5 End-of-year awards management activities

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on the successes of the year and start planning for the year ahead. It’s also a great time to engage with your awards community. 

Here are five helpful end-of-year awards management activities that guarantee a thriving awards program in the next year.      

1. Send newsletters

Sending newsletters is a great end-of-year awards management activity. It helps awards managers engage their audience during the busy, holiday season. 

Awards managers can use year-end newsletters to provide a recap of the year, summarising any highlights and winners from the year. It’s the perfect opportunity to showcase your organisation’s achievements in the year. Topics could include:

• A recap of the year’s winners and shortlisted entrants
• A thank you to the judges from the program
• Photos from the awards event or process
• Improvements or changes made to the awards process
• Notable participants such as renowned industry experts joining as judges
• And important dates for the coming year to keep the program front of mind for your community   

2. Send thank-you notes to program participants 

As the year winds to a close, it’s important to show appreciation to the various awards program participants—the entrants, winners, judges and managers. Sending thank-you notes is a thoughtful way to display your gratitude for their participation. 

Personalise these notes by addressing each recipient by name. Sincerely express your gratitude for their participation by highlighting their specific contributions to the success of the program. Emphasise the positive impact of their efforts and communicate that you’re excited about their participation in the coming year.   

Provide your contact information and invite their feedback, questions and concerns.  These gestures leave a positive impression on the participants and will make them want to come back again in the coming year. 

3. Celebrate your team

The success of your awards program is built upon the contributions and efforts of your team. A vital end-of-year awards management activity is to celebrate your awards management team in appreciation for their contributions. 

A team-building activity is a great way to toast the year-long hard work of your team members. Or, you could throw a party, luncheon or dinner for the team or provide thoughtful gifts to show your appreciation.   

It’s helpful to leverage recognition awards and certificates to acknowledge the members who made exceptional contributions; recognition is a powerful way to motivate the team for next year.           

4. Share your program successes on social media  

Promoting your awards program on social media at the end of the year is a great way to connect with your audience and expand your reach. Leverage storytelling and engaging visual content to share any successes and consider detailing any supporting metrics, such as the number and diversity of entrants as well as the growth in the program’s reach. 

To add a human touch to your content, it’s helpful to feature winners, nominees and judges in your posts. Their stories, quotes and testimonials will add credibility to the awards program and encourage others to participate in the following year.       

5. Look forward to the coming year

You want to hit the ground running the following year. A sure way to achieve this is by looking ahead and planning strategically. A thorough evaluation of the current year’s highs and lows is a good starting point; it will uncover what should be continued as well as what should be changed. 

Set goals and seek out innovative ways to enhance the awards program. You might need to implement new awards management software, adjust different aspects of the awards program to align with emerging industry trends or overhaul your marketing and promotion strategy.

Look out for collaboration opportunities with entities like sponsors and similar organisations; strong partnerships will aid the growth of the awards program. Check out professional development opportunities for your team to better equip them for the work ahead.

Develop contingency plans to deal with any potential challenges the coming year might bring. Also, communicate all plans and targets for the coming year to all stakeholders to ensure alignment.   

The last days of the year can prove hectic as awards managers tie up loose ends. This checklist of end-of-year activities will help ensure smooth awards management as you tick the last days of the year off the calendar.