Practical Suggestions for Wording and Phrasing on Awards

Suburban Custom Awards has been providing high-quality trophies, awards, and certificates of all types for over 40 years. When it comes to wording and phrasing on awards, it’s safe to say we’ve seen it all. We’ve seen customer messages that have made us laugh, cry, and smile. But we’ve seen a few that made us cringe too. Our more than four decades of experience has given us some expertise in knowing what does and does not work when engraving special messages on awards. The good thing is, we are here to help you get the wording right. We also send a free proof with engraving orders to ensure the information is correct and there are no misspellings. Here are a few suggestions for wording and phrasing on awards to get you started.

General Suggestions for Phrasing on Awards

If you are not sure what wording should be on an award, it can be difficult finding a place to start. Each award is unique whether it is honoring long-time service, sales excellence, outstanding customer services, or a sports championship. The wording and phrasing on awards ultimately need to match its purpose. Whether you are presenting a plaque, trophy, or a desk clock, here are a few general ideas to get you started. You’ll need:

• The name of the recipient: John Doe
• The reason for the award: Outstanding Service
• The name of the person, team, company, or group presenting the award: Local Store
• The date the award is to be presented.

Creating the Perfect Message on Awards

When you are ready to get a bit more specific, here are a few suggestions.

1. Keep it Simple. You don’t need a lot of formal, flowery words on an award. It’ll use up limited space and can lessen the significance of the award. Keep it simple, clean, and clear. Save the longer phrases and explanations for the presentation speech.
2. Keep it Brief. Youre space is limited on any plaque, trophy, or award. Fewer words often have the greatest impact.
3. Keep it Complimentary. Awards are not often presented for mediocrity. Give the praise due to the recipient. Use applicable words like, “generosity” and “bravery” or “excellence. These descriptive words demonstrate why the recognition is due.
4. Keep it Relevant. It’s okay to engrave general messages on plaques and other awards, but don’t be so general it loses relevance. In other words, “For Excellence” sounds nice, but it opens up the question, “Excellence for what?” Stay relevant to the reason for the award in the first place. For instance, did the recipient demonstrate excellence in academic studies? Or were they excellent at sales?
5. Keep it Sincere. Improper wording can accidentally sound sarcastic or snarky. Be straightforward and sincere unless you intend to be funny and the recipient won’t be offended.
6. Keep it Personal. The wording and phrasing on awards should be personalized with the recipient’s name. This gives the award more significance and makes it more meaningful. It can also be the name of a team. If you want to list team members, consider a larger or plaque so there is room to list team members.
7. Proofread!  Nothing takes away from a trophy or award like a typo. Please take the time to read your message carefully. Better yet, have two or three different people read and reread it to ensure there are no mispellings.

Let us help you create a special award!

Contact us at Suburban Custom Awards and let us help you create a special award for a deserving recipient. We provide a free proof and ensure the phrasing on awards is correct prior to engraving.