Purpol Marketing Academy

Promote your USP: Unique Selling Point

“Every company will be different – you have got to determine what your company USP is – this is the Unique Selling Point that makes you stand out and makes your business memorable. This is the content you need to focus on to make your entry impactful.”

What do you want to be known for -   pick the most relevant award and category to enter

“When trying to decide which award or category of an award to enter, you need to consider the relevance that the award can have to your business. There are a Huge amount of awards out there so as part of the award category assessment process, you need to identify whether there is a specific category that you want to stand out in. Do you really want to be known as an entrepreneur, a coach or a leader? What about the best of your industry specialism? If you have limited resources then target the one you really want, find out the structure and then the entry can be tweaked for any additional submissions.”

Evidence is essential  - get client testimonials

“Award entries give you the opportunity to document your achievements, but if you haven't done yourself justice on that entry form, they can't give you the credit, even if they are already aware of your business. Evidence is key, and what they might already know about you cannot be considered unless it is presented. If someone outside the business has realised you are good and has been prepared to go on the record to say so, it is far more powerful than if you, as a business, say how good you are.”

Tailor Your Entries for Ultimate Success

“Each award is likely to be judged individually, so we would always recommend that you tackle each award independently... Because the key to winning awards is in meeting and exceeding the criteria as best you can, every award entry must be bespoke and tailored in content and language to match the award category you are entering. Check the entry criteria - “do they have a minimum turnover requirement?... who took home the trophy in previous years?. To give yourself the best chance of winning, the entry criteria needs to be evaluated and matched against your individual and company attributes and then displayed on the entry form”

Visualise That Win

“Visualise that win. Understand why you want to win. When you know this, it will educate you as to the process you have to follow and the awards you will want to target to enter. Build an Award Calendar - Finding the right awards to enter can be time-consuming, but the good news is that most are an annual occurrence. So rather than having to do the leg work each year, build yourself a calendar that includes the details, due dates, etc. This will make it easier for you to target the ones you want.

Be Honest

“Always be honest with your entry. Don't lie, make up figures or avoid mentioning something that the general business community will know about you. If you have had a challenging year, say so. Follow that up with why it was a challenge, what you learned and explain how you are going to increase your efforts or refocus the next time. The judges for your awards are usually experienced business owners, investors and experts in their fields. This means that they are experienced enough to see through any attempt to cover up your weaknesses. Being sincere and explaining your challenges is very powerful as it shows you are constantly learning.”

Do You Have the Capacity to Win?

“Almost certainly yes, provided you choose the right award for your company and dedicate the time to write a compelling entry. There is a myth that only big companies win awards, but this is not true, and you have to be in it to win it.”

Denise is thrilled to be a Women in Construction Ambassador and to share her marketing knowledge to help others win more, more often.

She has published her book, ‘WINNER – How to Win Business Awards’, which is available on Amazon.

WINNER: How to Win Business Awards eBook: O’Leary , Denise: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Denise also provides bespoke consultancy on marketing strategies, bid writing and awards entry. Contact her at [email protected] or call 0044 1249 481411.

How will this help my business?

The presentation gives an introduction to the techniques and tactics we utilise to raise PR for a wide cross section of businesses of all diferent market sectors.

Who should sign up?

• Business owners and entrepreneurs who want to improve the effectiveness of their award entry process.
• Those new to win awards and raise their PR Profile.
• Those looking to improve their management and development of their pitch approach and methods.