With ISE out the way, it can only mean one thing, it is time to turn your attention to writing your CEDIA Awards entries.
Yes, that’s right, we are within weeks of the deadline, and are encouraging our members to get involved in one of our most worthwhile member benefits.
Last year, we celebrated 10 years of the CEDIA Awards, and it was our most successful year. We are back for 2016, and would like to take it up another notch, and this is where our members come in – you need to submit your projects, products and training initiatives into the scheme.
So, where do we start – I hear you ask. Well, here is a useful How to Guide to the CEDIA Awards…
Who can take part?
Free to enter for all members, the CEDIA Awards is a celebration of the home technology industry and the event provides members with a fitting platform on which to showcase their expertise and achievements.
What key information do members need to be aware of?
The deadline for entries is Monday,18th April 2016. While we haven’t yet announced details of the venue, we can tell you that you should ‘save the date’ for Friday, 1st July.
The categories are as follows:
- Best Media Room under £15,000
- Best Media Room over £15,000
- Best Multiple Scheme for a Property Developer
- Best Yacht Installation
- Best Integrated Home under £100,000
- Best Integrated Home £100,000 - £250,000
- Best Integrated Home over £250,000
- Best Showroom
- Best Custom Solution
- Best Lighting Scheme
- Best Dressed Rack
- Best Home Cinema under £40,000
- Best Home Cinema £40,000 - £100,000
- Best Home Cinema over £100,000
- Best Trade Supplier – voted for by members
- Best Training Initiative by a Trade Supplier – voted for by members
- Best Innovative Product – voted for by members
New for 2016, all CEDIA EMEA Award winners in the Integrated Home, Home Cinema and Media Room categories will compete for a global CEDIA Award, alongside the winners of these categories in the CEDIA USA and CEDIA Asia Pacific award schemes. Winners of the Global Awards will be announced at the CEDIA Awards 2016 in Dallas.
With regards to the project categories, the competition date must fall between May 2015 and April 2016. Any products entered into the Best Innovative Product category must have begun shipping between 31st October 2015 and 30th September 2016.
What is required to enter?
HTP members may submit as many projects as they wish, as long as it adheres to the terms and conditions. The type of information that you have to submit depends on which categories you are entering into.
Project based categories –
- Client’s brief and objectives
- Solution installed
- Customer’s verdict
- Consent forms signed by both the homeowner and photographer.
- Training category –
- Who the course is applicable to
- Course agenda
- SMART objectives
- Learning recap activities
Showroom category –
- Overview
- Purpose of the showroom
- Target audience
- Return on investment
- Decision making process
Product category –
- Key selling points
- Demonstration of value engineering
- Benefits to the industry
For all categories, you are required to provide supporting information such as high resolution images, kit lists and schematics need to be included.
Why should members take part in the awards?
CEDIA encourages its members to take part in the awards, as it not only allows HTPs to be recognised by their peers, but they also receive some great PR coverage after the winners have been announced.
CEDIA develops a yearbook which includes an image and text on every entry which has been submitted. This information is produced in a high quality book which is suitable to hand out to new and existing customers as a marketing tool. As a winner, the member will also receive editorial coverage in a wide range of consumer and trade publications. This coverage is hugely beneficial and can lead to new business.
The last word…
In case you don’t want to take our word for it, here’s what Takis Sarikas, Director of Lifestyle Technologies had to say after his first CEDIA Awards win last year.
“We would encourage younger CI companies to become CEDIA members and follow the Awards, as it is a chance to show the industry how good their work is. The pleasure of winning an award lasts longer than the “night of the awards”. Having a winner’s logo to put on your website and getting your company name mentioned in the press, provides you with a solid tool for winning new business.
“Since we started winning the various awards, our market status has risen. Clients receive assurance of the company’s good reputation when they see the award winning logos and press releases. Consultants also refer to the award wins when they introduce Lifestyle Technologies to a potential client. The Awards is a must for every serious and professional Integration company.”
“CEDIA is a lifetime school for us and the Awards represent the highest honour for us and our industry. We are very proud for our Best Integrated Home Under £100,000 Award and I dedicate this to the full Lifestyle Technologies team and our esteemed clients.”
www.cediaawards.org