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For Cookie Entrepreneurs

Digital Cookie is open for pre-orders. Details below.

When you participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, you're doing more than just helping your customers stock up on delicious treats (and having lots of fun). You're doing it with a goal in mind. Whether that goal is a pizza party, a community project, or your first overnight trip with your troop, you know how many packages you need to make it happen.

Contents

On this page: Related pages:
About the Cookie Program
 Cookie Rally
Family Cookie Guide Operation Thin Mint (OTM)
Getting Started Badges, Pins, and Skills
Digital Cookie Cookie Program Fun
Safety Elite Entrepreneurs
Money Matters for Caregivers  
Service Unit Cookie Kickoffs  

About the Cookie Program

The Girl Scout Cookie Program® prepares girls with the business smarts they need to take on the world! Find out more about the 2021 cookie program below. Find out more about our cookies, how the cookie crumbles, cookie recipes, and more on our About Girl Scout Cookies page.

Key Program Dates

While the 2021 cookie season publicly begins Sunday, Jan. 24, troop initial orders are due Monday, Dec. 14 and Digital Cookie will open for pre-orders Monday, Jan. 11. Review other key program dates and submit the online participation agreement below to ensure your Girl Scout is ready to go! Check back often for additional updates to this page.

December-January: Troop cookie managers train girls and parents/guardians

Friday, Dec. 4: Girl Scouts San Diego all-council virtual cookie rally

Monday, Dec. 14: Troop initial order due

January: Service unit cookie kickoffs (virtual)

Friday, Jan. 8: Girl Scouts San Diego all-council virtual cookie rally

Monday, Jan. 11: Digital Cookie opens; girls may begin taking online orders

Saturday, Jan. 23: Delivery day

Sunday, Jan. 24: Cookie program publicly begins at 9 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 5: Cookie booths begin (county guidelines permitting)

Monday, Feb. 8: Troop funds for first payment must be in troop bank account by end of business day.

Friday-Sunday, Feb. 19–21: National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend

Monday, Feb. 22: Troop funds for second payment must be in troop bank account by end of day.

Forms and Resources

Additional troop resources can be found on the volunteer page.

2021 cookie program tools coming soon. See the Family Cookie Guide below.

Virtual Office Hours for Families

Girl Scouts San Diego’s Product Program team will be hosting a series of virtual office hours to answer questions, assist with Digital Cookie, and provide clarification as we progress through cookie season. Click on the date(s) that work for you to register.  

How to Participate

Every girl and troop should participate at the level comfortable to them. Girls are on their honor not to begin public marketing of their cookies before Sunday Jan. 24, 9 a.m. They can begin taking pre-orders via Digital Cookie on Monday, Jan. 11.

Cookies in hand: Customers pay girls and receive their cookies immediately.

Order card: Girls may take orders for packages they will deliver later.

Cookie pro tip: Always keep order cards in your purse, car, cookie wagon, etc. Running out of cookies or not being able to carry enough packages for all potential customers is never a problem for girls if they bring an order card along.

Girls may leave an order card in a visible spot at their caregiver’s workplace, accompanied by a note from them outlining their goal and plans for the proceeds. Even if an adult helps make the connection, it is the girl’s responsibility to fill all orders, oversee delivery, and thank her customers!

Digital Cookie: Girls receive orders through their personalized Digital Cookie website where options for shipping or girl delivery are available. Visit the Digital Cookie section for more information.

Tips and Techniques for Marketing Cookies

All marketing techniques should be done within local and state guidelines.

Family and friends marketing: Contact your friends and family via phone or in person to ask if they are interested in receiving Girl Scout Cookies or donating to Operation Thin MintSM. Remember to review last year’s order card to reconnect with your reliable customers and practice networking.

Cookie House Party: Hit your goal faster with a Cookie House Party. Invite your friends, families, and all your favorite cookie customers to a party to share your cookie stories, package goals, and dreams. You can customize your pitch with a script and plan fun games and activities. Find instructions on how to host a Cookie House Party on the Little Brownie Bakers website.

COVID-19 consideration: Have a virtual party! Find safety information in our Safety Activity Checkpoints document for Virtual Troop Meetings.

Standabouts: From Jan. 24-March 7, you may set up lemonade stand-style “standabouts” in front of your family’s private residence to market cookies to your neighborhood. During standabouts, girls learn how to manage change, cash flow, and cookie inventory in real time, just like other businesses.

Door-to-door: Visit any residential neighborhood in San Diego and Imperial counties. Accompanied by your caregiver, walk around neighborhoods knocking on doors and ringing doorbells to market cookies. You may leave door hangers or business cards with your unique Digital Cookie code at homes where there is no reply. Going door-to-door, you learn the benefits of casting a wide customer net and how to build relationships within your community.

COVID-19 consideration: Conduct door-to-door with members of your household only.

Door hanger packs are available for purchase at our shop for $5.95: Includes 50 pre-cut hangers to fill out with your goal and an adult’s contact information.

Business and corporate asks:  Ask business owners or managers for permission to market cookies at the workplaces during a staff meeting or one-on-one meeting with upper level management. Companies may be interested in purchasing cookies as gifts or in making large charitable contributions to Operation Thin Mint SM .

COVID-19 consideration: Conduct all business and communication through virtual meeting platforms.

Up Your Cookie Game

Know the cookie varieties. Use this knowledge to convince customer to order more.  “Did you know Thin Mints are vegan? We have two cookie varieties with peanut butter: Tagalongs have chocolate, and Do-Si-Dos don’t.”

Say thank you. Pre-write thank you cards with your unique Digital Cookie link.  Customers can use the link to reorder later in the season.

Set a goal. Set small, achievable goals throughout the season to reach your big goal.  “Today, I will send three Digital Cookie emails and go door-to-door for one hour.”

Wear a Girl Scout vest. Show your Girl Scout spirit by wearing cookie swag and decorate the supplies.

Promote Operation Thin Mint SM . Encourage customers to donate toward our goal of 200,000 packages to celebrate the 20th anniversary.  Offer to send customers a digital donation receipt for tax purposes. Keep notecards available and ask them if they’d like to send a message to the troops with their donation. COVID-19 consideration: Ask customers to mail their notecard directly to Girl Scouts San Diego (address printed on notecards).

Customize your marketing to key dates.

  • Thursday, Jan. 21: Get to know your customers day. Connect with your previous customers to see if they would like to pre-order cookies through your Digital Cookie link.
  • Sunday, Feb. 7: Superbowl Sunday. Remind customers to order their favorite snack  in advance.
  • Friday, Feb. 12: Chinese New Year.
  • Sunday, Feb. 14: Valentines Day. Who wants flowers when they can have Girl Scout Cookies!
  • Tuesday, Feb. 16: Mardi Gras.
  • Friday, Feb. 19: National Chocolate Mint Day. Ask all customers to add a package of Thin Mints with their order or to donate a package!
  • Friday, Feb. 26: Purim.
  • Monday, March 1: National Peanut Butter Lovers Day. Make sure to let your customers know you have not just one, but two types of cookies with peanut butter.
Contests and More

Win a Girl Scouts San Diego outdoor program experience!

Girls with 100 or more shipped or donated packages through Digital Cookie will be entered into a drawing for a 2021 outdoor program experience. (Packages ordered for girl delivery or paid in person using the Digital Cookie app do not count toward the total.) Twenty-five lucky winners will be announced in the March Cookie Alert.

Cookie keepsake coin

The top 100 Girl Scout San Diego cookie participants will receive an exclusive keepsake coin. 

VIP Visitor Patch

Girl Scouts San Diego board and staff members will present this exclusive patch (limit, 1,500) to girls who conduct themselves professionally and wear their Girl Scout uniform while marketing cookies.

Cookie Case Race

Troops that exceed their 2020 cookie results by 10 percent will earn an exclusive Cookie Case Race patch for each participating girl. Troops exceeding their 2020 cookie results by 25 percent will earn an additional $0.01/package in troop proceeds. Check with your troop cookie manager for your troop’s targeted goal.

2021 Rewards

In light of the many uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, some aspects of this reward line-up will be finalized in March, when we will provide available event details (dates, destinations, whether virtual or on-site, etc.). Our intent is to provide the best possible experiences for our cookie entrepreneurs—while conforming with the local health guidelines in effect at the time of the event—and to provide as few substitutions as possible.

Family Cookie Guide

Download the printable PDF using the arrow button in the top left corner. View full screen using four-corners button in bottom right.

 

Getting Started

Give your Girl Scout permission to participation in the 2021 cookie program by completing the 2020-2021 Product Programs Participation Agreement, then send a copy to your troop cookie manager or leader. Troop leaders can find information on how to prepare your troop to participate in the cookie program at our Quick Start webpage. 

Participation Agreement

Parents: Use the 2020-2021 Product Program Participation Agreement button below to sign up your girl for both the cookie and fall product programs. Then forward the confirmation email to your troop cookie manager or troop leader to notify troop leadership that you have given your Girl Scout permission to participate.

Padres de familia/tutores: Use el botón Acuerdo de Participación Programas de Productos 2020- 2021 abajo para inscribir a su niña en los programas de productos de otoño y de galletas. Luego, reenvíe el correo electrónico de confirmación a su coordinador de galletas de la tropa (TCM) o líder de tropa para notificarles que le ha dado permiso a su Girl Scout de participar.

Individually Registered Members (IRMs)

An IRM is a girl participating in Girl Scouts independently of a troop. Girls in troops may also participate in the cookie program as IRMs if their troop is not participating; it will not affect their membership status. IRMs must have a trained adult who is registered and background screened to oversee their participation.

When you’re ready to take the cookie program training for IRM parents and guardians:

  1. Visit sdgirlscouts.litmos.com/self-signup.
  2. Enter your name, Girl Scout email, and the course code: IRM2021 .
  3. Watch for a training invitation email from Litmos (if you don’t see it, check your spam folder).
  4. Select the link in the email to begin viewing the course.

The code and course link will only work once. If you’ve already logged in with the code but need to return to the course to begin or finish up, visit sdgirlscouts.litmos.com and login with your username (Girl Scout email). If you don’t remember your password, or haven’t set one, select the “I don’t remember my password option” to set/reset it. Once logged in, you’ll see the 2021 IRM cookie program icon on your dashboard. Select it to begin. Need help? See technical help or contact training@sdgirlscouts.org.

Supporting Your Girl Scout

Encourage goal-setting. Guide your Girl Scout to set practical goals about what she hopes to learn and earn.

  • Ask about her troop’s goal, and help her set a personal goal.
  • Encourage her to share her goal with customers. They want to help her succeed!

Support her participation. Be by her side as she develops the confidence to ask people for their support.

  • Help her practice a marketing pitch.
  • Accompany her while she talks with customers and delivers cookies.
  • Help her network with family and friends. (Let her do the actual “ask” so she can learn that important business skill.)

Volunteer. Help the troop by chaperoning at cookie booths, picking up cookies, and sorting rewards.

 

Digital Cookie

Digital Cookie is the customizable order-taking website for Girl Scout Cookies. Girls personalize their individual pages with their goals and share their pages with potential customers. Customers can either pay for shipping or have the Girl Scouts they purchase from deliver their orders. After setting up their profiles from their web pages, girls can use the Digital Cookie mobile app to check their goal progress, access safety and selling tips, place new orders for customers, and share their site URLs via email. Digital Cookie opens for pre-orders on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021.

New This Year
  • Girls earn additional rewards for using Digital Cookie.
  • Caregivers now have the ability to turn off the girl delivery option.
  • Girls can indicate if they are out of a particular variety.
  • Faster transactions! The Digital Cookie mobile app now features OCR scanning technology. It can be used for credit card payments easily during booths, door-to-door, or other in-person activities on a smartphone.
Online Safety

Girls may use the internet only to market the cookie program to friends and family. Before engaging in any online activities, caregivers should discuss and review the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge and online/email marketing guidelines from GSUSA.

Girls under the age of 13 may use the emails in Digital Cookie to market to friends, family, and customers. They are also permitted to use social media sites and email as long as they use the accounts of a caregiver.

Girls 13 and older are permitted to use their own online accounts with adult supervision.

If your Girl Scout sales link is posted on a public-facing site, be aware that the link is now searchable by anyone and could potentially appear anywhere on the internet.

Girl Scout Digital Cookie links cannot be posted on any online resale sites (such as Craigslist, Ebay, or Facebook Marketplace).

Girls and their caregivers must follow through on accepted girl delivery orders and caregivers must supervise all communications and product delivery logistics with any customers girls don’t personally know; girls should never deliver product alone.

Program links may not be shared with any news outlet (this includes online and traditional news media, such as radio, television, or magazines).

Should any online marketing activities be identified in violation of above guidelines, Girl Scouts San Diego reserves the right to request removal of posts.

Tips for Online Advertising

Advertise your site via emails to family and friends. Once on the Digital Cookie dashboard, click the “Customers” tab to add or import customer contacts, bring up information about customer orders, and send marketing emails.

Aim to send “open for business” emails within the first day or two of Digital Cookie opening. This will give potential customers time to place an order and to follow up if they have any questions. Send “There’s still time to order cookies” emails later in the season.

Let family and friends know to expect an email through Digital Cookie to welcome them to your personalized site. (Some people don’t check their emails often or have strong email spam filters.) Communicating with customers through different methods at different times leads to more cookie orders.

Send emails to 12 different people to earn the Digital Cookie patch!

Sharing Your Digital Cookie Link

Email potential customers a link to your personal Digital Cookie website, or post the link to social media. Find your link on the Digital Cookie homepage as “[Your name] cookie site URL.”

Use digital marketing to expand your network and grow your people skills. Use the following strategies when you create a marketing video or post on social media:

  • Create a sense of urgency. Girl Scout Cookie season only comes around once a year! A countdown to the last date to order is a great motivator. Use language that encourages potential customers to order from you right now.
  • Make an impression. Use clear, eye-catching photos of the cookie varieties, yourself in your Girl Scout uniform, or something tied to your goal.
  • Highlight special features or products. Share the most-ordered cookies in your lineup. Let customers know about gluten-free Toffee-tastic and that Thin Mints® are made with vegan ingredients, for example.
  • Use a clear and prominent call to action. Share your goal and exactly what your customer can do to help you achieve it.
  • Research! Check out the websites and social media accounts of your favorite brands. How do to create a relationship with their customers on Facebook or Instagram? What can you do to safely build a relationship with your online customers?
  • Use marketing to inspire, educate, entertain, and entice your prospective customers. Share how you’ll use your cookie proceeds, let people know about all the skills you’re learning through the cookie program, and have fun while you’re at it! Get creative in your communications—consider writing a poem or recording a video to educate and convince potential customers to order cookies from you.
  • Show off customer testimonials. Collect and highlight enthusiastic testimonials from your customers through social media. This shows potential customers that ordering cookies from you is a great investment. Make sure to ask if you can share their words!
  • Say thank you! Impress customers with a custom thank-you message via email or social media. As your customer base expands beyond friends and family, find ways to maintain personalization while following Girl Scouts’ Safety Activity Checkpoints for Computer and Internet Use.
How Customers Purchase Cookies

Direct shipping: When customers order their cookies to be shipped directly from the warehouse to their home or work, girls get credit without handling delivery. This is a great option for out-of-town family, those who work odd schedules, or anyone willing to pay a little extra for shipping. Fun fact: customers who order shipped cookies on Monday, Jan. 11 will likely have them before Sunday, Jan. 24, when they will be available to the public!

Girl delivery:  Provide excellent customer service, since happy customers order again and spread the news to other potential customers! 

Tip Sheets

 

Safety

Safety is our number one priority here at Girl Scouts San Diego, and the Product Program team has been working around the clock to create a massive array of plans to allow our entrepreneurs and their families to participate and experience the fun and rewards of the cookie program in a safe and healthy environment. They have made contingency plans for their contingency plans and have collaborated with councils across the nation and in California, whose cookie programs were affected last spring by the coronavirus, to learn best practices and ensure that our girls have the best experience possible.

In-Person Cookie Program Guidance

Based on the California Blueprint for a Safer Economy
 Updated 1/5/2021
 Download a PDF of the guidelines below

As our most publicly visible activity, the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides us with a unique opportunity to model leadership by doing our part to reduce community transmission of COVID-19.

In addition to understanding and following this guidance, girls and adults should model their behavior on the Girl Scout Law at all times, including during cookie program activities.

Girls and adults should review, accept, and adhere to the Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD) COVID-19 Guidelines and the current Girl and Adult In-Person Participation Guidance and Waiver.

Girls must remain within their council county boundaries during in-person activities, except:

  • They may do contactless (see description below) deliveries in all counties.
  • If they are in a Red, Orange, or Yellow county, they may go to same-color counties for door-to-door marketing and booths.

Girls who do not comply with COVID guidance from the State of California, San Diego County, and/or Girl Scouts San Diego may be removed from the 2021 cookie program. (Examples of non-compliance: hosting booths in purple counties, not wearing masks, not taking social distancing precautions, and allowing more people than permitted at a booth, etc.)

  • First report of non-compliance: A volunteer will follow up with the girl and her family.
  • Second report of non-compliance: Girl Scouts San Diego staff will follow up with the girl and her family and possibly remove her from the 2021 cookie program.
Definitions

Contactless: without contact; for example, “contactless delivery” would include leaving purchased items at the entryway of a home rather than handing it directly to a person.

Touchpoint: any point of contact between multiple people; for example: girl gives cookies to customer, customer gives cash to Girl Scout, Girl Scout gives cash to parent, parent gives cash to troop cookie manager, troop cookie manager gives cash to bank teller.

In-person activities

Door-to-door contactless marketing

  • Knocking on doors to transact with customers, while taking all appropriate safety precautions, is allowed in Red, Orange and Yellow risk level counties.
  • In counties of all risk levels, girls may leave flyers, business cards, or signs with their Digital Cookie information at residences and businesses, but only in a contactless manner.

Contactless payment acceptance

  • We recommend all customer purchases be transacted through girls' Digital Cookie sites.
  • When not possible to accept payment through girls’ Digital Cookie site, we encourage using credit card readers or the Digital Cookie mobile app to reduce transmission touchpoints.
  • We do not recommend accepting cash or checks. However, if circumstances require it and a girl and parent elect to do so, we recommend taking appropriate safety precautions. To reduce touchpoints, this year, adults may deposit cash or checks into their personal accounts, then electronically transfer the funds to their troop volunteers. Each troop may decide whether to allow this option.

Contactless deliveries

  • Delivery day: Volunteers will provide troops with county and site-specific guidance for exchange of products on delivery day (Saturday, Jan. 23). Plan for extra time as pick-up processes are new.
  • Troop distribution: Prepare receipts in advance and create a plan for families to pick-up cookies and sign receipts safely. Consider placing cookies outside with the receipt attached, and having a box for signed receipts.
  • Customer delivery: Make delivery plans with customers before dropping off the cookies.

In-person booths and standabouts (lemonade-style stands)

  • Booths and standabouts are not allowed in Purple risk level counties.
  • Booths and standabouts are allowed in Red, Orange, and Yellow risk level counties.
  • Until further notice, participants may include only individual households (a single household of people who have been social distancing together).
  • Follow county, state, and GSSD guidance to determine frequency of in-person activities per girl.
  • Follow any additional site and/or business restrictions.
  • Follow all GSSD booth safety protocols regarding number of adults and girls (two adults per girl in grades K-5; two adults if more than one girl present, etc.)
  • Take all appropriate COVID-19 precautions.
  • Booth submission, approval, and management processes are done only by the service unit and GSSD.
  • Counties that move up from the Red risk level to Purple must immediately cancel any planned booths. Booths may not be rescheduled until the county returns to the Red level.
  • Booths must be outdoors.
  • Booths must be approved by GSSD (for insurance tracking purposes and to be included in the Girl Scout Cookie Finder).

Reminder: Any in-person activity carries an inherent risk of exposure and illness. There are no guarantees that anyone can prevent exposure to COVID-19, even with health and safety precautions.

 

Money Matters for Caregivers

A brief overview of what caregiver’s need to know about the cookie program. For a full list, review your copy of your signed participation agreement.

Rights

Caregivers have the right to:                                

  • Determine how many cookies you will accept responsibility for. While cookies may not be returned to Girl Scouts San Diego, your troop might accept returns if they can be used at cookie booths or for another girl’s inventory. Ask your TCM for details.
  • Participate at a level that is comfortable for you and your Girl Scout, regardless of the council recommendation or troop goal.

Note: Troop proceeds belong to the troop, not individual girls, and while there is no pre-payment for cookies, troops may require payments owed before giving additional cookies

Responsibilities

Caregivers are responsible for:

  • Every cookie package picked up and signed for (by completing a receipt with your TCM).
  • All customer payments collected, until turned in to the TCM and receipt for money turned in is received.
  • Signing and retaining a receipt for each exchange of money/product between you and the TCM.
  • Following through on girl delivery purchases accepted through Digital Cookie and coordinating with TCM if additional inventory is needed.
Requirements

Caregivers should:

  • Safeguard all money collected immediately and do not send money to school with girls.
  • Submit payments to the troop in their original form within five to seven days of receipt. If a customer pays $20 in cash, the same $20 must be given to the troop cookie manager. Do not write a check to the troop or use a third-party app like Venmo to send $20 to the troop.
  • Not accept payment from a customer using personal credit card readers or any third-party apps like Venmo, Paypal, or Zelle.
  • Not deposit any funds into personal bank accounts (this includes using personal credit card readers); cookie funds deposited in personal accounts can be viewed as taxable income by the IRS.

COVID-19 consideration: Each troop has its own policies for money and package drop-offs, pick-ups, and exchanges. Connect with your troop cookie manger to see if families can make troop bank deposits directly, or if they’ve chosen to give caregivers access to pick up cookies at cupboards (access must be given by troop cookie manager only).

 

Service Unit Cookie Kickoffs

Start the cookie season off at a service unit cookie kickoff! These virtual celebrations are a great way to kick off the cookie program. Through different activities, girls will get excited about the cookie program and learn how to develop the 5 Skills essential to leadership, success, and life: goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.

Participating Service Units

These service units are hosting cookie kickoff events for girls within their service unit. For registration details, contact a member of your service unit team or email GSSD customercare@sdgirlscouts.org (please provide your troop number). If your service unit is not listed, check out the list of kickoffs open to all girls below.

Chula Vista La Mesa San Marcos
Clairemont Magnolia Trails Scripps Ranch
Coronado Mission Trails Sunny Trails
Diamond Mountain Shadow Sunrise Valley
Emerald El Cajon Oak Creek University City
Encinitas Park Hills Valley Grove
Fallbrook Rancho Foothills Vista
Kickoffs Open to All Girls

If your service unit is not hosting a kickoff, don’t worry! You can register to attend any of the service unit cookie kickoffs below.

Date Time Prog. Lvls. Contact Info
Saturday, Jan. 16 10 a.m.-noon Daisies-Juniors Register
Sunday, Jan. 17 10 a.m.-noon Daisies-Juniors Register
Sunday, Jan. 17 2:30-4 p.m. Cadettes-Ambassadors Register
Little Brownie Baker photoshoot

Check out photos from our Little Brownie Bakers 2018 marketing campaign photoshoot.

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