What’s More Important: the Award or the Presentation?

The perfect awards program might be ruined if the presentation and delivery of the award is not well-thought out. Ensure quality by making sure the personalization and customization of the product is appropriate to the occasion and recipient and the awards are presented in the most suitable way.

Customization and Personalization

• A great idea is to make a worksheet detailing each employee’s personal hobbies, activities, and award preferences. Creating an interest spreadsheet can help you tailor the merchandise awards to the recipient’s preferences. Try to find awards that are meaningful to the employee but which they cannot purchase themselves.

• Using merchandise with logos is important to promoting the incentive program. They serve as reminders that help to drive the program and also carry the company marquee that the award most likely will not hold. Some examples are: T-shirts, umbrellas, pens, and hats, desk items such as desk clocks, keyboard brushes, and business card holders.

Presentations

• Awards remain products until they are put into proper context and given meaning. Presentations gain additional trophy value by recognizing winners for their accomplishments and everyone who worked towards the program’s success. Award presentations often go along with special events. Event ideas include: an awards dinner or luncheon, a special meeting, or a presentation during a planned incentive trip. Keep in mind that employees may have presentation preferences and might prefer private instead of public recognition. It would be a good idea to note these preferences.

• Consider making an awards presentation fun by imitating a TV game show, using spinning wheels, puzzles, and prize questions. These produce good humor particularly when team achievement is recognized- salespeople are usually more motivated by peer approval that accompanies the merchandise award than by the actual merchandise.

What is the most memorable award you ever received? Do you still have it? The next time you are in a business office, take note of the items on display there… ask the occupant about anything with a logo on it- you’ll more than likely receive an enthusiastic recollection of how the item was acquired.

Need more ideas? We’re full of ‘em at AMP- and always happy to share!