What Does It Take to Receive an InterTech Technology Award?
The entry period for the PIA InterTech Technology Awards is currently underway. Graphic communication suppliers and vendors from all over the world are fighting for their chance to have their innovation named as one of the top technologies to impact our industry.
With all the tough competition out there, we thought it would be helpful for you to get some advice from someone who knows what it really takes to wow the judges—one of the InterTech Technology Award judges themselves. Check out the conversation below and get the inside scoop on what the judges are really looking for in an InterTech Technology Award recipient.
PIA: Why did you agree to take part in the PIA InterTech Technology Award judging process?
InterTech Judge: Firstly because I was asked, but after having judged it for a few years now, it is a great way of seeing all the latest technology and how they apply to the market. The judging panel is made up from the great and the good of the industry and it is a great opportunity to share opinions and thoughts on the relevance of an entry and how we feel it will impact on our industry in coming years. Our industry has been hugely innovative and it is great that there is an award that highlights the best of the best.
PIA: What is the judging process like for you?
InterTech Judge: It is extremely pressured – we have a lot of entries to go through and sometimes there is much heated debate. The chair is always very organized and the process is pretty efficient. On several occasions I have been persuaded by other judges to change my opinion on a technology entry.
PIA: What kind of technologies are you expecting for this year’s round of entries?
InterTech Judge: I am sure inkjet will find its way into the entries. But the great thing with InterTech is that there are always wild card entries that come from nowhere. Software is becoming a much bigger aspect to the judging and I expect that this year will be no different.
PIA: What kinds of things should an entry include in order to stand out among the rest?
InterTech Judge: As judges, we are very experienced individuals from the industry and so the last thing we want to see is “cut and paste” from the marketing literature. This tells us nothing. We want to know the following:
- Why you entered this into the InterTech awards and what specifically about the entry is unique, special, or different. We don't want every other aspect of the product or 400 words on the history of the company.
- Keep it short – remember as judges we are looking through lots of entries in one day – tell us only the relevant information. Add some addendums if there are complex elements that need to be understood.
- No nonsense – I know all the judges and they can spot BS from 500 paces. It destroys credibility for what is often a really good entry.
PIA: What are some of the most important things a company should include with their entry?
InterTech Judge: An executive summary – highlighting your key reasons for entering.
Images and links to any technical elements – all the judges are skilled in different areas and an image or a video can speak 1000 words (but we don't want 20 videos to look through – we won’t)
Really good customer testimonials – even though we do now allow entries without them, a really good testimonial that explains how the company is using the product and the difference it has made to their business is wonderful. ALL the judges read the testimonials – there is nothing like peer approval for demonstrating a great product.
PIA: What advice do you have for a company that is considering entering the InterTech Technology Awards this year?
InterTech Judge: I think you have nothing to lose by entering – firstly you get to promote your product to the judges (most own or run a business and so are always interested in this). Secondly it is promoted in the InterTech magazine supplement and is a great way of saying “we think we have something great.” If you are lucky enough to get an award – BONUS – your peers have agreed that you do have something special.
I advise many vendors to consider InterTech – it is a great platform for innovation and technology.
What are you waiting for? The deadline for the 2016 InterTech Technology Awards is on June 1. For more information on this competition, visit www.printing.org/intertech or download the award brochure. To submit your entry, email intertech@printing.org.