A Winner's Perspective: Q&A with Last Year's DMA Gold Mail Winner

The Awards Hub of the Print Council has crafted this article to give you an insider’s perspective on why you should enter the Mail Category of the DMA Awards, what makes an entry award-winning, and the benefits of participating and winning.

Phil Newton, COO and Founder at PSE, is a member of the Print Council and sits on its Awards Hub. Phil was part of the team that won last year’s Gold award in the Mail category with their campaign A Smith Award Entry? We asked Phil seven burning questions about the entry process and what winning has meant for PSE.

1. Why did you decide to enter the DMA Awards?

The DMA is at the forefront of our industry and highly credible, so we were keen to see how our campaigns measured up against the best agencies currently in the sector.

2. How did you put your entry together?

Since awards entries fall outside the day-to-day running of the business and can be easy to postpone, we assigned the task to a specific person and agreed on a timeline with key milestones to ensure we stayed on track. It was a team effort; we gathered key information from all departments involved. This approach ensured the task wasn’t overwhelming for any individual, making it manageable for everyone.

3. What was the hardest part of the process and how did you overcome this?

We were all very enthusiastic and wanted to include every tiny detail, which would have taken the judges ages to review. We overcame this by gathering all information in one place and using a sign-off process to trim it down to the key points that had to be included.

4. The DMA Awards require client approval to enter. How did you secure this?

We work very closely with our clients and, early in the process, discussed the campaign entries with them to gauge their interest and begin collaborating. We viewed it as a partnership rather than merely seeking their approval for our entry.

5. What was the key to creating an award-winning entry?

A great entry starts with great work that delivers the client's objectives. In our entries, we ensured we included the original outcome our client sought to achieve, our research, the plan we created, the execution of that plan, and the results achieved. Judges review many entries, so keeping this clear and easy to follow is a significant advantage.

6. What do you think you got out of the process? Is entering as important as winning?

The process was rewarding in several ways. It was great to review the campaign in detail alongside our client and internally to uncover any learnings or insights that might have been overlooked during the busyness of everyday work. Winning was fantastic because of the recognition it brought to both the client and our team.

7. What’s your advice to smaller organisations considering entering the DMA Awards?

The judging process is genuinely anonymous, and your entry is treated equally, regardless of the size of your organisation. It’s one of the very few opportunities to have your campaign judged purely on its merit and see how you measure up against others in the industry. Go for it!

Why you should enter

Entering the DMA Awards could be a pivotal move for your business, offering more than just the chance to win. By participating, you position yourself alongside the best in the industry, gaining invaluable insights and recognition.

Assigning responsibility for your entries to a specific person or team and agreeing on a clear timeline ensures the process is manageable. Collaborating closely with your clients transforms the approval process into a partnership, strengthening your campaign's narrative.

Ultimately, the benefits of entering range from the reflective process to the potential for industry recognition. For these reasons, entering the DMA Awards is an opportunity well worth pursuing, regardless of your organisation's size. Embrace the journey, and you might find that the experience itself is as rewarding as the outcome.

Read the full Mail Category Description here.

Find out more and submit your entry here, or contact the team.