SO YOU WANT TO ENTER THE SILVER INKWELL AWARDS
Four Easy Steps to Enter:
- Fill Out the Entry Form (includes the statement of objectives section worth 50 percent of the evaluation)
- Compile Your Work Sample (worth 50 percent of the evaluation)
- Mail Form and Work Samples (3 copies of each) (see Deadline and Entry Fees).
- Register and Pay for Your Entry
- Each entry must have been produced for use between June 1, 2012, and May 31, 2013.
- You may enter as many work samples as you wish, or a single work sample in multiple categories.
- Each entry must be submitted separately. Be sure to follow the entry rules for each submission.
Entry Statement of Objectives & Results Criteria
Because IABC/DC Metro believes that planning, implementation and measurable results are vital to the communication process, each entry must respond to the Statement of Objectives and Results section in the entry form. This section comprises 50 percent of the evaluation. The work sample accounts for the remaining 50 percent.
1. Audience. Provide information about the intended audiences, including size, location, and other characteristics or demographics that might be important, considering the stated objectives. Describe any unique circumstances or challenges posed by the audience. What is it about these audiences unique needs and characteristics that led you to the approach you took.
2. Objectives. List goals and objectives for the project. The objectives you list must be realistic and measurable by outcome (e.g., costs and revenues, time, quantity, and quality). Objectives must be timebound and measurable. They should tie back in at least one way to the overall strategies and goals of the company or organization. Describe the methods used to measure results. If you do not expect measurable results, explain why and what you would do to measure results given the appropriate time and budget.
What's the difference between goals, objectives, and tactics?
3. Approach Used. Describe the tactics used to achieve the stated goals and objectives, the rationale for choosing these methods, and how the implementation plan was developed. Include the media mix selected and project-management information. Discuss the budget vs. actual expense and note whether the project met its deadline or not.
4. Results & Evaluation. Describe the measurable results of the implementation plan. Measured results must tie directly back to the stated goals and objectives. Describe how you evaluated the project's success and include the results of that evaluation. If it is too soon to measure the results of the project, explain how you intend to measure the results. If you do not expect measurable results, explain why, and what you would do to measure results and evaluate the project’s success, given the appropriate time and budget.
Your work sample should consist of supporting materials that illustrate the scope of your entry. For example, this could consist of screenshots, survey questionnaires and results, communication plan, collateral produced as part of your campaign, and so on. We recommend you include as many facets to your work sample as possible, to illustrate the breadth of your work to the judges.
- Submit three copies of your work sample.
- Include a cover sheet for each with entry name, entrant name, company name, category and the entry number provided when you submit your entry online.
- Do not mount or display the work samples.
- Work samples must be able to fit into an 11"x14" envelope.
Entry fees depend on which deadline you choose, and your membership status.
Early Bird Deadline: Friday, June 28, 2013
- IABC/DC Metro Member: $100 per entry
- Non-member: $150 per entry
- Full-Time Student: $60 per entry
Final Deadline: Friday, July 19, 2013
- IABC/DC Metro Member: $125 per entry
- Non-member: $175 per entry
- Full-Time Student: $85 per entry
Bundle Work Sample and Entry Form Together and MAIL to:
IABC/DC Metro
10378 Democracy Lane, Suite A
Fairfax, VA 22030
Work samples will not be returned
Click here to register and pay for your entry (REQUIRED). You may also include a check with your mailed entry materials, but online entry registration is still required.
TIPS TO QUICKLY AND EASILY CREATE A SILVER INKWELL ENTRY
Preparing an entry can seem like a daunting task but fear not, help is on the way. Below are some easy shortcuts to help you get your entry together quickly and easily!
1. Copy all project materials into one file on your desktop to make them easy to find.
- download and print the entry form
- save the entry form into the file you created on your desktop
2. Outline your answers to the four questions in the statement of objectives section of the entry form.
- Compile your answers in a word document, ensuring that you have hit on all of the fundamentals outlined in each question.
- Copy and paste your final answers into the entry form
- Find the overview of your company either in a document or on the company's website
- Copy and paste relevant sections from your communications plan into the relevant answers
3. Define the stakeholder/audiences.
- Remember there is no such thing as the general public.
- List your audiences and tell the evaluator something about them that influenced the decisions you made as you developed your communication plan
4. Clarify the objectives.
- Do not assume the evaluators reviewing your entry will be familiar with your organization - make sure to describe how your communication project supported the needs of the business.
- If you have research or key business indicators like market share, employee engagement or media favorability scores, or other information that measures business success, make sure to include them in the second question - objectives.
- Differentiate between output-based objectives and outcome-based objectives (have a greater impact on business need):
- Output-based objectives: measure volutes or increases against media vehicles and communication channels such as website hits, articles distributed, ads produced, meetings held, blog posts, tweets, etc.
- Outcome-based objectives: measure what the audience will gain by way of awareness, understanding, recall, different perceptions, and quantifiable change in attitudes, opinions, and behaviors. Was the message heard? Did the audiences read the information? Did the communication strategy influence the audience to do something?
5. Describe your approach and solution.
- Explain what you did, why, and how you did it. Describe any research you may have conducted to determine your solution.
- Outline how you implemented your project. Describe any situation specific challenges you needed to address.
- For budget, provide a high-level overview. State the overall budget and break it down into the major buckets.
6. Explain the measurable results.
- Go back to the goals and objectives and list them out. Then list the result next to the target.
- If not enough time has elapsed to fully measure and evaluate, then describe how you will measure against your objectives
7. Compile your work samples.
- Create a title page for each of your sections.
- Types of materials you may include:
- Your communications plan and action (implementation) plan
- Communication samples such as scripts, media buys, brochures or other print materials, screen captures, photos of advertising, a representative of media coverage or events - basically proof of anything you did to implement your strategic plan
AWARD ENTRY FORM
Our revised entry form is easy to fill out - don't wait any longer - go now and start your entry!
Questions?
Contact the Silver Inkwell Committee or Chair Jane Gotiangco at silverinkwell@iabcdcmetro.org
