Industry awards: Does winning really help your business?

It’s awards season again. And across the industries we work in, from construction and property to energy and engineering, there’s no shortage of brilliant businesses, people and projects deserving of recognition.

We love seeing our clients celebrated for the work they do. And having supported plenty of award submissions over the years, we know how much time and effort goes into getting them right.

But with so many businesses competing for recognition, what makes an award entry stand out? And, perhaps more importantly, are industry awards really worth the effort.

Why industry awards matter

Industry awards can offer real value to a business, particularly when they’re part of a wider marketing and communications strategy.

They provide an independent endorsement of your work and expertise, helping to build credibility, strengthen your reputation and give prospective clients another reason to choose you.

They also create valuable opportunities for PR and marketing. From sharing the stories behind successful projects to celebrating the people who made them happen, awards provide content that can be used across your website, social media, internal communications and wider media activity.

There’s also something to be said for the impact on your team. Having your hard work recognised by your peers is a lovely thing, and an opportunity to celebrate achievements that can sometimes get overlooked in the day-to-day running of a business.

Of course, entering awards takes time. And there’s no guarantee of a win. So, choosing the right opportunities and putting together a strong submission is important.

Here are four things we’ve learnt from writing award entries for our clients.

Four tips for writing a strong award entry

1. Find your story and stick to it

Every business thinks it deserves to win. The challenge is explaining why.

With strict word counts and judges often reading hundreds of submissions, it’s important to identify what makes your entry genuinely interesting.

What’s different about this project, initiative or achievement? What challenge did you overcome? What was the outcome, and why does it matter?

Find the strongest angle and build your entry around it.

It’s tempting to include everything you’ve achieved, but trying to tell too many stories can dilute the message. A focused entry, with a clear reason for winning, will be much easier for judges to understand and remember.

2. Write from the outside looking in

One of the biggest challenges with award submissions is remembering that the judges don’t know your business as well as you do.

What seems obvious internally might need explaining to someone reading about your work for the first time.

This is particularly relevant in the technical industries we work in, where specialist terminology, acronyms and complex processes are part of everyday conversations.

Our advice? Keep it simple.

Explain what you’ve done, why it matters and what makes it significant. Avoid unnecessary jargon and don’t assume the judges will fill in the gaps.

It can also help to get someone outside the project to read an early draft. If they can’t quickly understand the story, there’s probably more work to do.

3. Keep a consistent voice

Award entries often involve input from several people across a business. And rightly so. The people closest to the work usually have the most valuable insights.

But too many people editing the final submission can make it disjointed.

Different writing styles, repeated information and competing priorities can quickly turn a strong story into something much harder to follow.

We’d recommend gathering input from the relevant teams early, then giving one person responsibility for pulling everything together.

That way, you can make sure the entry answers the judging criteria, maintains a consistent tone and tells a clear story from beginning to end.

And don’t underestimate the value of a good edit. When every word counts, being concise is a real advantage.

4. Back up your claims with evidence

It’s easy to describe a project as innovative, successful or industry-leading. But what makes it so?

Judges need evidence.

Where possible, include measurable results that demonstrate the impact of your work. That might be improvements in efficiency, reductions in carbon emissions, financial savings, customer feedback or the number of people who have benefited from an initiative.

The most useful figures are those that directly support your story.

Testimonials can also be valuable, particularly when they come from clients, partners or people who have experienced the benefits first-hand.

And if the award allows supporting materials, use them thoughtfully. Strong photography, project examples and clear supporting information can help bring an entry to life.

Ultimately, the stronger your evidence, the more convincing your submission will be.

Making the most of awards season

One final thought. Don’t wait until you’ve won to think about how awards fit into your wider marketing and communications.

The process of preparing an entry often uncovers some fantastic stories. Projects worth talking about, people doing brilliant things and results that deserve a wider audience.

These can all become valuable content in their own right, regardless of the outcome.

And if you do make the shortlist or take home an award, make sure you celebrate it! Share the news, recognise the people involved and use the opportunity to tell the wider story behind the achievement.

At Macbeth Lankester, we help our clients identify the right awards, find the strongest stories and create submissions that give their work the recognition it deserves.

If you’d like some support with your next award entry, get in touch. We’d love to hear what you’ve been working on.