Many girls often wonder what it takes to be a top seller in Girl Scouts. Are there girls who just have extraordinary selling skills or some kind of edge? We thought we’d ask our 2017 Top Cookie Sellers to see what kind of things go through their minds when they sold, and if there are any tips they could share with some other up-in-coming top sellers.  Here’s what they had to say…

What are three important qualities a Girl Scout needs if she wants to sell the most cookies?

The 3 important qualities a Girl Scout needs to have to sell the most cookies are determination, motivation and people skills. She has to be determined to reach her goal; whatever it may be. She must be constantly motivated to work hard every day to reach that goal. Selling cookies also requires some good people skills. She must be willing to speak up and be friendly to everyone.

At the beginning of the cookie season, did you plan on selling this many cookies or did it just happen?

At the beginning of the season, I set a goal for myself. I planned to sell 3,000 boxes of cookies when I started. After I reached my goal I decided to keep going. As I kept selling, I thought it might be possible to be the top cookie seller. That became my new goal.

What advice could you give younger girls who are trying to become one of the top sellers?

I would tell them to set a goal and figure out how many boxes per day you’ll need to sell to stay on track for that goal. It’s important to work hard. Which means you might need to sacrifice after school activities and hobbies along the way. But it will be worth it in the end. I would also tell them it is helpful to invest in your business. I had cookie business cards made for my business. Customers would text my Mom and I would get the orders ready and deliver them. Lastly, it’s important to remember your previous customers. You can sell cookies to them and have repeat business.

What are some of the business skills you learned while selling Girl Scout cookies?

There were several business skills I learned throughout my time selling Girl Scout cookies. Setting goals before the season was always a starting point for me. Building and maintaining a customer base was also very important for a successful selling season. Lastly, being visible through signage and vocal was key…after all you need to advertise some way.

Why did you want to become one of the top seller of Girl Scout cookies?

I wanted to do the most in my Girl Scout career. I set that personal goal. Also, talking to people has always come naturally to me. Through the cookie sales I was able to do that every day and leverage my skills.

What advice can you give girls who want to accomplish the same thing?

Make small goals, like selling at least 100 boxes of cookies a day each week. Some days you might go over that goal, and some days you might fall a little short. If you stay on top of these small goals, they’ll add up quickly. Before you know it, you will have numbers in the thousands.

Do you think selling Girl Scout cookies is an important experience for younger girls who want to learn about the business world? If so, why?

Yes, I think it’s a great experience, because they will learn a lot of important skills about setting and achieving goals, handling money, being honest, and working hard. You meet lots of new people by selling cookies. I did a lot of door-to-door sales. You can’t be afraid to walk up and knock on a door.

At cookie booths you meet hundreds of new people and you can’t be shy and not talk to them or you won’t sell many cookies. I know when I get older and am in the business world, all of these things I have learned selling cookies will be very helpful. I’m not scared of new situations and I will be a good employee or boss!

What does being one of the top sellers of Girl Scout cookies mean to you?

I was a little surprised. It means a lot to have reached that level. It makes me feel very happy and excited! I worked very hard and spent every day after school and on the weekends going door-to-door, even in the rain. During cookie booth time, my troop and I were at booths every weekend, sometimes several in one day.

For next year, do you want to exceed the amount of cookies you sold this year? If so, why?

I’m going to try! I set a big goal for myself this year and I didn’t know if I was going to make it. It took a lot of hard work, planning and lots of hours to get there. I was also working on my Silver Award project and homework too, so I was very busy. It would be cool to be top seller more than one year!