Are your 2018 IABC Gold Quill Awards entries ready? Your last chance to enter is coming up quick – the final deadline for submissions is January 30, 2018.
Every year, IABC’s Gold Quill Awards program recognizes work from around the world that reaches new heights. Gold Quill is the only awards program that honours the dedication, innovation and passion of communicators (yes, you!) on a global scale. When you share your best work by entering the 2018 Gold Quill Awards program, your work could be recognized internationally for communication excellence by your IABC peers from around the world.
Do you already have a piece of work in mind that you would like to submit? With only a few weeks left for submissions, now’s the time! There are a few steps to complete your entry, which include choosing your division and category, writing a work plan, preparing your work sample, and finally uploading your entry. Time’s ticking, so let’s get started.
There is a lot of content on the IABC website to consider while preparing your entry to the IABC Gold Quill Awards, so we’ve summarized some of the best tips and resources below. Even if you are not considering an entry for this year, our summary below may help you get your thoughts forming and the ball rolling on your entries for the Capital Awards Program. The Capital Awards Program is the premier celebration of professional communicators in Edmonton, in its 40th year this year.
Top Tips for entering the IABC Gold Quill Awards
- Check out the resources available on the Gold Quill Award website, which include award-winning case studies and score sheets. The Midas Touch Guides provide detailed overviews that are category-specific, on how to craft your entry to best showcase your work, and explain how each section is scored.
- Carefully review the submission categories to determine which one best fits your entry. You can enter multiple categories, but each entry should be customized for that category.
- Complete a thoughtful and precise work plan that explains the project to someone with no prior knowledge of the work and celebrates your success. Be sure to make your work plan objectives SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-framed as applicable). Judges look for objectives that are measurable by quantifiable outputs like volume (increases on social media channels for example), and measurable by outcomes which assess audience impact such as a change in behavior or understanding. For the measurement section of the work plan, tie your results back to your objectives.
- Choose the right work sample(s) that highlight the strength of your entry and give a representative sample of the work. A good work plan will refer to your work sample throughout.
- Make it an easy read. Be sure to organize your submission entry in a logical way, labelling items appropriately so that judges know what they’re reading.
- Don’t risk your entry being disqualified! Double check your entry and ensure you have followed the rules outlined on the website and in the Midas Touch Guides. Better yet, have a colleague or fellow IABC member review your entry to ensure it is clear and concise, and effectively highlights that great work you did.
Now the easy part – submit your entry by Tuesday January 30, 2018. Good luck YEG communicators!
Communication go-getters stay tuned!
If you’re not applying to the IABC Gold Quill Awards, but plan on submitting an entry for the IABC Edmonton Capital Awards Program, stay tuned for specific tips on applying for a Capital Award coming to the blog in March!
Erica Wilson is a Business Proposal Specialist, who works with business development professionals and senior leadership at IT consulting company CGI to manage the pursuit process, with responsibility for development of strategic client-specific business proposals.
Erica knows that the work of business communicators reaches beyond roles that call it out by name, and in her role has been instrumental in crafting impactful client communications that convey strong brand values and effective win strategies, and that connect with and reflect the client’s business perspective.
Erica has been an IABC Edmonton member since 2015, and is in her second year of volunteering.
Erica holds a MA in Communications from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Toronto.