You make amazing things happen and want to be recognized for it – yes? Or maybe you love the way Bells look lined up on the wall (or on your resume)? Perhaps you’re just starting out on this journey and seeking recognition from within the industry. Whatever your motivation, one thing is common among Bell Ringer entrants…you take pride in your work. However, all entries are not created equal.

What makes a Bell Ringer entry stand out to judges? Well, for starters make sure the work you are submitting feels like something special. Be aware of what your competition is doing and ask yourself if your work is on par or better.

Pick your categories. The Pub Club makes slight changes each year to keep the awards program fresh and innovative. Make sure your entry aligns with the description for that category and see if there’s anything new that might be a good fit.

Read the entry guidelines! For judges, there is nothing worse than having a wonderful piece of work in front of you and having to mark it down or disqualify the entry because the submitter didn’t follow directions.

Along those same lines, spend time on your entry narrative. I can’t stress this enough. You may have the most amazing consumer campaign or agency podcast, but if you have a poorly written entry narrative or it’s missing sections, it will hurt your score.

Your entry will be judged on criteria found here with a high value placed on creativity and results. So, you know, be sure to have those things.

Some other tips (that you should already know as PR professionals) are: keep it short, demonstrate impact, and make it easy to read – no room for typos!

Lastly, don’t wait until the last minute. I know. You’re busy. And many of us PR and marketing types run on adrenalin. But inevitably, some key piece of information or supporting material will be missing or you’ll have a question about the entry site and have to wait for all the procrastinators in front of you to get theirs answered – so do yourself a favor and take advantage of the Pub Club’s early bird submission for members only (due Feb 3). It’s worth it! You’ll save some cash too so not only will your stress level be lower but your budget manager will thank you.

Now close this window and get to work on that situation analysis. Happy Bells season!

*Guest post by Bell Ringer Judge Lisa Brown, Vice President, State Street