And the winner is … you!
Entering awards programs provides opportunities to build visibility, credibility and influence. But while the awesomeness of your company, product or project is important, so too is your ability to write an outstanding, judge-friendly award submission.
So how can you give your organisation the best possible chance of winning?
Why you should enter awards
Awards programs acknowledge excellence, innovation and measurable impact. Winning an award provides customers, employees and stakeholders with external validation that can enhance your credibility and help attract new customers. It also provides excellent content for websites, social media, sales decks and press coverage.
Even being shortlisted sets your organisation apart from competitors, making it easier to attract high-quality leads, partnership opportunities and top talent.
The submission process itself can also be valuable, as it forces you to clarify your achievements, gather evidence to support your claims and refine your messaging. This can help you sharpen how your organisation communicates its impact.
How to write a compelling award submission
Having written award submissions for dozens of clients across a range of industries, we know what it takes to craft a compelling entry.
A strong award submission needs a good story, backed by concrete evidence. To tell that story effectively, you need to understand the award criteria and what the judges are looking for, so you can structure your response and communicate your achievements with clarity and impact.
Here are the strategies we use to give clients’ entries the best possible chance of standing out, so our clients end up standing on stage accepting an award.
Choose the right opportunity
Assess award programs and categories based on their relevance to your organisation or project, and prioritise opportunities where your strengths and achievements align most closely with what the judges are looking for.
Analyse the criteria
Break down the requirements, identify what information the judges or reviewers want and consider how you’ll respond to each question – taking note of word count and the evidence, design and submission requirements.
We’ve worked on award submissions with vastly different requirements, ranging from only being able to enter text into designated text boxes to being allowed to upload a fully designed document. Understanding these requirements early will save you time and frustration.
Shape a strong narrative
Create an outline that maps your objectives, achievements and impact under headings such as ‘challenge’, ‘approach’, ‘outcomes’ and ‘significance’. Include key points of your story and supporting data.
Structure your response to meet the guidelines
Use clear headings, organise your arguments logically and write concisely to help judges quickly understand and score the case you’re making. Limited word counts mean every sentence must earn its place – so focus on relevance, specificity and quantifiable outcomes.
Back up claims with evidence
Strong award submissions rest on compelling evidence. Aim to include measurable outcomes, before-and-after comparisons, illustrative examples, stakeholder testimonials and third-party validation. In our experience, gathering this evidence is often one of the biggest challenges in preparing an award submission, so start sourcing these proof points early. Check whether you can include charts or tables in your answer or upload supporting documents.
Refine your language for clarity and impact
Edit the copy thoroughly. Remove jargon, explain internal terminology, tighten sentence structure and sharpen key messages. Proofread submissions carefully – or ask someone else to do it – to catch errors and typos before submission.
Don’t leave everything to the last minute
It takes time to gather information, create a draft and secure approvals. We’ve also found that lodging a finished submission can take longer than expected, particularly when online portals have specific formatting requirements or require information to be entered manually. Allow plenty of time for this final step.
Consider repurposing your submission
All that effort of gathering evidence and articulating your achievements can pave the way for telling your story in other formats, such as case studies, thought leadership articles, marketing materials and stakeholder communications. Repurposing award submissions will make these processes faster and easier than starting from scratch.
How we can help
Ultimately, creating a winning award submission isn’t just a box-ticking exercise. Award submissions are strategic tools for shaping your story and building credibility. But success rarely comes from a rushed or generic response.
To deliver real impact, carefully target and thoughtfully structure your submissions. By combining a clear narrative with credible evidence, you give your organisation the best possible chance of standing out with judges.
If you’d like support in crafting an award entry that strengthens your organisation’s visibility and influence, please get in touch.
Ylla Watkins