Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Nomination Series #1

There is no better way to build a stronger relationship with someone than to nominate them for an award. The process of creating the application will reap benefits that you had never imagined.

  • You will find out new stuff about the person you thought you knew very well. It will give more marketing material when you advocate on behalf of this person.
  • You'll spend time intensely focused on this person. They will feel honored and want to pay you back.
  • Others will see you as someone to know, because you know how to promote the good stuff about people.

Today is the beginning of a blog series that I will write about how to write winning nominations.

1) Research the types of awards in your community, and also in your industry. Determine if your friend fits within the criteria for one. Read the nomination form carefully to understand what is required. Also note the deadline. You'll want to have the completed nomination ready four or five days before that date. If the form asks for two pages of information, don't give three. Having been on several selection committees, I must admit that I had a bias towards those who stayed within the guidelines. Think of reading a hundred or so entires. Extra length was not a good thing!

I will continue this topic with even more information on how to develop a better relationship while writing a winning nomination.

1 comment:

Techietami said...

Good pointers Debby! I too have served on selection committees for various awards/scholarships, etc. I found it important that the nominator answer all the questions (if possible). I also appreciated a "hook"...something to make the nominee stand out. Either a different approach to answering the questions or telling something out of the ordinary about the person. Another tip that might help the nominator is to talk to a past winner. They can tell you about the process, what any ceremonies are like, and overall give you a feel for the nature of the recipients to help you decide if this is the right platform for your nominee.