How a Nickel Makes a Quarter...The Queens of Marketing Turn 100

    This year represents the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America. This organization began back in 1912 to nurture independence and to hone skills of young women. It has flourished over the years and cookie sales are synonymous with the organization and has been a part of the groups program funding for almost as long as the organization has been in existence. The first mention of girls baking cookies with their mothers and selling as a service project occurred in 1917. In the early 1920's a Mrs. Neil published a recipe for a basic cookie that could be made for approximately a Nickel per dozen and could be sold for a Quarter per dozen.
     The Girls over the years have continued to sell cookies  to fund council and troop activities. They have learned to minimize the number of licensed bakers for quality assurance. (Currently two.) The cookie sales have also been a way for the girls to enhance their marketing and business skills. The council has utilized by accident or purpose some of the basics of standard marketing and sales. Have a product that is exceptional, control the quality, and use a smiling girl on the packaging... and to move the product. But most important, have a large enough profit built in to make it all worth while.
     You may be asking what this has to do with Storage. In all aspects of marketing, you look at your ROI. (Return on Investment) A 500% ROI is impressive. The lesson here is that whatever marketing plan or path you pursue, keep it consistent and be sure to track your cost to determine your ROI and whether the program worth continuing.
      I want to make sure that whatever marketing path you are following, that you remember some basics. First, the Most Important Aspect of any marketing plan is YOU! The success of any marketing program depends on how well you implement it. If you are not the front line manager, it will depend on how well you train them to implement the program. If one manager is not following the program or not offering part of the deal, it can harm your program quicker than anything else. Give the customer what you advertise.
   
 Marketing is simply;

• Have Something Good to Say
• Saying It Well  
• Saying It Often    

     In Self Storage, something good to say could be anything from your Climate Control Units, a great Move In Special, Internet viewing of surveillance cameras or any of the continually emerging technology on the market for our industry.  Say it well with professional graphics and design. Use the various means from the decaying basics of print, TV and radio media to the ever changing and developing Internet technology. Say It Often, from every new prospect to every current tenant that you have. Word of mouth is the best ROI to date.

     Follow this link to the Girl Scout Cookie History and a recipe for the basic Sugar Cookie .