Hi everyone, this will be my last post here on Get Contagious! for awhile. In recent months I have been dedicating more time on 2 other sites and have unfortunately neglected this site for too long. I may resume posting here in the future but for now I will be dedicating all my efforts to my new project, FreezerBurns.

Thanks everyone for your support.

-Greg

So this is my last week in Boston as I will be moving to Raleigh, North Carolina next monday to start a new job down there. I am writing this post for two reasons: to apologize in advance for my infrequency of posting in the next couple of weeks, and to put down my thoughts about leaving a city I love and lifelong friends that have made my last 11 years here awesome.

Boston has always been a special place for me. My family used to drive up here every Christmas to visit my grandma, my aunt, and my cousins. My dad was born and raised here which means I was destined to be a lifelong and diehard Red Sox fan. My dad spoke of, as a boy, sneaking into Fenway Park to catch a glimpse of a game. Or how he enjoyed Joe and Nemo’s for a hot dog. This is what initially drew me to this great city. The idea of starting a life with my wife and raising my kids where my dad, himself, was raised, was appealing and romantic in a “circle of life” sort of a way.

But now, my family and I are jumping off this ride and jumping onto another one. Equally thrilling but with unexplored twists and turns, our move to North Carolina will have a “full circle” component too. My wife was born in Durham as her father attended Duke University. And with her brother’s family and her uncle already residents of the area, we aren’t moving to a community of unknowns. Read more…

I have had the pleasure of judging a few award shows in the direct marketing field and I can tell you there are a lot of great submissions that don’t see the light of day strictly because of how it was submitted. It’s sad but true. Much the same way amazingly talented people don’t get to show off their portfolio because their crappy resumes don’t make it past the secretary, the entry form in an award show can make or break you.

In the last 5 years I have been fortunate enough to have won over 50 Direct Marketing awards for pieces that I or my teams have produced. But it is always the ones that I am most proud of that seem to fall short. Have you submitted an entry that you were sure would be a “Best of Show” only to find out you didn’t even win a Bronze? It could have been how you prepared your entry. Here are a few tips.

#1: Never Hand Write the Entries
Even if you think you have legible handwriting, you open the door for confusion. And you tend to run out of room quicker. I have read entries where I could not decipher full sentences. And due to space constraints, I have been directed to flip the page to continue or read passages running up the side. It’s shoddy and does not represent your work well.

#2: Never Submit Pieces Without Results
I find it appalling that direct marketing award shows have “Creative-Only” categories. If you didn’t receive good results, submit it to a design show.

#3: Never Assume the Judges Are Aware of Acronyms
Clients love acronyms. And even though you may know what they mean, it doesn’t mean everyone does. It is important that you frame up the assignment completely and without any confusion for the judges. Don;t have enough room to write out the full acronym? Maybe you should type it out. See #1.

#4: Remember That Judges Are an Experienced, Cynical Bunch
Judges are no dummies. In fact, most judges are picked for their leadership and expertise in the direct marketing field. So when someone puts in their submission, “Exceeded client expectations” in the results field, we know that the piece either performed poorly or the client wouldn’t let you see the results. It is important to note that even if it was breakthrough piece, the judges will feel like you tried to pull a fast one on them and they will dock you regardless.

#5: There Can Only Be One Best of Show
This is important to know to level set your expectations. There can only be one best of show so don’t get your hopes up. That entry better be perfectly written, have amazing measureable results, and be breakthrough in its creativity.

Hopefully you can use these tips to rock your next award show.

This sunday, September 16, I will be leading a team of 8 walkers as Team Noodad.com (One of my other projects) in the 19th Annual Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk. We have a team fundraising goal of $2500 to help find better ways to treat and prevent cancer in children and adults.

This is the second year that I have completed this grueling 26 mile walk and my particiupation last year was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.
I hope you will support my efforts by contributing to my walk. Your generous gift enables Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to provide compassionate care while continuing its research to improve the chances of survival for cancer patients worldwide. By supporting my walk, you are helping to end cancer.

Sponsor me here.