Now is the Time to Do It Right

Solomon Daniels - Editor-in-Chief

Now is the Time to Do It Right

The 2019 Industry Awards are coming. Take two pieces of advice and four steps to make sure you do your best.

For you, it’s always awards season. The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards is an assessment of everything you do from the moment all of the trophies have been handed out for the previous year, up until you make your first submission. And speaking of submissions, it’s time to start planning yours!

If you’ve participated in the past, you’ve no doubt seen that there has been a fair amount of talk about the rules for the awards. For this conversation, I want you to forget about the rules. Let’s just focus on you.

You’ve heard me say two things over and over: “Do all you can do,” and “If it happens to you, it’s your fault.” These are similar, but they address different parts of action. The first precedes an action: Take ownership of a task and give your complete effort so as little as possible is left to chance. The second reflects upon an action: If something didn’t go your way, evaluate whether you really did everything you could have possibly done, or if a sub-par effort left too much to chance.

We’re all starting fresh. You’re at the stage now where you have total control over the outcome of your submission for an award. Now is the time to ensure that your submission is so great, so engaging and so telling of your accomplishments that it leaves little room for argument.

Regardless of the theme we’ve chosen for the awards, the biggest determining factor in the process is being able to demonstrate how you’ve grown, evolved or progressed, either as a professional or as a business. This should be your only goal. Now let’s go over some tips to make sure you are creating the best submission possible.

1. Start asking around.

If you’ve done a good job of networking in the industry, you should know the people who think you’ve progressed over the past year. Ask them how, if for no other reason than to get a viewpoint other than your own. We are often our own worst critics and therefore won’t see how something we think is minor actually had a major impact. Get input from others and add them to your personal list of accomplishments.

2. Prep your submission before you pick up a phone or camera.

I can tell you that it’s no longer good enough to plop yourself in front of your iPhone and do a one-take, and that has nothing to do with the rules. It’s to do with the improved quality of submissions year over year. Applicants are spending more time going into detail about what they’ve accomplished in the past year, and how it’s impacted them or their businesses. In other words, the competition is stiff. So put some time into mapping out what you want to say in your submission, and practice it in front of your co-workers.

3. Get better at video.

I know the quality of the video is not a major factor in scoring, but there are two reasons you should put in the effort. First, you should get better at it simply because you should be getting better at everything you do for the business. If showing evolution is the goal, then you can’t represent growth with a half-ass-shaky-selfie-stickone-person video. I’m not saying you need to hire a production company, but you should treat it as a process. What will you wear? What will your background be? How will you present yourself? Will you walk around or stand still? Is extra lighting needed?

Do your video in sections. That way, if you mess up, you aren’t starting all over. Use free or low-cost software such as iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements to put the pieces together to create the final submission.

The other reason you want a better video is because it doesn’t need to be single-purpose. Many successful retailers use parts of their video submission throughout the year to show customers how diligent they are, or to train new employees.

4. Finally: Your submission, not your reputation, will be the determining factor.

We know that an installer or storeowner who is great this year will probably not forget how to be great for the next year and beyond. But if that were the only criteria, the lists would never change. What makes the Industry Awards great is that the process gives everyone a chance to be involved. That’s why the awards are judged solely upon your submissions. For you, it means don’t “mail it in” and assume that who you are will get you in. Think about the effort you put into something you really wanted, like finishing a marquee vehicle or redesigning your store. The energy, focus and drive you put into your submission should equal that effort.

Good luck!