A Game-changer for Chapter Awards

The National Association of Realtors “2010 NAR Game Changer contest” is a winning idea – twice. The contest is a fresh take on the chapter award. It also became a fresh take on how to jumpstart new ideas and new energy at the local level. And, it really is a fresh take on how to support chapters.

In a nutshell, NAR asked its local executives what game-changing program or project would they love to try if they had the resources. A panel of judges then sifted through 250+ submissions, selected about a dozen which NAR then both funded and provided access to a professional consultant to assist in implementation. NAR also gave a cash prize to a number of runner-ups.

That is neat enough. But it gets better. Ideas – even those implemented – too often go unshared. To keep that from happening, NAR created the typical “database” of ideas for leaders to look out, the typical listing of winners to peruse and the very untypical Game! That’s right – a GAME (with a slick host and sidekick).

In one project NAR:

  • Motivated state and local leaders to think outside the box (and rewarded them for doing so!)
  • Used an innovative approach to increasing financial support to their local and state groups (great R&D for the whole association too!)
  • Created an exciting – and easy-to-use – way to categorize, store and share ideas
  • Gave their very busy (and likely overwhelmed) state and local execs a bevy of “tried” ideas with details
  • Boosted national’s value proposition for states
  • And got their constituents talking about them (read Judith Lindenau’s super account)

I am going to quess there was one additional beneft to this project: staff excitement.

Do you have a game-changer to share?