Gold Quill Awards: Judging
Measurement in the Land of 140 Characters or Less
by Dave Meyer, BizzyWeb, Minnesota, USA
Measurement is the name of the game for communicators, even in the “wild wild west” of social media. Tracking toward measureable outcomes is still the only way to ensure effective results.
Social media seems to be the official buzzword in communication circles (and everywhere else) this year. Press releases, static web sites and traditional one-way communication are being eclipsed by lightning-fast sharing of ideas and conversations. Our clients, customers and audiences all expect to interact with the media they consume, and it looks like the role of communicator is shifting from broadcaster to conversation manager.
However, the rules haven’t completely changed: Managing toward real, honest-to-goodness business outcomes continues to be the true hallmark of successful communication, whether it be via traditional methods or social media.
New tools available to communicators will only amplify the signal-to-noise ratio unless everything is done towards a purpose. Page views, equivalency to ad dollars or even press mentions don’t achieve much other than helping communicators appear busy. I had the honor of judging the first-ever Gold Quill Award entries in social media in 2009, and it was crystal clear in the judging process which entrants took the time to think about what the desired end results were before they began their campaigns.
In this age where content (and relevancy) is king, you need to know how to make sure what you’re communicating is moving audiences toward action. Something as simple as an opinion survey or an uptick in sales or referrals (tracked against a benchmark of course) says much more than how many times your content has been “re-tweeted.”
If you want to ensure that your next communication campaign produces real results, check out the Gold Quill Awards rules and build your campaign around them. Even if you never enter, your communication effectiveness will skyrocket.
Below are the key items the judges screen for; you can use them to ensure your communications are effective. I have paraphrased them from the perspective of someone just putting together a communication plan (note that I’ve worded the items below in the present tense to use as criteria/tips. The language in the entry criteria is past-tense as the guidelines are intended to judge completed programs. The actual list is available from the link above):
- Need/opportunity. Be as clear as possible, and use concrete outcomes.
- Intended audiences. Identify your audiences, including demographics, state of mind, background and likely viewpoints.
- Goals and objectives. Describe what your communication project is designed to accomplish. Goals should be aligned with your organization’s future needs. Objectives should be realistic and measurable, and should examine outcomes such as quantity, quality, time, cost, percentages or other criteria.
- Solution overview. Outline your project’s solution and the logic that supports it. Think about your thought process, and use imagination in your approach to problem solving. Discuss how you’ll involve stakeholders in developing the solution. Identify key messages, tactics and communication vehicles.
- Implementation and challenges. Determine your project budget. Regardless of how much money you have to use, make sure you’re being as efficient as possible. Decide time frames. Outline any limitations or challenges that you’ll face when communicating and implementing your ideas.
- Measurement/evaluation of outcomes. How will you measure your project’s results? Every result should be linked to one or more objectives. Results must be valuable, thorough and convincing. Measurement should demonstrate outcomes, not outputs.
If you can track the above while you’re playing party-host online to your customers, critics and communities, your program will bring home the gold. If not, perhaps it would be best to update your Facebook status to “still spinning my wheels.”
Start preparing your Gold Quill Award entry today! The early-bird deadline is 27 January 2010, and the final deadline is 3 February 2010.
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