If adding some silverware to your agency’s trophy cabinet is high on your priorities this year, you will need more than a brilliant campaign to stand out.
Crafting an award-winning entry is a skill. One you can learn and hone.
Chime Agency has produced a full guide to creating award-winning entries to support you when entering which you can download for free, but read on for our top five tips.
1. Be critical when choosing which campaigns to enter.
Just because your team loved working on a campaign or it was super creative, doesn’t mean you will automatically get a shortlist. Even the most creative campaigns must prove their impact and effectiveness. This doesn’t have to mean ROI, but you do need to prove how you helped your client reach their goals or solve a challenge.
2. Don’t let your account manager write the entry.
Yes, they will need to input into the award entry, but your account manager is too close to the project. They will focus on the mechanics of the campaign rather than the real, juicy story. Get someone from outside the delivery team (or even your agency) to sense-check your approach.
3. Balance the objectives and results
This may sound simple but it has a huge impact on your entry. Number the objectives and mirror them with your results. Make it totally explicit how you solved each of your client's objectives. However, remember the objectives you put in the award entry, may differ from those your client came to you with initially. You may need to retrofit your objectives with the impact you achieved.
4. What constitutes a result?
Organising 15 events nationwide isn’t a result. It’s part of your execution or strategy. Be really honest with yourself about what your campaign actually achieved. Talk about the impact those 15 events had. This means you will need to track effectiveness from the outset. Was footfall above benchmark or KPI? Was your social amplification impressive? Did you gain extensive media coverage? Be specific.
5. Client testimonials
When including testimonials from your clients or their customers as part of your award entry, we recommend drafting the quotes yourself and asking your clients to approve them. This way you will get a more strategic response to support your entry, the ask doesn’t feel as big from your client and you’re more likely to get approval quicker than asking your client to do the hard work for you.
For more tips on creating winning award entries, download our full awards guide now.
