Some of our judges have shared a few helpful tips in regards to completing your entry this year, which you can watch here. We hope you find it useful.

In the meantime, if you are proud of your organisation, and keen to enter the awards but just not sure where to start, here are some additional tips to help get you started:

Point of View (POV)
Take a look at the group of judges for your category and consider your submission from their perspective. Remember that they will be reading and scoring a lot of entries, so make sure your entry stands out for the right reasons!

Allow plenty of time
Start planning as soon as you can; writing your submission in stages rather than all in one sitting is usually more effective, as this will give you ample time to think it through and ensure you are preparing it in line with the required criteria. Ask your colleagues for their input in good time too so that you can refine your key points; by doing so, your entry will be well-considered, authentic and as compelling as possible. Then give yourself at least one week before the deadline to edit and proofread your award entry, as the judges can always tell if an entrant has been rushed in their thinking and composition! Read the document aloud, check for repetition, remove unnecessary detail and pick up all the typos and errors you can. If possible, also ask one or two colleagues with ‘fresh eyes’ to check it. If someone particular in your organisation needs to approve your entry before submission, allowing plenty of time at this stage means you can also incorporate any of their feedback, which could be that crucial last piece of the puzzle!

Detail 
Read the entire entry form once you have entered the awards and before you put the proverbial pen to paper so that you can gather all the information that is required about your business in a timely fashion! Whilst it can be tempting to delay filling in some of the more mundane details until the last minute, this information can also take time to get right so don’t be caught out!

Criteria
Each category has set criteria, which must be addressed. Read these carefully and ensure that you follow them, answering each point concisely and clearly; this will give you or your organisation the very best chance of doing well in the awards.

Evidence
Provide good evidence for your claims, either within your supporting testimonials or, preferably, within the body of your entry.

No 'Copy & Paste'
If you are entering more than one category, ensure that your entry is written specifically for that category. Entries which use the same submission text across multiple categories - essentially 'copy and pasting' will be flagged and ultimately scored accordingly.

Good luck with your entry!