What’s involved in the project management of an award submission?
Entering business awards is a great way to showcase your business’s achievements, boost your reputation, and attract new customers. However, it’s important to remember that entering awards is not just about writing a submission. It’s a complex process that requires careful planning and execution.
In this article, we’ll look at the different stages of project management involved in an award submission, from sourcing the right awards to submitting your entries and coordinating all logistics around the finalist stage.
Sourcing the right awards
The first step is to identify the right awards to enter. You should consider the following factors:
- Alignment with your business goals: What do you hope to achieve by entering awards? Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or attract new investors? Choose awards that are aligned with your business goals and which will profile you with the right audiences.
- Eligibility criteria: Make sure you meet the eligibility criteria for each award you enter. This includes factors such as business size, industry, and location.
- Level of competition: Consider the level of competition for each award. Some awards are more competitive than others. If you’re new to entering awards, it can be best to start with the lower hanging fruit and build momentum towards the more competitive awards. Look at past winners and finalists to learn about the calibre of applicants.
Meeting tight deadlines
Awards have tight deadlines which typically can’t move. This is why knowing when awards open and close, and mapping out a project timeline so that you’re not in a rush close to the deadline is so important.
At Green Door Co we use project management tools to track every project milestone and share a dashboard with clients to show real-time progress on all projects.
Assessing the questions and criteria
Once you’ve chosen the awards you want to enter, you need to carefully assess the questions and criteria for each award. This will help you to tailor your submission accordingly.
Pay close attention to the following:
- What are the judges looking for? What are the key criteria that the judges will be using to assess your submission?
- How are the questions structured? Are the questions open-ended or double barrelled? Are there any specific requirements for the length or format of your responses?
- What are the word count limits? Most awards will have well defined word limits which you must not exceed.
- Are there any supplementary evidence requirements? Some awards may require you to submit supporting documentation, such as case studies, testimonials, or financial statements.
Writing a compelling award submission
There is an art to writing a compelling award submission which meets the criteria, engages the judges and balances telling your story in a captivating way with sharing the relevant evidence and stats. If you simply share your sales or key messages you won’t get over the line.
At Green Door Co our awards copywriters have written hundreds of awards submissions deploying our successful awards copywriting methodology.
Collating the right supplementary evidence
In addition to your written submission, you may also need to submit supplementary evidence. This could include case studies, testimonials, financial statements, or visuals such as graphs and charts.
When choosing supplementary evidence, make sure it is relevant to the award you are entering and that it supports your written submission.
Putting together visuals
Visuals can be a great way to make your award submission more engaging and informative. However, it’s important to use visuals sparingly and to make sure they add value to your submission.
Some tips for using visuals in your award submission include:
- Use high-quality images and charts.
- Make sure your visuals are relevant to the award you are entering and that they support your written submission.
- Use visuals to highlight your key points and to make your submission more visually appealing.
- Avoid overusing visuals. Too many visuals can make your submission look cluttered and unprofessional.
Submitting your entries
Once you have completed your award submission, you need to submit it on time and according to the instructions provided by the award organiser.
Some tips for submitting your award entries include:
- Proofread your submission carefully before submitting it.
- Make sure you have submitted all of the required documentation.
- Submit your entries on time. Don’t submit it 10 minutes before the deadline as it can take longer than you expect to submit.
- Follow the instructions provided by the award organiser.
Coordinating logistics around the finalist stage
If you are shortlisted as a finalist for an award, there will be some additional logistics that you need to coordinate. This could include:
- Preparing for a Q&A process.
- Sharing company info or bios with awards organisers.
- Sharing details of the awards night with your team.
- Promoting your success on social media.
- Adding finalist logos to email signatures and other marketing channels and materials.
- Arranging travel and accommodation for yourself and your team (if required).
- Preparing a presentation or speech for the awards night (if required).
Additional tips for Australian businesses
Here are some additional tips for Australian businesses entering awards:
- Network with other businesses in your industry. This is a great way to learn about upcoming awards and to get advice from other businesses that have entered awards in the past.
- Seek professional help. If you need help with any aspect of the award submission process, there are a number of professional services providers that can assist you.
- Don’t be afraid to enter multiple awards. The more awards you enter, the better your chances of success. Just make sure you’re strategic about which awards you enter.
Project managing an award submission can be a complex process, but it is worth it in the end. You have to be in it to win it!
Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in entering awards? We can help. Reach out today for a no-obligation chat and quote
