The benefits of entering awards are well-documented; however, many people can still struggle when it comes to writing the entry. Beyond the obvious factors, such as following the criteria and format, how do you make your entry stand out from the competition?
At FoodBev Media, our awards schemes run throughout the year, so we’re no stranger to receiving awards submissions, putting us in a great position to offer some simple tips to help you write an award entry that grabs the judges’ attention!
Here are the ten best ways to make your award entry stand out.
Keep it simple
When it comes to awards submissions, less can definitely be more. Our judges often have hundreds of entries to sift through, so avoid jargon and keep your message succinct and to the point. This also means keeping the language simple and avoiding long words when a simpler one will do.
Tell a great story
Everyone loves a good story and awards judges are no different. Write your entry with passion and try to make sure that your entry has a strong beginning, middle and end that can clearly convey the key benefits of your product or innovation. Be sure to use descriptive language to engage the judging panel and set the scene.
Focus on your unique selling point
Rather than dilute your message by trying to fit too many points into your submission, focus on the main key benefit of your product. This also makes it easier for the judges to see the value of your product.
Be honest
It can often be easy to get carried away when writing an award entry, especially when you are passionate about your business, but you should never exaggerate or lie about your product. Judges can often see through false claims or claims made without any evidence to back it up.
Pay attention to the word count
It can be tough trying to condense your company’s work into a few paragraphs but word counts exist for a reason. Not only do they ensure you keep your entry concise and focused, they also make it more manageable for the judges.
FoodBev’s awards have a strict 200-word limit for this very reason and this also helps to keep the judging process fair.
Proofread, then proofread again
It would be horrible to put so much effort into writing an award entry, only to be undone by a simple spelling mistake. Awards are often held to a very high standard, which means attention will be paid to spelling, grammar and punctuation. So it’s important to double-check that there are no silly typos.
Edit mercilessly
Once you’ve written your entry, reread it to make sure it has all the necessary information. Make sure you let other members of your team read it too to add a fresh perspective.
Don’t be afraid to be different
A judging panel will see hundreds of very similar entries so if you can do something even slightly different this could really make your award entry stand out. For instance, writing your entry from the perspective of your consumer could be a novel way to show the impact that your product has and why it may be award-worthy.
A picture tells a thousand words
Once you have written the perfect entry description, make sure you include high-quality imagery that will help the judges visualise your products and reinforce your point.
Give yourself plenty of time
Good organisation skills can often be the difference between a good award entry and a fantastic award entry. This is because creating a great entry takes time, so be sure to start early to make sure your entry has everything it needs to stand out.
Businesses can often be put off from entering awards because of the level of competition and the seemingly difficult task of writing a winning entry. However, by following the simple steps above, there is no reason that your entry can’t and won’t stand out from the crowd.
At FoodBev Media, entry to our awards schemes is always kept as simple and straightforward as possible, so the focus is always on the innovations of your business.
The World Food Innovation Awards, in association with Hotelympia, are now open for entries and are designed to celebrate excellence and innovation across every category of the global food industry.
If you would like the opportunity to be globally recognised as a leading contributor to the food and beverage industry, you can find out more about The World Food Innovation Awards here.
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