and Ambassador troops to earn more proceeds per package of cookies sold. If all the girls in the troop unanimously agree to forego individual recognitions and Cookie Credits, then the troop will earn an additional $.05 per package sold. Because Daisy, Brownie and Junior level girls are motivated by recognitions and Cookie Credits, Opt-Out is NOT an available option for them. To Opt-Out: 1. The entire troop must sign the GSEM Opt-Out form, available in the Resource Library. 2. Mail, hand deliver, fax or scan/ the completed form on or before January 15, 2015, to: Product Sales Team, GSEM, 265 Beaver Street, Waltham, MA, 02452; fax: cookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org Each girl who is part of a troop that opts-out of individual recognitions will receive a Lead the Change theme patch. hergirlscouts.org 19

20 Additional Troop Incentives When girls and adults in a troop work together to reach their sales goals they get rewarded! GSEM is offering three great troop incentives: the Initial Order Troop Incentive, the Troop Incentive for the Entire Sale Performance, and the new Incentive for Top-Selling Troop in the Entire GSEM Council. Troops are eligible to win only when all the girls in the troop are registered and selling cookies. The Product Sales Team will notify the winning troops leaders (as noted in EBiz) by mail by May 15, Initial Order Troop Incentive: The top five troops that achieve 10% or more growth over last year s Initial Order sales will receive their first choice of a GSEM campsite and dates for Troop Incentive for the Entire Sale Performance: The top five troops that achieve 10% or more growth over last year s sales will receive a voucher to be redeemed at the GSEM store (online store excluded) or toward a program in The Ultimate Guide. Incentive structure is $500 voucher for first place, $400 voucher for second place, $300 voucher for third place, $200 voucher for fourth place and $100 voucher for fifth place. NEW! Incentive for Top-Selling Troop in the Entire Council: The overall top-selling troop in the entire council will receive an additional $.05 per package sold by the entire troop and their choice of one COBS for the Girl Scout Cookie Program! All girls must be registered members to be eligible for cookie recognitions, which are earned cumulatively starting at 24 packages sold. The more cookies a girl sells, the more she earns! Girls are eligible to earn three different types of incentives: recognitions for the number of packages sold, GSEM Cookie Credits and other special incentives for participating in different ways. Girls who sell 500+ packages can join the exclusive 500 Club! The Top Seller for all of GSEM will receive an extra-special recognition (see next page for details). Early Recognition Each girl who sells 100 packages through the Initial Order entered in SNAP by January 15 will receive a reusable Eco-Tote. The Eco-Tote will be distributed at Town Delivery and is a great way for a girl to deliver her Initial Order cookies. Cookie Credits for girls who sell 100+ cookies! Cookie Credits can be used toward GSEM programs in The Ultimate Guide, for camp, or for Girl Scout Shop purchases (excluding the online store). Girls 13 years and older can use their cookie credits toward GSEM-sponsored destination programs; and girls 11 years and older can use them toward GSUSAsponsored destination programs. Please note: Cookie Credit expiration dates are listed directly on the certificates. Expired or lost certificates will not be honored or replaced. hergirlscouts.org 20

21 Cookie Credits Cookie Credit Levels, Money Earned Math Example, Based on 700 Packages Level Packages Credits per Packages Credits per Level Sold Package Earned Sold Package Earned $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $40.00 Total 700 $100 Sell 500+ packages and become a member of the exclusive 500 CLUB! This year, 500 Club members will be special guests at the Celtics game against the LA Clippers on Sunday, March 29, Receive a free ticket for one girl and one adult chaperone with the option to purchase additional tickets for family members. 500 Club girls will have special VIP access and pregame ceremonies with championship trophies, courtside presentation of the 500 Club Certificates of Achievement, and receive an exclusive Celtics 500 Club Patch! There s also the opportunity to be selected as an Anthem Buddy, or participate in the High 5 Tunnel with Celtic players or in the pre-game honor guard. Girls selling 500+ packages will be notified on March 11 via with instructions on how to RSVP and obtain tickets. The RSVP deadline is Monday, March 16. Responses received after this date cannot be accepted. This event will replace celebration events previously held in April and May. Top Individual Girl Seller Bonus The Top Individual Girl Seller in our council will be a special guest at the Celtics-LA Clippers game on March 29, She will receive two free tickets in the loge or courtside. She also will be featured on the Order Card insert for the cookie season! Troop Volunteer/Troop Cookie Advisor s Role in Girl Recognitions In order for girls to receive their proper cookie recognitions, the troop volunteer and/or Troop Cookie Advisor must follow specific guidelines. It is with the help of their volunteers that girls will receive all the great recognitions they have rightfully earned. For girls to receive their earned recognitions, the volunteer responsible for entering sales in SNAP must: 1. Enter the correct number of cookie packages sold by the girl(s). 2. Make the appropriate transfers from the troop to the individual girl (i.e., from a booth sale). If packages are not transferred properly, then girls will not receive credit for the sale. See the online SNAP database guide for adjusting your Initial Order cookies and transferring your Direct Sale cookies. 3. Enter into SNAP all girl recognition orders February 23 - March 10, All packages must be allocated to girls and recognition reports created by 10 PM on March 10, 2015, to ensure that girls receive their recognitions. Unallocated packages will be assigned by the Product Sales Team equally among all council girls who sold cookies. hergirlscouts.org 21

22 Cookie Payment After you transfer all packages and make any in-troop adjustments between girls, review the numbers. If troop paperwork does not match the SNAP totals, contact your Service Unit Cookie Manager or Product Sales Specialist immediately; the troop IS responsible for full payment! It is the responsibility of the troop volunteer and/or Cookie Advisor to adhere to all of GSEM s cookie financial procedures. Online ACH payment is the preferred method for making cookie payments. Troops that used the system last year will need to create a new account. GSEM purges the system of all prior season data for security reasons. Troops should utilize the Troop Balance Summary Report in SNAP; as a great way to keep an online accounting of all payments within your troop. Detailed instructions for the Online Payment System are located in the SNAP Service Unit and Troop Guides, as well as in GSEM s online Resource Library. Online Payment Address: Troop Bank Accounts Troops are required to establish a troop bank account through which all online cookie payments must be made. If the troop doesn t have an account, complete the Request for Troop Bank Account form found in the Resource Library. Please note that in order to open a troop bank account, GSEM requires that troops have two unrelated, registered and CORI d adult members. New troops can use a money order or bank check while the troop account is being established. Personal checks are NOT accepted. Initial Order/Town Delivery Payments Payments must be made through the Online Payment System by March 10, 2015; money orders or troop check must be received at council offices by March 10 before 4 PM. Please allow 5-10 days for all checks the troop received and deposited into the troop account to clear before processing your payment to the council. Set a payment deadline for parents/guardians, allowing time for checks to clear before the troop payment deadline of March 10. Planned/Cupboard Order Payments All Planned Order payments are calculated in the troop s Balance Due found in SNAP. If the troop overpaid at a Cookie Cupboard, the credit is automatically applied to the future balance due. Please note, after submitting the Initial Order, the total balance due includes the amount due for the Initial Order/Town Delivery. Separate balances are NOT itemized in SNAP. If the online payment option is chosen, payment for the full amount due must be confirmed through the online payment system within 10 days. Once the payment has been received by the council, the Troop Balance Summary will be updated in SNAP (usually within 2-3 days). When picking up cookies and making an online payment on the same day, the printed payment confirmation MUST be brought to the cupboard. For each additional cupboard pick up, a new receipt indicating returns and payment will be required and should be kept as proof of payment. Handling Troop Funds and Collecting Payment from Parents/Guardians and Girls Troops must deposit all funds received as payment for cookies directly into the troop bank account. It is a violation of national Girl Scout guidelines to deposit funds into a personal bank account. Troops should make regular bank deposits throughout the sale; frequent deposits will ensure that money is not lost or stolen. Clear communication will minimize the stress of collecting payments. Notify each parent/guardian of the amount due in writing and include a deadline for money to be turned in to the troop. We suggest giving parents/guardians a deadline 3-5 days prior to the actual deadline to ensure time to collect all funds and make deposits before the troop s final payment is due. Make reminder notes/ s/phone calls. Use the Receipt Booklets Provide a signed receipt documenting all funds collected. All paperwork and receipts should be kept with troop records. Stay in touch with parents and girls to make sure cookies are being delivered and money collected. Frequent, consistent communication allows volunteers to address any potential payment problems promptly. Have parents/guardians pay using one check for ease of troop financial management. Inform parents/guardians that the troop will NOT accept any third party checks from customers. hergirlscouts.org 22

23 Delinquent Parent/Guardian Accounts If a parent/guardian does not make payment for their cookies, notify the Service Unit Cookie Manager or Product Sales Specialist and submit the completed Delinquent Account form located in the online Resource Library. The Delinquent Account form should be sent with the signed annual permission slip and signed Booklet Receipts on or before March 10, 2015, to the attention of: Kate O Farrell,,111 East Grove Street, Middleboro, MA 2346 or by fax: NEVER use troop proceeds to cover a delinquent payment. Bounce Payment Fee Policy Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) Money to troop: If checks deposited into the troop account are returned for any reason, the troop is responsible. Troops are discouraged from accepting checks; however, if they do and the check does not clear, the troop should ask the customer for payment in cash or money order for the check amount, PLUS any bank fees that may have been charged to their account as a result of the returned check. Money to council: If a troop check is returned to the council for any reason, the troop will be charged a $20.00 fee to cover bank charges, in addition to the amount originally owed by the troop. A separate invoice from our finance department will be sent to the troop volunteer or parent/guardian with payment instructions. Refund Policy for Troop Overpayments If a troop s balance shows an overpayment of $10.00 or more, the troop will receive a reimbursement check. Credit balances less than $10.00 are not refunded. The Girl Scout cookie sale is a partnership between the council staff, local service units, troop volunteers, girls families and most especially, the girls. From the local service unit level to the council level, you have a network of people available to provide guidance, offer advice, share best practices with and support you through all aspects of the cookie sale. Take advantage of the many experienced people who want to ensure your success. If you are: If you have a question about: Contact: Service Unit/Troops General Questions about the Girl Scout Cookie Program cookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org Parents of Individually Questions about IRGs and the Registered Girls Girl Scout Cookie Programs IRGcookies@girlscoutseasternmass.org Service Unit/Troops Questions and ordering Gluten-Free Cookies glutenfree@girlscoutseasternmass.org Service Unit/Troops Access to SNAP Database abcsnap.com or girlscoutseasternmass.org/cookies Service Unit/Troops Online SNAP Support and Software/Functionality abctech@interbake.com Service Unit/Troops SNAP-Specific Council Issues kofarrell@girlscoutseasternmass.org Service Unit/Troops Links and Forms girlscoutseasternmass.org/cookies Service Unit/Troops Online Payments emass.gsachonline.com Service Unit/Troops E-Learning site on ABC for GSEM and for pre-recorded abcsmartcookies.com webinars specific to GSEM Service Unit/Troops/ Parents Online Resource Library girlscoutseasternmass.org/forms Troops Questions about COBS cookieboothsale@girlscoutseasternmass.org Troops/Parents Age-appropriate educational activities and nutritional abcsmartcookies.com cookie information Troops/Parents/Girls COCO-online interactive system for troops and girls to communicate with each other and sell cookies to customers during the cookie sale abcsmartcookies.com/goals hergirlscouts.org 23

24 95 Berkeley Street, Ste 404 Boston, MA T: F: East Grove Street Middleboro, MA T: F: Turnpike Street North Andover, MA T: F: Beaver Street Waltham, MA T: F: cookies in hand, heart on sleeve hergirlscouts.org 24