Benefits of and tips for entering awards

Entering an award and winning, or even being shortlisted, can do wonders for your business, but what are the main benefits to entering awards and what is the secret of a successful submission? The Awards Agency shares some words of wisdom.



WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ENTERING AWARDS?

Aside from the great contacts and the free PR that can come your way, The Awards Agency identifies these three benefits as key incentives to entering your business into awards

1. Gaining competitive advantage

"It's not just winning that matters either - even being shortlisted for a key award can also give you a competitive advantage over other key players in your industry."

2. Achieving independent validation

A business award is a concrete seal of approval that can be used as evidence of quality when pitching for new business or negotiating next year's budgets."

3. Boosting team morale

"In these difficult times, winning awards can be a real morale booster for your team. It provides official recognition of their hard work, which can increase staff motivation and productivity."

HOW CAN I WRITE A WINNING SUBMISSION?

There is a definite art to crafting a successful award submission, says The Awards Agency. Here are some of its top tips.

1) Plan ahead

Consider the awards criteria when planning your project. Set clear objectives from the outset, taking baseline measurements so that you can evaluate the positive impact of the project afterwards.

2) Prove you're the best

Always back up your claims with evidence, especially proof of innovation, positive impact on stakeholders, return on investment, strategic success, outperforming the sector, customer focus, leadership and social responsibility.

3) Keep it simple

Focus on what the judges are actually asking for in the judging criteria. Don't just fill your submission with the contents of existing sales and marketing materials. Make sure the submission is succinct, clear and easy to understand.

4) Emphasise the benefits

Demonstrate how you have achieved clear benefits to the business, its employees, your customers and the general public. Provide compelling before and after data, wherever possible. Statistical evidence is one of the most important factors in all successful awards submissions.

5) Learn from the experience

If you don't win at the first attempt, learn from the process and try again next time. Use award entry as a tool for assessing and benchmarking your performance. This will help you improve faster than your competitors and increase your chances of winning awards in the future.

30th June 2011