Congratulations to Our 60 Markie Awards Finalists

One of my favorite moments of the year is standing on stage at Eloqua Experience and handing out the Markie statues. Those gold (as in, the color, not the metal) figures represent the remarkable success of our customers.  When I shake each winner’s hands I get to share in that success for a few moments, but I cheer it always.

This year the Markie’s Committee expanded the number of award categories so I’ll have even more of those incredible moments. There are very few times a year that I get goose bumps – but this celebration of amazing marketing programs and results is one of them.  It’s time to send my tux to the cleaners and start counting down the days to Eloqua Experience 2010.

The judging panel had a very tough assignment: somehow they were expected to narrow almost 200 compelling entries to just 60 finalists (they must now realize what it feels like every March for the NCAA basketball selection committee). Several folks who were on last year’s panel commented that the bar gets raised a little higher each year, as this generation of marketers continue to reach new heights in creativity and impact. I can only imagine what next year will bring.

One thing we’ve heard from show attendees is that they want to hear the story behind each finalist. What does it take to make the top three in a category, and what does it take to win? I’m thrilled that we’ve added two full speaker tracks to Eloqua Experience this year to give the finalists the chance to tell their stories. These sessions will employ an interview format to make sure each finalist shares the most essential and actionable nuggets with the attendees. After the event, I hope you’ll let me know if you found this useful and inspiring.

Congratulations to this year’s remarkable finalists.  Being a finalist is a remarkable achievement that you should all celebrate.  The judging committee has its work cut out for them to pick just 20 winners from all the amazing submissions.  Join us to see who takes home each Markie statue on October 19^th.