8 Steps You Need to Consider When Planning for Award Season!

Thinking of running a Customer Award Program? Here are the key components you’ll want to cover.

 The development of a customer award program may just be the best innovative tactic to connect with your customer base and showcase the value of your products and services across targeted industries, regions, and in highly competitive arenas. Competition is fierce. Are you doing all that you can to stay ahead of the marketing trends to drive business your way?

Here's a simple roadmap to get you started.

1. Define Program Objectives and set SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)

2. Create Program Structure

• Develop award categories
• Establish criteria and the nomination process
• Identify participation rewards and recognition
• Create a process for selecting categories winners – judges/voting?
• Set a timeline

‍3. Communication and Promotion Strategy

• Create a comprehensive promotional plan to create awareness of your award program and drive your customers to participate, including:
  • Using channels such as social media, email newsletters, and your website, begin to tease the opportunity for your customers to showcase their company and drive home What’s In It for Them (WIIFT)
  • Develop an announcement campaign: have a content calendar prepared detailing what the award program is, who should participate, why it’s of benefit to them, and how they can submit a nomination
  • Determine the best engagement tactics to drive participation and maintain interest, such as interactive content, customer stories, or testimonial

4. Nomination and Voting Process

• Nomination System: set up a user-friendly nomination system that allows customers to easily submit entries OR have a Customer Marketing agency writer support this effort and make the submission following customer approval
• Determine if the winners will be selected based on a voting mechanism or judging panel:
  • For voting mechanism, select a platform or scalable system to manage
  • For judging panel, select impartial, industry experts to ensure fairness

5. Data Collection and Analysis

• Track Participation: Monitor metrics such as the number of nominations, voting patterns, and engagement levels
• Analyze Feedback: Collect and analyze feedback from participants to gain insights into customer preferences and the program’s effectiveness
• Report Results: Compile data into comprehensive reports to measure the success of the program against the initial goals

6. Award Ceremony Planning and Execution

• Event Logistics: Plan and organize the award ceremony or recognition event, including if this is virtual or an in-person event, agenda, and technical requirements
• Guest Management: If this will be an in-person event, be prepared to handle invitations, RSVPs, and accommodation for attendees (including winners, judges, and any special guest speakers)
• Ceremony Details: Coordinate event details such as speeches, award presentations, and media coverage

7. Post-Program Follow-Up

• Celebrate Winners: Publicize the winners through press releases, social media shoutouts, and client communications
• Consider creating an eBook on the Winners Circle which can be used to promote next year’s award program, as a highlight example of how the winners can be showcased
• Gather Feedback: Solicit feedback from participants, winners, and stakeholders to assess the overall experience and areas for improvement
• Evaluate Success: Review the program’s outcomes in relation to the initial objectives and goals, assess ROI and impact on customer loyalty and brand visibility

8. Continuous Improvement

• Identify Learnings: Analyze what worked well and what didn’t. Use this information to refine the program for future iterations.
• Plan for Next Steps: Develop a plan for enhancing the award program based on feedback and insights, and consider ways to keep the momentum going with additional initiatives.

By following this project template, you will ensure your customer award program is thoughtfully planned and executed, maximizing its impact and delivering meaningful results for your company.

Need help getting your customer award program off the ground? Our team at Porter Consulting can help! If you’d like to discuss this, or any other Customer Marketing initiative you’re considering, reach out. We love to brainstorm, strategize, and create award-winning programs that keep our clients coming back for more.

Contact us: info@porterconsulting.net

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