ENTRY TIPS

 To help you make a successful entry, here are some tips to assist you in writing a compelling entry for the IHRE23 Awards.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

• Read the questions carefully, and ensure you target your answers to the question.
• Keep focused and ensure all information is relevant

DON’T IGNORE THE RULES

• Word count – The judges are on a deadline too so are keen to read concise copy
• Keep within the upload sizes requested
• Adhere to stipulated PDF and .doc upload formats
• Submit by the closing date!

COMMUNICATE WITH CLARITY
Remember the judges will be looking through hundreds of entries, so:

• Be concise, clear and focused – with clean, easy-to-digest copy
• Make it easy for them to make sense of your entry
• Create a narrative, and make your submission a good read
• Write with verve, be compelling and passionate, aim to stand out
• Avoid jargon, inflated claims, unexplained acronyms and unedited copy-and-pasting
• Set the scene – provide insight into your business/event, with context where appropriate

INCLUDE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

• Make sure the supporting material backs up your claims in the main submission
• The more quotes from satisfied delegates / sponsors etc the better
• Pertinent facts and figures can improve your awards entry
• Where necessary validate your claims to enable the judges to evaluate their impact

WORDS BEAT LINKS

• The words of your submission form should be the main focus and thrust of your entry
• Make it easy to access websites and files
• Consider a link to a short YouTube video with footage from the event being entered.
• Consider creating short URLs (e.g. Bitly.com) If you include links to lengthy websites
• Avoid weighty download files that have to be sifted through to find your point

LEAVE ENOUGH TIME

• Enter early – a last minute rush is likely to impact on the quality of your submission
• The process invariably takes longer than expected, particularly if you need sign-offs
• Allocate yourself more time than you think you will need

ASSIGN SOMEBODY TO THE JOB

• Designate someone in your company as the Awards coordinator – responsible for collating information, contacting referred clients, consulting colleagues, checking facts, chasing up, writing the initial draft and keeping an eye on timeline and deadline

SEEK CLIENT’S PERMISSION

• Ensure any relevant clients are happy to have their event entered, especially if it contains commercially sensitive information. (they will probably be delighted, and you can invite them to the ceremony if shortlisted!)

PROOFREAD

• When the basics are finalised give it to the best writer in your company to polish.
• Typos can make a good submission look sloppy
• Thoroughly check spelling, grammar and punctuation

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CATEGORY

• Consider entering categories you think might attract less entrants to give yourself a higher chance of success
• You can give yourself a decent chance of being shortlisted/winning by entering more than one relevant category

Using these guidance notes will not guarantee success, but it will give your entry the best possible chance of making compelling reading for the judging panel.