…and just like that, we are back busy preparing and submitting award entries for our clients.
I’ve written before about the importance of entering business awards. In 2020 I gave you my top seven reasons for entering business awards which included things like the fact, because awards focus on a particular aspect of your business, you get the opportunity to focus on something you may otherwise largely overlook. There’s also sometimes feedback from industry experts and the chance to raise your profile and enhance your reputation. Plus, if you win, it is a great morale boost for you and your staff.
Over the years, we’ve helped many clients achieve considerable success in business awards, including Cleankill Pest Control, The English Soap Company, London Network for Pest Solutions (LNPS) and Catsfield Christmas Tree Farm. So far this year, we’ve helped:
LNPS with Federation of Small Business Awards – shortlisted for one
The English Soap Company:
IoD Awards – waiting to hear
Business Champions Awards – shortlisted in one category
Federation of Small Business Awards – shortlisted in two categories
Cleankill Pest Control with Gatwick Diamond Business Awards – shortlisted in two categories
So, how can we help with your awards entry?
Well, as you can see, we have a lot of experience in researching, writing and submitting awards entries. The first stop is always to find the right award for the right company. For example, The English Soap Company is a family, run rural business trying to build international markets and so we’ve been looking for awards that focus on these things. Cleankill has a focus in many areas, but with a strong commitment to the environment and excellent customer service through training and development. Hence, why they have won so many awards in those areas.
In simple terms, there is no point in entering awards just for the thrill of maybe, possibly, winning one. The effort is too great and the chances of winning too small. Instead, we make sure all of our entries fit the aims of your company and its USP.
It helps that we have been working on awards entries for several years. We know the variety of competitions that are out there currently but we do keep our ear to the ground to make sure we know about any new and interesting opportunities.
Once we’ve identified which awards will suit our client, it’s time to start researching. If it’s a company we’ve been working with for many years, this is slightly easier as we already understand what is involved in the business.
However, it’s not a case of writing the same entry over and over again. We need to make sure every entry is different. Each one must stand out from the crowd when it’s being read by the judges. It is vital for us to liaise with the client to find out what messaging they would like to include in each entry along with facts and figures that will back up any statements and new developments we may not have heard about. Full engagement by the company is vital because, without that, it can be a bit of an uphill struggle to get the entry to shine.
And that is the key - an entry must have something about it that makes it stick in the minds of the judges. They will be reading many entries and so yours must answer all the questions accurately, with interesting facts that differentiate it from the competition, but in a way that makes it memorable.
Putting together a brilliant awards package can take time. Nowadays there are special platforms for most awards and you can’t upload entries if you go one word over. It can take a while to refine word counts and get the entry looking as good as possible. Any files need to be a certain size and you need to make sure you have all the correct supporting documents, logos and images ready to upload before the deadline. There is always a huge sense of relief when we click the ‘submit’ button and receive a confirmation email from the organisers. Then it’s a case of crossing our fingers.
Business awards are a great way to promote your business, but they are time-consuming. If you want help with your entries, contact Suzi by calling 07590 591140 or e-mail suzi@blueberry-pr.co.uk
Image by Vilve Roosioks from Pixabay