Entering your company for an award may seem a minefield. But it doesn’t need to be difficult. There are some easy tips to follow which can help you be more successful.
The first step towards winning a business award is to enter. Awards are a great way to generate publicity and raise the profile of your business. It is an opportunity for you to shine.
Judges will read hundreds of entries so you need to make your entry stand out. So before you start writing your entry there are a few points to consider.
Firstly, make sure you allow enough time to create your entry as it gives you time to gather the information required. A last minute effort could significantly reduce your chances of writing a good entry and therefore of winning.
Take time to read the entry criteria and rules. By doing so you are more likely to answer the question being asked and not the question you think you are being asked or would like to answer. It is always a good idea to look at previous winners to see what they did and what they recommend when filling in the all important application form. It will help you create your entry.
When writing your entry, make sure the submission is succinct, clear and easy to understand. Many award entries will have a word limit and you need to make every word count. So tailor the answers to each question to maximise your entry and remove aspects which do not add marks. To make your point, it is a good idea to avoid jargon in your entry.
Statistical evidence is one of the most important factors in all successful awards submissions. So use compelling data wherever possible as it allows you to substantiate how you have achieved clear benefits.
And finally, if you don’t win at the first attempt, learn from the process and try again next year.
The importance of taking time to create a winning award entry was recently highlighted to one of our clients. They were congratulated on their entry, with judges saying the decision on who won was unanimous based on the quality of their submission. And on closer inspection of the awards brochure it wasn’t hard to see why. The entry was concise, answered the questions asked and was the only one out of the finalists to include statistics to back up their claims.
We understand the process, we know what will interest a judge, we recognise the criteria that really matter and can bring it all together into a compelling story that will make sure the judges takes note of what you have achieved. Awards tell the world how great your company is, can help spread your brand to a wider audience and can help win new business. So if you decide you need a little help creating your winning award entry, we’re here to help.
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