Importance of Recognition

As I watch the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi with my family, it inspires me to excel, not just in business but in all aspects of my life.  In 2010, Jeff was fortunate enough to attend the Winter Olympics in Whistler, Canada.  He said that the athleticism and dedication he witnessed was truly awe-inspiring.   It definitely made an impression on him.

If you are like me, you’ve grown up watching the Olympics and have at one time or another wondered what it would be like to have a coveted gold medal hanging around your neck. To the majority of us, the thought is unfathomable. Yet we all grasp the amount of discipline, perseverance, and just plain hard work that goes into being an Olympian – not only the winners, but all of the participants as well.

Every Day Olympians

Only a select few are able to compete at the Olympics – the best of the best.  What about everybody else?  I believe that each person has strengths in life.  Through recognizing what those strengths are, followed by training and practice, that strength can be honed into making each person be the best they can be.  When a person is doing their best, trying their hardest, stretching themselves, they grow.  Add goal setting, determination, and focus, and you have what it takes to make an “every day” Olympic champion, regardless of the situation.  This focus, dedication, and accomplishment is what our business celebrates and we are proud to create mementos to capture that achievement.  Every day Olympians in action, getting the recognition they deserve!

 What Will You Take Away From 2014 Sochi?

Olympic Champions!

As you watch the games, find inspiration in the perseverance of the athletes.

For you -  How can you strive to hone your strengths?  Are there new goals you can set for yourself?   Use the momentum of the athletes to help yourself grow.

For others - Is there someone in your life who takes their game to the next level?  Look in your work, family, friends and acquaintances.  Do they deserve some special recognition?  If yes, then let them know you notice, even a note or email can make an impression.  For example, last week Jeff & I received an email from our daughter's teacher praising her efforts in class.  He said she managed to  stay to focused, have a good work ethic, and help her classmates even though that particular class is usually disruptive.  It meant a lot to Jeff and I that he wrote to us, and it was very meaningful to our daughter too.  This positive reinforcement will keep her motivated to do her best in his class.  When you give recognition, it benefits both the giver and the receiver.

I hope you enjoy watching the Olympic Games as much as I do.  It's fun to hear the stories of the athletes and root them on to victory!  Go Team USA!

Cheers,
Jessica

What is the ARA and why are we members?  What are the benefits?  And why should it matter to our customers?  I hope to answer these questions and more!

The 2014 ARA Trade Show in Las Vegas is at the end of the month.

The Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) is the trade group for the Trophy and Awards industry, with 4000 members worldwide.  Membership includes:

1. Awards professionals who can offer expert advice in designing recognition programs and provide quality awards and recognition products to consumers (That’s us!)

2. Manufacturers and suppliers that provide products, technology and equipment to awards retailers.

3. Many companies with a common purpose: to promote the public awareness of the use and benefits of quality recognition products and to educate its members in the areas of business skills and ethics, technical competence, product knowledge and marketing.

Membership Benefits

The ARA publishes a monthly newsletter, called the 'Recognition Review', has an informative and helpful website, provides technical training, and has a ‘Member to Member’ forum where awards business owners across the country can connect and share information.  The ARA also advocates for the awards industry as a whole.  But the biggest advantage to membership is free attendance to the annual ARA International Awards Market in Las Vegas. Jeff, Tom, Laurie and I are headed to this event at the end of the month.

Second to None - The ARA Trade Show

What is so great about the ARA Show?  Our team visits the International Awards Market for the following benefits:

1.  New products.  We make a list of product lines that need refreshing, along with engraving equipment or parts that need replacing.  Then we scout exhibits looking for new items that fill these needs.  For example, this year we will be looking for custom awards, medals, and gift items.

2.  Networking with our suppliers.  Most of our vendors attend the show.  We enjoy building relationships with them by meeting them face-to-face.

3.  Meeting other business owners.  Many awards retailers share ideas and help each other in their businesses.  Even though we are competitors, our philosophy is sharing ideas to boost the industry as a whole helps us all.

4.  Recognition the ARA gives to its members.  Many industry awards are distributed at the trade show, and it’s an honor to receive recognition from our peers.  In 2010, Trophies2Go received the ARA ‘Website of the Year’, and in 2012 received the ‘Large Retailer of the Year’ award.  The ARA also gives college scholarships to high school seniors students across the country through their ARIEF Scholarship Program.

We value our membership in the Awards and Recognition Association and are grateful for the good work this group does to help promote and grow the Awards and Recognition Industry.  We look forward to seeing all of our friends in Vegas!

Cheers,
Jessica

Getting publicity is a real challenge for any business or individual. Free publicity is a commodity, and there are many companies vying for it. If you are hosting an awards ceremony or an individual in your company has won an award you want to publicize, there are certain steps you can take to catch the media’s eye.

A press release is the standard way to get your award noticed.

1. Send out a press release to various media members. Remember to keep your release short. If they are too wordy and need extensive editing, journalists will pass them by. Stick to pertinent facts – the 5 W’s and the H (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How). Proofread once and then proofread again. Nothing says “no go” like typos or incorrect words.

2. Consider joining or subscribing to a news service. A public relations newswire can distribute your awards presentation story for a minimal fee; this ensures that the media names you choose will receive the release. Also, consider subscribing to online media sources such as Newsle. This allows you to keep track of your favorite people when they are publicized online.

3. Humanize the story. Find some newsworthy tidbits about the person receiving the award. Did they do something truly exceptional to achieve this award? Do they have special circumstances or challenges in their life? The public likes reading about other people’s accomplishments, but more so if there are unique obstacles or tough odds along the way.

4. Tie your award with a charity. Choose a local charity – or local office of a national charity – and allow them to have a table, hang a banner, and speak at your awards presentation. Give them an award for serving the community. This makes your award ceremony event more newsworthy, especially if you present a donation to the non-profit at the event.

5. Partner with a NEW local business. Find a building that was just restored, a restaurant or hotel that recently opened and host your award ceremony there. Then have them co-promote the story with you, as they need the PR too! Because they are new and haven’t been in the news yet, the press is more likely to cover them.

6. Follow up! Contact the outlets that you sent the press release to and pitch the story in person. Offer that they interview the award recipient(s) and invite them to attend the award ceremony. Do this by phone, not just email. Follow up will get you noticed.

As this is a heavy corporate awards season, I hope these tips help you get the press you want for the accomplishments of your organization!

Cheers,
Jessica

The week before last my blog topic was about Making Sports Trophies Meaningful.  This week I’d like to touch on corporate awards and how to make a memory in the workplace that lasts a lifetime.

Not only are these crystal awards beautiful, but they represent the success and hard work  of the recipient and company.

The corporate awards season begins soon.  Many companies and organizations will be ordering End of the Year Awards, Employee of the Month Plaques, Sales Awards, President’s Awards and so on.  Below are some ideas for making your corporate award as meaningful to the recipient as possible.

What Not To Do:

Last year, a friend told me a story of an award her husband received at his work.  He worked extremely hard during the poor economy to reach his quota, and ultimately was a top sales person in his department.  He received an award, and it was mailed to his desk at work.  That was it.  No words.  No thanks for a job well done.  No peer acknowledgement.  Even though the award was a lovely crystal trophy and probably cost the company a fair deal of money, it lacked the effect that it was designed to do – to motivate and to recognize.  In fact, it did the exact opposite, as her husband was rather mad that management in the company didn’t acknowledge his extra effort.  Since then, he has moved on to another job within the organization.

Don’t let this happen to your company!  Don’t lose good people because they weren’t recognized for extraordinary contributions to your organization.  If you go through the work to set up an awards program and the time and expense of ordering awards, be sure to follow through on the presentation.  This is what really makes an award meaningful and shows true appreciation to the employee.

Four Steps To Making Corporate Awards Meaningful

Step 1: Set up the awards program with measurable outcomes.  If you have goals and metrics associated with your awards, it makes award giving clear and predictable.  Read my past blog on Recognition Awards - Formal vs. Informal for specific ideas.  Our President Jeff is a Certified Recognition Professional; if you have any questions about creating a new program or modifying an existing one, feel free to contact him at [email protected].

Step 2: Choose your engraving wisely.  What you say on the award has an impact.  Be sure to spell the person’s name correctly.  For ideas, read a past post on What Should My Engraving Say.

Step 3: Plan the presentation of the awards.  Where they are presented isn’t as important as how.  Some best practices include:

- Make it a crowd.  Whether at a gala or a team meeting, be sure to include other staff at the presentation.  Acknowledgement in front of peers has two benefits.  It increases recognition value for the award recipient and it also motives others to strive for the award in the future.

- Bring in the VP.  The award should be presented by a senior level person in the company.  It means more when coming from management, as it shows caring and buy in from the upper echelons of the organization.

- Timing is important.  Present the award as close to when the achievement was earned as possible.  The longer you wait to present, the less impact the award has.  Especially with our instant-gratification-social-media society, fast action is important.

Step 4: Plan what you will say and practice.  Some key things to remember:

- Pronounce the person’s name correctly.  Basic, but this small detail matters.

- State how the award was earned.  Discuss what the person did to help the organization and how that’s important to the overall mission, vision and goals of the company.

- Keep it brief.  With awards presentation, less is more. Keep the speech to the point yet heartfelt.

Awards earned at work are something the recipient will cherish for many years to come.  Often they represent a defining moment in an employee's career.  Make the accomplishment count by going the extra mile to plan ahead to make it meaningful.

Cheers,
Jessica

With the anniversary of Sept 11th approaching, our thoughts go to the memory of that tragic day and the loss our county endured.  We remember the sacrifice so many made and are reminded of the selflessness of our military, police and fire professionals who risk their lives every day to serve us. It's a time to reflect on what it means to be an American, and recognize those that protect our lives and freedom.

Do you know a police officer, fire fighter, EMT, military servicemember or veteran you want to thank for their service to our country or local community?   Below are 3 ideas of ways to honor those that serve.

Write A Letter.

Write a letter to show your appreciation.

With this technological world we live in, handwritten letters mean even more than they did in the past. Consider writing a letter, whether to a service person oversees, or to your local firefighter or police officer.  Speak from the heart to make it meaningful.  It will make their day.

Make A Donation.

There are hundreds of charitable organizations that support our military, veterans, firefighters and police officers.  Local police and fire guilds, Yellow Ribbon Fund, and Wounded Warriors Fund are just a few of the many organizations that support the heroes in our community.  Research a charity and then consider making a donation in honor of the person you are thanking.  Here is a great resource if you are looking for ideas:  Support Our Troops at Military.com.

Patriotic Awards.

We have many ideas for patriotic awards, including plaques, crystal awards, and resin trophies.

Eagles:  A popular choice for military honors are eagles; these make great patriotic awards.

Stars:  Another great choice is stars, to honor our flag.  We have many options for star awards, all of which can be engraved with your message.

Plaques:  We have a number of different plaques specific to fire, police, EMTs and military.  What is nice about a plaque is that it can be displayed on a wall and enjoyed for years to come.

What makes an award even more meaningful is the personalized engraved message you put on it.  For engraving ideas, see our page, What should my engraving say.

In honor of the anniversary of Sept 11, now is the time to thank our first responders, military, and veterans for serving our country and risking their lives day after day for our us and our families. Take action and show them how much you care!

Cheers,
Jessica