We were honored with the top prize, Silver Spike Awards, for the Artown Mobile Application and community outreach for the Give $3 to Keep Artown Free program, produced in collaboration with Artown and Powell Promotions. We also received a Students Choice Award for the Give $3 program, awarded by public relations students at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Last, Artown’s social networking program, which includes Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and a blog, earned an Award of Excellence. Each of these programs are  important to Artown’s success in 2010 and we’re thrilled that we’ve earned such amazing recognition.

Thanks to the incredible Artown team for letting us run wild and develop strategic programs and have garnered such amazing results.

We worked this week on preparing three great entries into this year’s PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Sierra Nevada Chapter Silver Spike Awards.  It’s a great exercise for us as a team, forcing us to step back from the work we’ve been so close to this past year and really look at our strategies, goals, tactics and outcomes for various clients. 

From this we’ll be more prepared to make recommendations for the coming year and adjust our strategies and tactics as needed to stay at the top of our game.

While I’d like to think that all of our work deserves an award for some reason or another, in the end our true reward is client satisfaction.

I’ve had the privilege and honor of being among the 150 judges from throughout the county to review the submissions and select the winners. For the third year, I traveled to New York City in March to spend 8 hours in a conference room reviewing the entries, discussing the program implementation, the tactics chosen and the support material. A team of four judges review one or more categories. This year I judged Crisis Communications and Business-to-Business Other.

What an incredible experience! Not only do we scour the entries soaking in the details, but we have the opportunity to review all the materials that went into making it possible. Plus, it’s a great idea generator for your own programs.

This year was the best yet. The other three judges were from large New York firms and have held a variety of positions including one who is sought after as an expert by several national news outlets (I also think with one call he could have gotten me into any hot New York restaurant…next time!). The conversation and the ability to discuss trends and the professional were well worth the trip cost.

All in all, here’s what I learned…

·         That just because you work at a boutique communications firm in Reno, Nevada, doesn’t mean that you don’t understand current trends.  It means you implement them. 

·         That results from being assertive in seeking out knowledge from larger markets and minds pays off. Be a sponge.

·         You can hold your own, even in the midst of larger firms, because the layers are removed and teamwork proves to the most valuable asset.

·         That honestly, integrity and doing what’s right always wins the day.  

·         That programs that you think are the best thing you’ve ever done, which is probably true, is only as good as the next entry but should never be minimized.

·         Healthy debate is liberating, reassuring and needed.

·         That communications professionals are the glue during crisis situations.

·         That a majority of professionals are not ready for this next phase. 

·         That today’s communicator needs to be quick, savvy, understand the tools available (and use them), be mobile and above all recognize opportunities—they are everywhere!

·         Making new friends is rewarding.  I had the opportunity to meet a fellow judge through Twitter two days before arriving and then met for coffee before judging.  Also that photos on Twitter really help in finding who you are meeting. 

·         And finally, that writing is still the professions bread and butter.