And the Winner is … Your Organization

The Oscars. The Nobel Prize. The Pulitzer Prize. The world is captivated by the bestowing of awards for achievement. Whether we’re motivated by the appreciation of excellence or the wagers and debates these events often generate, we do pay attention to awards, as the 32.9 million people who watched this year’s Academy Awards telecast can confirm.

Virtual’s clients such as the NFC Forum and Digital Analytics Association (DAA) have also discovered that awards can be a popular and potent tool for technology associations and professional societies. For NFC Forum they have the Innovation Awards and DAA hosts the Quanties Awards and both are annual opportunities for awareness, engagement, and a way to celebrate their members and partners.

A well-executed awards program can accomplish several strategic goals for your organization:

• Driving greater public awareness. If your organization and its technology are fighting an uphill battle garnering media coverage and creating awareness among your target audiences, an awards program provides a newsworthy opportunity to capture attention and generate interest.
• Highlighting the progress of technology adoption. For organizations that have worked quietly over months or years to develop their technology and foster adoption, an awards program provides an opportunity to show how far you’ve come. When audiences read about awards recognizing a diverse and impressive group of innovators in your technology, it will create a perception that yours is an organization making progress.
• Generating increased member involvement. Part of the excitement of an awards program is giving members a chance to be a winner – and reap the recognition and media attention the award attracts. An awards program can help get members more involved and collaborating with each other.
• Increasing event attendance. If you’re experiencing challenges getting members to attend your events, an awards program could be the additional incitement they need to show up and become part of the festivities. Awards ceremonies also provide a fitting climax to top off a member event and ensure everyone leaves on a high note.
• Building out the ecosystem. When you launch an awards program, it can attract potential new members and open up new networking opportunities around the world. When we created an awards program for the NFC Forum several years ago, we were delighted to receive entries from little-known solutions developers in hard-to-reach regions, including Africa and South Asia.
• Encouraging and accelerating innovation. One great idea inspires another. When your awards program puts a spotlight on a particularly creative use of your technology, it can cause a ripple effect, creating a springboard for further innovation.

If your organization or association is having an annual conference or meeting, have you considered adding an awards component? We have an impressive track record of developing, marketing, executing, and publicizing successful awards programs for our clients. If you’d like to discuss whether a recognition event might be an award-winning idea for your organization, please contact us, [email protected].