2013 FPRA Image Awards Submission Workshop
On Thursday January 31, the FPRA Capital Chapter conducted a workshop regarding contest entries for the 2013 FPRA Image Awards. The workshop, led by Terri Ard, APR, CPRC and Amanda Fliger, APR, provided attendees with information about the awards, as well as some useful tips and guidelines on composing suitable and effective submissions, including the following:
Why enter?
Whether you are looking to enhance your reputation in the PR industry, establish bragging rights or simply impress your boss, winning an FPRA Image Award is a great way of getting your name out there.
Who are the judges?
Submissions will be reviewed by APR-certified professionals from FPRA chapters other than your own.
What do you win?
- Image Award — given to top-scoring entry in each category.
- Award of Distinction — given to entries that meet standards established by the judges’ panel.
- Judges’ Award — given to entry that achieves the most results, with the least amount of money spent.
The Two-Page Summary:
The summary is perhaps the most important section of your entire submission, because it encapsulates your entire argument and is the first section the judges will review. Pay special attention to the judging form to ensure you are meeting all requirements and expectations. When explaining the tactics used to implement your program, focus on the innovative, rather than the use of common devices such as press releases.
The Notebook:
Amanda noted that one area where many first-time competitors make mistakes is the objectives portion of the notebook. It is important that your objectives are backed up by quantified data. Without measurable evidence, an objective cannot be evaluated at the end of the campaign. If your objective is lowering your budget, break down the numbers to show how you pulled it off, making sure to put a dollar amount to the time spent devoted to your objective.
She also recommended numbering the objectives so that you can number the tactics used to achieve the objective accordingly. Connecting the dots between objectives and evaluation is important so that the judges don’t have to do the work themselves. It is also important to place special emphasis on innovative techniques you used to achieve your objective in the notebook, just as you did in the summary.
Best of luck to everyone submitting entries to this year’s FPRA Image Awards. Remember to always accentuate the positive!