Selling Girl Scout cookies during a pandemic is not like selling during a typical cookie season. If you are choosing to sell, here are some tips for you to use in order to sell cookies safely.
If you have read my blog for any amount of time, you know that my troop only sold cookies a few times. It was stressful under normal circumstances, and now during a pandemic, it is even moreso. My daughter and her friend have met with me and the other leader to discuss spending the rest of our cookie money, which is a tidy sum for two girls. We plan on spending every penny before the girls graduate in June.
Is Selling Girl Scout Cookies During a Pandemic Required?
The short answer is no, you do not need to sell cookies during a pandemic. Any troop fundraising is optional, and many leaders across the country have just said “no” to sales this year. The safety of the girls, plus the personal stress going on in their lives, made this decision a no-brainer.
You might be thinking how will the girls have money for badges and trips the rest of the year and next year? With meetings being virtual and field trips unsafe to take, the amount of money you are spending should be less. There are a multitude of easy and free crafts that you can do via Zoom, guest speakers can come for free, and playing games, chatting, or watching a movie all cost nothing. This is the year to be very mindful of your budget.
For the record, I never paid for my girls’ registration fees and uniforms. This blog post explains why. I also never paid for their uniforms and insignias. Financial aid is available for those in need. I collected dues every year and managed them wisely.
Virtual Girl Scout Cookie Sales During a Pandemic
As everything in Girl Scouts, the answer is “it varies by Council”. Many councils are only permitting virtual sales because the safety of the girls is paramount. Then there are councils that are permitting door-to-door sales or encouraging girls to sell only to immediate family and close friends. In rare cases, booth sales are being permitted. Cookie sales are taking place place because this is a major fundraiser for councils. Without the money raised, camps and activities cannot take place.
I have no idea what your area is doing about cookie sales, and I want you to please keep this in mind:
Girl Scout cookie season 2021 is not typical in any way, shape or form.
Leaders, you cannot pressure parents to sell (yes, it is the parents you are pressuring, not the girls). You cannot threaten to make them pay dues or entrance fees to activities because troop money is troop money. Over the years, during Girl Scout cookie selling season, I have shared reason after reason why some families do not participate. It is none of your business and there is no reason to lose sleep over it or get upset.
And this year, Girl Scout cookie selling during a pandemic takes reasons why families will not sell to a whole other level. Let it be. A child or a parent’s health is at stake. The pandemic is real. Family stress is real.
You can use this year’s cookie season as a real business model. Selling safely means thinking outside the box. Compare this to restaurants who had to change their business model to take-out to survive or retail businesses who started online shops with free delivery or contactless pickup to keep their doors open.
Ultimately, it is your choice to sell or not sell. And if you choose to sell, parents can still opt out.
If You Are Selling Girl Scout Cookies During a Pandemic, the Rule is Safety First
If you have decided that selling Girl Scout cookies during a pandemic is something you are up for, then order way fewer cookies that you normally would. This is not your typical selling season.
Here are some ways to sell cookies this year.
Online Sales and Personal Delivery
Friends and family can order online and the scout can deliver the order to the buyer’s front porch for contactless delivery. They can Venmo the money to you. Out of town family can order as well, and many councils are taking the hit on shipping so it is reasonable for the buyer.
Social Media Videos
While many councils prohibit placing links in Facebook groups, your child can create a short 2-3 minute Girl Scout cookie pitch on your personal Facebook or Instagram page. Keep it short and make sure your daughter is in her vest and has boxes of cookies to show.
Old Fashioned Door Hangers
You can use a door hanger with your contact information in your neighborhood. Venmo payment or cash in an envelope under the mat or in the mailbox for payment, and drop off the boxes on the porch.
Girl Scout cookie sales during a pandemic is going to be different than anything you have experienced in years past. While it can be done, it is also okay to skip a year. Remember, safety first.
Is your troop selling Girl Scout cookies during the pandemic? hat safety precautions are you taking?
