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And the winner is…

Posted on: September 13th, 2011 by Gina

Many benefits will potentially come your way when you win a business award, the first of which will be a nice dinner at a swanky hotel on the night the awards are handed out! However, the real benefits come after your suit or cocktail dress is back in your wardrobe.

Winning an award can make a huge difference to your bottom line because it means you can shout from the rooftops that someone important has recognised you as ‘the best of the best’ at something… it’s no longer just you who’s saying you’re good.

So if winning an award can boost your business, perhaps it’s time you thought about entering. If you’re not in it you’re definitely not going to win it! You’re also not going to win it unless you put your best foot forward.

I’ve helped businesses of all sizes to write award entries and win awards. My advice to the uninitiated is; GIVE THE JUDGES WHAT THEY WANT.

If they ask you to write a 5000-word response, don’t write 5500 words. If they want that response presented in 12-point Arial font, don’t use eight-point Times New Roman. Do everything the judges ask you to do including actually answering their questions (or addressing their selection criteria). Don’t dance around the subject (or avoid it altogether) – face it and get right to the point.

I also suggest you:

  • Give the task of writing your award entry to the best writer you know; choose someone who can write a sales pitch (because that’s what an award entry is), someone who can be objective and write what the judges want to read.
  • Tell the full story (assume the judges know nothing about you, your business or your initiative) but don’t get lost in the detail; keep your messages clear, concise and on topic.
  • Avoid using jargon; it’s a lost opportunity if the judges don’t know what the jargon means.
  • Don’t just say you’re good; demonstrate it. Include examples, testimonials, sales results and more.
  • Give yourself plenty of time to write, review and edit your award entry; rush it and it will show (the bad grammar, disjointed thoughts and typos will give you away).

Last but not least… don’t break the rules, don’t even be tempted to bend them!