1. Introductions (2 or 3 minutes)
Ask your school principal or church pastor to introduce you. Ask the person introducing you to make some general positive comments about this exciting scrip program.
Once introduced, tell your audience how pleased you are to share this exciting news. Smile. Share your enthusiasm!
2. What is Scrip? (5 minutes)
Bring a few certificate samples to show your audience. Some people have the misconception that scrip certificates are something that they’ll have trouble redeeming. This reassures them by showing them that the certificates are the same ones that they buy at the store.
Explain the basic concept behind scrip:
· The retailers sell the certificates at a discount
· Families buy the certificates at full face value and redeem them for full face value
· Your organization gets the difference as revenue
It’s common for people to wonder “what’s the catch?” The catch - if there is one - is that you have to plan your purchases a little bit. That’s it!
3. How much can we earn? (10 minutes)
A dramatic way to show the power of scrip is through audience participation. Working with a marker board or blackboard, ask for a show of hands:
“How many of you spend at least $75 a week
on groceries?”
“How many of you spend $50 a month on
clothing?”
“How many of you spend $25 a week on
gasoline?”
“How many of you spend $50 a month dining
out?
As you’re discussing these typical spending patterns, jot them on your blackboard. Total them up and write the sum on the board. After you’ve written down the total, ask your audience if they think these numbers are reasonable. Now, convert the weekly expenditures to monthly expenditures. Your blackboard should look something like this:
Food $75/week x 4 = $300/month
Clothing $ 50/month
Gas $25/week x 4 = $100/month
Dining out $ 50/month
Total $500/month x 12 months = $6000/year
Now write a great big “5%” on your blackboard. That’s the average portion of each scrip purchase that is earned by an organization with every scrip purchase. So, an average family, using these modest spending levels, would earn $300 each year for their non-profit organization. A family that works at the program by focusing their spending on scrip participating retailers can earn much more!
4. What will happen to the proceeds? (5 minutes)
Every non-profit organization uses their scrip proceeds differently. Make sure your families know how your non-profit will use the scrip program proceeds.
5. Scrip program retailers (5 minutes)
Hand out the GLSC retailer list. Point out some highlights. Emphasize the wide choice of retailers; point out some of the higher discounts. Also, use this opportunity to remind families that these merchants are doing something very generous for your organization. Ask them to show their appreciation by sending their shopping dollars to the retailers that support your organization!
6. Your Organization’s Scrip Program (5 minutes)
Hand out whatever enrollment materials you have for your scrip program. Go over the specifics of your program: when and where to place your order; when and where to pick up your order; etc, etc.
7. Questions and answers (15 minutes)
People will have plenty of questions, so allow plenty of time. Answer each question patiently.
Some general suggestions for an effective presentation
· Use visual aids whenever possible. That includes scrip samples, your blackboard, form samples, etc.
· If you have any families that have used scrip before, ask them to share their experiences with the group and tell others how easy scrip is and how well it works
· Be enthusiastic and be positive. Your attitude is infectious.
· Be brief and respect your audience’s time. The sample agenda above will take just over 45 minutes.
· Don’t hand out your retailer list until the later part of the program. Your audience is eager to see it, and once you hand it out they’ll read the list and not pay attention!