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Stage 1 Submission Instructions (Event No. 1)

Stage 1 Submission

Instructions

Follow These Directions

“You’re not a victim for sharing your story. You are a survivor setting the world on fire with your truth. And you never know who needs your light, your warmth and raging courage.” – Alex Elle

Congratulations for joining the Voices of Impact Awards™ program! You are in for an amazing journey and it all starts right here!

This is the page that you submit your Official Stage 1 Form that will be reviewed by our in-house team and/or 3rd party judges to determine if you will advance to the Finals. 

Before you submit your form, take a look at the complimentary training provided by our Resource Partners by Clicking Here. You may want to dive into some of the training first. 

If you already know the 8-minute talk you plan to present during this Awards program and have your 2-minute video segment ready to share via YouTube, then go ahead and fill out the Stage 1 Submission Form below. 

If you have not yet decided what your talk will be or you have not yet recorded your 2-minute video segment of your talk, you have some time to do so. You have 30 days to submit the Stage 1 Form from the date you applied to the Awards program. 

You can prepare this information on your own, or seek the guidance of professional coaches and trainers. However you prepare is completely up to you. There is no preferential treatment given to anyone that purchases products or coaching through us, our Resource Partners, or third party providers. It really is all about you, your message, and the positive impact you can make in the world!

Overview for Written Submission

The first portion of Stage 1 is a written Questionnaire where you get to tell us all about you. We want to know a little bit of your history, your mission, your purpose, a summary of your story and message, and why you should be selected to receive the Blue Diamond Impact Award™ and $20,000 grand prize. This is also where you will provide us with a link to your relevant social media pages. Yes, we will be checking you out! 

Questionnaires are due within 30 days from the date of your application to the Awards.

In your Questionnaire you will have the option of letting us know that you would  like to be considered for one or more of the Additional Awards. These include the  Lifetime Impact Award™, Rising Impact Award™, Heidi Service Award™, or  Student Impact Award™. You can apply for more than one award if you meet the  qualifications for that award.

Your Stage 1 Questionnaire will be reviewed for compliance with our rules and with our terms and conditions. If your Questionnaire does not meet our compliance requirements you will be notified and have an opportunity to resubmit your Stage 1 Questionnaire. If your new or revised Questionnaire does not pass our compliance review, you will be disqualified from further consideration for an Award. However, you can still enjoy some of the other benefits included in the Awards program, such as access to our extensive complimentary training programs.

During Stage 1 we encourage you to access the Resource Partners and enjoy complimentary training from industry experts who will guide you on topics such as how to create your heroic story, plan your talk, get rid of the jitters, look great on video, present at your very best, and much more. This training is worth thousands of dollars and it’s yours, with our compliments. Use this training to improve your presentation skills, enhance your marketing, accelerate your business, and so much more beyond your participation in these Awards.

To maintain the integrity and reputation of the Awards, all Questionnaires will be reviewed for compliance with our Content Guidelines (see below) by our in house team and/or independent judges. If an applicant is found to be in violation of the Content Guidelines, they will be notified via email and will receive one opportunity to revise their Questionnaire.

Topic Guidelines

These Awards were created to honor excellence in communications, and to celebrate people with stories that will inspire and move society forward. We respect your right to have opinions and know that we ourselves have strong opinions on much of what is going on in the world. However, to maintain the integrity and reputation of these Awards we must eliminate from consideration any content which may be deemed offensive, derogatory, objectionable, sexist, promotes violence, contains hate speech, vulgarity, indecent humor, or which discriminates against any person or group of persons based on race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or sexual orientation.

These topics are absolutely banned and any entries containing such topics will not be considered:

  • Politics or political agendas
  • Religion 
  • Sexual or adult content, promotion of sexual lifestyle
  • Forex, stocks, bitcoin, or crypto currency
  • Gambling or betting, online or traditional
  • Promotion of dating apps or dating websites
  • Guns, weapons, or war
  • Tobacco, vaping
  • Money-making activities / promotion of MLM
  • Credit repair / debt settlement / debt management / credit health
  • Nutritional supplements or making medical claims
  • Self-promotion or infomercial style content
  • Job discrimination by race, gender, etc.
  • Negativity about any person, company, government, country, religion, or race Abortion, sexual reproductive health
  • Alcohol, drugs, marijuana, CBD
  • Cosmetic procedures or body modification
  • Loans, cash advances
  • Legal cases / litigation
  • Unlawful or unethical behavior
  • Immigration or immigration reform
  • Funding or defunding the police
  • Science or health information absent peer-reviewed research
  • Inflammatory, divisive, or questionable content

Overview for Video Submission

The second portion of Stage 1 is a video recording of you delivering a 2 1/2 minute segment of the talk you plan to present if you are selected as one of the top 10 finalists for the Voices of Impact Awards™. 

Again, you will have 30 days from the date you were accepted to submit your Stage 1 Questionnaire (check your email notification).

Be sure to choose a segment that delivers the heart of your message or that captures our attention and builds intrigue. Take us on a journey where we are hanging on your every word. Where in that moment, the world melts away and all we see and hear is you and the powerful story you are sharing. 

This is also where you will provide us with a link to the video recording of your talk. You will upload the video to YouTube. Ensure the video is set to “unlisted” or “public” so our judges are able to access and review it. Our team needs access to your video during the entire program. If at any point your video changes to “private” or you delete it, you will be disqualified from the program as our team will have no way to judge your video content. 

Your video submission will be reviewed by our in-house team and/or independent judges. We are looking for your joy, your passion, and the impact of your message. In the Finals, the judges will use a 100-point scale that includes: Impact (30 points), Originality (25 points), Content and Structure (20 points), Presentation Style (15 points), and Universal Message (10 points). For more details, please review our Official Awards Guide HERE.

If you are selected as one of the top 10 finalists, or as an alternate, you will be notified by email and/or via phone to advance to the Finals.

If you do not advance to the Finals, you can still enjoy the other benefits included in the Awards program, such as access to our extensive complimentary training programs.

Video Guidelines

In Stage 1 you must prepare and submit a 2 1/2 minute video with the following elements:

  • Your name and the city and state where you live. (Example: I am Michael Johnson, from Los Angeles, California)
  • Title of your presentation. (Example: “You Are Not Your Story.” Or “The Poverty Solution and Why it’s Important.”)
  • A summary of your talk and 3 key points from your talk. (See the next page for an example of what your summary might look like).

In addition, please ensure:

  • Videos must not exceed 2 minutes and 30 seconds in length. 
  •  Videos are due within 30 days from the date you applied to the Awards program.
  • Videos may not be edited, may not include music, graphics, text, or overlay.
  • Videos must show your entire body, clearly from head to toe. If you have a physical impairment or disability that does not permit you to stand, you may film your video in a manner that is most suitable for you.   
  • Your video should be well lit. You may use a ring light or other appropriate light source so that you can be seen clearly. Avoid placing your light source behind you. For best results, place your light source in front of you or at a 45-degree angle.  
  • Our judges must be able to hear you clearly. It is recommended that you use an external microphone and eliminate all background noises and distractions.  
  • You will post your video to your own YouTube Channel and then you will provide us with a link to your video for our judging and analysis.  
  • On your YouTube channel, ensure the video is set to “unlisted” or “public” so our judges are able to access and review it. Our team needs access to your video during the entire program. If at any point your video changes to “private” or you delete it, you will be disqualified from the program as our team will have no way to judge your video content.
  • Once the videos are reviewed, you will be notified via email if you are selected to move on to the Finals as a Finalist, or as an Alternate. 

SAMPLE: Talk Submission

Here is a good summary with 3 key points. Use this as a guide to write your own story summary to submit in Stage 2. Also, download “How to Write Your Heroic Story,” a complimentary book on how to craft your story.

Just a few weeks before heading off to Parris Island, Marine Corps boot camp, I arrived home from school, went up to my bedroom, and found the plastic bag from the dry cleaners that I kept hidden in my closet. I sat on my bed and wrapped the bag tightly around my head, and then I waited. I was alone in my room, but I heard the voice say, “Don’t do it.” 

I was only 17. I was lost, angry, and felt completely worthless. 

I was known by the name of good-for-nothing. Actually, my full name was “absolutely good-for-nothing.” It’s a name my parents gave me at age 4 or 5. I didn’t understand why, it’s what they called me. And the more I was called by this name…the more good-for-nothing I became. 

The name calling was only part of it. The constant and vicious beatings were the other part. Although the physical abuse was truly painful, nothing compared with the searing pain I felt from the indifference and deprivation of love. 

Knowing that I was in trouble, my girlfriend gave me a book titled: “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. In it, I read 7 words which caused me to change the direction of my life. Those words are: “Change Your Thoughts and Change Your World.” I didn’t know how, or if it was possible to change my thoughts, but I did know that I could change my world. And so, then and there, I made the decision to take my life. 

I took my life away from my parents, my teachers, and from my home. And at the end of 13 weeks of boot camp, I was named the Platoon Honor Graduate, awarded the coveted Dress Blue Uniform and rank of private first class. Because of basic training, I learned that I was good at a lot of things. I transformed from a good-for-nothing boy without a future, to a man that would go on to achieve some amazing things and help a lot of people. 

3 key points from my story are: (1) Much of what we are taught about ourselves is a lie. (2) Each of us has something of value that we can share with others. (3) You are not your story, you are the author of your story, and as the author, you can change who you are at any time that you desire.

Stage 1 - Written & Video

Submission Form

We will use this contact method to inform you if you progress to the Finals as a Finalist or an Alternate. To notify you if you are selected to receive an award such as the Lifetime Impact Award™. And to coordinate the delivery of your prize, if applicable.
You can modify this title before the Finals.
*See further instructions above on this Stage 1 Submission page for details on what to include in your talk. || Ensure your YouTube video viewing permissions are set to "Public" or "Unlisted".
Only check an award category that you qualify for. See the Awards Guide for detailed descriptions. | Lifetime Impact Award™ honors the person based on their overall contributions and impact to society. | Rising Impact Award™ is for the emerging voice that is starting to gain significant momentum and creating impact as they go. | Heidi Service Award™ honors the participant who demonstrates a passion and commitment to serve others through their time, actions, and talents. They are a role model for compassion, and service. | Student Impact Award™ honors a participant who is a college or university student stiving to make a positive impact in the world.