Writing An Award Winning Entry That Gets You Noticed

Writing A Winning Award Submission That Gets You Noticed

So you’ve decided you want to enter one of the Talent in Logistics awards? Well done, you’ve taken the first step towards rewarding yourself, a colleague or team with the recognition that their brilliant work deserves.

Now, all you have to do is write the actual entry.

At Talent in Logistics, we know what usually happens next. You’ll liaise with your manager or director and build it into the marketing plan, you’ll put some spare time aside to gather your thoughts, then leave it untouched for weeks. You’ll get a submission deadline reminder a few days before the closing date and the whole thing will end up being rushed and quickly thrown together.

But, there is another way. Writing award entries doesn’t have to be difficult nor time consuming, but it does take focus and planning. As a team who has written/received our fair share of entries, we’d like to share our top 10 tips to writing an award winning entry that gets you noticed.

1)Is it an award winning story?

It seems obvious but to increase your chances of winning make sure you are putting your best story forward. You may need to forget about your latest project, think about all your achievements over the last year and pick the project that scores highly on innovation and impact. It may not have been the first that sprung to mind, but it’ll certainly be the one most likely to get you the win.

2)Powerful summary

The judging panel will have hundreds of entries to read, so including a powerful opening summary is vital. A bullet point opening section that summarises key achievements can help the submission to pack a punch. For 2019 we have made this easier for you and included a 200 word summary where you can provide an overview of the nominee that provides a robust, thorough and compelling argument.

3)Provide value

It’s certainly important for you to share the value you are achieving, but when other colleagues or teams in and out of your organisation realise it too gives you unbiased validation. Pull in quotes and feedback from colleagues, managers, internal stakeholders and external customers who can vouch for your work to give your submission even more credibility. For each award submission for 2019 you may include up to three supporting documents, such as testimonials; useful links; product or service information.

4)Don’t be afraid to share something you are proud of

Even if your story doesn’t seem overall innovative on the surface, it could be something you did in a creative way. Context is everything in an award submission. 

5)Be truthful

Always be truthful when answering each question, as the famous saying states “the truth will out.” Including invalid, untruthful answers can cause considerable damage to yours and your brand’s reputation. It’s best to avoid a potential PR disaster by always telling the truth in an award application.

6)Don’t ignore the fine print

Check the entry guidelines to ensure you are covering all of the criteria for your category. Missed questions could lead to your entry being ignored.

7)Everyone loves statistics

Where possible, include a few tangible facts and figures, whether that be ROI, infographics or even social media shares.

8)Include video

If a picture speaks a thousand words, a video surely speaks a lot more. There is no better way to tell a story than in a visual format. Video is a much easier, quicker and stronger way to consume information, with a humanistic touch that brings your story to life. With the option to enclose supporting evidence why not make one of them a video.

9)Proof-read

Have a colleague proof-read the entry for typos. Ask someone who was not involved in the project to read your entry, ensuring it is easy to understand and you are capturing all that was involved.

10)Don’t forget the 3 golden rules

Angle, innovation and impact. What is the story? What makes the story unique? What evidence can support it?

For further support and information, check out our Handy Guide.

Talent in Logistics is the only event dedicated to the recruitment, development, engagement and retention of individuals and teams within the logistics industry. The 2019 TiL awards will help:

How to write a winning award submissionRelationships

How to write a winning award submission Brand Awareness & Visibility

How to write a winning award submission Engagement

How to write a winning award submission Recognition

How to write a winning award submission Reputation & Perception

How to write a winning award submission Lead Generation & Sales

Check out the 2019 award categories here.

Entries for the awards open on Monday 7th January 2019 and close on Monday 4th March 2019. If you have any questions, queries or need any advice on your entry form, please email us at talentinlogistics@capitb.co.uk.