Things to do before launching your Awards Program
Running an Awards Program sounds fun when you think about the final phase of standing on a podium to rousing applause.
However, there is, in fact, much more that goes into running an awards program, than the actual award presentation. There is a complete project lifecycle of planning, organizing, and managing all the stakeholders before the grand finale.
Running an awards program is not simple, but is it not impossible either. That is why we would like to share some helpful tips that will keep everything running smoothly throughout the program and help make it stand out in front of other award programs. Following the six tips below, you will make sure that your program is well on its way to making a name for itself in your industry!
- Define your program structure
The first step is defining the structure of your program before you decide on anything else. This will serve as your guideline on what you need in terms of human resources, timeline, and budget, but it will also give you clarity on what you want to accomplish with your program. That is to say, in what way are you looking to help your applicants and how are they going to help your organization?
2. Plan an accurate program calendar
Having a well-defined timeline will save you a lot of time (and money probably)! When organizing your program calendar, you need to consider things like e.g. your call for applicants, if the application window is too short, you may lose out on potential applicants, and similarly, if you open it around a holiday period, no one will likely apply. Avoid pushing back deadlines, rearranging tasks, and last-minute complications by taking the time to set this up properly. Never underestimate the time to run proper evaluation rounds, and to pick the winners that will make the most impact.
3. Create a high-traction awards website
Next, one of the most crucial parts of your program is your awards website. You will need a place where applicants can find information about the application process, and the eligibility requirements, showcase the awards, put your brand and your sponsors’ branding front and center, and any other questions they might have before and after applying. By creating an informative and user-friendly website you will ensure that the answers to all the questions can be found in one place, which will again lower the number of questions and support requests you will receive as the program admin.
4. Invest in marketing
Creating a solid marketing plan for your program is a crucial part of promoting the program to the outside world. The success of your marketing plan is directly correlated to the interest you will receive from applicants and judges. We know that you might be hesitant to devote a large portion of your time and budget to implement an extensive marketing plan, however, from experience, we can tell you that doing so will help you spread the word, engage a larger group of people, increase your submissions and grow the prestige of your program. Where to invest also depends on the needs of the program, the same marketing plan doesn’t fit all programs. Sometimes you might need to invest in social media ads, targeted sourcing, or channel partnerships, there isn’t a solution that fits all.
5. Develop a distinctive awards brand in line with the overall organization
When you run an awards program, creating a distinctive awards brand should be on your radar. As you think about the brand design for your program, it is important to remember that one of the objectives of running your program is for it to serve as a promotional vehicle for your organization. Therefore, it can be beneficial to include a significant part of your organization’s brand and messaging in the awards brand. Consistent messaging, design, and branding are essential to getting the most benefits for your awards program as the awareness and reputation of your organization will help reinforce the image of your awards program.
6. Find well-respected judges
Sourcing the perfect and right number of judges for your awards program is essential for the success of your evaluation phase. Firstly, having the right number of judges to evaluate the applications will help ensure a fairer evaluation and can help lower evaluation biases. Secondly, having judges who are well-known experts within their industry, will unquestionably add value and prestige to your award program.
Tie it all together with an awards software
Throughout the preparation for your program, one of the biggest struggles is staying organized. A variety of systems and platforms are usually used to manage a program, which can get messy and your awards staff can quickly get overwhelmed and frustrated.
To remove these hassles, more and more organizations are turning to awards management software that can provide a one-stop-shop to an online system that will track, manage, and organize all the stages of the application rounds and evaluation process. This means no more spreadsheets, paper calendars, or online form-builders. The entire awards process can be streamlined and “mess-free” for administrators, applicants, and judges.
If you want to learn how our YouNoodle Compete platform can help you organize and manage your awards program, request a demo or write to us at sales@younoodle.com.
