Ready to inspire? The 2017 Gold Quill Awards

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What we’ll cover today

• How Gold Quill awards can boost your career

• The divisions, categories and special awards

• How your entry is evaluated

• Key elements of a strong Gold Quill entry

• Putting it all together -- tips for success

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How will a Gold Quill award boost your career?

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Divisions & Categories

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Divisions

1 - Communication Management

Internal

External

Government

CSR

Social media

2 - Communication Research

Formative research conducted during the

initial stages of the strategic communication

planning process

3 - Communication Training & Education

Internal

External

4 - Communication Skills

Special events

Publications

Digital

Audio visual

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Categories

Division 1 Communication management Division 4 Communication skills

Divisions 2 and 3

Internal Government relations Special events Training & education

Employee engagement Community relations Digital communication Research

HR & benefits Financial Audio/visual

Change Issues management & crisiscommunication

Publications

Safety CSR Writing: journalism,promotional, corporate, NFP, special projects

Leadership Government communication

Marketing, advertising & brand

Social media programs

Customer relations NFP campaigns

Media relations4

Improvements this year

• Division 2: Communication Research• More clarity on what types of projects might qualify

• Guidance on how to set appropriate goals and objectives, with helpful examples

• Division 3: Communication Education & Training • Clarification of what types of projects might qualify

• Ties educational offerings to the Six Principles of the Global Standard of the Communication Profession: ethics, context, analysis, consistency, engagement, strategy

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Evaluation

• International Blue Ribbon Panels

• Scored on IABC’s Seven-point Scale of Excellence

• Rubrics provided to evaluators for consistency

• Each entry receives feedback from evaluators

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Meet the IABC Seven-point Scale of Excellence7 Outstanding: an extraordinary or insightful approach or result

6Significantly better than average: Demonstrates an innovative, strategic approach, takes all elements into account and delivers significant results

5Better than average: Demonstrates a strategic approach and aligns the communication solution with the business need to deliver meaningful results

4 Average: Competent approach or results, professionally sound and appropriate

3Somewhat less than satisfactory: Several key elements that are critical to the strategy or execution are mission, incorrect or underrepresented

2 An inadequate approach or result: A significant number of critical elements are missing

1 Poor: Work that is wrong or inappropriate

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Scoring• 5.75 or higher = Award of Excellence

• 5.25 to 5.749= Award of Merit

• Entries in• Division 1 Communication Management• Division 2 Communication Research Management• Division 3 Communication Training and Education 50% based on the work plan and 50% on work sample.

• Entries in • Division 4 Communication Skills • Entries are evaluated according to the information provided on the online skills division entry form 1/3 on strategic alignment, 1/3 on professional standards of execution and 1/3 on creativity,

resourcefulness or innovation

• Student entries 35% based on work plan and 65% on work sample.

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Special awards

• BRP members nominate entries

• All entries winning Excellence are considered for:oBest of the Best: most exceptional work across all divisions

o Jake Wittmer Award: exceptional use of research in a communication strategy

oBusiness Issue Award: exceptional use of strategic communication to address a significant business issue

o Sharon Berzok Student Award: student achieving the highest standard of communication excellence in the student categories

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What makes a strong entry

• Clear alignment with business need/mandate

• Audience analysis based on research

• SMART objectives aligned with evaluation

• Evaluation metrics based on outputs and outcomes

• Evidence of strategic thinking, planning

• Outstanding work samples

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Elements to include

• Business need/ opportunity

• Stakeholder analysis

• Goals and objectives

• Solution overview

• Implementation and challenges

• Measurement and evaluation

• Work samples

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Business need/communication opportunity

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Stakeholder (audience) analysis

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DemographicsPsychographicsAttitudesOpinionsExperienceExpertisePreferencesNeedsMotivationInfluence

Goals & objectives• Make it count• Goal(s) relate to overall, big picture• Make objectives SMART• Outputs versus Outcomes

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Solution overview

• Describe what you did, why and how you did it

• This is your executive summary

• Include key messages

• Demonstrate strategic thinking and creativity

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Implementation & challenges

• Share the inside story

• Demonstrate your project management skills

• Demonstrate that you used resources effectively

• How did you navigate throughchallenges along the way?

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Measurement & evaluation

• Share your results

• Track progress against objectives

• Measurement should be objective, clearly explained and appropriate for the project

• Use a table

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Work sample

• Communications Plan/Implementation or Tactical Plan

• Research report(s)

• Samples of tactics and tools

• Executive Summary of Measurement and Evaluation

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Division 4 – Communication skills

• Showcases technical / tactical skills

• Online entry form

• Work sample requirements same as other divisions

• Scoring based 1/3 each on • Strategic alignment

• Creative process

• Measurable results

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Skills division online entry form

1. Describe the organization and project (800 characters, including spaces)

2. Why was this project undertaken? (600 characters, including spaces)

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (600 characters, including spaces)

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (600 characters, including spaces)

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (600 characters, including spaces)

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (600 characters, including spaces)

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Putting it all together – the entry

• Use a table for your tombstone data

• If you are an agency submitting on behalf of a client, include a permission letter

• Put your objectives, action plan and results in table format

• Don’t be afraid to format spacing and margins – but stay within the rules!

• Tell the story connecting each section of the entry

• Have colleagues and friends give it the once-over

• Edit – then edit again.

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Making it happen

• Deadlines • Early bird 16 November 2016

• Final 11 January 2017

• Late 31 January 2017 – US Pacific time

• Upload your entry electronically via AwardSentry at gq.iabc.com/

• Pay fee

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Best of luck!

Go to the Gold Quill award site (gq.iabc.com) for

• More information

• Access to the AwardSentry entry site

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