How to write a winning award submission
It can be hard to know where to start with an award submission but once you’ve decided which awards and categories you want to enter, there’s still plenty more to consider. The attention to detail you put into your submission can be the difference between taking home a trophy and remaining on the shortlist and there are some simple things you can do to give your entry the best possible chance.
Recently, our client Services Design Associates (SDA) won Property Consultancy of the Year at the Insider Property Dinner 2026, so we’ve pulled together some of the things we did to make sure their submission stood out from the crowd.
Here are a few pointers to help make your award submission one worth reading:
Start with the story, not the sales pitch
Judges read a lot of submissions, a lot. A guaranteed way to get lost within the pile is by starting with lists of things your business does, and completely losing their interest.
Instead, start with the story behind the entry. Key points can be saying what you’ve achieved, before you’ve gone into the details of how you did it and where the business came from. Give the judges a reason to care from the first few lines.
Make sure to answer the criteria properly
It sounds obvious but so many people forget the crucial point of answering the questions directly. It is important to make sure every section of your submission answers what the judges are asking first of all, and then weave the details in later.
One of the key pieces of feedback SDA got for their winning entry was that the submission actually answered the question. The best way to do this is to make sure every submission is authentic for every award, rather than having a stock pile of information to regurgitate for every piece.
Secondly, don’t assume the judges will make the connections themselves, use the criteria as a roadmap and make it clear why your entry deserves to win.
Back every big statement up with evidence
Anybody can make statements like ‘we’ve had fantastic results’ or ‘this year has been a huge success’, but a lot of the best submissions can tell you how, why and in what way.
Statements don’t mean much without proof, so don’t forget to include it. Context and the right wording is important but bringing achievements to life with statistics, percentages, testimonials, growth figures or any measurable results can make you really stand out.
Make your achievements easy to find
One of the biggest mistakes people make is burying their key successes halfway through a submission. Treat your submission like a news article, and think about the biggest hook you have and put it right at the top.
Don’t make it hard for the judges to pull out your advantages, say it clearly and say it quickly. You should think at the start of every section: What would I want a judge to remember five minutes after reading my entry?
Tell the judges what makes you different
Awards are competitive, and unfortunately sometimes you are among other businesses like you who have had a great year of growth, and the statistics to prove it too.
While it’s a great place to start, you’ve got to tell the judges what makes you stand out. This ties into making your achievements easy to find, but going the extra mile to make it memorable too.
If there is something specific that makes your project, team, campaign or business stand out from other entries, build your submission around it (but don’t forget to answer each question properly first!).
Write it for the judges, not for yourself
Before submitting, read back the entry as if you know nothing about your business, and make sure that everything makes sense, and the submission isn’t littered with unexplained jargon and complex stories.
A great way to do this is to get someone to read your submission who doesn’t know your business, or is in your sector.
Another thing to remember is to not get too wrapped in irrelevant information, even if it is something you love, and miss out details that are relevant out of preference. Personal stories are important, but don’t skip key information for an anecdote that you’re proud of, but doesn’t relate to the submission at all.
Comments