How to Win at the Mediatel Media Research Awards (and Others)

What it does seek to do is to offer some hopefully constructive advice to those entering not just the MMRAs I39ve done my share across various awards amp160What follows may seem obvious but these points are frequently overlookedFirst keep to the rules and most specifically the word count amp160That much is obvious amp160If you39re allowed to use links as appendices do use them but not as a way of getting around the word count amp160It39s an old trick and judges are wise to it amp160If you want to include an ad or a chart make sure the link works amp160If it doesn39t you can be sure we won39t bother with itSecond don39t spend valuable words telling us how wonderful you andor your organisation are amp160That39s for us to decide amp160If your publicity people push you to put in the corporate plug tell them that you39re less likely to win if you do as they ask amp160Judges have spent half a lifetime spotting pufferyThird please don39t make injokes They might seem hilarious to you and your colleagues butamp160to us they39re both incomprehensible and a waste of wordsFourth have someone outside your immediate circle review your entry amp160The majority of entries I read and not just in these particular awards are confusing and badly writtenGet someone outside the business to read your entry amp160Did they understand it amp160They don39t have to appreciate all the clever technical twists and turns but they do need to get the drift amp160If it39s well enough written they39ll get it if it39s stuffed full of jargon and doesn39t flow as a narrative they won39tNext check the basics spelling and grammar included amp160I recall one entry that included charts pulled from a presentation for a different client with the different client39s name still on the layoutMaking basic mistakes will send the message you don39t care about the details amp160Not a good idea if you want to winFinally be aware of who the judges are amp160I have a memory of one entry once that referenced something I was myself directly involved in with at least one important element misquoted amp160Just remember the judges are selected because we know stuff don39t assume we don39tThis year39s Mediatel Awards had over 90 entries amp160The judges read almost all of them amp160Some of us opted out of a few for reasons such as having a vested interestamp160 The ones that stood out are the ones that read well aside from being smart original and answering a need were easy to understandamp160and had a structure amp160You need a beginning a middle and an end what you set out to do what you did and what you achievedIf you entered well done amp160Ordering your thoughts building a case and summarizing your work are all great disciplines that will stand you in good stead in your careerIf you hear you39ve been shortlisted congratulations amp160Out of 90plus entries you rose to the top amp160That39s a terrific achievementIf you won thanks for being the reason why I judge these things amp160Sometimes I read an entry that teaches me somethingamp160and at the same time makes my heart singClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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How to Win at the Mediatel Media Research Awards (and Others)

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Brian Jacobs

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How to Win at the Mediatel Media Research Awards (and Others)

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