As you are compiling your Sir Walter Raleigh Awards entries this year (remember deadline June 26!) we wanted to share some advice from past award winners. Below, Katie Johnson, group account director at French/West/Vaughan shares a few tips.

Tip 1: Set the Scene

When crafting a solid award entry, I take the approach all PR pros take when pitching the media – lead with the important information. While the entire entry is going to give the complete story starting with “Challenge” and ending with “Results,” use the first paragraph to tout the most important results of the campaign. Treat the judges – who are reading tons of entries – like editors who read thousands of pitches, and get to the point fast.

Tip 2: Tell a Story

Rather than addressing each required section of an entry separately, identify each entry’s story and weave it throughout. This common thread should be what you want the judges to remember about the success of your campaign, and you want to drive the point home through your description of research, creative thinking, and finally, results. This will help ensure the key takeaways are memorable and the judges will be able to quickly and clearly understand why your entry deserves recognition.

 

Tip 3: Incorporate PR

Whether you’re entering a social campaign or a website launch, remember PR is the backbone of the RPRS Awards and also likely the day-to-day for the judges evaluating your entry. Regardless of the type of marketing campaign, an element of PR is necessary for success and it’s important to clearly state that.

 

Tip 4: Presentation

Never underestimate the value a nice-looking entry carries. While it goes without saying written communication is necessary to merchandise great PR work in the form of an award entry, it’s also valuable to ensure the visual presentation makes a mark on the judges and helps set it apart from others competing for the same recognition. Keep this in mind for the entry itself, as well as the supporting materials.

Ready to get started with your entries? Click here to access the submission form.