Entering awards? Go for gold with these 5 tips
If you’re knee-deep in industry award applications right now, and if it feels like a LOT of work, you’re not alone. There are forms to fill out, case studies to polish, deadlines to meet, and that little voice in your head asking if any of this is even worth it.
It absolutely is. We even recommend it as part of our PR strategy.
Entering (and winning) awards isn’t just about a shiny trophy in your office. In the age of remote working, it might not even get as many eyeballs as it deserves. But what winning accolades will get you is so much more – credibility and visibility.
So despite what that little voice in your head is saying, power on with your nomination. And to make future entries smoother, prepare with these five tips.
1. Nail your elevator pitch
Either as part of the application or the interview round – or both – you’ll be asked to tell the judges a bit about your company. And while you can memorise what your company website says, how you navigate this criterion could be the difference between nominating your company for an award and winning it.
So ask yourself what your customers’ pain point is.
And exactly how you solve it. With this, aim for a neat 30-60 second summary.
2. Track everything – wins & losses
You don’t want to be blowing up your team’s inboxes and chat logs with last-minute requests the night before the nomination is due. This will only lead to information that’s inaccurate, inflated, and inundated with typos and false facts.
Instead, keep a running sheet of achievements and learnings. Not only will you be able to tell your story much more articulately, but you’ll have the facts to back it up.
This goes for other information that’s considered crucial for an award application – details about your ROI, campaigns, and internal initiatives (including their impact).
3. Put it in a PDF
Almost all award entries ask for supporting documents. If you aren’t prepared, you might panic and attach anything that feels even remotely relevant to your company.
But judges are discerning. And if you can tell you’re chancing it, they can too. Plus, this approach shows a lack of respect for the judging panel’s time. Their role is often voluntary, and they sift through hundreds if not thousands of entries, so a slick and simple way to stand out is by being diligent with the supporting material you provide.
Ready yourself by preparing documents in advance, outlining everything that supports the claims you make in your entry. And remember to save it as a PDF.
4. Mark the moments
We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words. So bring some colour to your application, and relieve wear-eyed judges in the middle of their judging marathon, by illustrating your journey and achievements with high-quality pictures.
From quality time with your team to meetings with clients, capture it all and keep the pictures in a bank that you can refer to. Then decide which ones to use depending on the award you’re entering, and watch the positive impact this extra step makes.
5. Put it in writing
Time for a favour from your clients. Depending on your performance and what stage of the contract you’re in, consider tapping up your clients for a testimonial.
These testimonials won’t just make your entry more robust, but they’ll also serve well for other company documents like profiles and portfolios. You can even go the extra mile and mix it up by sourcing a mix of written and video testimonials.
While entering awards can come with burning the midnight oil, this effort brings an excellent return on investment if you win (or even if you’re shortlisted for) an award.
Not only does preparing to enter an award help you reflect on the impact of your activities, it’s also a proactive way to bolster your brand awareness. Judges tend to be seniors and veterans in their fields, and seeing your work will leave an impression.
A word of caution however: not every award that’s marketed to you is as legitimate as it may seem. Be sure to do your research, and ask around if you’re still unsure.
And if your to-do list is as long as the street your office is on, don’t miss out on entering awards. From researching them to drafting your nominations, we’re here to help. We’ve submitted countless entries, and won a few awards ourselves.
So get in touch at [email protected]