Posted on 22 Feb '24

Entering the Heist Awards – the Why & the How

We know that an incredible amount of hard work and talent goes into the world of higher education marketing and recruitment every day, and it couldn’t be more important to celebrate it! The Heist Awards aim to do just that, and FAU is proud to sponsor the Best Postgraduate Student Recruitment Campaign category for 2024.
With just one week left to submit your application, we asked Hannah Reeve and Jessica Carrington of Havas People, the organisation behind the awards, for their top tips for a winning application. You can also hear more about why and how to apply in our January webinar.

Since its launch 34 years ago, the Heist Awards has become a key date in the Education Marketing calendar. Synonymous with excellence and innovation in the sector, we celebrate the very best work being done in the sector.

Getting your hands on a coveted award can be a great way to celebrate your team's success and keep them motivated for the year ahead. It can also help to boost your team’s profile amongst stakeholders within your institution and enhance brand awareness. However, creating an award-winning submission can be a daunting task, especially given the word limits, category criteria, and fierce competition within the industry.

To help you out, we have compiled our top 5 tips to inspire your submissions:

1. Keep your objectives SMART

Judges want to see you had clearly defined objectives at the start of your project (however big or small) and that you went on to meet them in a measurable and timely way.

2.Show us your creativity!

Demonstrate how you thought outside the box – were you clever with a limited budget? Did you try something that had never been done before? Was your campaign a change in look and tone for your institution?

3.Champion EDI, Accessibility and Sustainability

With these high on everyone’s agenda, our judges want to see that you’ve considered these when pulling together your entry. Make it clear where you have demonstrated a commitment to taking positive steps in these areas.

4.Consider the art of storytelling

Judges have a lot of entries to read, so make sure you stand out by telling a compelling story! Ensure your passion and excitement come across in your entry so that they’re engaged and intrigued to want to learn more. Signpost where you’re meeting criteria, use your word limit carefully and include a limited number of links to supporting materials.

5.Prove your ROI

Judges want to see that you’ve used your budget effectively. Include as much detail as possible about your in costs and expenses (and remember to include staff costs if appropriate).

Entries for the 2024 Heist Awards are now open, so go ahead and submit your entry by the final deadline of 1st March.

We look forward to celebrating our winners at our Awards Ceremony on 11th July!

If you have any queries about the awards, please contact the team at [email protected]

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