tips

=Tips=

This is a space where we can share tips and tricks of the trade with each other. I've written some of my own and I encourage others to add to the lists!

__Forms__ - **Get a signature for every transaction you do.** If you go to the cookie cupboard, bring your inventory log and have the cookie cupboard volunteer sign it. If parents/guardians pick up cookies or drop off money, have them sign - Track everything in boxes

__Money handling__ - Don't take one check from a parent/guardian to pay for all of a girl's cookies - Have the girl's initials on the face of every check (in case it gets returned you'll know which parent/guardian to follow up with) - Get frequent payments from parents/guardians and make frequent deposits - If your bank will let you (and not charge you each time) make a separate deposit for each girl - Get a signature from the parent/guardian __every time__ you accept money or give them cookies. Be adamant that you MUST get the money in person from a parent/guardian.

__Booth sales__ - Help your girls write a thank you note to the store manager after every booth sale - ETIQUETTE! Make sure all parents/adult booth volunteers know to be kind to one another and be on their best behavior - Make sure the girls are proactive - they should ask people walking by to buy cookies - 2 or 3 girls plus 2 adults. No more, no less, and no one else. - If you can't make it to a booth sale time/location that you were assigned, let me know...we don't want any spaces to go to waste!

__eBUDDE__ - Save constantly, submit once

__Selling cookies__ - Stress to girls and parents/guardians that it isn't enough just to hang up the order card at work - this is an activity for the girls and while we appreciate the money that parents help bring in, we also want the girls to gain life skills from it - BE SAFE! Girls should be in uniform (or wear some GS identifier, such as their pins) and they should never give out their full names - Girls should thank everyone, even if they don't buy cookies - Brainstorm with your troop to pick a Hometown Hero if you don't already have one. Visit the charity, have someone visit your troop meeting, or do a service activity to benefit them - bring it home to the girls and make it part of your troop's activities - Girls can leave a note on the door if they missed someone. Don't put their name or phone number - give the troop cookie director or the leader's name and number and reference the girl's initials - It's great to have girls write thank you notes to people who buy cookies, especially big customers - Talk with your girls and consider donating part of your troop's profits to Grants for Girls