How to write an award-winning award entry

Ok, so you have your awards strategy. And a shortlist. Now the time has come to write your entry. Here are my top tips for writing an award-winning entry.

1. Understand the award and Its criteria - Pay careful attention to the award you’re applying for. Read the entry guidelines, eligibility requirements, and the judging criteria.

2. Create a judges score sheet – This will help you iterate each answer.

3. Research past winners – Occasionally this will appear on the organiser’s sites, but typically it’s within the winner’s website or social news. Identify why they think they won it and what evidence they may have submitted.

4. Tell a compelling Story – Back up your claims with clear evidence of specific, measurable outcomes. This could include data, customer testimonials, press coverage, illustrations, images and videos. Quantify your achievements with concrete numbers and results.

5. Use testimonials -  Testimonials provide third-party validation and add credibility to your entry. If possible, include quotes from satisfied customers, clients, or employees.

6. Don’t be shy – Demonstrate how problems were overcome through creativity, hard work, and effective leadership.

7. Be open – Check the T&C’s to ensure that your entry will be treated as confidential. Be open about your achievements.

8. Be clear and concise – Judges are skilled at reading entries quickly, just as an employer is with CV’s. Get your point across quickly.

9. Avoid jargon – Stick to the facts and be as direct as possible. Don’t use long-winded explanations. Use acronyms sparingly. Avoid overly technical language.

10. Respect the word limit - Many awards have strict word limits. There is often an auto-word count on the submission form.

11. Fight for your reader’s attention – Stick to the story. Use short paragraphs. Create compelling subheadings. Use bullet points where appropriate. Do all you can to make your entry easy to read and follow.

12. Be mindful of the word count - Don’t worry too much about this in the first draft. For example, if the judges word count is 500 words, then a first draft up to 750 words wouldn’t worry me. 1,500 words might.

13. Stand out from the crowd – Be clear what makes your project, team, or business different from the competition. Explain challenges that you faced, and how you overcame them in a way that was unique or innovative.

14. Focus on your unique selling points (USPs) - Don’t be afraid to brag a little. Always back up your claims with evidence. For example, by including quotes from satisfied customers, clients, or employees. I once submitted a successful entry composed entirely of customer quotes. Testimonials provide third-party validation and add credibility to your entry.

15. Improve and refine - After writing your first draft, take time to edit and refine your entry. Remove any unnecessary information, repetitive details, or filler words.

16. Write the submission drafts in a short space of time - This will help you keep momentum and maintain consistency in your writing style and approach.

17. Follow the Instructions – Pay close attention to every detail of the entry requirements, from word counts to format. Submissions that ignore guidelines can be rejected before the judges even read them. Create a checklist of all the entry requirements and make sure each one is met before submitting.

18. Edit, Proof-read, and review - Be mindful of any internal sign-off requirements. Avoid any last-minute surprises that require someone else to edit or review your submission.

19. Be thorough - Ensure that your entry is polished and professional. Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and formatting issues can create a bad impression and detract from the quality of your submission. Read through your entry multiple times, and if possible, have someone else review it. A fresh set of eyes can catch mistakes or suggest improvements you might have missed.

20. Sleep on an entry – I never submit an entry without at least a 12-hour gap from the last edit. This allows me to carefully review it with a clean pair of eyes the next day.

21. Submit early - Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your entry. Give yourself enough time to complete the entry thoughtfully and to avoid any technical glitches during submission. I always get more nervous when I am using an entry submission system for the first time; experience has taught me to be cautious, and to ensure that I have a proof of entry.

In my next blog: I'll explain how to write a killer first draft.