who are your clients/customers, what are you selling them, and what did you set out to achieve this year? If you’re entering the collaboration award, tell us about the collaboration strategy. If you’re entering the Doing Good in Business award, you’ll need to tell us about your strategy for that. And if you’re hoping to win the Employer of the Year trophy, tell us about your strategy for being a great employer!

It’s much easier for the judges to award higher marks if you give them something that can actually be measured, so try to avoid “increase” or “decrease” and give them finite information on which to judge you. Relate this to your organisation, the collaboration, your objectives for employee engagement or your doing good activities.

Tell us about the actual activity. Was your activity based on research? Or different to anything you’ve done before? Bring to life what you’ve done to deliver fabulous results this year.

It might not be mind-blowing, but it might be something you haven’t tried before. Maybe you targeted a new market. Perhaps you ran a creative campaign. Help the judges to see what makes you stand out.

Compare these to the goals/objectives you’ve already told us about We’re looking for impact here, so tell us, for example, “80% of our award entries have been shortlisted” rather than “we’ve written 150 award entries”. Again, giving measurable figures helps the judges to give you more points as your achievements are clearer and proven. All details are treated in the strictest confidence, of course.