Have you come across the 1 Degree Rule?

It’s a concept that shows the profound impact that even a small deviation in our plans, actions and goals can have over time. In simple terms, this concept can be visualised as a plane taking off and following a route just 1 degree off course. It will end up nowhere near its planned destination!

Now you might not feel like you’re flying a plane right now, or even notice that your initial plan has veered off course. But this concept serves as a reminder that even the smallest changes or decisions can have a compounding effect on our goals, shaping the trajectory of our journey, and ultimately, determining our success.

1 Degree Rule and Awards

In the context of winning business awards, the 1 Degree Rule comes up a lot.

I’d say 85% of the people who come to us to find out why their entries are NOT winning either didn’t set out their strategic journey for the entry from the start, or veered off course along the way and didn’t even notice. Some wildly off course, some only a small amount, but all with disappointing outcomes. When we’re training marketing teams to improve their entries this is often one of the first things we find and fix!

In awards, it’s common to hear judges say ‘just answer the question’ but in our experience staying on course for a win is NOT just about answering the explicit question.

Yes, it’s important, but depending on how well those questions are actually worded, following this instruction alone can also lead to a hugely disjointed story. Don’t be fooled, not all award entry questions are equal.

Top 5 Tips for Staying on Course

Here’s our top 5 tips for staying on course in your award entries to achieve a win:

🎯 Set out with a clear and unique strategic vision for your entry and story

🎯 Align ALL your personal brand assets

These depend on the award and category entered, but can range from your LinkedIn profile to your website, media, reviews and more)

🎯 Position ALL your business evidence and assets to complement your entry vision

Reviewing or developing company values, internal and external communications and feedback, CSR strategy, clarity of data and measures of targets, milestones and successes

🎯 Answer the implicit questions

These are the invisible questions that both the industry and the world around us bring up and add a layer of value to your entry. Answered well, this will increase your chance of winning WITHOUT diverting the story

🎯 Keep your strategic angle on course at every stage

From entry to evidence to presentation stage, hitting all point-scoring targets along the way to your winning destination

By understanding and embracing the 1 Degree Rule, fine-tuning your efforts, and paying attention to the small details, we promise you will see a substantial difference in achieving your goals, and in your awards results.

Plan Your Course

Not sure if you’re on the right course when it comes to your awards strategy? Join our free workshop!

Hosted by Donna O’Toole, you will come away from the session knowing how to strategically plan your awards journey that aligns with your business goals.

Book your place today and take the first step on your roadmap to recognition!

Entering awards can be a fantastic way to gain recognition, boost your profile and enhance your reputation.

However, it’s important to ensure that you’re ready to enter before you start entering. So, what are the key areas you need to focus on to determine whether you’re ready to enter awards?

Let’s take a closer look.

Clear Measured Impact

One of the most important things that judges look for when assessing award entries is clear measured impact.

This means that you need to be able to demonstrate the impact that your business has had, whether that’s in terms of customer satisfaction, business growth, or any other relevant metric.

To be able to demonstrate clear measured impact, you need to have a thorough understanding of your business and the outcomes you’ve achieved. This might involve gathering data, analysing customer feedback, or speaking to stakeholders to get a sense of the impact you’re having.

If you can clearly demonstrate the impact your business is having, then you’re well on your way to being ready to enter awards.

Quality Evidence

Another key area that judges look for in award entries is quality evidence.

This means that you need to be able to back up your claims with solid evidence, such as case studies or testimonials.

Quality evidence is important because it helps to bring your entry to life and provides tangible examples of the work you’ve done and the impact you’ve had. It also demonstrates that you’re able to communicate the value of your business in a clear and compelling way.

To gather quality evidence, you may need to speak to customers, partners, or other stakeholders to gather feedback and testimonials. You may also need to invest time and resources into creating case studies that showcase your work.

If you have quality evidence to back up your claims, then you’re another step closer to being ready to enter awards.

Being a Good Business

Finally, judges often look for businesses that are not only commercially successful but are also doing good in the world.

This means that you need to be able to demonstrate how you’re contributing to the community, the environment, or the wider world in some way.

Being a good business might involve investing in sustainability initiatives, supporting local charities, or championing diversity and inclusion. Whatever it is, it’s important to be able to demonstrate how you’re making a positive impact beyond just your own profits.

Entering awards can be a great way to gain recognition and enhance your reputation, but it’s important to make sure you’re ready to enter before you start putting together your entry. By focusing on these three key areas – clear measured impact, quality evidence, and being a good business – you’ll be well on your way to crafting a winning entry and making your mark in the world of awards.

Get Awards Ready

If you don’t know if you have what it takes to win awards or where to start, but know that entering and winning awards is a fantastic tool for business growth and growing your profile, we have created the Get Awards Ready scorecard to point you in the right direction.

In just 2 minutes, by completing this free short test you will;

✅ Discover if you are ready to enter awards
✅ Know what actions to take to become award-winning
✅ Receive a digital copy of best-selling book WIN! by Donna O’Toole, the essential guide to raining your profile through the power of awards

Take the test and find out if you are ready to enter awards and how to improve your chances of winning.Take the test now.