The Reign Awards - One Judge's View

I have had the pleasure of judging the SMPS Seattle Reign Award submittals for the last three years and fully enjoyed every minute. In each submission I saw creativity in our industry at its finest plus had stimulating conversations with the other judges during our time together. I decided to jot down a few thoughts and observations for you as you start your submissions for the 2016 Reign Awards.

NOW, I'm not saying that these ideas will ensure you a winning submission. Since I am not a judge this year, I wanted to share a few items that definitely made us judges take a second and third look. I hope this helps in your preparation for this year's entries.

Good luck!

Bill Strong, Senior Advisor, SMPS Seattle Board of Directors

1.  Express Strong Messages
      Make sure your main message and secondary messages are carried all through the submission
      Link your goals at the start with the results at the end
      Display strong passion and excitement in your writing

2.  Details are Vital
      Show the research you completed - of your audience, competition & desired outcome
      Pre-work to post-work - we want to get a feeling of the full process
      Make it evident that every detail was covered

3.  Share Lessons Learned
      It's not only about how great this idea of yours is...
      Don't be afraid to admit mistakes
      Tell us things you would do differently next time

4.  Show Both Results
      Quantitative - the concrete facts & figures area always good to hear
      Qualitative - but the feelings and emotions stirred are also important
      Use equal amounts of facts, quotes, charts and stories - oh my

5.  Design Does Matter
      No matter if you are an A, E, or C - we all are in a creative design industry
      Visual appeal is just as important as words in a submission
      Use of quality visuals, info-graphics and overall eye appeal does make a difference