AFTER ENTERING AN AWARD

9. WINNING AN AWARD

What happens once my awards entry has been submitted?

Every award operates differently. For example, some will just require a written entry, whereas others include an additional presentation stage. The awards panel will consider all entries and give each one its respective score – this process takes several weeks.

Can I tell people that I’ve entered an award?

Absolutely. Feel free to promote the fact that you’re in contention for the award through your social media channels and business contacts – this PR all helps to increase your credibility.

Is there a shortlist of awards finalists?

There will be a process of choosing a shortlist (typically of around 6-10) featuring the highest-scoring entrants. Making this stage is a credible achievement, even if you don’t ultimately win the top prize, as businesses benefit from using ‘Highly Commended’ or ‘Bronze Award’ in their marketing materials and comms.

Will I have to do an awards presentation?

Some awards have a two-stage entry process. This means that those businesses or individuals progressing from the entry stage will make a shortlist, requiring them to produce and deliver a presentation – typically around 15 minutes in duration. You can get other member(s) of your wider team to help present.

Who can help with my awards presentation?

We can! we can put together an effective and professional presentation that’s perfectly produced to fit the award’s objectives. What’s more, we can coach you through the presenting part to ensure you’re as prepared and comfortable as possible before your big moment in the limelight. A judging panel can even be arranged to simulate the kind of environment you’ll face, with expert feedback provided after your presentation.

Will there be an awards ceremony?

Awards have a variety of ways to celebrate your success. The majority do have a ceremony at the end of the process, which is when the winners are crowned – please be aware that some awards will make online announcements for shortlisting etc. This ceremony could come in one of several forms:

‘Live’ – when the ceremony takes place at a venue (often a prestigious hotel) and people physically attend.
‘Virtual’ – some awards organisers choose to host a virtual ceremony online, where guests join via a digital link (such as Zoom). The pandemic forced almost all ceremonies to go online, due to health & safety guidelines.
‘Hybrid’ – this refers to a ceremony that combines a mixture of the above approaches. Parts of the ceremony might be live at the venue, while other sections could either be pre-recorded or delivered via an online link.

It’s a fantastic opportunity to share your story with other finalists and raise your business profile. There is no obligation to purchase a table at the event, and it certainly won’t influence your chances of winning.

In addition, some awards incorporate networking events into their programme of activities.

TIME TO START YOUR AWARDS JOURNEY!

Our FREE Win Business Awards Scorecard benchmarks your current ability to win awards and identifies how to increase your chances of winning in the future. It takes less than five minutes to complete and you’ll receive a FREE report showing your strengths and weaknesses.