How to write the perfect award entry
Winning awards is a great way to showcase what your company does in a positive way.
You will benefit from the media coverage of the event as well as having an accolade to include in your own marcomms – not to mention the feel good factor for your team in front of your competitors on the night. There are a huge variety of awards around, from local to national, industry based or with specific criteria.
At Dawson Walker, we write high quality award entries and we’ve been fortunate to support a number of organisations preparing entries that not only get shortlisted, but most importantly, win. So - we thought we would share our hints and tips on how to write the perfect award entry.
First and foremost, you need to identify what you want your organisation to be known for and is best at. This will help you decide which awards and categories to enter. Because the awards and categories you have selected are relevant to your sector and brand reputation you will no doubt have some compelling initiatives and projects that when brought to life will stand out. You should also think about high performing people in your organisation who could be nominated for awards that focus on individuals.
Once you are happy with your choice of awards and before you start writing, make sure you read through the criteria and identify the key people in your organisation and other key stakeholders who will be able to support you. When you interview colleagues tailor your questions to the criteria in the award entry and spend enough time to get as much information as possible. Include quotes from what they say - it’s always a great way to get them involved in the entry and the judges can get a feel for your company’s character. Also, remember to ask them to supply you with any relevant evidence to back up what they’ve told you.
Once you’re happy with the content you have gathered you can get writing. A good approach is to start entries with an overarching statement about why you believe your company has the right achievements to succeed in the chosen category and why you should win. If you believe in it, the judges will too.
Keep it brief, don’t over do it, simple sentences, good facts and interesting stories are always best. Don’t forget to have positive statistics; judges like to see tangible evidence of any successes. A great way to include anything relevant is in the form of charts, and graphics – something visual – these can be added in the supporting documents.
Your style of writing is also very important; it should reflect your brand and sound like your organisation talking to the judges. Avoid over-statements – keep things as factual as possible rather than using too many adjectives. Let people who are quoted use the more flowery language.
Some entries have strict word count criteria and it can be difficult to cover everything that you want to say, a way of getting around this – if allowed – is to include additional information as supplementary evidence and supporting documents. Videos can also be a great way of bringing a submission to life – but check it is ok to include this medium before making the investment.
Finally, end your entry on a high point! You need to leave your reader with something really positive that will make you stand out and supports why you think you should win.
We hope this will help you become the best award entry writer in 2018.
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