Sell Like a Girl, Or What a 12-year-old Can Teach You About Sales

Yup, it's Girl Scout Cookie time in our part of theit's all about contacts and referrals. So who is selling
world. [And, yes, my English teacher DID tell meto all those customers who "have Girl Scout Cookies
never to start a sentence with the word "Yup."] Forat home - more than they need?" Naturally, it's their
those of you who are unfamiliar with the sights,Girl Scout. What are the chances of Rebecca selling a
tastes, and overall experience of helping yourbox of cookies to someone whose daughter is also
daughters sell Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-Si-Do's,selling the same cookies for the same price? You got
you're missing a fundamental and wide-rangingit: less than zero. Is Rebecca going to bang her head
education about the dynamics of sales, selling, andagainst the wall bemoaning those lost sales? Of
salespeople.Here are some points I've garnered whilecourse not. She's going to tap into her network of
helping my daughter, Rebecca, age 11, and Troopnetworks - neighbors, cousins, kids and parents at
3129, make their sales numbers. These pointers arethe Y where she plays basketball, my former
hard-earned, field-tested, and as applicable to you andcolleagues at my old job who have become good
your business as they are to Rebecca and hers.1. It'sfamily friends (and Rebecca's customers in previous
who you know. It's true: the cookie business is ayears). Do you know how to fill your pipeline when
relationship business. Our next-door neighbor boughtthings seem dry? Do you know how to move your
9 boxes - Bam! Neighbors on the other side, 2 boxes,prospects along to becoming customers, satisfied
then 3, then more. Why? Because Rebecca hadcustomers, and then customers-for-life - not of the
something to sell. What's your personal brand doingproduct or service you're selling today, but of YOU
these days? If you switched products, services, orand whatever value proposition you might be
companies, would people buy from you JUSToffering now and in the future?6. When times are
BECAUSE IT'S YOU?2. It's not about the product. It'stough and things look quiet, that's the time to push
time to get the lawyers upset. Ready? Girl Scoutharder than ever. Cookie sales end at a certain time
Cookies, for the most part, taste terrible [Thin Mintseach year. Right now, we're about two weeks away
are the one exception, in my humble opinion]. Andfrom the ending date, and there are Girl Scout
they have enough fat, calories, and cholesterol inCookies being sold everywhere you look. We'll
them to power a small Japanese alternative fuelprobably have 10-12 boxes left over by the time the
vehicle. You want good cookies? Buy Oreos,deadline comes. Are we depressed that we didn't
Mallomars, Ginger Snaps, Nutter Butters,meet our goal? Are we failures as salespeople? Only
Grasshoppers, Deluxe Grahams, Fudge Sticks, etc.if we quit when it's over. Don't you see that as soon
etc. Yet Girl Scout Cookies sell like crazy, year afteras everyone else stops selling, stops marketing, and
year, donating millions to the bottom line of Girlstops with the "Cookie Shop" setups -- these cookies
Scouts of the USA.3. It's not about price. Girl Scoutmove up from a commodity to a valuable asset? It's
Cookies cost $3 a box. The smallest box, by weight,the same thing in your business: when the market is
is 7 oz. and the largest is 10 oz. Most retail cookiesdown, your competition has pulled their ads, it's
come packaged in a "small" size of around 12 oz. and"hunker-down" time, get back to basics, and cut, cut,
cost about $2.49. Girl Scout Cookies even givecut! However, that's the worst time to cut - you
premium brands, such as Pepperidge Farm, a run forhave everyone's attention! There's actually much less
their money when it comes to high cost. Did Inoise out there for your message to compete
mention one of our neighbors bought 9 boxes at aagainst. Push now, and you'll be heard!!!What does this
clip?4. It's not about need. Face it, nobody NEEDS Girlall mean to you and your business? It's simple -- now
Scout Cookies. In fact, when the girls were out doingis the time to get back in the saddle and ride your
a "Cookie Shop" at a local hardware store (localsales and marketing activities harder than ever.
merchants, malls, and grocery stores allow Girl ScoutsYou've got the floor. You've got more relationships
to set up a table for sales on their premises toand more people rooting for you than you realize,
support the cause), the number one objection weand if you cut through the old excuses about your
heard was "I already have some Girl Scout Cookiesproduct, price, competition, the economy, and all the
at home - more than I need!" So, why did they buy?rest of it, you'll see the sales breakthroughs that lie
Because they had a relationship with their salespersonahead. Why waste another minute?Marketing and
that was more important than their need, desire, orinnovation expert David Newman has written 8
use for the actual product. Hey, did you know thatbooks and has been quoted in dozens of national
Girl Scout Cookies make great gifts, freeze reallymedia outlets. David is also a sought-after speaker
well, and are only sold for a short time each year?and seminar leader. Visit for more free articles and
Can you learn from this and apply the lesson toresources.
YOUR sales message?5. It's not about competition;