Tailoring a Recognition Award for the Individual (written for Awards For Recognition)
One of the greatest experiences you can get in the workplace or community is being presented with a recognition award for your labor. It is an acknowledgement by the presenters that you have surpassed their expectations. If the award is individualized with your name, that makes it even more meaningful, since it means the giver took the time and accepted the additional cost to have it done.
Individualizing an award is not difficult, but it may be time-consuming. Selecting an award appropriate for the situation will necessitate some thought. Awards for sports, volunteering, work, or contests are all unique, and must be purchased and given as such. Try to avoid the common trophy, especially if it is being personalized. The plastic gold cup may be fine for a team of little league T-ball players, but has no place at a special banquet. Make positive the award fits the event being honored.
If you plan on rewarding multiple members of a team, club, or section with the same award but still want them to be personalized, make sure to allow plenty of time. If they are ordered locally, they must still be checked for spelling and imperfections before they are handed out. If they have been procured from any distance and will require shipping, add more time for transportation and a rigorous inspection upon arrival for damage and misspellings. Being the recipient of an award that is damaged in some way or has faulty engraving or misspellings can make the award feel cheap and not worth receiving.
The fact that you are taking the time and spending the money to personalize the awards is commendable, and you will gain respect for that choice. Just make sure the award is as flawless as the honoree, or there may be hard feelings or some level of distrust in the future.
