The process of writing successful awards submissions can seem like a pressure cooker. After all, you need to distil so much about your business into a very small entry of a few hundred words. While professional award writers Proof Communications can give you support, we’re happy to share our successful ten-point plan for writing business awards submissions.
1. Look at Your Entry From the Judges’ Point of View
When you’re thinking about how to go about winning a business award, many people feel that this is their time to shine. This sometimes means that they feel they need to put as much information into the awards submissions as possible. But the judges may have to read a huge number of entries. Keep within the word or character count. If they are not specified, remember the adage: less is more. If no word or character count specified, use around 500 words.
2. Don’t Use Technical Jargon in Your Business Awards
People sometimes think that winning business awards is about being complex. Some of the judges may not come from within your industry sector, so writing business awards entries should avoid technical terminology. When in doubt, get someone you trust to review your submission. Our professional award writers can help you to pare down the information to the most salient points, and without being too complex.
3. Give Evidence for Your Achievements
When you are writing your awards submissions, you need to highlight the positive impact of your business and show the evidence for its success. Using evidence such as facts and figures is very important. These could be revenue growth, reduced staff turnover, increased profits, growing social media likes.
Testimonials and positive media coverage are also useful as evidence.
4. Contact the Business Awards Organiser
You shouldn’t think of this as cheating. It’s merely a way of clarifying what’s needed and understanding the calibre of business awards entries. Visit the awards website to see who won in previous years. There may be comments from the judges so you can see why they won.
5. Be Specific and Direct in Your Business Awards Entries
You need to answer every question specifically and directly. You may feel tempted to digress. But part of the discipline of awards submissions is to answer only what is asked of you. When in doubt, using professional award writers will maximise your opportunity for success. Proof Communications can help bring you back onto the right track.
6. Break Down the Topic or Question
If you’re unsure how to write a response to a question, here’s a tip. if you are asked about your employee training and development program, for example, and how the employees have benefited, break this down into the main points of your employee training and development program, and how employees have benefited.
7. Create an Impact
It’s not enough to say that you have amazing staff retention, for instance. Wining business awards is about the proof being in the pudding. And therefore, writing business award entries involves stating your case with evidence, facts and figures, and case studies to demonstrate any of your statements. It’s also important to tell your story. This could be through a short case study, or an explanation of a challenge and how you overcame it.
8. Collect Testimonials
Testimonials can add a big impact to any business awards entries, however, it’s vital to make sure they are not generic, but back up the response to the question or content of your case study so it makes a big impact.
9. Proofread Your Business Awards Entry
Proofreading encompasses a number of areas. To proofread like professional proofreaders, make sure that:
- Your business award matches the tone of voice for your business.
- The grammar and spelling are correct.
10. Give it the Time it Deserves!
Writing submissions that win business awards involves giving them the time they really needs. A winning award entry that contains even just a handful of questions may require a few days to write. We should never underestimate how long it takes to craft award entries that represent our business in a tone of voice, tell your story and present facts and figures. It’s a good idea to write one draft and step away from the process to allow you to come up with more ideas. This is where our professional award writers can help you.
Professional business awards entry writers
The process of writing business awards submissions needs the right frame of mind. With businesses focused on the art of doing business, many business awards entries are rushed and don’t make the grade. If you are looking for support in this area, Proof Communications can help. You can contact us on 02 8036 5532 or 0411 123 216.