The OpenWater Blog

Best Practices for Writing the Perfect Call for Entry

Your call for entry is an important part of your awards program. The big portion of your planning is over and it’s time to kick things into action!

As the catalyst for the rest of your program, it’s important that your call for entry packs a punch. You want to convey important information, but you also want to entice people to learn more and apply.

To ensure your call for entry is going to start your awards cycle right, follow these best practices:

• Include all relevant information prospective entrants will need. You want to give them an introduction into your program and how it works, including things like categories and fees. This will help them make an initial judgment about whether your program is a fit or not.
• Take the time to present information clearly and concisely. You don’t want to muddle the language of your call for entry or clutter it with buzzwords. This is your first chance to present your program to many folks. As they’ll only take a quick glance to see if they’re interested, you want your message to be clear and easy to process.
• Include a description of your program. Let them know what your program is about: what your values and goals are. Keep it short and to the point, but paint a clear picture for readers.
• Provide links to apply and find more information. Many people will be reading your call for entry in the marketing channels you use to spread the news, from press releases, to twitter. And if you don’t have a link for them to follow, your call for entry doesn’t fulfill its purpose: to spark interest and generate submissions.
• Show the value of your awards program. Who is going to care about your program if they don’t understand how applying is going to benefit them? Probably not a lot of people. You want to demonstrate why this a program people in your industry should be paying attention to. You can do this through mentioning prizes, the prestige of winning, etc.
• To avoid confusion, minimize support calls, and keep folks happy, list any eligibility requirements your program has. Getting halfway through a submission only to learn they can’t actually submit is a good way to annoy people (and earn your program a bad review!).
• Don’t forget to display dates and deadlines. Let people know when what is happening during your awards cycle so they can plan and get organized!
• Provide (brief) background information on your awards and its parent organization. Your call for entry should be getting people excited for your awards program. One way to do this is by describing its history and tenure. It’s not only interesting to read, but also grants your program legitimacy.
• Include a call to action. This can be a link, a button, or just a statement. But don’t forget to prompt and ask people to apply!

Your call for entry is there to provide people with the information and resources they need to apply to your program. In order to cash in on its potential, be sure to take a little extra time and make it great.

Want to see what a great call for entry looks like? Check out our toolkit!

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Miriam Hancock

Miriam Hancock
Miriam is the Marketing Coordinator for OpenWater. When she isn't writing and designing content she paints and cooks for her own personal blog.

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