This week's headlines include stories about Katie Francis, a smart cookie when it comes to selling.
Katie is the 12-year-old Girl Scout from Oklahoma City who broke the previous world record by selling 18,107 boxes of cookies.
Over a seven week sales period, Katie sold an average of 369.5 boxes each day at $4 per box.
Last year she beat the state record by selling 12,428 boxes. That means she increased her sales year-over-year by over 45%.
In a recent related story, another Girl Scout made news when she set up outside a San Francisco pot dispensary and sold 117 boxes of Girl Scout cookies in just one hour.
So what can we learn from these intrepid young sellers?
1. Set a goal.
Katie achieved her goal because she knew that the previous record of 18,000, set in 1980, was where she was aiming. She developed a plan to meet this goal, and she worked relentlessly toward her goal every single day of the sales period.
2. Once you hit your goal, set a new one.
Although Katie reached her target, she decided to keep selling. Due to wintry weather in Oklahoma City, the Girl Scouts extended the cookie sale for a full week. Rather than taking a break, rather than resting on her laurels, rather than coasting since the goal had already been achieved, Katie set a new goal. Her aim now is to sell 20,000 boxes by the close of sales on March 30.
3. Understand what it takes to be successful.
Katie says that she has “three ingredients of success.” She names them: lots of time, lots of commitment, and just ask everyone you see. Her mom says it also takes plenty of energy.
Because Katie understands what it takes, she's able to dedicate herself to fully using those essential ingredients. One can only imagine how much time it may have taken. But Katie likely had a pretty good idea of what it would take, using last year as a baseline and projecting time allocation from there.
Katie also understands the importance of not over-screening prospects. She asks everyone. She doesn’t pre-judge prospects, shy away from those she thinks may not be receptive, or allow fear of another “no” keep her from asking everyone she encounters.
4. Enlist help.
A common thread on a Yahoo! message board includes observations from some people who know Katie and her family. Apparently, Katie's parents and other relatives may have helped Katie to move some of those boxes of cookies.
There's no shame in that. The best sellers use all the help they can get. They ask for referrals. They upsell to meet clients’ needs and to fully cover every one of those needs. They tag team if necessary. They bring in managers, trainers and field coaches to help them. It's the lone wolves who struggle most at times when asking for help could get them over the top.
5. Find balance.
Katie is more than a sales rock star. She is also a straight A student and loves dance lessons. Clearly, she knows how to recharge at the same time that she's able to stay focused. She has found a balance that works for her.
6. Step into your buyer’s shoes
It’s pure genius to sell Girl Scout cookies right outside a pot dispensary. Knowing who your top targets are and making your product readily available to them at the right time and place is essential. Remember, you don’t have to endorse your buyer’s choices when it comes to how they choose to use your product. All you have to do is be right there when they are most ready, willing and able to buy.
Certainly, these are the fundamentals of successful selling. But they're also the basics we forget as we get caught up in the complexities and subtleties of selling. Getting back to the basics, taking a lesson from Katie, will have us rolling in the dough.
