Written Samples

10 award acceptance speech samples.

Crafting the perfect acceptance speech is an art form, a delicate balance of gratitude, humility, and celebration. It’s a moment to acknowledge those who have contributed to your success, reflect on your journey, and inspire others who may follow in your footsteps.

Whether you are a seasoned professional accustomed to the spotlight or a first-time honoree feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, these sample speeches are designed to help you convey your message with eloquence and sincerity.

Award Acceptance Speech Samples

Let these speeches guide you in sharing your story, expressing your gratitude, and celebrating your achievements with an audience who is eager to celebrate with you.

1. The Journey to Excellence

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you, humbled and honored to accept this prestigious award. This moment is not just a personal milestone; it is a culmination of years of hard work, relentless dedication, and an unwavering belief in the pursuit of excellence. I am here because of the countless individuals who have shaped my journey—the mentors who guided me, the colleagues who supported me, and the family who stood by me every step of the way.

This award is a testament to the power of collaboration, passion, and perseverance. It symbolizes not only what one can achieve with determination but also what we can accomplish together as a community. As I accept this honor, I am reminded of the early days of struggle, the setbacks that seemed insurmountable, and the victories that were all the sweeter for their difficulty.

To all aspiring individuals out there, let this be a message of hope and inspiration. Your dreams are valid, your hard work will pay off, and your journey, though unique, is a part of a larger story of human endeavor and resilience. Thank you for this incredible honor, and may we all continue to strive for excellence in all that we do.

2. A Tribute to Teamwork

As I accept this award, I am acutely aware that no achievement is an island. This is not just my success, but a shared victory for everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. To my team, you are the unsung heroes, the backbone of every project, and the spirit behind our success. Your dedication, creativity, and spirit of collaboration have not only made our work outstanding but have also made every challenge a joy to overcome.

To our clients and partners, your trust and support have been invaluable. You have challenged us to push boundaries, innovate, and exceed expectations at every turn. And to my family, your love and unwavering belief in me have been my anchor and my guiding light.

This award is a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal. It is a tribute to teamwork, partnership, and shared dreams. Thank you for walking this path with me, for sharing in the hard work and the celebrations, and for being an integral part of this story.

3. Reflecting on the Path of Persistence

Today, as I stand before you, I am filled with a sense of profound gratitude and reflection. This award is a significant milestone, but it is also a moment to look back on the journey that brought me here. It has been a path marked by persistence, learning, and the constant pursuit of improvement. There have been moments of doubt and failure, but each has been a stepping stone to greater understanding and achievement.

I want to express my deepest thanks to those who have been my mentors and guides. Your wisdom and encouragement have been my compass in times of uncertainty. To my peers in the industry, your work continues to inspire and challenge me to be better. And to my family, your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed; your support is the foundation of everything I am.

This award is not the end, but rather a marker along a continuing journey. It is a reminder to keep striving, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Thank you for this honor, and may we all continue to grow and excel in our endeavors.

4. A Celebration of Vision and Innovation

Receiving this award is a moment of immense pride and joy. It is a recognition of a vision that dared to look beyond the conventional, to innovate and redefine what is possible. I am incredibly grateful to be surrounded by a team of visionaries, thinkers, and creators who share a commitment to excellence and innovation.

Our work is a testament to what can be achieved when you dare to imagine and have the courage to implement those ideas. This award is not just for me; it is for all those who believed in the vision, who contributed their time, talent, and passion to bringing it to life.

I would also like to thank our community and industry for embracing our ideas and allowing us the opportunity to contribute. Your acceptance and recognition are what drive us to keep innovating and striving for better. Thank you for this honor, and here’s to a future of continued innovation and success.

5. Gratitude and Aspiration

This evening, I am filled with gratitude as I accept this award. It is a reflection of not just my work, but the belief, effort, and aspiration of everyone who has been part of this journey. I am deeply thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, the challenges that have made me stronger, and the successes that have been all the more sweet for their difficulty.

To the young individuals looking up to this moment, let this be a symbol of what you can achieve with passion and perseverance. Let it inspire you to set high goals and to keep reaching for them, even when the path is steep and the obstacles many.

My aspiration is that this award not only serves as an acknowledgment of past achievements but also as an inspiration for future endeavors. May we all aspire to create, contribute, and make a difference in whatever field we choose. Thank you for this great honor, and may we all look forward to a future filled with achievement and purpose.

6. Dedication to Craft

Standing here today, I am reminded of the countless hours of dedication, the relentless pursuit of perfection, and the unwavering commitment to our craft. This award is a testament to that dedication and a celebration of the artistic and technical excellence we strive for in our work.

I am immensely grateful to my colleagues, whose talent and commitment are the heartbeat of our success. To our mentors and leaders, thank you for setting the bar high and for guiding us with your wisdom and experience. And to our families and loved ones, your support and sacrifice make all the difference.

This moment is a culmination of many moments, a tapestry woven from our collective passion and dedication. It is an honor to receive this recognition, and I am inspired to continue pushing the limits of our craft. Thank you for this incredible honor, and let us all continue to dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of excellence.

7. A Journey of Growth and Impact

Today is a significant milestone in a journey that has been filled with growth, learning, and impact. Receiving this award is not only a personal honor but also a reflection of the collective effort and commitment of everyone involved in our mission. Our work is driven by a desire to make a difference, to contribute to our field, and to impact the world positively.

I am deeply grateful for the support and collaboration of my colleagues and partners. Your expertise, passion, and dedication have been instrumental in our achievements. To the mentors who have guided me, your wisdom has been invaluable. And to my family, your love and encouragement have been the cornerstone of everything I do.

This award is a reminder of the responsibility we carry to continue growing, innovating, and contributing. It is an encouragement to keep striving for excellence and making an impact in the world. Thank you for this honor, and may we all continue on this path of positive change.

8. Embracing Challenges, Celebrating Success

In accepting this award, I am reminded of the myriad challenges we faced, the obstacles we overcame, and the successes we celebrated. Each step on this journey has been an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to excel. This award is a celebration of that journey, an acknowledgment of the resilience and determination it takes to succeed.

I am immensely grateful to my team, whose hard work and innovation have been the key to our success. Your courage to embrace challenges and your commitment to excellence are what set us apart. To our clients and supporters, your faith in us fuels our ambition and drives us to do better. And to my family, your love and support mean everything.

As we celebrate this success, let us also look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. May we continue to embrace them with the same courage and determination, and may our future endeavors be even more successful and impactful. Thank you for this honor, and here’s to a future of continued success and innovation.

9. Building a Legacy of Excellence

Receiving this award is a profound honor and a moment to reflect on the legacy we are building. It is a recognition of past achievements and a foundation for future ones. Our work is not just about individual success; it is about setting standards, inspiring others, and contributing to a legacy of excellence in our field.

I am deeply thankful to everyone who has been a part of this journey. To my mentors, your guidance has shaped my path. To my colleagues, your talent and dedication make our work outstanding. To our industry, your recognition motivates us to continue setting benchmarks of excellence. And to my family, your love and support are my constant source of strength.

This award is a milestone in our continuing journey of excellence. It is a motivation to keep pushing boundaries, keep innovating, and keep inspiring. Thank you for this honor, and may we all continue to contribute to a legacy of excellence and achievement.

10. A Vision Realized, A Future Inspired

As I accept this award, I am filled with gratitude for the vision that inspired our journey, the hard work that turned it into a reality, and the people who have been part of this remarkable adventure. This recognition is not just for what has been achieved but also for what is yet to come. It is an encouragement to continue pursuing our vision with passion and determination.

To everyone who has supported this journey, your belief in our vision has been the fuel for our success. Your encouragement, advice, and feedback have been invaluable. To the leaders and innovators in our field, your work continues to inspire us. And to my family, your love and support make everything possible.

This award is a reflection of a vision realized and a future inspired. It is a commitment to continue our pursuit of excellence, to keep innovating, and to keep making a difference. Thank you for this tremendous honor, and let’s all look forward to a future of continued success and innovation.

In crafting these speeches, the aim is to provide a template for articulating gratitude, acknowledging the contribution of others, reflecting on the journey, and inspiring future success.

Each speech is an opportunity to connect with the audience, share personal stories, and celebrate the achievements that have led to the moment of recognition. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or preparing for your first acceptance speech, these samples are designed to help you deliver your message with confidence and grace.

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

5 Tips to Give the Perfect Award Acceptance Speech

  • James Haynes
  • September 19, 2022

Table of Contents

Introduction.

Congratulations! You’ve won an award. Maybe you’ve been selected for the prestigious  National Speakers Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame . Maybe you’ve been named volunteer of the year for your local service club. Whatever you’ve won, now you may be wondering: how do I give an award acceptance speech? what kind of a speech am I supposed to give? Where can I find award acceptance speech examples ? How do I make sure my speech is memorable in a good way?

Maybe you’ve never given a speech before, and after toiling for years far from the spotlight, being put on stage is a nerve-wracking prospect for you. One of the best ways to minimize those nerves is to do your homework beforehand so you know exactly where you’re going with your talk, and reading this article is a great start! (For more on managing  nerves when you speak, check out this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast .)

Even if you’re a seasoned speaker, the structure and format of an award acceptance speech may not be what you are used to. To master the shortened format and time limits you may have, you’ll need to structure your speech in a more specialized way. For more on how to do so, read on.

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Determine the goal of your speech

First of all, what is the goal of your acceptance speech? The starting point for most, if not all, acceptance speeches, should be a humble “thank you” for whatever they have received. It may also be appropriate to highlight particular experiences or individuals who helped you to get where you are. But this can be overdone; fake modesty and a long list of thank-yous to people the audience doesn’t know can cause your audience to tune out just as much as a braggy or even vindictive diatribe. How do you strike the balance?

One way to start could be watching others’ acceptance speeches, and ideally not just speeches from the Academy Awards. Award acceptance speech examples can be found on Youtube, Vimeo, and other video-sharing sites. Learn from others but don’t mimic – You’ve probably watched a lot of speakers before haven’t you? You know the things they do that work. It’s easy to want to just duplicate what you saw them do since you know it works. But don’t do that. Learn from why it worked and how you can incorporate a similar (but not copied) methodology into your own talks.

Structuring your speech

Another tip: figure out from the event organizer what the time restrictions are for your talk. You don’t want to plan a 20-minute overture when the event organizers expect you to speak for just a minute or two! This will also set the tone for your talk.

Remember that your speech is supposed to be  shorter  than your typical speech. You shouldn’t have that much to write out. Once you’ve determined a few people you’d like to thank, maybe a story you’d like to tell, and determined the overall goal or vibe of your talk, you should start structuring your speech.

Perhaps you could begin by breaking down your speech into a few sections. For example, you could structure the speech as follows: Introduction, thanking a few specific people, telling a story or an anecdote, and conclusion. This should all take no more than 3-5 minutes. And it will  fly by .

Consider telling stories

Want to tell a story in your acceptance speech? It’s a good idea. Humans relate to stories. We connect to stories. Funny stories. Sad stories. Inspirational stories. We love stories. So tell them. Lots of them. Stories will keep your audience engaged and are also easier for you to memorize.

There’s nothing wrong with telling a 3rd person story or using some case study or example. But especially for an award you’re receiving, telling a story that you lived and experienced generally makes the story better for you and the audience. For the audience, they can oftentimes find themselves in your story. For you as the speaker, it’s much easier (and more powerful) to tell a story that you lived versus one you read in a book.

What kind of story to tell

In an award acceptance speech, any such story should be short and sweet. One way to keep an eye on the length is to try timing yourself telling the story out loud. As Harriet Turk discusses in our  podcast on creating your talk , “If you practice out loud, you learn a whole lot more about what the story hits on and what parts need to be told.” Turk goes on to say that sometimes we find that we try to tell a story the way we wrote it, but authoring a story is much different than presenting a story. A story that reads well in a book may not work as well on stage.

Some examples of stories or anecdotes that you could do well to include would be about a setback you overcame in your role, or how someone helped you in a particularly meaningful way. If that person who helped you is one of those you want to thank, it would serve as an incredibly powerful testament to their character to include such a story. Of course, if something about that story is sensitive, it would be prudent to notify them in advance that you plan to tell that story. Even if not, it could be polite to give them a heads-up, particularly if they will be in the audience for your acceptance speech.

Using humor: advantages and pitfalls

You might wonder whether or not humor is appropriate in an award acceptance speech. Generally, humor is not a bad thing to include if you want to liven up your talk. However, keep in mind that you are being spotlighted as an individual accomplishing something in an award acceptance speech, and harsh joking about other people, in particular, may reflect poorly on your deserving the award. Negative jokes about the organizer, your collaborators, or others in the audience are no-nos.

On that point, as we cover in our 100 speaking tips article,  you don’t need to be crude or inappropriate just for a laugh. It’s not worth it. If you deliver a killer keynote and are flawless throughout, but you make one inappropriate remark, nobody will remember anything else you said. There’s nothing wrong with using humor or making a strong point on something, but don’t do it at the expense of crossing the line and turning people off.

On the other hand, a dash of humor, such as light self-deprecation, can be perfectly good at keeping your speech from sounding sanctimonious or stuffy. When you tell a joke or deliver a punchline, give the audience time to laugh. Sometimes speakers like to rush to the next point, but don’t do that. You need to give the audience a chance to respond to what you just said (in this case to laugh), but also if you rush on to the next thought while the room is still laughing, nobody will hear what you’re saying.

Practice makes perfect

You’re not going to have a Powerpoint. You’re probably not going to have any visual aids. So how are you going to stay focused and find cues for your award acceptance speech?

Consider writing your speech out and timing yourself to ensure you don’t go way over any time allotments you might have. And if you don’t have time limits, consider your audience – they will almost certainly tune out after 15+ minutes of seemingly-endless acknowledgments…

Remember: Professional speakers don’t just make stuff up. They don’t write a few thoughts on a notecard and then shoot from the hip for an entire presentation. They take the time to write and carefully craft their material.

As Harriet Turk discusses in our  podcast on creating your talk , bullet points can be one way to succinctly outline a talk in a way that you can rely on, even when you’re on stage and nervous. “Bullets are easy because they trigger what it is that you’re really wanting to do,” she said, “Whereas if you write it out and then you memorize it, you could have stage fright, or you’ve practiced it so much that you get to a point that you’re nervous and you forget.”

Although you shouldn’t just be reading from a page the whole time, writing out specific names of people you want to thank can help keep you from forgetting anybody.

When you’re on stage

So you’ve written, practiced, and are headed to your acceptance speech venue to give your killer talk. What should you remember when you’re standing on the stage?

As we outline in our 100 speaking tips piece,  remember that on stage, you can be an amplified version of yourself. The bigger the venue, the bigger you need to be on stage. The way you would communicate to a group of 10 people is very different than how you would need to communicate to a room of 10,000. Both should be an authentic version of you, but simply amplified to the setting. The bottom line is don’t try to be something you’re not on stage. Be you.

Keep it slow and steady. When you are talking really fast, it becomes difficult for the audience to follow. It’s hard to keep up and process. Plus the faster you talk, the harder it is to understand what you’re saying. So slow down and enunciate. Give the audience the chance to keep up with where you’re going.

Don’t be afraid of the silence. Silence, to a speaker, can feel deafening but it can be powerful. Silence shows confidence that you’re in control of the talk and the room and you’re continuing to guide them towards a common purpose. When you make a strong point, don’t rush to the next line. Stop and let it hang there. The silence is your friend.

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All in all, giving an award acceptance speech is a great opportunity to practice your speaking skills while simultaneously a big honor! Whether you’re an experienced speaker or haven’t given one for years, these tips and processes can help you conceive of, outline, and deliver an awesome acceptance speech.

If you found this piece helpful, we have a  great podcast with Grant Baldwin on how to create your talk.  He tells us how he prepares for talks, what makes a talk good versus another talk, and what types of structures you can use to organize your content. You can listen to this  podcast on creating a talk here . Want to read more about speaking tips? Take a look at our  100 tips for motivational speaking for any speaking engagement ! Happy speaking!

  • Last Updated: May 7, 2024

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  • Speech Crafting →

How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech to Thank, Inspire and Impress

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

Let’s say you got nominated for an award and now you have to give an acceptance speech. It’s pretty important to give a good speech, no matter what you’re being awarded for. Looking good doesn’t hurt either!

So, how do you give a good acceptance speech for your award? First off, you should ask yourself what message you would like to convey to your audience.

Generally, an acceptance speech provides the speaker with an opportunity to not only thank the individuals who helped you win the award but also highlight ideas and issues that you care about and even inspire people to do something even bigger.

Which is why it’s important that you don’t mess up.

Writing a good speech, any kind of speech, requires a lot of time and preparation, in order to ensure that you are well prepared and have included any important details that you would prefer to not leave out.

Here are a few practical tips on how you can draw up your award acceptance speech.

What is an Award Acceptance Speech? 

This is a type of speech given by an individual who’s receiving a prize, honor or an award. It is an unwritten tradition to share gratitude to individuals who you’d like or acknowledge or thank by giving a few words.

Your audience may be made up of your family and friends but also individuals in your industry who you respect and admire, so when giving an acceptance speech, ensure you make the best of it. 

award-speech

As compared to other speeches, an acceptance speech does not include a beginning , body or conclusion and doesn’t need a PowerPoint display. In addition to this, acceptance speeches aren’t allotted a lot of time as you would with a keynote speech, so you will have to make it short.

Acceptance speeches also provide you, the speaker who’s accepting the award, an opportunity to either make a great impression , no impression or a terrible one. So, you have to be careful with how you write up and give your speech.

What are the m ain Goals of an Acceptance Speech?

Your goals with regard to this speech should be to;

  • Thank the individuals who helped you in whatever you did or in your career
  • Center on one idea that you want to leave your audience with, whether it’s motivating them to work hard or inspiring them to follow their dreams
  • Make a great impression

Since you’ll only have a few minutes to give your speech, focusing on one point or one of the most important lessons you’ve learnt in life is a good way to go.

Additionally, your speech should give your audience a favorable impression about you while also letting them know that you’ve thought about what you’ve said and that you’re respectful.

How to Write a Great Acceptance Speech

Most individuals who win an award start by thanking the individuals who helped them when they accept it.

There are many different ways of thanking people, so which one is applied in this context?   Being as specific as possible when thanking individuals is the best way to go.

Therefore, you should start by:

Be Specific

Thank people by telling them exactly what they did that assisted you

You should do this in a way that is meaningful. Saying “Thank you for your support” doesn’t really mean anything.

thanking

So instead, you should look at the individuals you mention and while addressing them by their names, thank them while telling them what exactly you are thanking them for.

For instance, you can say, “Lisa, you encouraged me after being rejected by 7 different publishing houses, you were there for me.”

This will make your speech much more interesting to your audience while also appearing sincere.

Pro-Tip: Make eye contact when thanking every individual while mentioning their name, as it will not only convey respect but also sincerity.  

Tell a story

Great award acceptance speeches usually tell stories. While the time allotted to give your speech may be short, 30 seconds is enough time to give a short story.

You can either;

  • Recount an actual conversation you had with someone; be it a family member colleague or friend, about a challenge you had, how you conquered it and its relevance to the award you’re accepting.
  • Talk about an encounter that happened

Keep in mind though that if you’ll be telling a story , ensure that its relevant to the award, it’s brief and that you tell it in a way that captivates your audience.

Now that we’ve discussed how to prepare for and write your acceptance speech, we can now look into how you will deliver that speech.

How to Prepare for an Award Acceptance Speech?

Nothing is worse than having no speech prepared when you win a major award; fumbling on stage in front of an audience is not a good thing for anyone.

It also shows the individuals who nominated you that you do not respect them, so take some time and prepare.

First and foremost,

Make your speech memorable

Many of the speeches given at award shows are short, so if it isn’t memorable, it can easily be forgotten.

Good thing is you have a lot of resources at your disposal, the biggest being the internet. Thank heavens for technology! Everyone, including yourself, wants to give a great speech . Looking up great acceptance speeches on YouTube will provide you with amazing examples of great speeches.

award-acceptance-speech

Most of these examples are short, as acceptance speeches should be. Besides this, they also seen genuine, contain an emotional moment and are funny.

You may not have a funny bone in your body, which is okay as being funny will entirely be dependent on what you’ll be talking about in your speech. So, no pressure.

Rehearse your speech

It may sound ridiculous to practice your acceptance speech, especially considering that it’s brief. However, this is a great way to modify your speech to your liking.

You can do this by recording yourself giving your speech using your camera or phone.

Looking through the recording will help you pick out what you don’t like and what you like about it. This allows you to repeat your speech as many times as you want while implementing the changes you’d like until you feel happy and comfortable with its final form.

Once you are satisfied with your final take, know you already have it in the bag; you’re going to give a great speech!

Pro-Tip: Practicing helps get rid of the jitters and helps you feel more confident in both yourself and your speech.

How To Deliver Your Acceptance Speech

When delivering your acceptance speech, ensure that it’s at least entertaining . It doesn’t have to make the audience laugh so much that their ribs hurt. However, it also shouldn’t be so boring that people doze off or make conversation while you address them.

So, first off,

Don’t Be Boring

If your speech doesn’t have a few jokes in it or isn’t funny, at least try to include some emotion or a dramatic moment. Boring speeches make people want to gorge their eyes out and seal their ears, so they don’t have to look at you and hear you drone on. Don’t subject your audience to unnecessary torture.

bored-audience

Be entertaining. At the very least, say something entertaining, interesting or amusing, even if you’ll be making fun of yourself.

If you are going to show emotion, don’t go overboard

Blubbering through your speech isn’t interesting, so try to keep it together. This is where practicing your speech comes in, it helps you show just the right amount of emotion while still conveying your message to the audience.

Pro-Tip: A little emotion goes a long way, so don’t overdo it.

Using what we have so far discussed, you should be able to not only write a great speech but also present your speech to your audience in a memorable way.

Now, let’s look at a few things to avoid when giving your acceptance speech.

What to avoid in an Award Acceptance Speech

  • Do not tell your audience you don’t have a lot of time

This only uses up more time. Instead, use the time you’ve been given to the maximum advantage.

  • Do  not tell your audience that you’re nervous

Even though you might be nervous , other people may not recognize that you are. So, there’s no need to waste valuable time.

By the way, deliberately pausing or speaking slowly helps you overcome any jitters you may have. Thank me later once you try this trick of the trade.

  • Do  not thank too many people

Given that you’ll only have a few minutes to give your speech (at most), try to thank no more than five individuals.

You can send the people you didn’t thank on stage personal notes; that’s why such notes exist.

  • Do  not read your speech from a piece of paper

Not only is this devoid of sincerity, emotion and personality but it also looks scripted . Again, practicing helps you capture your main points in mind.

In conclusion, it all comes down to being genuine when thanking individuals, entertaining and leaving your audience with a good life lesson or something that inspires them. Show your audience that you, indeed, were worthy of getting that award!

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

Acceptance Speech Thanks Those Who Made Excellence Possible

Anne Hathaway Oscar Acceptance Speech for Les Miserables

When achievements are acknowledged with an award or accolade, the recipients should respond with a gracious acceptance speech. A well-delivered acceptance speech conveys thanks, identifies people instrumental in the speaker’s success, and inspires others to strive toward their goals. 

Whether it’s Meryl Streep and one of her many Academy Awards or John F. Kennedy and his nomination for president,  knowing how to deliver the right acceptance speech is an essential skill.

Table of Contents

What Is An Acceptance Speech

An acceptance speech is an address given by an individual recognized for their achievements or contributions in a particular field.  It serves as a way for the recipient to express gratitude and appreciation for their recognition.

Examples of these speeches can be seen at  Hollywood awards shows , such as the Academy Awards (otherwise known as the Oscars) or Golden Globes. In these ceremonies, achievements like Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, or Motion Picture of the Year are examples of awards given.

But acceptance speeches are given in many fields for many types of achievement s. Academic achievements, sports, career advancements, and even political events like the Republican or Democratic conventions, when presidential nominees are named, require people to give acceptance speeches.

Anytime a formal recognition of success is announced, an acceptance speech should be given.  The purpose of an acceptance speech is to acknowledge those who have helped you achieve your success, whether it be family members, colleagues, mentors, or fans. It also allows you to share any insights or advice you gleaned with others.

An effective acceptance speech should be  concise and heartfelt, conveying humility, confidence, and gratitude . The speaker should  avoid being overly boastful or self-centered and instead focus on expressing gratitude and acknowledging the contributions of others.

Nominees at these events come prepared with an award acceptance speech that allows them to thank those involved with their success and the organization honoring them.

Awards are given as early as kindergarten, though responding with acceptance speeches might not start till high school.

Teen giving acceptance speech after award

How Do You Write A Speech About Accepting An Award?

When it comes to writing a speech about accepting an award, there are a few key elements that you should keep in mind. You will have limited time, so being prepared and precise is essential.

  • Create an outline.  A well-organized speech will have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
  • Introduction.  The introduction should express your gratitude for the honor you’ve received. You do so by thanking the organization or individual presenting the award and any colleagues or supporters who have helped you along the way.
  • Body.  In the body, you’ll want to reflect on what the award means to you personally and professionally. Consider how it aligns with your values and goals and how it will impact your future endeavors.
  •   Conclusion.  During the conclusion, you’ll share some words of inspiration with your audience. Whether encouraging others to pursue their passions or reminding them of the importance of hard work and dedication, your speech should leave a lasting impression on those who hear it.

What Is The First Step In An Acceptance Speech?

The first step in an acceptance speech is to  express gratitude . Whether it is an award, a promotion, or any other form of recognition, expressing gratitude is essential.

It’s crucial to  thank the organization or individual who bestowed the honor on you and acknowledge the efforts of those who helped you achieve it.

Thanking family, friends, and colleagues for the support and encouragement they provided is also crucial. No one achieves success alone, and recognizing everyone (or as many as possible in the given time) who has played a role in your achievement demonstrates your understanding.

Additionally, if time permits, this is an excellent time to  share your perseverance and hard work story . Your circumstances can inspire and encourage others to pursue their dreams and never give up on themselves.

Business award recipient ready to give acceptance speech

What Should An Acceptance Speech Include?

A well-written acceptance speech should have a  clear introduction  that captures the audience’s attention, a  body that conveys the message effectively , and a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

An acceptance speech can be tricky, so preparing ahead of the event ensures you can deliver the right message quickly, even if you don’t expect an award. For someone feeling humbled and brimming with emotion, the inclination can be to talk extensively about the journey and stumble over the right people to thank.

A good acceptance speech must be both thorough and concise. This can be a tricky balance to strike.

When preparing your acceptance speech, be sure to include the following:

  • A sincere expression of gratitude towards the organization or individuals who have bestowed the award.
  • Recognition of family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and anyone else who has played a significant role in their success.
  • An inspiring message that motivates others to pursue their dreams  and work hard to make them a reality.
  • Personal experiences  highlight the importance of perseverance, dedication, and never giving up.

It’s also vital to end positively by expressing hope for the future and thanking everyone again for this recognition. A well-crafted acceptance speech can leave a lasting impression on its audience and inspire others to strive towards excellence.

What Is The Most Important Part Of An Acceptance Speech?

The most important part of an acceptance speech is undoubtedly its message of gratitude.

The proper expression of appreciation and thanks to those who supported and participated in your success creates a  personal connection with the audience.  Appearing entitled or ignoring the contributions of others will be off-putting to the audience and those who are bestowing the award.

Family, friends, and colleagues involved in another’s success may feel slighted if they are not mentioned in an acceptance speech. Nominees should come with cue cards to refer to if they win and need to give the speech!

How Do You Write A 5-Minute Acceptance Speech?

Writing a 5-minute acceptance speech can be daunting, especially if you are not used to public speaking or if it’s your first time.

Five minutes is incredibly long, yet not nearly enough time when you find yourself needing to prepare an acceptance speech.

However, with careful planning and preparation, you can create an impactful speech that will leave a lasting impression and be appreciated by your audience.

The steps below can be used as a guide when crafting your acceptance speech:

  • Brainstorm . Write down everyone you think you need to thank. This may be a long list, including family members, friends, colleagues, or mentors. Acknowledging the organization or institution giving you the award is also important.
  • Create a priority order of thanks.  You have limited time, so arrange your list in priority order with those essential to thank those that you can thank personally later if time doesn’t permit.
  • Determine the key message that you want to convey in your speech.  You might include an inspiring story about overcoming challenges or achieving success in your field. Alternatively, it could be a call to action for others to follow in your footsteps and positively impact their own lives.
  • Create a strong closing statement.  The best closing statement leaves a lasting impression on your audience. You could use a quote or personal anecdote that summarizes your message and inspires others to take action.
  • Edit.  With all of these elements created, put them together and edit.
  • Practice.  You have 5 minutes, so you’ll need to practice. Knowing what you’d like to say and speaking eloquently will give you the most opportunity to include all the elements you’d like to in your speech.

Writing a 5-minute acceptance speech requires careful planning and preparation . By thanking those who have helped you along the way, conveying an inspiring message, and ending with a strong closing statement, you can create an impactful speech that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Kailash Satyarthi (R) and Malala Yousafzai  accept Noble laureate awards

What Is An Example Of A Short Speech About Accepting An Award?

Accepting an award is a moment of great pride and honor for any individual. It is an opportunity to express gratitude and appreciation toward those who have supported and encouraged us throughout our journey. A short speech about accepting an award should be concise, heartfelt, and gracious.

An excellent example of a short acceptance speech is the one given by Denzel Washington in 1990 when he won the first Oscar of his career for best male actor in a supporting role. His Oscar speech went as follows:

I want to thank the Academy. I’m gonna thank Ed Zwick, and Freddie Fields, who did a fantastic job, who made what I consider to be at least one of the best five films of the Year. I’d like to thank my friend and manager, Flo Allen. Fabulous Ed Limato. And Todd Smith and George Freeman. And God bless you, my mother. I love you. My beautiful wife Pauletta, the kids. My son said he was gonna make one of these out of clay for me; now I got the model for him. I want to thank my first agent, the late Ruth Aronson, who believed in me. I’d also like to pay homage to the 54th, the black soldiers who helped to make this country free. I thank God. I thank you.

Lorin Harrott

After years as a professional speaker and corporate trainer,Lorin Harrott has turned her attention to sharing her knowledge through writing. She's currently a writer, photographer, and mom in Sacramento, CA, with occasional speaking engagements related to education and STEM topics in the public school system.

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How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech?

How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech?

  • Filed under: Featured articles , Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speech preparation

You’ve been nominated for an award and now you have to give an acceptance speech. It might be an Academy Award where the whole world is watching or it might be an award for the best coach in your little league. Regardless, it’s still important and you would like to look good while giving this speech.

So, how to give an award acceptance speech? It is an opportunity to put a spotlight on ideas you care about, to thank the people who helped you win the award and to give your audience at least one take away.

Therefore, don’t blow it. Don’t wait until the last minute with the preparation and don’t make excuses.

And if you don’t win… well, maybe you will use the acceptance speech next year or next time. So, today I am going to give you practical tips on how you can prepare for your award acceptance speech.

But there’s a lot more to public speaking you should know so I wrote an article about best public speaking books to read. Check out these books here .

Table of Contents

What is an acceptance speech?

An award acceptance speech is a speech given by a person who is receiving an award, honor or prize. When you win something, then it is a tradition to say a few words and share some gratitude toward those you would like to thank or acknowledge.

In the audience are your friends, family and perhaps people in your industry who you respect, so make the best of it.

Let’s start off by focusing on your goals for this speech because, after all, an award acceptance speech is still the same as any other speech. Now, it might be a short one. It might only be 60 seconds long before that music comes in and you’re asked to get off stage…but it’s still a speech.

How is award acceptance different from other speech types?

Well, it is different in a lot of ways. For example: you’re not going to have a PowerPoint display. You’re not going to have a beginning, middle and end, and you’re not going to share funny stories.

Also, you’re not going to walk around the stage and talk for 50 minutes like you would in a keynote speech.

Acceptance speech gives you an opportunity to make:

  • A great impression
  • An awful impression
  • No impression.

Main goals of the acceptance speech

Your goals are not to just get through this. Also, your goal is not to thank your tax attorney and 29 other service providers.

Therefore, your goal should be to:

  • Make a great impression
  • Thank the people who were relevant in helping you in your career or whatever it is you did
  • Try to focus on just one idea that you want to leave people with, whether it is inspiring people to follow their dreams or maybe motivating people to work hard, etc.

This is not an opportunity to communicate five points or more. Instead, it is an opportunity to focus on one of life’s lessons or on one really important idea.

Give people a favorable impression of you and let them know that you’re respectful and that you’ve thought about this and planned.

Recommended books

How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations

Jeremy Donovan

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Nancy Duarte

Confessions of a Public Speaker

Scott Berkun

Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds

Carmine Gallo

The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

Atul Gawande

The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

Josh Kaufman

Throughout your short award speech, let them know that you’ve got a particular idea you want to communicate and that you thank the people who helped you get to the point where you’re getting this award.

How to prepare for an acceptance speech?

There’s nothing worse than someone winning a major award (whether it is an Emmy Award or just a local club member of the year award) and sort of getting up and fumbling around, “Oh, God – I never thought I would win. So, I didn’t prepare anything…”

Show the people who took the trouble of nominating you a little respect. Do them justice and prepare. It doesn’t really take that long.

Learn from the best

Let’s face it – most acceptance speeches are not memorable. They’re instantly forgotten and they’re perfunctory.

That shouldn’t be your role model. Your role model should be great speeches. Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to go to YouTube and type in “great acceptance speeches” or “great Academy Award acceptance speeches.”

You’ll find tremendous speeches. Most of them are brief because they are acceptance speeches on TV. They’re usually always funny. They have an emotional moment and they seem genuine.

Now, you might be receiving a speech for the best accountant in your county and therefore you might not feel the need or the ability to be wildly funny, but you can still learn from the masters.

Practice your speech

I know, now you want to say, “What? It is ridiculous to practice an acceptance speech!” But actually, it is not. The best way to practice your speech is by recording yourself.

Therefore, grab a phone or camera and record yourself. Next, take a look at the recording and write down everything you liked about it and everything you didn’t like about it.

After, repeat this process as many times as needed until you’re feeling comfortable and happy. If you do that, I guarantee you’re going to deliver a great speech.

Also, don’t be afraid of jinxing yourself. Prepare to accept the award and prepare to give the speech.

How to write an acceptance speech?

The first thing most people do when they win an award is to thank the people who helped them. Of course, you should thank people but remember that there is a particular way of thanking people.

Thank people in a meaningful way

Thank people in as specific a way as possible and tell them exactly what they did that helped you. Don’t just say, “Thank you for your support.” Support is too generic. It’s abstract and doesn’t really mean anything.

What you should do is:

  • Look at the people you mention
  • Address them by name
  • Thank them and tell them what you’re thanking them for. For example: “John, you were there for me when no one else was and when I couldn’t raise a penny to get this idea going. You wrote the first check.”

If you do that then it’s going to be so much more interesting to everyone. It will be meaningful and it will come across as sincere. That’s much more effective than just rattling off a long list of names.

Tell people exactly what you’re thanking them for. Look them in the eye if they’re around. Give specific examples; this way, your thanks has real meaning.

Make a point, tell a story

The best award acceptance speeches always tell a story. Now you may ask, “Well…how is there time for a story?” But I assure you that you can tell a story in 30 seconds.

  • Talk about something that happened
  • Recount a real conversation (with a friend, a colleague or a family member) about a challenge, how you overcame it and how it’s relevant to the award.

Main rules for the story you’re going to tell:

  • Make it brief
  • Make sure it’s relevant
  • Tell it in a compelling way

If you do that, you have a good story for your acceptance speech.

How to give an acceptance speech?

When you’re giving an acceptance speech, especially if it’s for anything in the creative field, keep in mind that you’re an entertainer. Therefore, something in your speech should be entertaining.

Don’t be dull – be entertaining

Now, ideally your speech should be funny but if it’s not, at least have a dramatic moment or something with a little emotion . It’s always disappointing when people who are known as world-class entertainers seem, during their acceptance speech, about as entertaining as if an accountant were reading the phonebook to you.

Remember who you are and what your strengths are. Use those strengths to entertain. You’re not going to give a humorous speech for an hour, but you do have a minute where you can say at least something amusing, interesting or entertaining.

So, plan on having something entertaining even if you’re just making fun of yourself.

Show some emotion but don’t overdo it

A little emotion goes a long way. If you’ve had a tough life and now you win some important award it’s understandable to have some emotion…but you need the right amount.

It is not very interesting if you’re out there blubbering. So, keep it together. This is one of the beauties of having rehearsed your acceptance speech – you can show the right amount of emotion and the words can still come out rather easily because you thought of it, you planned it and you rehearsed it.

But if you just take the attitude of, “Oh, I don’t want to jinx myself. I’m not going to plan anything to say – I’ll just get up there,” and then the actual emotion of the moment may overwhelm you and you just can’t say anything. Instead you kind of look like an idiot – especially if it’s on TV for the whole world to see.

So, you want emotion but not so much that you’re just blubbering.

What to avoid while giving an acceptance speech?

Here are a few things that you really need to avoid when giving an acceptance speech.

#1 Don’t read your speech

One thing I would suggest you do is to avoid reading your speech from a piece of paper. It’s just awful – it’s devoid of personality, emotion, and sincerity. So don’t read.

It’s OK to have some notes, but you certainly should not have a word for word scripted out.

#2 Don’t thank more than five people

Also, I really don’t think you should thank more than five people. If you have more people than that to thank then send them a personal note.

Don’t give a long laundry list of names and don’t read because those are the two biggest blunders that people make in the major awards shows when they are receiving awards.

#3 Don’t tell people you’re nervous

You may not know this but no one even recognizes that you’re nervous. You can tell your family and friends later that you were nervous but don’t waste valuable time.

#4 Don’t tell people that you don’t have much time

Speaking of time – don’t waste your time by telling people that you don’t have much time. “Oh my gosh, I don’t have much time. I don’t know where to start because…”

Don’t ever comment on the time. Simply use your time to maximum advantage. Use every second. Say something interesting to the audience and don’t waste time talking about the fact that you don’t have much time because now you have even less time.

So, if you avoid these pitfalls, it gives you more time to focus on saying something interesting. Perhaps something lighthearted or thanking people in a sincere way.

Final thoughts: What to say in an acceptance speech?

If I got to vote for you, I would. I’m pulling for you. I hope you win this award so you can show off your public speaking skills and give a great award acceptance speech.

It really all comes down to:

  • Be genuine in your thanks. Don’t just list names.
  • Have one interesting or entertaining thing to say.
  • Share one little story
  • Focus on your audience and don’t talk about how you’re nervous or scared.

Finally, the most important tip of all: practice your short speech in advance on video as many times as it takes so that you see in advance the speech you want to give. And then once you win, you can simply deliver the speech that you’ve already practiced. Do that and you will be in absolutely great shape.

Related questions

How long is an acceptance speech? It depends on the event but usually, it is between 45 and 60 seconds.

How do you outline a speech? Have your speech ready with nice gigantic text so you don’t have to memorize anything. Ideally, it fits on a single sheet of paper. That way you can simply glance down, scoop up a few words and keep going. This keeps you on track. (Full article here)

Useful reading

  • How to deliver a ceremonial speech? A Full Guide
  • How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation Without it Being Awkward?

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I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

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Janek Tuttar

Hi! My name is Janek Tuttar, and I am the founder and author of SpeakAndConquer.com.

I have been teaching and blogging about public speaking since spring 2007. Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

Send me an e-mail: [email protected]

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Module 11: Speaking to Entertain and for Special Occasions

Award and acceptance speeches, learning objectives.

Define the characteristics of award speech.

Identify characteristics of an acceptance speech.

Presenting an Award

In an award speech, a speaker or emcee introduces an award and the winner. The introduction is meant to build excitement, and often the winner is not known until just before the award is to be presented.

Introduce yourself and thank the group or organization asking you to speak. Then name the award and explain briefly about the award you are presenting. Be sure to include the scope of the award, be it local, regional, national, or international.

Next explain what the winner accomplished to win this award. Did they write a paper or did they lead for a cause? Did they grow the largest pumpkin, finish first in a marathon, or bring community groups together to fight for justice? Your job is to present the facts and summarize the story behind their story.

Lastly, if there are other people in attendance who were competing with the winner, make sure to acknowledge them in the time you were allotted. Be sure to finish with the actual award presentation to the person or team, raising your voice and starting the applause after inviting them to receive their award.

Accepting an Award

An acceptance speech often follows an award speech and is given by the winner of the award.

An acceptance speech, like any other speech, should be prepared in advance. Thanking the givers of your award is your first order of business. State how much and why you are grateful for this honor, and if possible, name the people in the organization individually.

Then thank and give credit to those who helped you achieve the award including family, friends, mentors, and others who supported you in this endeavor. Include their names, their roles, and how their combined efforts made it possible for you to receive this honor. If you can’t name all the individuals, name the groups as time will allow.

Briefly share what the honor of the award means to you, and be generous with your praise and your gratitude toward your colleagues and the organizations involved. Smile and carefully look for directions on leaving the stage.

To Watch: Berta Cáceres, Goldman Prize acceptance speech

Environmental and indigenous-rights activist Berta Cáceres, co-founder of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), won the Goldman Prize for grassroots environmental activism is 2015 after organizing the Lenca people of Honduras to force the world’s largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam project on the Río Gualcarque. Tragically, Cáceres was assassinated the following year.

You can view the transcript for “Berta Caceres acceptance speech, 2015 Goldman Prize ceremony” here (opens in new window) .

What to watch for:

In the case of winning an award for a social cause (in this case, environmental activism), it is common to focus on the severity of the problem at hand—that is, to shift the focus from yourself to the problem you are fighting against. Note how Cáceres begins by framing the cause within the belief system and worldview of the Lenca people. She then explains the mission of the organization she helped to found. Next she turns to her call to action: “¡Despertemos¡ ¡Despertemos Humanidad¡ Ya no hay tiempo.” (Let us wake up! Let us wake up, humanity! We’re out of time.) The ending of her speech reminds us that gratitude and humility are the most important elements of an acceptance speech. If thanks aren’t in line with the gravity of the topic, a dedication can serve a similar purpose: “Dedico este premio a todas las rebeldías, a mi madre, al Pueblo Lenca, a Río Blanco y a las y los mártires por la defensa de los bienes naturales.” (I dedicate this award to all the rebels, to my mother, to the Lenca People, to the Río Blanco, and to all the martyrs who gave their lives in the struggle to defend our natural resources.)

  • Berta Caceres acceptance speech, 2015 Goldman Prize ceremony. Provided by : Goldman Environmental Prize. Located at : https://youtu.be/AR1kwx8b0ms . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
  • Award and Acceptance Speeches. Authored by : Patricia Atkinson with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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How to Give an Award Presentation Speech (Example Included!)

Professional delivering award speech

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Congratulations! Chances are that if you're reading this article, you have been named an award recipient for an accomplishment or are involved with bestowing an award to others. Either way, in the work context, you should aim for a professional yet enjoyable speech.

People often focus on whatever the person getting the award is going to say about it. Less mentioned is the speech given beforehand by the award presenter. However, this is also a very important and prestigious job. 

After all, the presenter is tasked with setting the mood of the event, giving context to the honor being awarded and introducing them in an engaging way. Writing and delivering a killer presentation speech takes time, thought, and preparation. It's no small feat!

Feeling nervous about it? Here's how to write and deliver a speech presenting an award—or receiving one.

How to write an award presentation speech

When writing your speech, try to strike a balance between covering the necessary information—like the details of the award and the accomplishments of the person being honored—and keeping your audience interested. 

Break down the components of the speech in an outline at first to make sure you hit everything you want to say. 

1. Begin with a captivating opener

This is an opportunity to put some personal flair into your speech. Know your audience. Start with a joke or a funny anecdote, if it's appropriate. If not, you might start with a personal memory or connection to the person being awarded. The opening of a presentation award speech is your moment to set the tone and grab the audience's attention.

2. Give some background

Give some context to the award you're presenting. How much or how little is up to you, your organization and the setting, but it's important to ground the speech in why the event is happening. Did someone specific fund this award? When and for what reason? What does it represent? What kind of qualities does it recognize in the person who receives it? 

If you have a personal connection to the award or the person receiving it, you may mention it here. Are you a past winner of this same award? Is the person receiving it one of your employees or close friends? You can use this as an opportunity to transition into introducing the person and their work. 

4. Talk about the awardee's work

Next, introduce the work or qualifications of the person being awarded. Talk about the work that stood out to the organization or committee presenting this honor to them. How does their work relate or contribute to the wider cause? 

You could mention other awards they have won in the past or a memory or anecdote about the person being honored if you have a personal connection with them. You may also have a bio of theirs to read, if they specified how they wanted to be introduced. 

Either way, put a good portion of your time and thought into this part of your speech. Your job is to present this award to this specific person, so put intention and energy into representing them and their accomplishments well. Though they may have a long and prestigious resume , try to keep it relatively short. Hit the highlights and the most relevant information to the occasion.

5. Keep it on the short side

You have a good bit of information to cover in order to give a heartfelt, personalized speech, but try your best to keep it fairly brief. You don't want to overshadow the person getting the award by taking too much time away from their acceptance speech or lose your audience halfway through. 

Practice your speech, and time yourself when you do. This will ensure you're keeping things concise and including everything you wanted to say. Decide whether you're going to memorize your speech or if you're going to have notecards or a written copy. Practice however you're going to deliver it to make sure you've got it down.

Presenting an award: Speech template

Now let's put all these tips into practice. To start, here's a template of an award presentation speech that is pretty standard and can be used in many different types of recognizations.

[Good morning/evening/night] folks, 

It is with great pleasure that I join you here today to present the [title of award] on behalf of [your company]. This is the [number] year this award has been presented, and it remains one of the highest honors in this field, recognizing the person in our community whose work has had a truly outstanding [type of outcome or impact the award winner's work caused]. 

As a committee member, I can tell you that the nominees this year were some of the most [qualities of the nominees] people I've had the pleasure of knowing. However, one person stood out for their remarkable career in this field. 

They have made an inestimable contribution to our community over their [time the award winner works for the company] of work in our [your work field], working to [their goals, passion/goals or what they work for]. They have gone on to become an example in [what this person does in their field + achievements].

I have had the absolute honor of working closely with this person throughout their career, and I cannot be happier to see them honored here tonight. Without further ado, the [title of award] goes to [name of the winner]. Please join me in welcoming them to the stage. 

Presenting an award: Speech example

Want to see the template come to life? This example of an award presentation speech shows you how to fill in the blanks and serves as a guide for writing your own.

Good evening folks, 

It is with great pleasure that I join you here today to present the Outstanding Achievement Award for Social Service on behalf of The Zyx Company. This is the 25th year this award has been presented, and it remains one of the highest honors in this field, recognizing the person in our community whose work has had a truly outstanding impact in the lives of many. 

As a committee member, I can tell you that the nominees this year were some of the most incredible, hardworking and compassionate people I've had the pleasure of knowing. However, one person stood out for their remarkable career in this field. 

They have made an inestimable contribution to our community over their 20 years of work in our public school systems, working to improve the lives of our students and future leaders. They have gone on to become an example in social work and innovation in combating homelessness and worked tirelessly to obtain greater resources for people in marginalized communities.

I have had the absolute honor of working closely with this person throughout their career, and I cannot be happier to see them honored here tonight. Without further ado, the Outstanding Achievement Award for Social Service goes to Jill Smith. Please join me in welcoming them to the stage.

How do you give a speech after receiving an award?

What about if you're on the other side of the award presentation? Writing an award acceptance speech is also an art. Similarly, you want to plan ahead and make sure you hit certain points within your speech. 

Receiving an award is an incredible honor and can be exciting or overwhelming, so you want to do the preparation beforehand in order to say what you want to say. 

"Thank the Academy" and others 

You want to be sure to thank the people involved in giving you this award. This list includes the organization or committee presenting it to you and the presenter, as well as anyone who you feel helped to get you where you are today. We've all seen heartfelt, lengthy thank you lists delivered over Academy Awards and Emmys. 

This is a common factor in awards speeches for a reason. No one achieves their success without help from people who believe in them. Identify who you want to shout out during your speech, and if you need to, make a physical list so you don't leave anyone out. 

Share a bit about your work 

Share a bit of your work and why you're proud of it. Are there any lessons your road to this award has taught you? What aspect of what you do are you most excited to share with the world, and why do you think it's important?

Make a statement

If you feel compelled to do so, use the platform you have during your acceptance speech to make a statement about a larger social or political issue pertaining to your work. Is there a cause you're particularly passionate about? What do you want to say and promote through this moment?

Watch the time

There might be time constraints on your speech as well. Either way, try not to make it too lengthy. Have a plan, rehearse and be ready to say what you planned to say. 

Final thoughts

Whether you're presenting an award or receiving one, preparation is essential in order to deliver a thoughtful speech. Make sure you do your research, know what you want to say and practice ahead of time so that, when the day comes, you're ready to go. 

Awards ceremonies can be exciting and moving events, and often it's the speeches that make or break them. Take on this responsibility with excitement, and put time and thought into your presentation.

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How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech for Someone Else

How to Give a Dedication Speech

How to Give a Dedication Speech

Award ceremonies are used across the world to highlight the work and achievements of a certain individual, team or organization. Nearly all award ceremonies tend to be formal or semi-formal occasions during which recipients of awards are asked to give an acceptance speech.

Acceptance speeches are primarily used by award recipients to convey the honor and appreciation that they feel from winning the award. Sometimes, recipients are unable to attend an awards ceremony and have someone close to them accept the award in their place. Accepting an award for someone else can be a nerve-wracking task. After all, you are representing that person or organization and speaking for them in that moment. With some preparation and gratitude, though, you will have the ability to accept an award on behalf of anyone.

Talk to the person who is receiving the award ahead of time. Ask him if there is anything specific he would like you to say when you accept the award on his behalf. If so, ask him to give a paper copy of what he wants said so that you can deliver the speech correctly. Also ask him if he wants you to explain to the audience why he could not accept the award himself in person.

Practice your planned speech many times in the days leading up to accepting the award. Practice reading the speech in front of a mirror so that you can see how you look as you talk. Continue to practice the speech until you are so familiar with it that you nearly have it memorized. If the person who won the award gave you a speech, strictly stick to it.

Be humble in your delivery. Any time someone wins an award, even if they are deserving of it, it is best to show your appreciation and gratitude. Include a nod to the other nominees, a thank you to the person or organization who awarded the award and a few positive comments about the winner of the award. Tell the audience how honored you are to accept the award on the winner’s behalf and always end your speech with “Thank you” or a similar sentiment.

Keep your speech brief. Most acceptance speeches range from three to five minutes long, depending on the award and the situation. If you are accepting the only award of the evening, your speech may run longer, but if you are receiving one of 20 or 30 awards, it’s best to keep your speech short and sweet so that the show can keep moving. While you don’t want to zip on and back off stage in 30 seconds, you also don’t want to drone on endlessly for 10 minutes.

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Dan Richter began freelance writing in 2006. His work has appeared in a variety of publications, including the "Wausau Daily Herald," "Stevens Point Journal," "Central Wisconsin Business Magazine" and the "Iowa City Press-Citizen." Richter graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and media studies.

Examples

Award Speech

Award speech generator.

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

You may have already seen on television or have seen it right before your eyes that when someone would give and receive an award, they would say more than just a word of thanks in front of an audience. The speech they deliver is called as an award acceptance and award presentation speech. When it is your time to receive an award, you might have a difficulty in writing your award acceptance speech and the same thing goes when you would be awarding someone. This article gives you ten award acceptance and ten awards presentation speech examples that can help you in creating your own speech for one of your most memorable moment of your life.

Award Speech

Award Acceptance Speech Sample

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Award Acceptance Speech

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Mandela Award Recipient Speech

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Wilder Award Acceptance Speech

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Steps on Writing for Your Award Presentation Speech

Before the recipient of an award could receive his or her award, someone would be presenting the award first. If you are assigned to deliver an award presentation speech and that you do not know where to begin, make use of this simple steps to guide you in writing and preparing for your award presentation speech to help you get started.

1. The Introduction

In the introduction part of your speech , you can present both of the award and the recipient of the award. For the award, you can make a brief statement of the category and for the recipient of the award, you can introduce him or her in a mysterious fashion like you would be describing the person first, what he or she does that could or could not be related with the award he or she is going to receive. Make sure that you would keep the introduction part of your speech brief and simple but it would already build up the framework of your entire award presentation speech.

2. The Body of the Speech

It is in the body of the speech that you would be further describing the award and what were the requirements for achieving the ward. This is also the part where you would e introducing more in-depth information about the recipient of the award and this is finally the part where you would be mentioning the recipient of the award. You can also include mentioning the list of the other awards that the recipient has received. There are some that we call a veteran in receiving awards that he or she has a lot of awards received in his or her lifetime that mentioning their long list of awards might take up the entire awards ceremony. That is why you have to make sure that you are only choosing the significant awards that he or she has received and it is suggested that the ones worth mentioning are the awards that are similar or close to what the awardee will be receiving in the current awarding ceremony.

3. The Conclusion of the Speech

The main purpose of the conclusion of your award presentation speech should only be one thing and that is to induce a sound of applause from your audience to welcome the recipient of the award on stage.

Award Acceptance Speeches

Education award acceptance speech.

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Service Award Acceptance Speech

Service Award Acceptance Speech

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Career Award Acceptance Speech

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Award Presentation Speeches

Sample award presentation speech.

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Ceremony Award Presentation Speech

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Awards Ceremony Presentation Speech

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Enginerring Heritage Award Presentation Speech

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Prize Presentation Speech

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What to Keep in Mind When Writing for Your Award Acceptance Speech

1. list down the people you have to give thanks.

The first step in writing your award acceptance speech is to simply list down. List down the people that have to be recognized for helping you in your path to achieving the award. This might sound like it is an obligation to mention people in order to thank them but when you feel so much gratitude in your heart for winning an award, you might want to thank even the cook that made the food you bought during the times when you were still at the process of aiming the award.

2. Reminisce your struggles and mini-victories before achieving the award

It is good to reminisce all your struggles and hardships while you were still aiming for the award. You can get sentimental and you might even cry in front of the audience but be reminiscing all the things you’ve done in order to achieve one of your goals can be fulfilling. It can also inspire people to continue paving the path towards achieving their goals when they are starting to lose hope.

3.  Read other award acceptance speeches for inspiration

If you have a hard time thinking how to start your award acceptance speech, you can always get inspiration from previous award acceptance speeches that are similar to the kind of award that you will be receiving. This article provides you ten award acceptance speeches you can get inspiration from and you can also search for more on the internet.

High School Science Award Presentation Speech

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Fund Awards Presentation Speech

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Presentation Speech and Script for Emcee

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Principal’s Presentation of Award Speech to Graduates

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Presentation of Award Speech to Parent and Learners

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Tips for Delivering Your Award Acceptance Speech

To be recognized for your all your hardships is the best feeling in the world but not all people are actually aiming to deliver an award acceptance speech. Here are some tips that can help you in achieving that perfect award acceptance speech delivery that your audience might think that you need another award for it.

1. Just keep it short and simple. Award acceptance speeches are not necessarily long. You just have to be straight to the point in thanking the people you need to be thinking and if there are a lot, just give them a general term like family, friends, and colleagues.

2. Just keep on practicing especially if you already knew that you would be receiving an award. It reduces stress, anxiety, and any nervous feelings.

3. Keep in mind the purpose of an award acceptance speech an that is to give appreciation for having received the award

4. You can inspire and preach in your award acceptance speech but do not go overboard that you award acceptance speech would not anymore sound like an award acceptance speech.

5. Know beforehand that time limit given for every awardee so that you would know how long your speech should be and that you would not be able to have an overtime and steal other people’s time in delivering a speech.

6. Share how the award can change your life and whether you would keep on achieving similar awards in the future.

7. Like with any speeches, always add spices to your ending. You can end it with a bang, end with a quote to live by your audience, and you can also end it with another situation that would make the audience ponder. You can end it in whatever way you want as long as you do the most important thing–make your audience remember who you are and what you are capable of.

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23 Award Speech: And the Winner is…

An award trophy

People in leadership have the privilege of recognizing the achievement of others by giving them awards.  This is an important moment, and you want to help make it special. In this chapter, I will teach you the five-step process on how to give an award, I will share with you practical things to think about in terms of setup and execution, and finally, I will share with you ways to elevate this speech to a professional level.

Ceremonial Speaking Wheel

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

All ceremonial speeches should include the trio –narration, magnification, and identification.

Identification

You are not talking to an audience; you are sharing with an audience. You are celebrating with them and collectively celebrating shared values and shared appreciation for their accomplishments. Saying “we” are here to honor the recipient and reminding the audience of shared values helps the audience to be a part of the process.

The use of story helps the audience to be drawn in and want to listen. The narration can be about the organization, how the award was formed, or about the person receiving the award. It is better to tell a story of a complex problem they solved instead of saying “they are a good problem solver.”

Magnification

Take a trait of the individual and magnify it. I’m not talking about superfluous embellishment; I’m talking about honest elaboration. If they discovered an accounting mistake, talk about the difficulty of noticing such a mistake, and talk about the financial impact on the group because the correction was made. In short, find heroism in events where others might not notice. Magnification means finding the extraordinary which is often hidden:  loyalty, work ethic, going the extra mile, and standing up under adversity. Let us truly see the person’s accomplishments with a bright spotlight, not just a little candlelight.

Now you know of the key elements that should be in your speech, let’s talk about the specific five-step structure of an award speech.

Five-Step Award Process

Greet the audience.

Welcome the audience to the event. Thank them for attending and address any special guests or sponsors.

Describe the Award

Open your speech with a greeting and then describe the award. Tell about the organization that is giving the award and why this award was created. Who founded this award? What’s the story behind the award? What makes this award unique?  Describe the criteria for selecting a winner. Who decides? What are the criteria?

Tell Why They Deserved the Award

Describe the attributes of the person who will be receiving the award.  If possible, tell a story about the person. The more details, the better. People who come to awards ceremonies like to be inspired and they like to feel included. The more you can make everyone feel like they are part of something special, the better your speech will be. This is the most important part of the award. Make the recipient feel special by telling stories of their achievements and calling out specific highlights of their achievements.

If there are multiple recipients for the same award, for example, awards for everyone who completed upper-level training, you can highlight the task they had to do to receive the recognition. You can tell a story about one part of the training that will be familiar to those who completed it.

Present the Award

Announce the person’s name who will be receiving the award.  Consider writing yourself a note on how to pronounce the name.  Find out in advance their preferred name and if you should use an honorific. As they approach to claim the award, be sure that they know where they are supposed to stand. If you didn’t tell them before the presentation, you should indicate in some way where they should go and what they should do. Do they stand beside you or somewhere else? Will there be a handshake? Do they hold the award? Do they grab the award and go or do they stay while you talk about them? This is their moment, and you don’t want to make them feel awkward because they don’t know what they are supposed to do.

Present the award to them with a handshake and a smile. Be sure to pause so the photographers can take a picture.

Wish Them Well

While they are still upfront, give a statement that wishes them well. This is done most effectively when it is connected to the theme of the award. If it is a sales award, make reference to sales, if it is a teaching award, make reference to teaching, if it is an academic award, make reference to how they will use their academics.

Practical Mechanics

You have your speech written and you are setting up the room where you will give the award. It is time to think of some very practical things like the location of the award, the location of the handshake, and the location of the photographer.

Location of the Award

Where are you going to set the award?  If there are multiple awards, you will likely need to set up a table and have someone help pass out the awards.  Before the event, you should have someone pretend to get an award to help you figure out any potential issues.

Location of the Handshake

Where are you going to do the handshake? When they come up and receive the award, are you going to shake their hand and give them the award or will another distinguished leader give the award and the handshake? If you are standing behind the podium, it is hard to shake hands and get a good photo, so it will be important that you step in front of the podium or off to the side for the handshake.

Location of the Photographer

Where are you going to have the photographer stand? In high-profile awards, there may be a professional photographer who requires a special setup. Always be mindful of where they will be located and make sure they don’t block the view from the other guests. In addition, most people will have family, friends, colleagues in the audience who will want a picture. Make sure you have an aisle clear, so photo takers have a clear view. Write yourself a note to pause and let the pictures be taken.

Handshake Matters

  • Shake with the right hand.
  • Hand the award with the left hand.
  • The award or certificate goes on top.
  • Pause, smile, and face the camera.

Handshake tips.  When people get nervous, their hands may get sweaty. Keep a tissue in your pocket to wipe your hand on just in case. When you go in to shake someone’s hand open your hand wide and go in for the web of skin between the thumb and pointer finger. A typical handshake is two to three pumps, but an award handshake is typically two pumps and a long pause while pictures are being taken.

Taking it to the Next Level

To elevate the quality of your speech, add advanced language devices sometimes called colorful language. Let’s talk about the three main types that can make you sound like a speech professional–Theme, alliteration, and parallel construction.

More on using colorful language in a speech. 

Alliteration: Repeat the same sound three times

  • Jake is polished, practical, and professional
  • LaShay’s got grit and goes after things that impact

Parallel Construction: Repeat the same phrase at least three times.

  • Passionate about students…
  • Passionate about learning…
  • Passionate about teaching…

Theme: Pick a theme that fits the person and the award

  • Accounting is his life.
  • He can multiply his impact.
  • The bottom line is…
  • When you look at his character, it all adds up.

Remember, your award speech is not about you– it is about the recipient and people who care about them. It is about creating a celebratory atmosphere where the audience and the recipient can feel good.  Doing the work it takes to write the speech well will make a big difference. The joy you will feel from making someone else feel special will be its own reward.

Key Takeaways

Remember this!

  • The more details about why the person deserves this award the better.
  • Include identification, narration, and magnification.
  • Practice your handshake and how to hand the award to the recipient.
  • Tell them what the award is, tell them why they deserve the award, give them the award, wish them well.

Media Attributions

  • Award trophy © Giorgio Trovato is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license
  • Colorful language wheel © Lynn Meade is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license
  • Award Chart © Lynn Meade is licensed under a CC0 (Creative Commons Zero) license

Advanced Public Speaking Copyright © 2021 by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to write a thank you speech

With a short thank you speech sample and a printable planner

By:  Susan Dugdale  

A thank you speech or appreciation speech prepared and given with sincerity means a lot to those you acknowledge.

Dive right in. There's all the assistance you need on this page to write an excellent speech of thanks.

What you'll find on this page

  • the types of occasions it could be good to have a thank you speech ready to give
  • best practice and content suggestions to guide you step by step through writing a short thank you speech
  • a short  sample thank you speech for an award (and a link to an example thank you speech for a 18th birthday party)
  • a printable thank you speech planner to download
  • links to thank you quotations you may like to use
  • notes covering rehearsal and delivery   

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

'No man is an island'

When we achieve, we usually do so because others have helped. Your speech of appreciation is the gift or acknowledgment you give in return for what was given you.

When is a thank you speech appropriate?

Any time is good to say thank you! However, a more formal speech of thanks could fit any of these occasions.

  • for coming to my graduation, farewell, birthday, or retirement party
  • for the promotion
  • for the award
  • for coming to our wedding and your gifts, our engagement party, our 50th wedding anniversary
  • for coming to the opening of my new business...

Be prepared! Best practice guidelines

Generally the decision to leap to your feet and give a thank you speech is not spontaneous. You will likely have some forewarning and time to consider exactly what you want to say and who you want to mention.

Deciding on the content

Cover these three content areas and you'll be fine.

  • WHO are you thanking? Note their names in ranking order- the most important first.
  • WHAT are you thanking them for? Be specific rather than general. Naming what you are grateful for gives your thanks more meaning.
  • WHAT did their gift of time, expertise, encouragement, money... mean to you? Again, be specific. This is your chance to publicly give credit where it's due, to compliment, to praise. Take it.

Writing your speech

When you've sorted out who you wish to mention and what for, you are ready to begin writing.

Like any other form of speech you need 3 parts:- an opening, the body or middle where you put all your acknowledgments, and a conclusion.

1. Introduction/opening

In your introduction or opening give the reason for the occasion and why it is you're going to thank everyone. What you say, and how you say it, will set the tone for the remainder of the speech.

Depending on the number of people on your 'thank you/appreciation' list and the amount of time you have, consider including a small story about the lead-up making this event possible. A well-chosen personal anecdote will always go down well because it lets those listening share your experience more deeply.

Check out this page on story telling in speeches for more information.

In the body of your speech, start at the top of your list of people to thank and work your way through it. Take care to give the most important people the most time.

For those whom you want to mention but don't have enough time to make individual acknowledgments consider grouping them according to function.

Example: "To Alex, Mary, Judy and Sam, thank you for making me remember to laugh. You helped me keep my sanity and perspective when the going was tough."

3. Conclusion

In the conclusion, summarize your main points and finish.

Return to Top

A short thank you speech sample 

Here's a short example thank you speech for you to see how it could be done. There are many ways covering the required content. This is just one.

The person giving this speech is thanking an organization for giving him an award. 

It is 374 words long. When spoken it will take approximately 2 minutes + to deliver. That's about the right length. It's brief and covers everything needed.

As you read it through imagine hearing it out loud. 

Speech text

"Who's considered the incredible power and range of meaning in 'thank you'?  Those two words express gratitude, humility, understanding, as well as acknowledgement.

I am here with you: my family, many of my friends and colleagues because I need to say all of that, and then some more.

Thank you for coming to share my being given the Fred Smith Award for Community Service. It's very humbling.

There's a phrase I'm sure you know: it takes a village to raise a child. In this case it's not a child that's been raised but awareness and a long-needed community resource - the  Parksville Community Literacy Center.  The village behind it and me, is you.

In particular, thank you to my wife Marlene who has always understood and shared my conviction that communities are healthiest when its resources are equally shared, and that the ability to read underpins long term social and economic wellbeing.

I know the hours I spent after work helping to establish our new Center tested her, especially when I was home late, again.

Remarkably she continues to support, and love me.  For that I will always be grateful.

Mary Hill, Catherine Beech and Matthew Fall from the Fred Smith Foundation – thank you for sharing the vision of an integrated community and for being so incredibly supportive. You understood what we were trying to achieve and helped make it possible. Your generous gifts of time, expertise and funds are deeply appreciated.

This award may have my name on it, but in truth it belongs to everybody who has worked to make the center a reality. Have you got a spare day or two? If I called out all those people we'd be here for quite some time! Instead, I'll simply say thank you. You know who you are.

The time and effort you've given ensures that the Parksville people who want it will have access to effective literacy programs and resources. That is a priceless gift.  As Nobel Peace Prize winner former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan said “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”

Thank you for the award and thank you on behalf of all those who will cross that bridge to a brighter future." 

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

Here's another example. This one is a thank you speech for a birthday . The speaker is thanking their parents and guests for the celebration in honor of their 18th birthday. 

Thanks but NO thanks!

What I really need is a Thanksgiving Speech!

Image: - a string of autumn leaves. Text: Thanksgiving - a time to say thanks for life, family, friends and food, in a speech.

And it's here. Choose a theme. Complete the template. And give your Thanksgiving Speech with confidence.

Get a printable thank you speech planner

Regardless of whether you are preparing a thank you speech for the guests who came to your wedding, engagement, retirement, farewell, graduation or birthday party, the steps are the same.

This printable planner will guide you through the four needed. Each one is fully explained with an example.

Completing it will make writing your speech so much easier.

Either click the link or the image below to: download a printable thank you speech planner .

Banner: Download a printable thank you speech planner

Use a quotation to help show your gratitude

Image: blue forgetmenots. Text: Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. GB Stern

Before you finalize the content, check out these 'thank you quotations' .

They offer different ways of expressing your gratitude. You could find just what you need to spark your creativity and provide the thread/theme to unite your speech. It can be so much more than a long string of thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you ...

Tips to help you get your thank you speech right

Rehearsal, practice and feedback.

Image: Black and white photo of a young man standing on a stage. Text: About rehearsing a speech.

Many people make the assumption that once they've got the words of their speech sorted, they're set to go.

That's not true! Practice completes the process.

Giving yourself several  rehearsals, firstly by yourself and then in front of  friends or family, will help enormously. Click the link for detailed information about  how to rehearse effectively .

For the condensed and shortened version covering good rehearsal practice follow the points below.

1. Content check

Before investing too much time and energy into rehearsing your speech say it through in front of a few trusted friends or colleagues.  It is much, much easier to change text prior to practicing it than after you've begun working with it. Ask them to listen:

  • to make sure you've included everyone you should, in the right order and thanked them for the right things.
  • for tone. Does the vocabulary fit the occasion? Are the stories right? Is the speech positive? Is it inclusive?

Edit as needed, and then have your test audience listen again. 

Getting the timing right is an essential part of making it a success. Go on too long and people stop listening. Be too brief and there's a danger you've missed things out.

The only way to find out how long your speech is, is to time yourself as you say it out loud at a normal speaking rate. If it's too long, look for areas you can cut. Maybe you need to group a few  more people together or perhaps you need to shorten some of the specific examples about why it is you're thanking someone.  If it's too short, add more detail.  Repeat until you get the length right.

If you'd like to check the number of words you have in your speech against how many minutes it will take to say them go to: how many words per minute are there in a speech .

3. Use cue cards

If you're at all worried about forgetting things, losing your place or muddling what you want to say, use cue cards. They'll take the anxiety away.

Write the main points of your thank you speech on cue cards. Good notes will keep you on track while ensuring you cover everything you want to like, for instance, the name of every person you want to thank and why.

(Click the link if you don't know about using or how to make cue cards . Cue cards are preferable to reading your speech.

However sometimes you just have to read because...for all sorts of reasons. If that's you, do it well. Find out how to read a speech effectively .)

Are you sweating over a business thank you speech?

One thanking your colleagues for a job well done?

Here's a good one to use as a template. It's utterly adaptable. Takes bits out, flick bits in... until you have it just as you want it.
Get thee pronto (quickly) to the  !

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150 Best Thank You Messages for Receiving An Award to Express Gratitude

Discover 150 heartfelt thank you messages for receiving an award. Express gratitude eloquently with these curated messages, perfect for speeches or notes.

Karishma Bhatnagar

Table of Contents

Receiving an award is not just a recognition of one's accomplishments, but also a testament to the support, guidance, and collaboration of many individuals and entities. It's a moment of profound significance, marking the culmination of hard work, dedication, and passion. 

In such moments, expressing gratitude becomes not just a courtesy but a heartfelt necessity. To help you convey your appreciation eloquently and sincerely, we've curated a collection of the 150 best thank you messages for receiving an award.

Whether crafting a speech, writing a note, or simply seeking the right words, let these messages serve as your beacon of gratitude, shining light on the invaluable contributions of those who've made your achievement possible.

Let us begin exploring the 150 best thank you messages for receiving an award.

20 Thank you message for receiving an award 

Here are 20 thank you message for receiving an award:

  • I am deeply grateful for this incredible honor. Thank you for recognizing my efforts and presenting me with this prestigious award.
  • Receiving this award is truly humbling, and I am immensely thankful for the recognition. Your support means the world to me.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for being chosen as the recipient of this award. Thank you for acknowledging my hard work and dedication.
  • Words cannot express how grateful I am for this award. Your belief in me and my work is a tremendous source of motivation.
  • I am honored to receive this award and would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved. Your encouragement has been instrumental in my success.
  • I feel privileged to be the recipient of this award. Thank you for recognizing my contributions and for inspiring me to continue striving for excellence.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to the amazing support system I have. Thank you to everyone who has believed in me and helped me along this journey.
  • I am genuinely touched by this award. It serves as a reminder of the incredible opportunities I have been given, and I am grateful for each and every one of them.
  • This award is a tremendous honor, and I am deeply appreciative of the recognition. Thank you for considering me worthy of such a prestigious accolade.
  • I cannot express how much this award means to me. Your belief in my abilities has given me the confidence to reach for even greater heights. Thank you for this remarkable honor.
  • I am truly overwhelmed by this incredible recognition. Thank you for bestowing upon me this prestigious award, which will forever hold a special place in my heart.
  • I am deeply grateful for this honor. Your belief in my abilities and the acknowledgment of my work motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries of excellence.
  • This award is a testament to the unwavering support and guidance I have received throughout my journey. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has played a role in my success.
  • Receiving this award is a tremendous milestone in my career, and I am indebted to those who have helped shape my path. Your encouragement and belief have been invaluable.
  • I am profoundly thankful for this recognition. It serves as a reminder of the countless hours of hard work and sacrifices that have led me to this moment.
  • This award is not only a recognition of my accomplishments but also a reflection of the incredible mentors and teammates who have stood by me. Thank you for being a part of my journey.
  • I am honored and privileged to be the recipient of this award. Your recognition reinforces my commitment to making a positive impact in my field.
  • This award is a symbol of the collective effort put forth by my team and the unwavering support from my loved ones. Thank you for celebrating this achievement with me.
  • Receiving this award is a humbling experience, and I am grateful for the opportunities it brings. Your belief in me has inspired me to pursue even greater heights.
  • I am deeply touched by this recognition and the meaningful connections I have made along the way. Thank you for this award and for being a part of my professional journey.

20 Thank you message for award received

  • I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this award. Thank you for recognizing my efforts.
  • Words cannot express how thankful I am to receive this award. It means the world to me.
  • I am truly humbled by this recognition. Thank you for acknowledging my hard work and dedication.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to the incredible support and opportunities I have been given. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this award. Your recognition motivates me to continue striving for excellence.
  • I feel incredibly privileged to be honored with this award. Thank you for believing in me and my abilities.
  • This award serves as a reminder of the amazing people I have had the privilege to work with. Thank you for this incredible honor.
  • I am filled with gratitude for this recognition. It inspires me to reach even greater heights in my endeavors.
  • Thank you for this prestigious award. It serves as a constant reminder of the importance of hard work and dedication.
  • Receiving this award is truly a highlight of my career. I cannot express how grateful I am for this incredible honor.
  • I am genuinely touched and honored to receive this award. Your recognition has given me a renewed sense of purpose and motivation.
  • Thank you for bestowing upon me this prestigious award. It is a tremendous validation of my efforts and a source of great pride.
  • I am deeply appreciative of this award, and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire committee for their belief in my abilities.
  • Receiving this award is a moment I will cherish forever. Thank you for acknowledging the hard work and passion that went into my endeavors.
  • I am truly grateful for this recognition. It serves as a powerful reminder that dedication and perseverance can lead to remarkable achievements.
  • Thank you for this incredible honor. It motivates me to continue pushing the boundaries and striving for excellence in all that I do.
  • I am humbled and grateful to be chosen for this award among such talented individuals. Your recognition has inspired me to aim even higher.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to the unwavering support I have received from my loved ones. Thank you for celebrating my journey with me.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this award. It is a testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone who has supported me along the way.
  • Thank you for this extraordinary recognition. It reinforces my commitment to making a positive impact and reminds me of the importance of my work.

20 Short thank you message for receiving an award

Here are 2o short thank you message for receiving an award:

  • I am incredibly grateful and honored to receive this award. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.
  • Receiving this award is a true testament to the support and encouragement I have received. Thank you for believing in me.
  • I am humbled and deeply appreciative to be chosen for this prestigious award. Thank you for acknowledging my contributions.
  • Words cannot express how grateful I am for this award. Your recognition means the world to me.
  • I feel blessed and privileged to receive this award. Thank you for your generosity and recognition.
  • Thank you for honoring me with this award. It is a reminder that hard work and perseverance pay off.
  • This award serves as a motivation to continue striving for excellence. Thank you for your encouragement and recognition.
  • I am truly touched and grateful to be the recipient of this award. Your support has been invaluable.
  • Receiving this award is a reminder of the amazing people in my life who have supported me along the way. Thank you for being a part of my journey.
  • I am honored and appreciative to be recognized with this award. Thank you for inspiring me to always give my best.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this incredible honor. Thank you for recognizing my passion and dedication.
  • Receiving this award is a reminder of the incredible opportunities that have come my way. Thank you for believing in me.
  • I am deeply touched and grateful to receive this award. Your recognition motivates me to strive for even greater achievements.
  • Thank you for bestowing this prestigious award upon me. It is a testament to the amazing support I have received throughout my journey.
  • I feel immensely blessed and thankful to be acknowledged with this award. Your belief in my abilities is truly humbling.
  • This award is a symbol of the countless hours of hard work and perseverance. Thank you for honoring my efforts.
  • I am truly honored to receive this award among such talented individuals. Your recognition fuels my desire to continue excelling.
  • Words cannot express how grateful I am to be chosen for this award. Thank you for celebrating my achievements.
  • Receiving this award has filled me with a sense of pride and gratitude. Thank you for seeing the potential in me.
  • I am sincerely appreciative of this award and the opportunities it will bring. Thank you for inspiring me to reach new heights.

20 Thank you message to boss for giving award

Here are 20 Thank you message to boss for giving award: 

  • I am incredibly grateful and honored to have received this award. Your recognition means the world to me, and I want to express my deepest appreciation for your support and belief in my abilities. Thank you for this incredible opportunity.
  • Thank you for presenting me with this prestigious award. Your confidence in my work and dedication has motivated me to push my limits and achieve beyond my expectations. I am truly grateful for your guidance and encouragement.
  • I am humbled and grateful to be the recipient of this award. Your unwavering belief in my capabilities has been a constant source of inspiration for me. Thank you for recognizing my efforts and for being an exceptional leader.
  • I am immensely thankful for the recognition bestowed upon me through this award. Your support and guidance have been instrumental in my success, and I appreciate your faith in me.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to your excellent leadership and mentorship. Thank you for providing me with an environment that fosters growth and excellence.
  • I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude for this incredible award. Your belief in my abilities has given me the confidence to overcome challenges and strive for excellence. I am thankful for your unwavering support and guidance throughout my journey.
  • I am deeply grateful to receive this award and to be recognized for my work. Thank you for creating an environment that encourages personal and professional growth.
  • Thank you for bestowing upon me this prestigious award. I am honored and grateful for your continuous support and encouragement.
  • Receiving this award has been a tremendous honor for me. I am grateful to work under your leadership. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.
  • I am extremely grateful for this recognition and the award I have received. Your belief in my abilities has motivated me to strive for excellence every day.
  • I am filled with gratitude for the honor you have bestowed upon me with this award.Thank you for your unwavering support and for creating an environment that inspires us to excel.
  • Thank you for this prestigious award, which symbolizes your appreciation for my dedication and commitment. I am motivated to continue exceeding expectations under your guidance.
  • Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude for this award. It is a reflection of the trust and confidence you have in me, and I am genuinely honored.
  • Receiving this award is an incredible privilege, and I want to extend my sincere thanks to you. I am grateful to have a boss like you who recognizes and appreciates hard work.
  • I am profoundly grateful for this award, which is a testament to your exceptional leadership and management. Thank you for being an extraordinary boss.
  • I feel incredibly honored to receive this award from you. Your recognition means more to me than words can express. I am truly grateful for the opportunities you have provided me.
  • Thank you for presenting me with this prestigious award. I am grateful for your leadership, which has inspired me to strive for excellence and achieve success.
  • I am deeply appreciative of this award and the recognition it represents. I am honored to have you as my boss. Thank you for believing in me and for fostering an environment that values and rewards hard work.
  • I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for this award. I am thankful for the trust you have placed in me and for pushing me to reach new heights.
  • I am truly humbled and grateful for this award. Your guidance and support have played a pivotal role in my success, and I am thankful to have you as my boss.

20 Thank you message for best employee award 

Here are 20 thank you message for best employee award:

  • Dear [Employee's Name], I cannot thank you enough for your exceptional contributions to our organization. Your dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence have truly set you apart as our best employee. Congratulations on receiving this well-deserved recognition.
  • To our incredible employee and recipient of the Best Employee Award, your remarkable achievements have been an inspiration to us all. Thank you for being an invaluable asset to our organization.
  • Thank you for consistently going above and beyond in your role and surpassing all expectations. We are grateful for your dedication and the positive influence you bring to our workplace. Congratulations and thank you for being an outstanding team member.
  • It is with great pleasure that we congratulate you on being named the Best Employee. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. We are fortunate to have you as part of our organization.
  • On behalf of the entire company, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your extraordinary performance and exceptional achievements. Thank you for your valuable contributions and for setting the bar high for everyone. Congratulations!
  • Thank you for consistently demonstrating exceptional skills, remarkable work ethic, and unwavering dedication. We are truly grateful for your contributions and the positive impact you make every day. Congratulations and thank you for being an integral part of our success.
  • Congratulations on receiving the Best Employee Award. We appreciate your hard work, passion, and the positive energy you bring to our workplace. Thank you for being an exceptional employee.
  • Thank you for your unwavering dedication, exceptional skills, and remarkable achievements. Your contributions have made a significant difference, and we are grateful to have you as part of our team. Congratulations and thank you for your outstanding work!
  • Dear [Employee's Name], your work ethic, professionalism, and positive attitude have been nothing short of exceptional. Thank you for your unwavering commitment, passion, and the valuable impact you make every day. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
  • Thank you for being an exceptional employee and for consistently going above and beyond. We appreciate your hard work, leadership, and the positive example you set for others. Congratulations on receiving this prestigious award, and thank you for all that you do!
  • Your outstanding performance and remarkable achievements have made you a true role model for our entire team. Congratulations on being named our best employee, and thank you for raising the bar higher!
  • Your contributions have not only elevated our organization but have also inspired and motivated your colleagues. Thank you for being an extraordinary asset to our team.
  • Congratulations on receiving the Best Employee Award! Thank you for your hard work and dedication. We truly appreciate you!
  • Your tireless pursuit of excellence, unwavering commitment to our goals, and exceptional performance have set you apart as our best employee. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
  • We extend our deepest gratitude for your exceptional work as our best employee. Your dedication, determination, and the consistent quality of your work are truly remarkable. Thank you for your valuable contributions and for setting such a high standard of excellence.
  • Thank you for your exceptional work and outstanding contributions to our organization. We are grateful to have you as part of our team and congratulate you on this well-deserved honor.
  • Your exceptional performance, relentless pursuit of perfection, and unwavering commitment to our company's mission have been instrumental in our success. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!
  • Your remarkable accomplishments, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our team and the company have not gone unnoticed. Congratulations on being recognized as our best employee!
  • We are incredibly fortunate to have an employee like you, whose exceptional talent, dedication, and passion inspire others. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to excellence and for setting an outstanding example for your colleagues. Congratulations on receiving the Best Employee Award!
  • Thank you for your extraordinary contributions, outstanding leadership, and the positive impact you have made on our team. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for being an invaluable asset to our organization.

20 Thank you message for winning an award

Here are 20 thank you message for winning an award: 

  • I am incredibly grateful and humbled by this award. Thank you for recognizing my hard work and dedication.
  • Words cannot express how thankful I am for receiving this award. It means the world to me.
  • I am honored to be chosen for this prestigious award. Thank you for acknowledging my achievements.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to the support and encouragement I have received. Thank you for believing in me.
  • I am deeply grateful for this recognition. It motivates me to continue striving for excellence.
  • Thank you for bestowing this award upon me. It serves as a reminder of the impact my work has made.
  • This award is a true honor, and I am sincerely appreciative of the recognition. Thank you for this incredible opportunity.
  • I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for this award. It validates the effort I put into my work.
  • Thank you for honoring me with this award. It inspires me to continue pushing boundaries and reaching new heights.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for receiving this award. Thank you for recognizing my contributions and achievements.
  • I am overjoyed and extremely thankful for this prestigious award. It motivates me to keep pursuing excellence.
  • I cannot express how deeply grateful I am for this incredible recognition. Thank you for believing in me and my abilities.
  • Winning this award has been a dream come true. Thank you for honoring my hard work and dedication.
  • This award serves as a reminder of the incredible support I have received throughout my journey. Thank you for being a part of it.
  • I am truly blessed and appreciative to receive this award. It encourages me to continue pushing the boundaries of my craft.
  • I am filled with gratitude for this honor. Thank you for recognizing my passion and commitment in my field.
  • Receiving this award has been a humbling experience. I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity to make a difference.
  • Thank you for bestowing this award upon me. It inspires me to continue striving for greatness and making an impact.
  • I am deeply touched by this recognition. Your belief in my abilities means the world to me. Thank you.
  • I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation for this award. It fuels my determination to excel and make a positive difference in my field.

15 Thank you message for award received at work 

Here are 15 thank you message for award received at work:

  • I am incredibly grateful for the honor of receiving this award. It is truly humbling and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved.
  • I want to extend my deepest gratitude for recognizing my hard work and dedication with this award. It means a great deal to me, and I am truly honored.
  • Thank you from the bottom of my heart for presenting me with this prestigious award. I am sincerely grateful for the recognition and the opportunities it brings.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for being chosen for this award. Your belief in my abilities and contributions is a tremendous motivation, and I am truly thankful.
  • Receiving this award is a testament to the incredible support and guidance I have received from my colleagues and mentors. I want to express my sincere thanks for believing in me and helping me grow.
  • I am deeply honored and thankful for this recognition. It serves as a reminder of the incredible team I have the privilege to work with and the inspiring environment that allows me to thrive.
  • Words cannot fully convey my appreciation for this award. I am truly touched by the recognition and would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported me along the way.
  • I am truly grateful for this award, which serves as a testament to the collaborative spirit and dedication of our entire team. Thank you for recognizing our collective efforts.
  • Receiving this award is a milestone in my career, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have mentored and guided me. Your support has been invaluable.
  • I am deeply honored to receive this award and want to extend my thanks to my colleagues and superiors for their unwavering belief in my abilities. This recognition means the world to me.
  • Being chosen for this award has filled me with a sense of pride and accomplishment. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given and for the faith placed in me by my organization.
  • Receiving this award has been a truly humbling experience. I am grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me, and I promise to continue working hard to exceed expectations.
  • I am incredibly thankful for this award, as it highlights the importance of teamwork and collaboration. I want to express my appreciation to all those who have contributed to my success.
  • This award is a reflection of the support and encouragement I have received throughout my journey. I am grateful for the belief others have shown in me and for the opportunities that have come my way.
  • Receiving this award is a reminder of the immense growth and personal development I have experienced in my role. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who has invested in my professional journey.

15 Thank you message for appreciation award

Here are 15 thank you message for appreciation award:

  • Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this incredible appreciation award. It means the world to me and serves as a reminder of the value of hard work and dedication.
  • I am deeply grateful for receiving this recognition. Your appreciation award inspires me to continue striving for excellence and making a positive impact in everything I do.
  • I am truly honored and humbled to be the recipient of this appreciation award. Your recognition motivates me to push my boundaries and reach even greater heights.
  • I want to express my sincere appreciation for this incredible award. Your recognition fuels my passion and encourages me to keep pursuing my goals with determination and enthusiasm.
  • Thank you for this remarkable appreciation award. It serves as a testament to the support and encouragement I have received along my journey. I am grateful beyond words.
  • Receiving this appreciation award is a tremendous honor, and I am incredibly thankful for the recognition. Your belief in my abilities motivates me to continue making a positive impact.
  • Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for this appreciation award. I am truly touched by the recognition and will cherish this honor as a reminder of the incredible support I have received.
  • This appreciation award is a wonderful reminder of the incredible journey I have embarked on. I am grateful to those who have guided and supported me along the way. Thank you for recognizing my efforts.
  • I am honored to receive this appreciation award, and I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to my success. Your unwavering belief in me has been an invaluable source of motivation.
  • Thank you for bestowing this prestigious appreciation award upon me. It serves as a testament to the dedication and passion I bring to my work. I am truly grateful for the recognition and will continue to strive for excellence.
  • I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this prestigious appreciation award. Your recognition not only boosts my confidence but also strengthens my commitment to excellence.
  • Thank you for this remarkable appreciation award. It serves as a testament to the collaborative efforts and support of those around me. I am truly fortunate to be surrounded by such incredible individuals.
  • Receiving this appreciation award is a profound honor, and I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to make a difference. Your recognition inspires me to continue pushing boundaries and creating positive change.
  • I extend my heartfelt thanks for this exceptional appreciation award. Your belief in my abilities encourages me to keep challenging myself and striving for greatness.
  • I am genuinely grateful for this recognition and the appreciation it represents. Your support has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth, and I am privileged to have such amazing people in my life.

Tips to write the best thank you message for receiving an award

Writing a thoughtful and sincere thank-you message for receiving an award is a great way to show your appreciation and gratitude. Here are some tips to help you craft the best thank-you message:

  • Begin with a warm greeting
  • Express genuine gratitude
  • Highlight the significance
  • Acknowledge those who contributed
  • Share a personal anecdote
  • Express admiration and respect
  • Discuss future plans and commitments
  • End with a gracious closing

1. Begin with a warm greeting

Start your message by addressing the person or organization who awarded you. For example, "Dear [Name/Organization]."

2. Express genuine gratitude

Start by expressing your sincere appreciation for the recognition and the award you received. You can use phrases like:

   - "I am truly honored and humbled to receive this prestigious award."

3. Highlight the significance

Acknowledge the significance of the award and its impact on your life or career. Share how it motivates and inspires you to continue your work. For instance:

   - "This award holds great meaning for me, as it validates the hard work and dedication I have put into my craft."

4. Acknowledge those who contributed

Thank the individuals or organizations who have supported and mentored you along the way. This could include colleagues, mentors, family, or friends. Show appreciation for their guidance and encouragement.

5. Share a personal anecdote

If relevant, you can share a brief personal story or experience that relates to the award or the journey leading up to it. This adds a personal touch and makes your message more engaging.

6. Express admiration and respect

Show gratitude to the selection committee, judges, or panel members who chose you for the award. Express your admiration for their expertise and the difficult decisions they had to make.

7. Discuss future plans and commitments

Share your enthusiasm for the future and how you plan to use the award as a stepping stone for further growth and achievements. This demonstrates your dedication to continuous improvement.

8. End with a gracious closing

Conclude your message with a heartfelt closing line.

1. How do you respond to an award letter?

When responding to an award letter, it's important to express your gratitude and appreciation for the recognition you have received. Here are some tips:

  • Start with a polite and formal salutation
  • Express your gratitude
  • Mention the significance of the award
  • Acknowledge the selection committee
  • Share the impact of the award
  • Express commitment
  • Conclude with gratitude

1. Start with a polite and formal salutation

Begin your response by addressing the sender of the award letter in a professional manner. Use phrases like "Dear [Name/Organization]," or "To whom it may concern," depending on the situation.

2. Express your gratitude

Begin your letter by expressing your sincere appreciation for the award. State how honored and grateful you are to have been chosen or recognized for the particular award.

3. Mention the significance of the award

Discuss the importance of the award and how it aligns with your goals or achievements. Emphasize the impact it has on your career, studies, or personal development.

4. Acknowledge the selection committee

Recognize the efforts of the selection committee or the individuals involved in the decision-making process. Express your admiration for their work in recognizing talent and contributions.

5. Share the impact of the award

Briefly explain how the award will positively impact your future endeavors. Whether it provides financial assistance, opens up new opportunities, or boosts your professional reputation, highlight the significance of the award in your response.

6. Express commitment

Assure the awarding organization or individuals that you will uphold the values associated with the award. Demonstrate your dedication to continue working hard and making a positive difference in your field.

7. Conclude with gratitude

Close your letter by expressing gratitude once again. Thank the organization, committee, or individual for the recognition and for considering you for the award. Offer your willingness to contribute or participate in any future activities or events related to the award, if applicable.

2. How do you write a gratitude thank you note?

Writing a gratitude thank you note is a heartfelt way to express your appreciation to someone. Here are some tips on how to write one:

  • Start with a warm greeting
  • Use personal details
  • Share the impact
  • Include a closing statement
  • End with a closing
  • Handwritten or digital

1. Start with a warm greeting

Begin the note with a friendly salutation, such as "Dear [Name]," or "Hi [Name],"

2. Use personal details

Include specific details or examples to illustrate why you're thankful. This shows that you've put thought into the note and adds a personal touch. For instance, "Your support and guidance during [specific situation] made a significant impact on me."

3. Share the impact

Explain how the person's actions or kindness affected you. Let them know the positive outcomes or feelings they've contributed to. This helps them understand the significance of their actions.

4. Include a closing statement

Wrap up your thank you note with a closing statement that reinforces your gratitude. You can use phrases like, "Once again, thank you so much," or "I am truly grateful for your support."

5. End with a closing

Use an appropriate closing like "Sincerely," "Warm regards," or "With gratitude," followed by your name.

6. Handwritten or digital

Depending on the situation, you can choose to write a physical note or send a digital one. Handwritten notes can add a personal touch, but an email or message can also convey your gratitude effectively.

3. How do you express gratitude in words?

Expressing gratitude in words is a wonderful way to show appreciation. Here are some tips on how to express gratitude effectively:

  • Be specific
  • Use heartfelt language
  • Be personal
  • Tell about the impact
  • Give handwritten note
  • Follow up with actions

1. Be specific

Clearly mention what you are grateful for. Instead of a general "Thank you," include specific details about what the person did or said that you appreciate.

2. Use heartfelt language

Express your gratitude sincerely and genuinely. Use words that convey your emotions and show the person how much their actions meant to you.

3. Be personal

Tailor your expression of gratitude to the individual. Mention something about them that made their contribution special or unique.

4. Tell about the impact

Explain how the person's actions made a positive difference in your life or situation. Highlight the specific ways their help or support benefited you.

5. Give handwritten note

In certain situations, taking the time to write a handwritten thank-you note can add an extra touch of sincerity and thoughtfulness.

6. Follow up with actions

If appropriate, consider expressing your gratitude through actions, such as offering help in return or giving a small gift to show your appreciation.

4. What impact has receiving this award had on me personally and professionally?

An award can elevate your self-assurance and inspire you to strive for greatness. It confirms the value of your hard work and provides a feeling of acknowledgment and satisfaction.

A professional award can enhance your reputation, open up new career prospects, and raise your profile in your field. It highlights your exceptional expertise, skills, and commitment, setting you apart from your peers.

Overall, receiving an award can increase self-assurance, elevate standing, and open doors to fresh prospects.

As we conclude, we have compiled a list of the top 150 thank you messages to celebrate extraordinary achievements and show gratitude for valuable support. We hope that these messages inspire and express sincere appreciation.

Expressing gratitude to those who have supported you in achieving success is essential. This not only strengthens your relationships but also promotes kindness.

It's important to acknowledge and appreciate the individuals who contribute to our personal development, regardless of the magnitude of their assistance. This fosters a sense of togetherness and collective accomplishments in our day-to-day experiences.

We should appreciate the positive aspects and individuals in our lives and convey our gratitude genuinely. Practicing gratitude can bring happiness and foster strong connections with others.

Wish you love, support, and recognition on your journey. Remember to spread gratitude and happiness to others.

55 Employee Appreciation Day Wishes and Messages to Share in the Workplace

100 best thank you messages for recognition to express gratitude and acknowledgment, unlock the biggest secret of engagement to retain your top performers..

Karishma Bhatnagar

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Karishma is a passionate blogger who comes with a deep understanding of SEO tactics. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her in the mountains, experiencing the fresh breeze & chirping sounds of birds.

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How to Present an Award

Last Updated: May 7, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 106,977 times.

Giving out an award is a huge honor, so you likely want to do a great job. When you’re presenting an award, it’s important to keep the focus on the winner rather than yourself. Start your award speech by introducing the award and what it’s for. Then, announce the winner and why they won. Additionally, make sure that your information is accurate and concise.

Writing and Practicing Your Speech

Step 1 Make sure you know how to say the recipient’s name correctly.

  • If the person knows about the award, talk to them directly to verify that you have correct information.
  • If the award is a surprise, you can still talk to the person, but be vague about the reason. It may be helpful to talk to people who know them well, like a coworker, supervisor, classmate, teacher, or close relative.

Step 3 Avoid talking about yourself during the award speech.

  • For instance, don’t say things like, “I taught her everything she knows,” “This is a great day for me because I hired her,” or “I always knew he was going places.”

Step 4 Keep your speech short to keep the focus on the award.

  • This is especially true if the winner will have a chance to give an acceptance speech. You don’t want to eat into the time they have for their speech.

Step 5 Practice your award speech so you know it fits within your time limit.

Variation: You might also film your speech so you can look for areas that you can tighten up or improve.

Introducing the Award

Step 1 Check that the award is correct and right side up before going onstage.

  • For instance, you might cradle a statue or plaque between both of your hands.
  • If the award is an unframed certificate, you might carry it on open palms or keep it in a folder to protect it until you hand it out.

Step 3 Explain what the award recognizes and who is giving it.

  • You might say, “Every year we honor an employee who went above and beyond for our clients. This award celebrates the sacrifices and dedication of one employee who exemplified our company values over the past year.”

Variation: If you're presenting the award because of your position or credentials, briefly introduce yourself and your position to establish your credibility. This boosts the prominence of the award.

Step 4 Praise the hard work of everyone considered for the award.

  • Say, “This has been our most successful year as a company, and it’s because of the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Each of you deserves credit for helping us get to this point, but one employee’s achievements stand out from the rest.”

Announcing the Winner

Step 1 Begin with a funny or personal story about the recipient.

  • You could say, “The first time I met this person it was on a video conference. They’d traveled across the world for a business trip, but a client needed to meet that day. Instead of rescheduling, this person stayed up late into the night so they could attend the client meeting over Skype.”
  • If you’re going for a funny story, you might say, “What we do around here is serious work, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun. The person who’s receiving this award knows how to make people laugh. When we were going through our audit last quarter, they put a smile on everyone’s face by putting rubber ducks in the fountain outside our office. It was a small gesture, but it helped us get through a difficult week.”

Step 2 List the person’s accomplishments first if the winner is a surprise.

  • Say, “This award goes to a person who lives our values. They put clients first and never hesitate to help a coworker in need. This year they made 30% of our sales and completed half of our customer service calls. On top of that, they’re the only employee in the history of the company to ever receive a business opportunity grant. Please applaud for the winner of the VIP Award, Ms. Alison Dean.”

Tip: Ideally, the audience should slowly realize who’s name you’re about to call.

Step 3 Announce the winner’s name first if it’s a special award.

  • You might say, “Today we’re here to honor Diego Lopez for his efforts to build a new community center. Mr. Lopez organized fundraisers, energized the community, and overcame obstacles to bring hope to his neighborhood. Thanks to his efforts, 75 students are currently enrolled in after-school programs at the center, and a new program for the elderly is set to open next week.”

Step 4 Congratulate the winner on receiving the award.

  • You might tell them, “Congratulations on this well-deserved accomplishment.”

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  • ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd2xNTuQWxQ
  • ↑ https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_business-communication-for-success/s19-07-presenting-or-accepting-an-awa.html
  • ↑ https://bizfluent.com/how-2122740-present-award.html
  • ↑ http://www.publicspeakingexpert.co.uk/awardspeeches.html
  • ↑ https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips/presenting-awards

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Best giving an award speech examples, winning words: giving an award speech examples that impress.

Giving an award speech can be nerve-wracking, but it’s also a great opportunity to express gratitude and inspire others. Whether you are receiving an award or giving one, it is important to understand the importance of an award speech and how it can impact the audience. In this blog post, we will discuss the guidelines to compose an impactful award speech that leaves a lasting impression on the audience. We will cover everything from brainstorming ideas for your speech, crafting the perfect words to express your gratitude and address the competition, to delivering an effective speech that inspires everyone in attendance. So if you want to learn how to give a great award speech, keep reading!

Understanding the Importance of an Award Speech

Recognition of hard work, dedication, and commitment is a fundamental aspect of a good award acceptance speech . The opportunity to deliver such a speech can inspire and encourage both the speaker and the audience. It serves as a platform for expressing gratitude and honor, while also accepting recognition for one’s work. Moreover, award speeches mark significant milestones and achievements, highlighting the success of an individual or team. This public acknowledgment further emphasizes the importance of celebrating excellence and fostering a positive organizational culture. Such acknowledgment by a CEO in an award acceptance speech can have a profound impact on the recipient and the entire team, making it a crucial aspect of any event or ceremony.

Expressing Gratitude in an Award Speech

Expressing gratitude in an award speech is essential to convey appreciation for the recognition and the efforts of the award ceremony organizers. Team members deserve recognition for their contributions and dedication to the shared success. Acknowledging the encouragement received from others is crucial in making such awards possible. It’s important to express gratitude for more such awards that recognize work well done, as they motivate continuous improvement. Lastly, thanking the people who have supported, guided, and mentored throughout the journey is a genuine display of gratitude. A heartfelt award acceptance speech can inspire others and reflect positively on the CEO and the organization.

Addressing the Competition and Sharing the Glory

Sharing the spotlight with fellow nominees is a mark of respect and admiration for their achievements. Recognizing the efforts of competitors not only elevates the significance of the award but also underscores the spirit of healthy competition. It’s crucial to extend the honor of winning to the entire team, acknowledging their hard work and commitment. The award acceptance speech becomes more meaningful when shared with those who contributed to its success. Emphasizing the collective effort underscores the significance of collaboration in achieving such prestigious accolades.

Guidelines to Compose an Impactful Award Speech

Crafting an impactful award speech involves honoring, expressing gratitude, and inspiring. The speech should reflect genuine gratitude and recognition for the award. It must acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and good examples that contributed to the win. A genuine acceptance speech reflects gratitude, dedication, and honor. Ultimately, the speech should focus on making a genuine impact, honoring others, and encouraging the audience.

Brainstorming Ideas for your Speech

When crafting your award acceptance speech, it’s crucial to reflect on the impact of the award, carving out ample time for expressing gratitude, recognition, and delivering an acceptance speech that resonates. Personalizing the speech is key; emphasize your journey, express genuine gratitude, and honor those who contributed to your success. Consider various speech examples, focusing on appreciation, gratitude, and exemplary deliveries. Explore additional awards and public speaking opportunities to gather inspiration. You may even draw insights from wedding speech examples to infuse your speech with warmth and heartfelt appreciation.

Crafting the Speech

Crafting an award acceptance speech involves conveying gratitude, dedication, and honor. The speech should reflect the recipient’s recognition, acceptance of the award, and genuine gratitude. Personalizing the speech with examples of recognition, acceptance, and gratitude demonstrates sincerity and appreciation. By highlighting the hard work, dedication, and time invested in achieving the award, the speech becomes more impactful. It is essential to craft a speech template that not only reflects the individual’s gratitude but also acknowledges team members’ contributions and recognizes other outstanding achievements.

Delivering an Effective Award Speech

Exuding gratitude, recognition, and the acceptance of honor is essential when delivering an award acceptance speech. Incorporating good speech examples, acknowledging team members, and expressing gratitude are key elements for an impactful award acceptance. This speech should reflect dedication, gratitude, and recognition, aiming to resonate with the audience. Crafting a personalized speech that includes examples of public speaking, acknowledgment of the effort, and a warm greeting sets the tone for a memorable delivery. By dedicating much time to preparation and considering various scenarios, you can ensure the delivery of a compelling and effective award acceptance speech.

How does one ensure their speech leaves a lasting impression?

To ensure your speech leaves a lasting impression, focus on expressing gratitude, recognizing team members’ hard work, and incorporating examples of successful public speaking. Make time for appreciation, recognition, and delivering a well-crafted speech that captivates the audience. Remember, a good evening starts with a memorable speech.

What are some award speech examples?

In conclusion, delivering an impactful award speech requires a combination of gratitude, humility, and the ability to connect with your audience. Expressing heartfelt gratitude to those who have supported and believed in you is essential. Acknowledging the competition and sharing the glory with them shows sportsmanship and respect. When composing your speech, brainstorm ideas that reflect your genuine emotions and experiences. Craft a speech that is concise, well-structured, and captures the essence of the award. To leave a lasting impression, focus on delivering your speech with confidence, enthusiasm, and authenticity. Engage your audience through storytelling, humor, or personal anecdotes. Remember, a great award speech not only honors your achievements but also inspires and uplifts others.

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Daytime Emmys 2024: See the Complete Winners List

Dick Van Dyke, Kelly Clarkson, 'The View' hosts and 'General Hospital' were among the nominees at the 2024 Daytime Emmys

Brendan Le is an Editorial Intern at PEOPLE with three years of experience working as an editor and writer.

how to write a speech about someone receiving an award

Colleen Kratofil is the Senior Editor, TV at PEOPLE.

The 2024 Daytime Emmys gathered TV's favorite soap stars and daytime hosts in Los Angeles to celebrate their work over the past year.

The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards took place live on June 7 at the Westin Bonaventure hosted by Kevin Frazier & Nischelle Turner.

General Hospital won top awards of the night, taking home outstanding daytime drama series, plus, the show's directing and writing teams both scored trophies as well.

History was made when Dick Van Dyke became the oldest winner at age 98 for his guest role  as Timothy Robicheaux  on  Days of Our Lives .

Plus, Kelly Clarkson, Ina Garten and Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos all were named winners.

See which stars from General Hospital , Days of Our Lives, Neighbours , The Bold and the Beautiful , The Bay , The Young and the Restless and many more were up for nominations and which took home an award by viewing the complete list of winners from the 2024 Daytime Emmys, below.

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay  (Popstar! TV) The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS) Days of Our Lives  (NBC/Peacock) General Hospital  (ABC) - WINNER Neighbours (Amazon Freevee) The Young and the Restless  (CBS)

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME TALK SERIES

The Jennifer Hudson Show  (Syndicated) The Kelly Clarkson Show   (Syndicated) - WINNER Tamron Hall  (Syndicated) Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts  (Disney+) The View (ABC)

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME TALK SERIES HOST

Joy Behar , Whoopi Goldberg , Alyssa Farah Griffin , Sara Haines , Sunny Hostin , Ana Navarro , The View Kelly Clarkson , The Kelly Clarkson Show Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa , Live with Kelly and Mark - WINNER Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots , Natalie Morales , Jerry O’Connell, Sheryl Underwood, The Talk Tamron Hall , Tamron Hall

OUTSTANDING CULINARY SERIES

Be My Guest with Ina Garten (Food Network) - WINNER Family Dinner (Magnolia Network) Selena + Chef: Home for the Holidays (Food Network) Valerie’s Home Cooking (Food Network) What Am I Eating? with Zooey Deschanel (Max)

OUTSTANDING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS SERIES

Access Hollywood Entertainment Tonight - WINNER Extra

OUTSTANDING DAYTIME PERSONALITY - DAILY

Frank Caprio, Caught in Providence (Facebook Watch) Kevin Frazier, Nischelle Turner, Matt Cohen, Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Will Marfuggi, Rachel Smith, Entertainment Tonight (Syndicated) - WINNER Deborah Norville, Steven Fabian, Lisa Guerrero, Ann Mercogliano, Jim Moret, Les Trent, Inside Edition (Syndicated) Robert Hernandez, Star Jones, Divorce Court (Syndicated) Judge Judy Sheindlin, Whitney Kumar, Kevin Rasco, Sarah Rose, Judy Justice (Amazon Freevee)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS

Tamara Braun as Ava Vitali,  Days of Our Lives  (Peacock) Finola Hughes as Anna Devane,  General Hospital  (ABC) Katherine Kelly Lang as Brooke Logan,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Annika Noelle as Hope Logan,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Summers,  The Young and the Restless  (CBS) - WINNER Cynthia Watros as Nina Reeves, General Hospital (ABC)

OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR

Eric Braeden as Victor Newman,  The Young and the Restless  (CBS) Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Thorsten Kaye as Ridge Forrester,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) - WINNER Eric Martsolf as Brady Black, Days of Our Lives (Peacock) John McCook as Eric Forrester,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA SERIES: ACTRESS

Jennifer Gareis as Donna Logan,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Linsey Godfrey as Sarah Horton,  Days of Our Lives  (NBC) Courtney Hope as Sally Spectra,  The Young and the Restless  (CBS) - WINNER Allison Lanier as Summer Newman Abbott, The Young and the Restless  (CBS) Emily O'Brien as Gwen Rizczech,  Days of Our Lives  (NBC)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A DRAMA SERIES: ACTOR

Robert Gossett as Marshall Ashford,  General Hospital  (ABC) - WINNER Bryton James as Devon Winters,  The Young and the Restless  (CBS) Wally Kurth as Justin Kiriakis,  Days of Our Lives  (Peacock) A Martinez as Nardo Ramos, The Bay (Popstar! TV) Mike Manning as Caleb McKinnon, The Bay (Popstar! TV)

GUEST PERFORMANCE IN A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

Linden Ashby as Cameron Kirsten,  The Young and the Restless  (CBS) Ashley Jones as Dr. Bridget Forrester,  The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Alley Mills as Heather Webber,  General Hospital  (ABC) Guy Pearce as Mike Young,  Neighbours (Freevee) Dick Van Dyke as Mystery Man/Timothy Robicheaux,  Days of Our Lives  (Peacock) - WINNER

OUTSTANDING WRITING TEAM FOR A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay  (Popstar! TV) The Bold and the Beautiful   (CBS) Days of Our Lives  (Peacock) General Hospital  (ABC) - WINNER The Young and the Restless  (CBS)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING TEAM FOR A DAYTIME DRAMA SERIES

The Bay  (Popstar! TV) The Bold and the Beautiful  (CBS) Days of Our Lives  (Peacock) General Hospital  (ABC) - WINNER The Young and the Restless  (CBS)

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The 2024 Daytime Emmy Awards airs live on Friday, June 7 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+.

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  1. How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech (With Examples)

    Express your gratitude sincerely, but avoid gushing or going overboard with your thank-yous. Similarly, respect the time limit you've been given. A short award acceptance speech is often more impactful than a long, rambling one. Aim to deliver your message concisely and powerfully, leaving your audience wanting more.

  2. 10 Award Acceptance Speech Samples

    Let these speeches guide you in sharing your story, expressing your gratitude, and celebrating your achievements with an audience who is eager to celebrate with you. 1. The Journey to Excellence. Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you, humbled and honored to accept this prestigious award.

  3. 10 Inspiring Award Speech Examples for Your Next Acceptance Speech

    Key Takeaways. Crafting an inspiring acceptance speech means being grateful, mentioning competitions graciously, and sharing success with those who helped.; Personal stories add depth to your speech, making it memorable and touching for the audience. Preparing and rehearsing your speech makes you more confident and ensures a smooth delivery.

  4. Award Acceptance Speech

    1. Opener. This part of your speech is basically your introduction. This will be your formal opening, the ice breaker or the attention-grabber for your speech. The main purpose of this part is to show your excitement, your shock and happiness to be given the award. This will also serve as your formal acknowledgement to the people present during ...

  5. Short Award Acceptance Speech Examples: Inspiring Examples

    A good acceptance speech acknowledges the efforts of team members and reflects gratitude. Writing an award acceptance speech that inspires others is essential, especially for CEOs and business executives. It's an opportunity to inspire hard work and sustainability while acknowledging the achievements of the company.

  6. 5 Tips to Give the Perfect Award Acceptance Speech

    Give the audience the chance to keep up with where you're going. Don't be afraid of the silence. Silence, to a speaker, can feel deafening but it can be powerful. Silence shows confidence that you're in control of the talk and the room and you're continuing to guide them towards a common purpose. When you make a strong point, don't ...

  7. How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech to Thank ...

    Talk about an encounter that happened. Keep in mind though that if you'll be telling a story, ensure that its relevant to the award, it's brief and that you tell it in a way that captivates your audience. Now that we've discussed how to prepare for and write your acceptance speech, we can now look into how you will deliver that speech.

  8. Acceptance Speech Thanks Those Who Made Excellence Possible

    How Do You Write A Speech About Accepting An Award? When it comes to writing a speech about accepting an award, there are a few key elements that you should keep in mind. You will have limited time, so being prepared and precise is essential. Create an outline. A well-organized speech will have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Introduction.

  9. Mastering Award Acceptance Speeches: Winning Tips

    Regular practice is crucial for delivering a powerful award acceptance speech. Managing stage presence and body language holds significant importance during the delivery. Additionally, practicing confident eye contact enhances the impact of the speech. Confidence and poise play a major role in effectively delivering an award acceptance speech.

  10. How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech? [A Full Guide]

    Talk about something that happened. Recount a real conversation (with a friend, a colleague or a family member) about a challenge, how you overcame it and how it's relevant to the award. Main rules for the story you're going to tell: Make it brief. Make sure it's relevant.

  11. How to Write an Acceptance Speech: 12 Steps (with Pictures)

    1. Make a list of reasons you're thankful for receiving the award or honor. Write down a few bullet points detailing what it means to you to be receiving this recognition. The organization giving you the award and the people in the audience want to know you appreciate the honor you've been given.

  12. How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech

    How To Give an Acceptance Speech For an Award. Admit it: You've fantasized about winning a top acting award. The anticipation, the envelope, the shock, the room full of glamorous, talented ...

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  14. How to Give a Thank You Speech (With Examples)

    1. Start with an expression of gratitude. Right off the bat, you can start by saying thank you for the award or honor you're receiving. An acknowledgment of why you're giving the speech is the most natural way to start. Your expression of gratitude will set the tone for the rest of your speech.

  15. Inspiring Awards Ceremony Speech Examples

    Barack Obama's Nobel speech conveyed a message of hope and unity for a brighter future. Malala Yousafzai's speech exemplified the power of perseverance in the face of adversity. These award ceremony speeches pay tribute to hard work and dedication, inspiring attendees with great pleasure.

  16. How to Give an Award Presentation Speech (With Example)

    Here's how to write and deliver a speech presenting an award—or receiving one. How to write an award presentation speech. When writing your speech, try to strike a balance between covering the necessary information—like the details of the award and the accomplishments of the person being honored—and keeping your audience interested.

  17. How to Give an Award Acceptance Speech for Someone Else

    Include a nod to the other nominees, a thank you to the person or organization who awarded the award and a few positive comments about the winner of the award. Tell the audience how honored you are to accept the award on the winner's behalf and always end your speech with "Thank you" or a similar sentiment. Keep your speech brief.

  18. Award Speech

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  19. Award Speech: And the Winner is…

    Describe the attributes of the person who will be receiving the award. If possible, tell a story about the person. The more details, the better. People who come to awards ceremonies like to be inspired and they like to feel included. The more you can make everyone feel like they are part of something special, the better your speech will be.

  20. How to write a sincere thank you speech [with examples]

    For those whom you want to mention but don't have enough time to make individual acknowledgments consider grouping them according to function. Example: "To Alex, Mary, Judy and Sam, thank you for making me remember to laugh. You helped me keep my sanity and perspective when the going was tough." 3.

  21. 150 Best Thank You Messages for Receiving An Award

    To help you convey your appreciation eloquently and sincerely, we've curated a collection of the 150 best thank you messages for receiving an award. Whether crafting a speech, writing a note, or simply seeking the right words, let these messages serve as your beacon of gratitude, shining light on the invaluable contributions of those who've ...

  22. How to Present an Award: 13 Steps (with Pictures)

    1. Begin with a funny or personal story about the recipient. Choose a story that's right for the occasion and reflects the spirit of the award. Try to pick a story about an experience you had with the recipient. If you've never met them, read their biography and discuss something that stood out to you.

  23. Best Giving an Award Speech Examples

    Crafting an impactful award speech involves honoring, expressing gratitude, and inspiring. The speech should reflect genuine gratitude and recognition for the award. It must acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and good examples that contributed to the win. A genuine acceptance speech reflects gratitude, dedication, and honor.

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