Call for Entries

2018 DSA AWARDS ENTRIES NOW CLOSED

Finalists and subcategory winners will be announced in late May, and overall winners announced June 19^th at the DSA Annual Meeting Awards Gala.

Interested in becoming a judge? Contact Lindsay Marquardt at lmarquardt@dsa.org.

Recognizing Innovation, Vision, Excellence and Partnership

DSA's renowned industry awards are designed to identify and promote innovations to help companies and their salesforces improve their operations. Whether used to empower independent direct sellers, fuel businesses processes or make our world a better place, the awards have one thing in common: they help promote direct selling as a business channel that helps people create better lives.

DSA’s awards program features seven awards representing eight subcategories. Each subcategory winner is a finalist to receive the overall category award.

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Awards Categories & Sample Submissions

View Sample Submissions

View Technology Innovation Sample

View Product Innovation Sample

View Vision for Tomorrow Sample

View Salesforce Development Sample

View Marketing and Sales Sample

View Rising Star Sample

View Partnership Award Sample
Technology Innovation
General Criteria:

Successful entries in this category will demonstrate excellence in the innovative use of salesforce-enabling technology.

Winning entries will:
- Illustrate the salesforce benefits of the program or tool through specific examples.
- Clearly describe the objective or need for the technology.
- Describe the development process involved in creating the concept.
- Outline the goals and outcomes related to the program or tool.
- Show that the technology is novel or unique or improves upon an existing technology.
- Illustrate how the elements of the program demonstrate a creative approach to the issue, situation or problem addressed.
- Describe the metrics for success, as well as the process used to evaluate success.
- Provide data regarding how this program impacted the company’s sales, recruiting and/or reputation.
- Show that the results of the program support the objective or need.
Subcategories:

Mobile Technology - Have you created a killer app or adopted a technology that has made your salesforce more effective at conducting business-on-the-go?

Back Office/Business Support - Direct sellers need business intelligence and business enabling technology to manage their sales, organizations and especially to identify opportunities to maximize the returns on their efforts. How are your back office tools creating up-to-the-minute resources to motivate and enable business success?

Customer/Sales Support - A great experience can convert casual consumers into loyal customers and a residual income stream for your direct sellers. Have you found a way to leverage technology to enhance the customer experience and foster a robust, loyal and growing customer base?
Product Innovation
General Criteria:

Successful entries will showcase a new product or service introduced to the marketplace in the previous year that sets a high standard of excellence and innovation.

Winning entries will:
- Describe the new product or service and illustrate how it is a category "game changer."
- Provide a detailed description of how this product or service fits in to and/or enhances your company's existing product mix.
- Describe how the new product leverages leading edge technologies.
- Illustrate that the new product has clear value added features and benefits.
- Show that the product has the potential to result in significant customer acquisition and/or market penetration.
Vision for Tomorrow
General Criteria:

Successful entries will illustrate how a specific project or program made an impact beyond the bottom line. Has your company helped to increase awareness of the direct selling industry, best business practices, consumer protection, or high standards of ethics in business? Has your company worked to improve the lives of those in its community - whether it's a local community or one on the other side of the globe?

Winning entries will:
- Describe the project or program, with a specific emphasis on the audience or demographic that will be reached or otherwise impacted
- Address the anticipated long-term impact.
- Provide information about future or ongoing efforts related to the project or program
- Illustrate that your company invests monetary resources in the program.
- Illustrate that your company invests human resources in the program.
- Provide specific data regarding the level of involvement from your corporate executives and/or the salesforce.
- Clearly identify and describe the impact on the target community.
Excellence in Salesforce Development
General Criteria:

Successful entries in this category will describe a specific program or tool that empowered or motivated the salesforce to succeed. Entrants are encouraged to highlight ways in which the program addresses the needs of diverse populations, be they ethnic, motivational, generational, etc.

Winning entries will:
- Describe the program or tool and illustrate its impact on the salesforce and/or the specific business outcome
- Clearly state objective of the program.
- Clearly describe the business need that prompted creation of the program or tool and outline the development and implementation processes.
- Illustrate the innovative and creative approach to achieving the stated objectives.
- Describe and illustrate the intended benefits of the program for the individual sellers.
- Describe the desired outcomes, and how the outcomes are quantifiable. Clearly illustrate the mechanisms for evaluating success.
- Show that the results support the objectives of the program.
Subcategories:

Incentives/Recognition/Personal Development - How have you put behavioral economics, modern motivational theory or generational dynamics to work on behalf of your sales organization? How do you encourage personal development and motivate the salesforce, and recognize them for their achievements?

Business Tools - Communication of your message and the effectiveness of a direct seller can be greatly facilitated by sales aids, demo sets, lead management systems and other innovative business tools. How are you ensuring your sales organization is presenting you and themselves in the most compelling, professional light?

Business Training - We all understand that effective direct sellers are those who adopt, perfect and duplicate a system of best practices. What programs and systems have you developed to facilitate and enhance the duplication of best business practices among your salesforce?
Marketing/Sales Campaigns
General criteria:

Successful entries will demonstrate excellence, creativity and innovation in effective outreach to key audiences. Entrants are encouraged to highlight ways in which the program addresses the needs of diverse populations, be they ethnic, motivational, generational, etc.

Winning entries will:
- Describe the specific project or campaign, including the initial goals and objectives.
- Illustrate original thinking in creative idea generation and execution.
- Show that strategic thinking with relation to the business need, target audience and/or business environment was used.
- Evaluate the success of the project or campaign in terms of the initial goals and objectives.
- Provide quantifiable results that illustrate the success of the project or campaign.
- Describe how quality pre- and post-launch work was completed.
Subcategories:

Social Media/Online - How is your company helping your sales organization leverage social media and the internet to build their businesses or enhance their effectiveness?

Promotions & Launches - How has your company used innovative product launches or business promotions enhance sales? A successful product, promotion or program launch is one that has maximum buy-in and participation from your salesforce. How have you innovatively and effectively engaged your sales organization in a recent launch initiative?
Rising Star
General criteria:

The Rising Star Award is designed to recognize up-and-coming direct selling companies that have dedicated themselves to achieving a high standard of excellence in business operations.

Winning companies will:
- Have been an active DSA member for at least one year.
- Have begun direct selling operations less than five years ago.
- Illustrate a consistent and continued pattern of growth.
- Illustrate a strategy to facilitate continued sales and salesforce growth.
- Illustrate a strategy with regard to other business activities including corporate giving, employee programs, etc.
Partnership
General criteria:

The DSA Partnership Award recognizes Supplier companies that provide a product or service that has had a measurable impact on the growth or development of a direct selling member company or increases the profitability of a member. The judges are looking for a sustained relationship between the supplier community and active members.

Winning companies will:
- Have at least 5 years tenure as a Supplier Partner of the DSA.
- Not have won the Partnership Award in the past 10 years (past winners listed below).
- Show how your company has established an ongoing relationship with one or more direct selling companies. Describe the partnerships in detail, and show how these partnerships have contributed to the companies’ growth and/or success.
- If the project or program represents a short-term project or crisis support, describe the planning and execution of the project. Include how the goals of the project were defined and achieved, and what short- and long-term benefit the company realized, and if the relationship continued beyond the specific project.
- Entrants must be nominated by three DSA member companies. Additional nominations will not be accepted. The nominations should describe the nature of the partnership and provide specific examples of the contributions and results provided by the supplier partner company.
The Partnership Award Entry Process:
- Complete the Entry Form.
- Be nominated by three direct selling member companies. Nominating companies must be members of the DSA.
- Entry form and all three nominations are due by midnight ET on March 23, 2018.
Judging process:

Partnership Award entries are evaluated by a panel of judges representing a variety of disciplines. Experts from both inside and outside the direct selling community serve on the panel.
- The partnership represents a sustained relationship with DSA member companies.
- The impact of the relationship on the direct selling company is clearly documented and described.
- The letter(s) of endorsement clearly describe the support provided and the impact of the Supplier’s participation as it relates directly to the company.
10 Years of Winners:
- 2017: Momentum Factor
- 2016: Smart Office Solutions, Inc.
- 2015: Step Into Success
- 2014: Hyperwallet
- 2013: IMN Inc.
- 2012: Iacono Productions
- 2011: Harland Clarke
- 2010: Grimes & Reese
- 2009: ServiceQuest
- 2008: Direct Selling News
- 2007: Dan Jensen Consulting
- 2006: ZOOM.7 Genuine Meetings & Events

2018 DSA Awards – What You Need to Know:

•The DSA Awards features seven main awards, three of which are divided into eight subcategories. The winner in each subcategory will be considered as a finalist to receive the category award.

•Award entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges, representing a variety of disciplines including direct selling, marketing, training/motivation, R&D, sales and more. Experts from both inside and outside the direct selling community will serve on these judging panels and will bring a keen sense of excellence to their review of the award entries.

•All award finalists and recipients will be featured during DSA's Annual Meeting and beyond, providing winning companies with access to a spotlight that will showcase their successes and set them apart from their peers. From opportunities to describe their success to others in the direct selling community to industry media coverage and more, this recognition is an effective way for award recipients to motivate their salesforce, illustrate their commitment to their success and promote their companies.

•There's no fee to enter and no limit to the number of programs you may enter. Whether you enter just once, or enter a different program in each subcategory, doing so is a complementary benefit of DSA membership and only increases your chances of being recognized for your company's accomplishments.

The DSA Awards are a surefire way to give your opportunity, your products and your brand valuable exposure in the marketplace. In fact, it's one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to help motivate your salesforce and your employees and grow your business.

Questions? Contact Lindsay Marquardt at lmarquardt@dsa.org