Why should I enter? 

Writing a good award entry takes time and thoughtful planning. When you’re juggling deadlines and an endless to-do list it can be easy to put it on the back burner until the last minute, or miss out altogether because you run out of time. But awards provide a valuable opportunity to elevate our brands, reward our people, and come together with our peers to celebrate hard-won achievements.

Being shortlisted and winning a coveted PPA award not only gives you the chance to receive industry recognition but a whole host of benefits, including: 

• Improved motivation and morale: the recognition both internally and externally reinforces a culture of excellence where hard work is recognised and rewarded. In terms of team building, it certainly beats cocktail-making or crazy golf.
  
  
• Industry visibility: highlighting your successes and getting your brand in front of a wider audience – including potential clients, partners, investors, suppliers, and talent can only be a good thing. Being shortlisted and winning may generate media coverage and noise on social. 
  
  

• Benchmarking: by evaluating your entry against the judges’ criteria, you can gain valuable insight into what sets apart good work and great work.
  
  

• Differentiation and competitive advantage: showcasing your best work can help set you apart from competitors and act as a unique selling point.
  
  

• Attracting talent: demonstrating to other industry professionals that your company is recognised for excellence, quality, and innovation ensures you stand out from the crowd.
  
  

Now where to start?

To create a strong entry, you need a plan to ensure you succinctly highlight your achievements and how they relate to the specific entry criteria the judges will be ranking you on. 

It should be clear what the category is looking for from the entry form and then it is a case of breaking down the sections and allocating responsibility for input. 

One person does not have to be responsible for pulling together the supporting statement and documents – you can divide and conquer, utilising your team’s skillset and strengths to your advantage. 

It is a good idea however to have one person overseeing and ensuring you are putting forward a coherent story. They should have a commercial mindset, understand the industry, be skilled at editing and writing, and be a stickler for demonstrating growth and innovation. 

Writing the entry

• Read and re-read the criteria: your supporting statement and documents need to make it clear how your work meets, or even better excels, each point.
  
  
• Create a simple project plan: allocate responsibility and make clear the submission guidelines including word count limits, formats. Create your own deadline.
  
  
• Pick wisely. Match the most appropriate campaign/publication/event to the category from which you can demonstrate success and highlight achievements.
  
  
• Supporting material: collect all relevant information and data that supports your entry such as financials, performance metrics, testimonials, and case studies. Have concrete examples and quantitative data as well as supporting evidence including collateral and video.
  
  
• Tell your story: craft a compelling narrative to showcase the journey, achievements and impact. The introduction should explain why you’ve chosen this particular category, the challenges overcome, milestones reached, and positive outcomes you’ve delivered.
  
  
• Differentiation: what makes you stand out against your competitors? Explain how your product or service addresses customer needs and industry challenges.
  
  
• Show results and impact throughout: quantify where possible. For example, market penetration, readership and/or revenue growth, cost savings etc. 
  
  
• Clear language: use clear, simple language to communicate your message effectively. The judges may not know your sector, so avoid jargon and technical terms where possible. Ensure your entry is well-structured and proofread it more than once.
  
  

If your entry doesn’t make the cut this time, your team will have learned from the process and are likely to be motivated to try again. And if you are shortlisted, celebrate that recognition and enjoy all the benefits of being at the forefront of the industry.