The OpenWater Blog

Learning Series: Creating Winner Outcomes

Winner outcomes are just as important, if not important, than expanding your entrant pool. After all, how you structure your winners will affect the benefits of winning as well as how entrants perceive the value of winning.

Naturally, winner outcomes follow the brand-focused and thought leader-focused entrant divide. In this article, we’ll discuss both in greater detail to clarify what winners stand to gain and what tangible and other benefits you can tout in your marketing.

Brand-Focused Winner Outcomes

If you run a brand-focused awards program, winners will receive three distinct benefits:

• An ego boost (and bragging rights)
• Personal marketability (another line to add to their resume); and
• A tangible benefit, chosen by your organization (prize money, a trip, free membership, free products, etc.)

Typically, brand-focused awards offer scholarship money or travel money as the tangible benefit. You may even want to offer smaller prizes so those who are unsure of whether they stand a chance of winning still feel as if they might receive something.

Thought Leader-Focused Winner Outcomes

If you run a thought leader-focused awards program, winners will also receive three distinct benefits:

• Name recognition, due to increased publicity
• Increase in business from bestowed prestige; and
• A tangible benefit, chosen by your organization (grant money, free/discounted rent or service)

Tangible benefits are less important in thought leader-focused programs because the prestige of winning generates additional business for the winner. As such, you may even offer to send out an email blast on the winner’s behalf or offer a free sponsorship position. It’s most important to consider your members and what they will find valuable.

Create Meaningful Winner Outcomes for Your Organization

Meaningful winner outcomes are a key foundational element of your awards program. Consider yours against those mentioned above to determine whether you’re doing it right or what you could do better.

In all likelihood, there’s always room for a more enticing outcome.

Are you interested in more information about launching or refining your awards program? Check out our free online course Awards 101: The Missing Manual for Awards Professionals for the guidance you need!

Ashley Surinak

Ashley Surinak is the resident OpenWater expert on all things content. From the blog to guides and beyond, you'll find her at every turn in your OpenWater journey.

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