Getting your awards program ready in time for your call for entry is a big job. And after that, the work only builds. Keeping up with the flurry of deadlines and tasks can be exhausting for awards managers, and sometimes some things slip through the cracks. While, it's ok to be human, some mistakes can end up costing your awards big. Here are four common mistakes awards programs face and what you can do to avoid them yourself!

1. 4 Common Mistakes
Awards Programs Make

2. There is a lot to do
to get your awards
program ready.

3. There is a lot to do
to get your awards
program ready.
Planning your awards program is hard work. There are
a million things to do and strict deadlines to meet.
Sometimes, in the flurry, things can slip through the
cracks.

4. That’s ok! We’re
all human.

5. That’s ok! We’re
all human.
However, some mistakes can end up having dire
consequences for your program. That's why we're
going to examine 4 common mistakes that awards
programs make and how you can avoid them.

6. Just Winging It
Why you can’t skip out on planning.
1

7. Planning an awards
program is a big job.

8. Planning an awards
program is a big job.
some programs think they can manage their
awards cycle without any extensive planning.
Unfortunately, winging it increases the chance that
you’ll forget something important, or that some
unforeseen disaster will sneak up on you.

9. What to do instead:

10. What to do instead:
Take the time to plan out each part of your awards.
Start off establishing the goals of your program.
This will help keep your planning focused, showing
you where you need to go.

11. Not Budgeting
Properly
Why mapping out expenses can end up
saving you.
2

12. Setting a budget is
key to your program’s
success.

13. Setting a budget is
key to your program’s
success.
Setting a budget that’s realistic and attainable is
crucial. There are always hidden costs that crop up
during your awards. Not discovering them in time
can cost your program big.

14. What to do instead:

15. What to do instead:
Planning and accounting for projected and possible
expenses will save you a lot of headaches. Consider all
the possible costs associated with your program. Use
the list to get organized and set a budget your team
can stick to.

16. Ignoring Timing
Why you should keep your calendar
close during planning.
3

17. Timing is extremely
important!

18. Timing is extremely
important!
Before you set a date for your gala, make sure it
doesn’t conflict with any other major annual
association activities or holidays. Setting up your
program during a time when potential applicants
are too busy doing something else will negatively
impact submissions and engagement.

19. What to do instead:

20. What to do instead:
Start by checking your calendar and setting a date for
your gala and working backwards from there,
calculating how long each portion of your program will
take. Carefully considering timing will help you avoid
any conflicts throughout the awards cycle.

21. Not Planning
Categories
Why organization matters so much.
4

22. How you categorize
your awards matters.

23. How you categorize
your awards matters.
Categories should support and reflect the mission
and values of the organization, and also recognize
achievement that corresponds with those goals.
Having too many categories diminishes the value of
each award, but too few will not allow you to
recognize outstanding entries that don’t fit into a
particular category.

24. What to do instead:

25. What to do instead:
Look at what your program is about and what you hope
to achieve. Do the categories align with these goals?
Use these goals to figure out what exactly you want to
recognize. Distill and divide these criteria in your
categories.

26. What slip ups has your
awards program faced and
what did you learn from
them?

27. Tell me more:
Download our guide The 7 Deadly Sins of
Awards Programs to learn about other common
awards mishaps and how to avoid them.
Click here to learn more!

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