we too make copies of the certificates. i keep the originals in an A-Z file, when they pay, they get their certificate. you could enlist classrooms or teachers to help, maybe even make it a contest.
as for cheap frames .... just use the school laminiating machine! make copies of your originals and laminate them at the school! make paper "plate holders" and out of school card stock paper and display them that way.
We have no budget so we always have to improvise.
one class bought a beautiful flower pot with flowers and took the plant stakes and put a gift certificate in it. so not only do you get the certificate, but you also get a plant!
ask your restaurants for flyers, brochures, banners....most of them have marketing stuff for free! Home Depot has signs that say Home Depot!
We too do not have wall space to hang the descriptions. I was wondering if anyone knows of a cheap source for the stand up acrylic type frames? I was at Joann's today, but they're on clearance (8x10) for 1.97 & wiped out. I'm looking for closer to $1 each (or less), anyway. Any ideas?
We use small gift bags with tissue paper in them. Attached to the bag is the description of the gift certificate. At the time it appears that the Gift certificate is in the bag, but it really isn't. Then when it is won we slip it into the gift bag and give it to them.
Displays definitely make a difference, plus they keep the "merchandise" safer. I know we got tons of compliments on ours, and a lot of people said they put in for things they probably would have not noticed on their own.
We're lucky--my husband works in corrugated (he's with a company that designs point of purchase displays), so I sweet talked him into making about eighty 10" X 14" easel backed displays (and "trays" to hold the baskets since you never have enough of those). One of the co-chairs is incredibly creative, and with clip art I printed for her, scissors and glue dots she worked magic with the gift certificates! Then we wrapped them in clear cellophane and topped off with curly ribbon. With the rooms we had to use there wasn't really any wall space,and it would have tied up traffic.
You're right though, it is very time consuming. I would have done it had we not had our co-chair, and while maybe the first ten or so would be fun, I know it would lose it's charm quickly. Try to find people into scrapbooking--I admire people who can do that, and I bet they'd come up with great displays!
On gift certificates and coupons, we post photo copies (and they are labled "copy"). The originals do tend to walk off, unfortunately. Those are distributed when payment is received.
We are gluttons for punishment at my sons school. We display the certificates in frames and the actual certificates are placed in them. And not just placed there but women will spend countless hours putting different certs together and then they decorate them with cutouts and colored paper and stickers. Really is quite and undertaking but they come out great. Last year, we also asked the teacher to have their classroom decorate large envelopes as well. Then when someone would win the certificates, they would be removed from the frames by the runners, put in the decorated envelopes and handed off to the winner.
Like I said, huge amount of work but I heard lots of nice comments.
