The TWO big mistakes you might be making when entering awards
If you’ve ever entered an award and not won, it can be really disappointing and you can find yourself asking ‘why?’
From years of experience judging award entries, the reason for not winning typically isn't that the product, initiative or service isn't award-worthy…
Entries often miss out on the top spot for these two really common mistakes;
- Not being in the right category
- Not answering the criteria
These might sound basic, but we see them time after time, across every industry.
Luckily, it’s an easy fix. So if you’re planning your next award entry, take these steps now to give yourself the very best chance of success.
Step 1: Picking the Right Category
People often pick a category because they like its name. Maybe it sounds prestigious. Maybe it feels relevant. Or maybe you’ve seen a competitor win it before.
But unless the judging criteria matches your actual strengths, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.
Every award and category has its own specific criteria (some are more detailed than others), if your achievements don’t align with what the judges are looking for, you simply won’t score well, no matter how good your story is.
To avoid picking the wrong category, do this instead:
- Start with your strengths: Think about what you have achieved, and what metrics or outcomes back that up
- Compare categories: Read the criteria of each category carefully before making your choice, if there is more than one that you think suits you, you could consider entering multiple
- Make an informed choice: Select a category where you know you can tell your story whilst answering the criteria
The most successful award winners know which awards programmes and categories they want to enter, even before the awards are open. That’s because they have an awards strategy in place that allows them to plan ahead, and even create materials or results that will help them to win.
Step 2: Answer ALL the Criteria
Once you’ve chosen the right category based on your strengths and achievements, the next step is answering the criteria. (Sounds simple, but you’d be surprised!)
People often go into an award entry thinking they have a story to tell, and they're going to tell it in a way that makes sense to them.
They’re proud of what they have achieved and they write their story beautifully… but they forget to connect it to the criteria.
And the judges, they are there to score your submission against a set of criteria. So if you don’t respond directly to each point, they can’t give you the marks. Even if they love your story!
To avoid this mistake, there are some practical steps you can take;
- Make sure you understand what the criteria is asking for, and if you can’t answer part of it – go back to step 1 and consider if it’s the right category
- Answer each question in turn, you could even use the same language and structure as the criteria itself to help the judges follow
- Back up every claim with evidence, you could use metrics, quotes, testimonials, or project outcomes
Awards judges aren’t looking for perfection, they’re looking for entries that tell a story and answer all the questions.
Judges are often industry leaders, volunteering their time on top of their already busy workloads, to read dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of award entries.
The best thing you can do? Make it easy for them to give you top marks.
Enter your Next Award with Confidence
If you’ve ever felt frustrated that your award entry didn’t win, take these steps when you enter your next award and give yourself a better chance of success.
And if you wanted to go one step further, and have even more confidence in your award entries and some reassurance you have selected the best category and answered all the criteria, professional award entry consultancy may be the perfect solution for you.
Award entry consultancy is designed for brands who want to take ownership of their award entry, and don’t want to guess their way through it.
You’ll get clarity, expert guidance, and feedback that can make the difference between being shortlisted, and winning.
Our 3-step award entry consultancy includes;
- Strategic Award Entry Consultation with Donna O’Toole
You’ll begin with a dedicated 1:1 session. Together, you’ll uncover your winning story, strategically select your category, and outline what you’ll need to win - You Write Your Award Entry
With Donna’s guidance in hand, you’ll be ready to write your entry, knowing you’re on the right track. This step lets you stay in control of your voice, your brand, and your time, all while giving you everything you need to succeed and write a great entry - Expert Review & Feedback
Once your draft is ready, your entry will be reviewed through the eyes of a judge, with detailed feedback and practical suggestions for refining your messaging, structure, and evidence
So when you press submit, you can do it with the confidence that your entry has been stress-tested by experts, and designed to wow the judges.
If you want to give your next entry the best chance of winning, book a free consultation and let’s work together to get you that win.
