Winning an industry or business award is one of the best ways to showcase your company’s achievements, gain recognition, impress potential clients and build team morale, but having great work to nominate is only part of the equation. To receive the recognition you deserve, you’ll also need to craft an award-winning nomination, which is an art in itself. Follow these seven tips to increase your chances of bringing home the win.
Read the instructions
This may seem like a given. However, just like on your middle school math test, if you don’t thoroughly read and understand the instructions, you won’t ace it. Take time to confirm that your company meets all of the award program guidelines and is willing to submit all of the required information. Furthermore, meet the deadline, follow the word count, use the requested file types and be aware of maximum file sizes.
Answer the questions
Again, this may seem obvious, but many awards programs require essay-style responses to questions with multiple parts. Be sure to answer every question asked and highlight any specific buzzwords.
Do your homework
Review past award winners to learn more about what it takes to win the particular award you’re focusing on. Research the judges, if possible, because they are your target audience.
Tell a story
Your nomination should have a clear beginning, middle and end and focus on the five Ws (and one H) of storytelling. Remember that judges are likely reviewing hundreds of nominations and don’t have much time to dedicate to each one. A well-organized, unique and compelling story will increase the time spent reading your nomination, thus increasing your chances of winning.
Back it up with facts
Don’t be vague. The most important part of your nomination is highlighting the tangible results generated from your work and how the project’s goals and objectives were met. Third-party validation from surveys or testimonials can add weight to your nomination, if applicable.
“Optional” means “mandatory”
Some questions may be marked as optional, but be sure to take advantage of the extra word count and the opportunity to tell more of your story. It’s your best bet to consider all responses mandatory.
Shout it from the rooftop
If and when you DO win, make sure that everyone knows about it. Distribute a press release, share your news on social media and showcase your award wins on your company’s website.
Check out TJA’s awards here.
