Would you like to know the secret to writing award entries that win?

Wow!!! How exciting is this…

Bright colourful lights beaming from the stage. Pure white crisp tablecloths on perfectly laid out tables with a selection of fine wine in the middle waiting to be enjoyed. Wide eyes immediately drawn upwards to the wooden domed ceiling of iconic The Roundhouse. The palpable buzz of people chatting with friends and colleagues in anticipation – and a huge vibrant blue sign taking centre stage announcing the Accounting Excellence Awards 2024.

Phew! We made it. Despite the biblical-style rain outside and one of us forgetting their make-up. Thank goodness it was only make-up.

We found our table, made new acquaintances, ate delicious food, drank wine, laughed out loud to Rob Beckett’s very risqué jokes, and waited for the awards to begin.

Then came the obvious disappointment when our name wasn’t called out for Small Firm of the Year, despite being shortlisted. Quickly followed by the pure joy, excitement and pride when Panthera Accounting was called out as the winner of Employer of the Year – Small Company.

We know it’s not all about winning awards. Especially when the tickets cost an absolute fortune and they’re held on a Tuesday night in London! But hey, it’s not like an accountant to question non-essential expenses, is it?! However, it was definitely worth it and has ended up being one of the highlights of our year.

This was what the judges had to say about us…

“Panthera has a really human and personalised approach, driven by a visionary leader at the top – when they spot an issue, it’s addressed. The firm’s decision-making is also geared towards ensuring a more engaged culture.”

So, what makes us experts at writing awards entries? Well, quite frankly we’re not. We haven’t always got it right and we’ve been reflecting on what we did differently this year, to be shortlisted for both awards we entered and successfully winning one.

These are our reflections and ‘top tips’ if you’re thinking of entering an award for your business.

1. Consider your strengths and success stories

What are you great at versus your competition? Think about what makes you different and stand out from other businesses in your industry. What are your success stories? How have you helped your clients or driven your business closer to your vision? In most awards there’s a variety of awards you can enter, so be sure you choose the ones you have the strongest ‘story’ in. We knew we had a good chance in both of the awards we entered, as we had industry benchmarks and we’re very clear on what makes us different.

2. Look back at the previous year’s entries

Once you’ve decided which awards you would like to enter, take some time to look back at the awards announcements from last year and read the judges comments. It can help you understand what sort of things the judges are looking for, so you can make sure you include these in your award entry for this year. We did this for both of our entries.

3. Give them what they’re asking for

It’s sounds pretty obvious, but often gets ignored. There’s usually guidance for each award entry, as to what the judges need to see. If they request a case study, give them a brilliant case study. If they want to see your annual sales uplift or profit margin increases, then give them this information. Don’t hold back because you’re worried you might give your trade secrets away. We used the guidance document as a ‘structure’ for writing our awards to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

4. Back it up with strong evidence

Writing a compelling ‘story’ to support your award is important. However, it’s meaningless if it’s not backed up by strong evidence. Again, consider what the awards guidance is requesting and how you can best provide proof. One of the reasons we entered Employer of the Year was because we knew we could back it up with strong evidence. We use a tracking tool called ‘Friday Pulse’ and we score way above both our industry and total UK averages – in all categories.

Please note, if you’re an existing client and your award entry requires an overview of your business numbers, we can help you with that. Give us a call to find out more.

5. Make it specific to your industry

Make reference to industry-specific trends, challenges, opportunities and threats. Include how you as a business have responded to or overcome them. It demonstrates that you’re strategic and have a proactive approach to running your business. One of the biggest threats to the world of accounting is AI replacing the need for accountants and bookkeepers altogether. Which is why our ‘human and personalised approach’ and offering business advisory services that go beyond standard compliance accounting is an integral part of our business vision and core values.

Keep it punchy and simple

The judges will thank you for it! Whilst it might be tempting to get carried away, especially if (like most accountants) you’re a detail person, you don’t want to put the judges to sleep. Keep the copy as simple and concise as possible. You might even want to use bullets for your key points, to make it easier for them to read. Think about who’s the best person in your team to write them, as it doesn’t always have to be you as the business owner. We used our in-house marketing colleague, with valuable input from our Director and other colleagues as needed. It’s also a good idea to ask someone who hasn’t been involved in the award entry to check it for clarity and accuracy.

Well, that’s the end of our reflections for now and I’m sure we’ll continue to learn new things as we go along. We hope you’ve found them helpful and GOOD LUCK!