How to Win a Crystal Award
FOCUS ON STORYTELLING AND RESULTS
To ensure it’s fair, the Crystal Award judges are gathered from outside of Houston and are based all over the country. A successful entry must be clear to an audience who is not familiar with our local challenges. Lean budget? Declining readership? Explicitly show how your campaign overcame these issues with an inventive and passionate marketing approach. Don’t forget to bolster these claims with statistics and percentages. When used properly, anecdotal and qualitative data can pack a punch.
GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME
A comprehensive entry can take a few days or a few weeks to compile. Before you get started, consider how to streamline your process. If ever there ever was a time to leverage the power of teamwork, it is now. Many find that the information gathering and drafting process takes the longest time so don’t underestimate this step. Plus, you’ll want a fresh pair of eyes to review your entry. Nobody wants to be disqualified due to common grammatical errors.
MULTIPLE ENTRIES = MORE CHANCES TO WIN
Reusing entries in multiple categories is an effective way to increase your chances of winning a Crystal Award. Competition in the major categories is understandably stiff, but smaller pieces of the campaign may get their due shine. Do not underestimate the power of killer copy, slick product packing, or a memorable tradeshow giveaway. If you do reuse entries, be sure to customize your submission for clarity.
DON’T FORGET WHY YOU’RE DOING THIS
The Crystal Awards entry is no joke. Before you spend the additional hours wrangling data points, designing a cohesive presentation, and proofing multiple entries, you may be left wondering if it’s worth the effort. The simple answer is “Yes!” As marketers you know success is hard won and often unsung. Winning a Crystal Award is the perfect way to honor and amplify your team’s commitment to vivid, cutting-edge marketing strategies that work. If you are living the #agencylife, deepen your client relationship with a “victory-lap” win. Invite them to the Crystal Awards gala and order them a copy of the winning award. No matter what your organization’s structure, there are few better morale boosters than bringing home the bling.
