Estimated Read Time: 3 Minutes

Awards are made to inspire and recognize those who deserve it. However, few awards actually do inspire passion, excitement, and pride from their recipients or those around them. Especially since awards are regressing from unique and high-quality to cheap and easy to get.

Nowadays, awards are ordered from a catalog – filled to the brim with glass, acrylic, or trophy cup pieces varying in size, color, and price. Clients place orders and forget about them until the day of the event. The awards are given away, and then the cycle starts over again.

What does it matter what the recipients do with their awards? They can show it off or throw it away – who cares – as long as they keep doing what you want, you’ll keep giving them these awards.

Ouch.

Unfortunately, that’s become a common mindset of many corporate companies - just keep buying the same-old stuff because it works.

Effective and Inspiring Awards

But does it really work? Are your awards actually effective?

Because if this is your approach, I can already tell you that your awards aren’t effective at all. An award should inspire the recipients to do more, push further, and inspire others to want to win that award.

But what are the requirements for inspiring and effective awards?

1. Value- The award should portray intrinsic quality AND an extrinsic, emotional and perceived value beyond the material "stuff."
2. Aesthetic- Visually interesting for proud showcasing.
3. Meaningful- Based on clear, uniform, and well communicated performance.
4. Symbolic- Clear incorporation of the brand/culture and an equal message that resonates with the recipient's individual achievement.
5. Exclusive- "Your Idea Here," not "Your Logo Here.”
6. Incentive– To inspire peers to want to perform to the recipient's level of success, as well as the recipient to want to continue the actions for success.
7. Timely- Connected to the measured performance.
8. Accurate- Correct item, recipient name, and destination...Stew not Stewart; Jeff not Jeffrey.
9. Convenient- Lots of variable data means an effortless program administration is essential.
10. Personal- It speaks to the individual achievers, through their name, title, location, or other factors.

As you can see, awards aren’t just whatever cheap thing “that’ll work.” Employees need more in order to be effective. Employees need appropriate, meaningful, and inspiring awards.

Inspiring Awards

But what can be inspiring? All awards are just glass, acrylics, and other traditional recognition, right? Wrong. There are plenty of other options out there for you. As a custom awards specialist, we can design and create a unique piece to meet your needs.

Here are a few inspiring award ideas - and maybe you’ll get inspired for your next project:

1.      Awards that move

2.      Awards that include products or assets

3.      Ongoing awards/Awards that build over time

4.      Symbolic Awards

It’s time for employees to feel appreciated and get inspired by the awards they’re receiving. Want to get started on your own inspiring award? Reach out to start a consultation.

Kristina Hublar is your friendly neighborhood Marketing Specialist at Bruce Fox, Inc., which means she is the person behind the keyboard for the social media, emails, website, and other marketing efforts. In her spare time, you’ll find her plotting her next road trip, bobbing along to music while crafting, or spending time with loved ones.