Trail of Cookie Crumbs
Yesterday, I saw a sign – a hand-lettered poster, really – promoting an upcoming Girl Scout Cookie sale. I immediately entered the Way Back Machine, transported to my days of Girl Scout green sashes, badges and the annual cookie sale. My troop never set up a sales stand at any store or restaurant entrance; I’m not even sure if that was a thing in my day. My job was to get orders for cookies.
What lessons I learned! Goal-setting. Cold-Calling. Planning and preparation. Networking. Disappointment. Success.
Initially, I wanted to “do well”, not knowing what that meant. So my dad asked me how many boxes I wanted to sell. In the previous year, my troop’s top scout sold 48 boxes, so I told him I wanted to sell 50. I remember him saying something along the lines of “I think you can do more than 50. Let’s see how it goes these first few days, and we can increase it later.” Lesson learned: believe in myself and aim high.
My parents helped me make a list of their friends that might be interested in buying a box or two. It was up to me to make the calls, though. But my mom had strategically created the list so my first few calls were to extremely receptive family and friends (looking back, she almost certainly greased the wheels for me by letting them know I’d be calling) and I loved my early success. Soon, reality hit as I got to a few “Oh, I’ve already bought from my niece” rejection calls. Lesson learned: make a plan and don’t let setbacks stop me; onward with more calls, more successful orders, and more rejections.
All the phone calls prepared me for my next challenge – door-to-door sales. I grew up in a not-so-densely-populated area…the sprawling edge of suburbia at the time. So I knew that even if all the families on my street ordered a box or two, it wouldn’t amount to much. So I expanded beyond my comfort zone – literally and figuratively. I remember being very nervous as I knocked on doors of houses a couple blocks away, homes that clearly didn’t have young kids (no swings, scattered toys or discarded bikes anywhere to be seen, and most telling: nobody from these houses were at the bus stops for our schools). In my case, it meant I introduced myself to a few really sweet elderly ladies. And they were sweet. Were they elderly? The 11-year old me thought so. Most didn’t order, but one of them called her adult son while I waited, and I ended up with a 3-box order. Lesson learned: don’t pass up what is likely to be a “no”; it can only be a “yes” if I ask.
My success rate selling through the neighborhood was lower than with my phone calls. But I found if I told neighbors why I enjoyed Girl Scouts, they were more apt to order. Especially if I included that one of my brothers told me I wouldn’t be able to sell on this street (really, he did this), so I was going to prove him wrong (which I did). Lesson learned: sharing our humanity with one another makes us good neighbors (also, proving naysayers wrong can be motivation on its own).
Weekly, I watched as my numbers grew. When I was at 48 boxes (so close to my goal of 50), I received an order for 4 boxes, putting me over my goal! I was so excited; no way was I going to stop there. My new goal was 80 boxes. And then, 96 boxes (so I could double the previous year’s number). At our troop meetings, I was at the top of the leaderboard by a large margin. I finished that year off at 102 boxes. Now, I was going to be the top cookie scout. Lesson learned: track my progress.
Final order day. When my troop leader announced the top 5 totals, I sat with confidence waiting for her to announce my win. 5th with 55 boxes, then 4th with 61 boxes, then 3rd with 68 boxes, 2nd with 102 boxes and 1st with 108 boxes…wait…what? Second? What happened to First? Somebody sneaked past me? How? After all my hard work, after all my goal-setting, after seeing each week I was far ahead of everyone else in my troop, how did I not end up in the top spot? Lesson learned: disappointment is going to happen; it’s up to me whether I let go of it or I let it keep me down.
It’s funny that I can still remember those totals. That I recall how Amy (“108”) casually said her mom brought an order form into work and got orders for 100 boxes. And the feeling when I ended up 2nd when I was certain (absolutely certain) I’d be first.
Here’s the thing, though. I can point to so many things I gained in those weeks selling Girl Scout Cookies. Strength, character, and work ethic which I proudly carry with me today (my very own "trail of cookie crumbs"). So I’m thankful to the Girl Scouts and their cookie program. And for my parents, who supported me but didn’t do the work for me. And for all the customers who ordered cookies from me.
If you’re in the Girl Scouts and selling cookies, I have a soft spot in my heart for you – I’ll almost always buy a box. When I see you outside a store, I’ll ask you (not the adult with you) how much for a box, hand money to you, thank you, and wish you well in your sales. Then I’ll thank the adult for supporting you.
However, if your parent hands me a form and asks if I want to order cookies, that’s a different ballgame altogether – I get Amy “108” flashbacks and am suddenly a guaranteed no.
#GirlScoutCookies #grit #goals #lessonslearned